Mr History. I love the song that starts at "The Background" part of the video. Please 🙏. I BEG!! What is the name of that song. IVE BEEN HUNTING FOR IT FOR MONTHS NOW😢
“Stocky” Edwards was an amazing person and humble Canadian. I was fortunate to have had lunch with him back in the late 90s. We talked flying and he recounted some stories from his time in WWII. I was sad to hear of his passing this past Saturday.
The venerable P 40 was used throughout the war and in spite of limitations, in the hands of a skilled pilot the Hawk was a very formidable machine. A very reliable & worthy fighter, often underrated.
The P-40 was as good as any fighter below 13,000 feet. She was there when the Allies needed her. She also fought in Every Theater of WW2. Two stage superchargers were hard to come by and their demand was put to newer designs.
It's because they out numbered the enemy, we already know throughout the war Germany was outnumbered 10 to 1, stats also show that Germany would of won if it was only outnumbered 5 to 1.
@@thehorsecockexpress1068 You say that Germany would **have** won if it **had been** outnumbered "only 5 to 1"? That is quite a bold statement. Especially since the P-40s were not the one and only fighters issued to British squadrons in North-Africa. The P-40 was just more of a ground-attack plane than the Me-109 was.
Hey everyone, I hope you enjoyed! Some notes: First off, I tried to do this pilot justice and create a compelling story after I heard about him passing away earlier this month. Hopefully I served his memory well. Secondly, I based this off of the most accurate information I could from the combat reports from this time. His dogfights with Schulz and Marseille are pretty well confirmed, but the kill with Steinhausen is still subject to some debate based on the time of his sortie and the time of Steinhausen's death. Thanks for watching and please consider subscribing!
TJ…. You for being conscientious and doing your best. I really appreciate your videos. At the moment I’m not retired yet so I don’t have enough to make contributions and I bet you would be the first if I do retire. I truly enjoy knowing the history of how these racist Nazi bastards were defeated.
The fact that anyone still gives a shit makes me glad. Thank you. Even if being "dogged" / antagonize by others less than (ignorant) / or even more knowledgeable (arrogant) you are trying to keep history alive, relevant & respected. That said, as an American.....leave me alone to watch the next one. These microwaved enchiladas on my belly ain't gonna eat themselves whilst the next video is loading. Christ almighty ......no cheese in a jar 😡
I don't know where you got your information on the Curtis P-40/Tomahawk/Kittyhawk/Warhawk. One German ace talking about attacking a formation of P-40's from the rear "It was then I found how quickly they could turn. All of a sudden they were coming at me head on with all 6 guns smoking." The commander of the all black 99th pursuit squadron, Benjamin E. Davis in 1972--"P-40 operations in Europe bore many similarities to the F-86 Sabre operations in Korea. The German fighters could stay above us and refuse combat, but when they descended below 20,000 feet we were superior."
Vid is OK - however - you make it sound as if the Me 109 is a brandnew, all modern fighter compared to the oooold, stubborn Kittyhawk (which was called Tomahawk in British service). Mind you - P-40 first flight was in 1938. Me 109 first flight was 1935. So the P-40 was 3 years newer than than the Me 109. Yes, the 109F was a later edition - so what? The P-40 Tomahawk was also a development of the 1938 prototype. And yes, the P-40 Tomahawk was really outmatched against the 109 - but not because it was older - it was NEWER. German aircraft simply outclassed American aircraft at that time. It wasn't until 2 years later that US aircraft finally became efficient.
Thank you for this video honouring a quiet legend of the skies. He has recently departed on his last patrol and it’s fantastic that his service is remembered - to live on. We are grateful for his service and your tribute. Salute
As a Canadian I wish to thank you for this story on "Stocky" Edwards. I only heard of him from another RUclipsr a week ago. So many Canadians who served are long forgotten to time.
@@inominate2024 Yes. Canadian did more than what most Canadians know about them. Canadians served with distinction in all of the services. Their stories can be found in many books published about them. And even today Canadians serve their country with pride. They must not be forgotten. My dad (Canadian Army) landed June 7th on the beaches, after they were secured. He was wounded in France and had to be sent back later that year.
Thank you for the blog. With his recent passing another legend has gone on his last patrol. It’s great that you have honoured him in this video. Great job - thank you
Old fart here...I had six uncles that served in WW2, only 3 came back. Two killed in Europe, one in the Pacific. Of the survivors, one was a fighter pilot (P47), one bomber pilot (B17) and one was a Jeep driver for officers. He was a liberator @ 2 camps, never, ever talked about it. All 3 survivors were terrible drunks after the war, but my driver uncle was saved by my aunt, who turned him into a very good and sober man. Don't know much about the other uncles, as no one really knew much about them, but none were returned to the USA for burial. IMO, heroes all.
