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[Wing Walker]

If war with Germany and Japan continued for another year what would of most likely became the top 3 fighters for each country or service like the US Army Air Corps, the USN, the Luftwaffe, the UK, and Japan?  Given unlimited resources and manpower for each, also with jets and without jets


I had a whole discussion with AI one night on this, thought I would be interesting to get people's opinions on here also...

I ended up not being what I expected for each, pretty interesting rabbit hole to go down...

One interesting thing AI came up with for the USAAF was the P-82 bumped off the P-51 from the top 3 because of its longer range and versatility to multi-role in the Jet age.  So the top 3 for the USAAF was the F-84B, P-82B, and P-80A...  AI said with no limits in resources these projects would of advanced really fast.

Though with no jets it was: P-82B, P-47N, and the P-51H.

I was pretty surprised to see the P-82B on there.

[UberDemon]

Hmm, twin Mustangs were cool indeed.  For the LW, I think the streamlined Do-335 Pfeil would do well, at least in a boom and zoom situation, but then again I am a sucker for weird aircraft.  Obviously the Me-262 made its mark.  I bet the P-80 would have faired well, at least until the MiG-15s come in the scene.  The Gloster meteor was relatively fast but I do not think with the two engines it would have done that great in maneuverability, compared with the late 109s or 190s, or the 262.  If we are considering high performance prop/turbo-prop planes, if the development on the Westland Whirlwind and Fw-187 continued, we may have had some super-charged prop fighters until the jets come in...

And never ignore the Corsair... or supped up P-38s...

[taly01]

I have been recently thinking the Spitfire IX may be the best fighter of WW2 era, due to its good all round performance and early introduction in mid-1942.   

[BlackAce7727]

Spitfire XIV (Bubble top and standard), Ta-152H-1, P-51H..? Sounds ideal right?

Jets? F-80, Vampire, He-162.. Again sounds equal in a fight.. 

[RABIZO]

I'm Japanese.

. . . If it had continued.

There would have been no place or people to manufacture airplanes in Japan.
The last completed airplane would have been the "Hayate" (Ki-84).
Japan was not able to make "fighting airplanes" towards the end of the war.

[dagger123456]

US Army - P-80, P-51H
US Navy/Marine - F8F Bearcat, F4U-5
UK         - Gloster Meteor, Spitfire XIV, Vampire
DE         - Me262, Me 109K, Ta-152
IJN/A      -KI-84, Kikka
Russia    - ?

[Kopfdorfer]

Why do you guys forget the Tempest ?
It was a beast.

Kopfdorfer

[LuseKofte]

Russia    - ?

LA 7 , YAK 3

[Dimlee]

Russia    - ?

LA 7 , YAK 3

Yak-3 is Georgia, because of the Tbilisi factory. 
OK, it's USSR, not Russia.

[Dimlee]

Regarding AI's choice for USAAF.
I agree with F-82 and F-80, but not sure about F-84 - too early for 1946, especially if all the teething issues are to be taken into account.

Other services:
USN - F8F, F4U-5 and F7F if carrier qualifications are completed.
RAF - Meteor, Hornet. Westland Welkin resurrected if LW bombers pose a threat? Spitfire with Griffon?

LW - Me 262, Ta 152, FW 190D-1x. I'd love to see Do 335 in the list, but it's probably too much unless she is used as a fast bomber.

IJA - I'm tempted to mention J7W and Ki-83. But RABIZO's remark makes sense, and "unlimited resources" for Japan in 1945-46 is something that is hard to imagine.
So... Ki-84 and J2M?
IJN - A7M

VVS - La-7 with transition to La-9, Yak-9U/P. Yak-3P in a limited role of short-range interceptor?
P-63 if Lend-Lease continues.

[dagger123456]

J2M and A7m wont be able to keep up with increased speed of later model fighters.  It is going to be like zero versus mustang.  I cant comment about USSR aircraft.  I am not very familiar with them.

[Wing Walker]

AI said...

With the addition of jets in the USAAF and unlimited resources scenario the F-84B’s Jet jumps in development.  The F-84B, flown in February 1946 historically, hit 587 mph (945 km/h). With no resource limits, it’d enter service by mid-1946, outpacing the P-80 in speed and adding jet-powered fighter-bomber capability. This leapfrogged the P-51H entirely, as jets took priority.

There would have been no place or people to manufacture airplanes in Japan.
The last completed airplane would have been the "Hayate" (Ki-84).

True, but the question I asked AI included the hypothetical that resources and personal were not limited, one interesting thing for Japan
Jets included (unlimited resources and manpower) was the Mitsubishi J8M Shusui...

Why? A rocket-powered copy of the Me 163, the J8M flew in July 1945 with a Toku Ro.2 (3,307 lbf), hitting 559 mph (900 km/h) briefly. An extra year could see limited production despite fuel shortages, offering a desperate kamikaze or interceptor option, also as a Short-range interceptor, a last-ditch jet.