Built like a Mercedes (?)

Actually, in my visits to the states I have found an oppression that is simply not seen in Europe. It comes not from the Government but from the people themselves and the media.

Criticise democracy, or the American dream, or anything that culturally identifies America, and you face being completely ostracised by your peers. Americans just don't seem able, or willing, to criticise themselves to any significant degree.

Of course, on this side of the pond we sometimes appear to actively encourage it which doesn't seem too smart to me either.

The P-51 did not make it over in any real numbers until 1943. Battle of Britain was Summer 1940. It was almost exclusively a Brit on German air war. In fact, it was a near thing. Without radar and very high aircraft factory output, Britain would probably been invaded, and most likely would have been completely overrun in a few weeks.

We owe our successes in WW2 to those few who stood off the German air assault in 1940.

So, "Budd", stop showing your ass, and learn some history.

E.P.

The main RAF fighter at that time was the Hurricane but the Spitfire got most of the limelight.

When those Mustangs did finally arrive they simply didn't perform as well as the British fighters due to the poor Allison engine. It was the RAF that had the bright idea of putting a Rolls Royce Merlin in one - and production was the switched to use US 'license built' Merlins after which it did rather better.

Those Mustangs were *ordered* by the RAF btw on a commercial contract to boost aircraft production .The USA didn't just give them away. In fact the Mustang only ever existed on account of that RAF order, it would never even have been designed otherwise.

Graham

Certainly not once Churchill got in power.

The battle of Britain was in 1940. Britain got it's first P51 in 1942. Your logic appears flawed.

Prior to the Battle of Britain, US aid was confined mostly to food, oil and raw materials, notably steel.

Probably just North and Central France and probably a year or two later. The USSR, have taken all the land east of the German west border and all the Mediterranean coastal land would probably have bullied us into handing it over.

All of which confirms my assertion that our nations were at work on these things together prior to WWII, unlike what some others seem to believe.

Ahh - kind of like saying two clusters of grapes.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

The Mustang prototype didn't fly until 26 Oct 1940 by which time the 'Battle of Britain' targeting the destruction of the RAF had been won. The Luftwaffe changed its tactics to bombing London - 'The Blitz' after 7 Sep 1940.

" The plane first flew on 26 October 1940 "

" American contribution - The RAF recognises 7 Americans as having taken part in the Battle of Britain "

Just curious: what, exactly, is a top-poster abusing?

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

A huge debt is also owed to those who had the foresight not just to research radar but to actually implement the world's first integrated air defence system, luckily completed before hostilities began.

The following nationalities also flew with the RAF or Fleet Air Arm during the battle

Polish 139 New Zealander 98 Canadian 86 Czechoslovakian 84 Belgian 29 Australian 21 South African 20 French 13 Irish 10 Unknown 8 American 7 Jamaican 1 Palestinian (Jewish) 1 Southern Rhodesian 1

Graham

And he can block me too. It might reduce his posts, which have been mostly anger-driven, abusive drivel.

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

I would believe that it was nothing more than a commercial transaction if the same type of "commercial transactions" were being openly consumated with Germany at the same time. As if our government and industry were saying among themselves "Hey guys - we have all this industrial and military output - we can sell it to the highest bidder. The Brits say they will pay top dollar for it. Call up Adolf and see if he will counter. Tell him that whichever side comes up with the best offer by 2 o'clok this coming Tuesday gets the goods". Simply a commercial transaction my foot.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

I have followed your ping-pong with Pooh Bear but I am not clear about the relevance of an Atlantic Crossing. Last time I did it it took no more than

And it took only 11 h to cross that ocean and even cross the American continent to get to LA. It even takes up to an hour less going the other way.

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

Were not the Czech Republic and Slovakia two separate entities at that time?

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')

Not in concert at all. The USA gave little priority to radar since for example it felt there was no direct air raid threat. There were simply a few 'demonstration' US radars by late 1940.

Believe what you like.

It's a simple fact that the Tizard Mission energised US war technology thinking. One direct consequence of the Tizard Mission was the foundation of the Radiation Laboratory at M.I.T.

Graham

Commercial transactions often include some element of choice.

Graham

good point.

oh come on now pooh bear. don't get our hopes up.

Constructive criticism is no bad thing though.

I concur with your view though. It seems as if any mere hint that one might think America isn't *perfect* results in a hostile over-reaction from the colonists. Yet the Yanks seem to think it's their place to criticise everyone else !

A style of reaction to criticism that has much in common with Islamists in fact !

Graham

I smell a troll.

Bill Putney (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my address with the letter 'x')