Years ago I worked for a guy at his gas station. He was always drunk, I later found out that during WWII, he was the upper gunner in the RAF, Bomber Command. He bailed out three times because his aircraft were shot down, I think I'd need a bottle of courage too after all that.
I had 4 relatives that I know for sure. U. Leo was a C.B., U. Herb was navy but like most never spoke of it though I did get his Bulova. Pull out the stem and it stopped. U. Howard was army and survived the Hurtgen forest which was a waste of life do to the idiocy of politician generals wanting to make a name for themselves. German reports spoke of the stupidity of that battle. And A. Elsie was a nurse stationed in Italy.
As an Aussie, I'd appreciate any Australian aces both in the Pacific and Europe/North Africa,we had many. Another under represented country that had many aces was Italy, the RAF used to say over Malta"When the 109s fly home check your tail because their could be a Macchi on your tail!"
This was because Italian pilots flew till November 1941 with poor speed planes like Fiat cr 42, g 50 and Macchi c 200. So their only tactic was turn dogfight. But when Macchi c 202 Folgore (Lighting) was available, they have a very fast plane and they could engage Allied pilots in epic close dogfight. They couldn't engage with boom& zoom due to the low rate of fire by the two .50 calibre, but they were very skilled in close combat. Anyway the p 40 was a monster in close combat if the right hand, as typed by Italian ace Gorrini. Not so fast as Folgore but more manouvrable. Anyway till the arriving of Spit mk v in North Africa, 109 f was the top.
The great Buzz Beurling from Canada said during his time in Malta that the Germans left the fight first but the Italians stuck around to duke it out. He admired their spirit.
Australian pilot Clive Caldwell the highest scoring P40 ace of WW2 with 22.5 victories including five Stukas in one action and a total of ten 109's He was ambushed by a German ace and his wing man and although wounded and his P40 heavily damaged he shot down the wing man and damaged the aces 109 causing him to break off.He also shot down another German ace.Transferred to the Pacific from the desert he finished the war on 27.5 kills confirmed fly ing P40'S and Spitfires
You can also talk about the free french ace Georges James Denis ( only knowed as James Denis during the war, with 6 victorys ) this french shoot down Hans Joachim Marseille two time during the war. And James Denis flew in Hurricane against HJ Marseille in a BF109E7 so it wasn't easy !
at low level the P-40 could maneuver with the 109. BF was faster but once engaged was a secondary in most cases. warhawk gets a bad rap many times, but it outturn the P-47 and P-51at it's operating altitude. haven't seen anything on a contest with the Spit but then again, hurricane was able to outturn the 109 so maybe he wasn't as handicapped plane wise as many people speak to
there's no way a Hurricane could outrun anything. It was inferior in climb, dive, acceleration, roll rate and speed. It's only virtue was turning radius, but then the same could be said for a biplane. Hurricanes were outdated by fall of 1940.
His nickname was Stocky. He gave up a pro hockey career to join the RCAF. Some say his skill at hockey was what made him such a great fighter pilot. He became Canada's most decorated and skilled fighter pilot of the war. He retired from the RCAF as a Colonel.
The P-40B version was actually more maneuverable than a Spitfire 1 or 109E at high speed (320+mph). The Spit and 109 ailerons tended to become stiff and heavy while the P-40's remained constantly light and easy.
@@Curtissaviation 109 required very good physic condition, specially strenght, to be exploited. That is why was so un-understand by many allied pilots when they tried the captured units.
Great account. From documentaries I've seen with the p40 going up against Japanese planes , the American pilots had to depend on making high speed passes with accurate bursts of fire . Not getting into a dog fight with the more nimble Japanese planes. These accounts of this Canadian pilot seem similar. Somehow he was above the German pilots and able to gain speed and catch the by surprise in their superior 109's. Great tactics , whatever they were. Sometimes you just have to make the best with what you have!
I had to find out about Wally Conrad to see if he survived. He did, and went on to win the DFC twice. His wingman knocked his tail off over France in 1944 but he bailed out, evaded capture and returned to duty after escaping through Spain. I think he ended the war with 7 kills and many ground attack missions under his belt.
Wally certainly survived. He flew with Wing Commander Johnnie Johnson in 1944 and 1945 as part of a Canadian Wing over Europe. Johnnie mentions losing Wally after the collision, and his delight at hearing that he had escaped.
Hey man, glad your still making videos. I have a request and a future video for you. You may not know but I am a passionate builder of model aircraft. I have just purchased Tamiya's superb P51D mustang in 1/32 scale. Whilst researching paint schemes, I came across one that took my fancy. "American Beauty" piloted by captain John J Voll. A video about him would be fantastic. With 21 aerial victories he was one of America's highest scoring aces, but better still he has performed a feat that very few pilots can claim. Becoming an ace in a day. While leading an escort mission to Munich on 16 November 1944, Captain Voll experienced electrical problems and left the formation. As he returned alone, he spotted a single Ju 88 over Udine, Italy. Chasing the German aircraft as it attempted to return to its base, Voll was suddenly jumped by 12 Bf 109s and Fw 190s. He quickly shot down the Ju 88 and turned into the enemy fighters. In a swirling, five-minute battle, John Voll destroyed two Fw 190s, one Bf 109, had two probables, and two damaged, making him one of the 38 Army Air Force "ace in a day" pilots. He ended the war with 21 air-to-air kills, all while flying the P-51 Mustang. Keep up the great work mate. 👍
@Stephen Negley I'm not gonna lie. I'm a little nervous about as it's one of the most involved kits I've ever attempted. But I've spoken with many model enthusiasts as they all say the same thing. The build quality and engineering is so good. That the model just practically falls together. So although it's involved it's actually fairly easy and straightforward to build.
I'd heard and read about James Francis Edwards many years ago when I was seriously into reading about Canadian Aces. One other very unknown Canadian Ace is George "Buzz" Beurling. Also known as 'The Falcon of Malta'. Credited for 27 axis aircraft in 14 days!
Actually George "Buzz" Beurling was one of the most famous of the allied aces in the European theatre during the war... but not in a good way. Certainly he did have one of the highest kill counts in the Commonwealth, but he was also openly hated by his fellow pilots and commanders. Eventually he was grounded before war's end because most pilots refused to fly with him and multiple charges of insubordination. Quite the combination! But he did love killing. He finally got a shot at more action in 1948 when he signed on with the newly founded Israeli Air Force but died in a plane crash ferrying a fighter into Israel. All in all a person the RCAF wants very much to be forgotten.
@@dscott6629 Well he is not well known today. Yes he had his issues, one being he was like a lone wolf in the air, many times disobeying orders and separating from his flight to attack the enemy. (Apparently he had amazing eyesight and would spot enemy planes when others couldn't.) But all his issues doesn't take away from his ability to kill the enemy and to do so valiantly. He was one of the few who helped save Malta.
@@dscott6629yeah. That’s because he stayed on with the RAF, after the RCAF took control of it’s own squadrons. George was a volunteer for the RAF. RCAF didn’t like that he turned them down.
@@Flagrum3 Issues? He kept on shooting down his wing mates! He saw a plane and he'd shoot it down. What do you think does it take to be hated by your fellow pilots? Going off on your own to shoot down the enemy? Being one of the war's top pilots and still being grounded says everything if you have a shred of logic.
@@dscott6629 I'm going to assume you know very little about dogfighting back then. There is countless examples of 'misidentification' and friendly 'kills' reported throughout the war. You think he did it on purpose? Your a moron if you think so, and yes it was a big no-no to break formation and go off on your own, as it put the rest of the formation in danger and simply was against orders. That was only one reason he was disliked, but also because he was of a loner mentality. He didn't socialize with his colleagues well.
As I understand what happened, when a pilot in the allies attained hours or kills they were brought off the front line to train, the Germans kept three aces in the air till they were killed
The allied pilots who managed to attain a certain total of flight hours and combat victories were not permanently taken off the front lines. At least, not that I think. They were just more often sent to tour the flight schools so they could pass their experiences and teachings to pilots in training, through theoretical lessons or in flight. But I really think they would still see action, be it just to keep their experiences relevant and up-to-date.
It's not true that the Kittyhawk wasn't highly maneuverable in comparison to the ME 109. It wasn't as good as the Zero or most Japanese planes in that department but few or no allied planes were. Without the second stage super charger it couldn't dictate the fight because the me 109 could always climb above the p-40. With as many as the old aces that survived the war that went on to live to ripe out ages it shows how rigorous the selection process was especially early in the war.
@@altblechasyl_cs2093 it could be called either. My grandfather and I had this exact same conversation before. I notice that older veterans refer to it had the me109 quite often. I think I'm going to research 🤔 this discrepancy now that it has been brought up again and I can't recall where the bf comes from considering the plane is a me company wise
@@keithbaker1951 No, it isn't. The plane was issued by the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG unter the short cut BF-109 acc. to the designation system of the Reichsluftwaffe. This was never changed during war also not after reorganisation the BFW AG into the Messerschmidt AG. Therefor it will be a Messerschmidt BF-109. 😉
North African oil deposits were not discovered until the late 1950s. WWII in North Africa cost both sides a lot of oil but didn't afford any to either.
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Edwards a number of years ago. He was a true gentlemanman. He was also the ranking officer at my uncle's funeral, who was killed in a Sabre crash at 2(F) Wing at Grostenquin in 1953.
Noteworthy: Walter 'Wally' Conrad survived being strafed by Nazi vermin Otto Schulz. Flt Lt Conrad went onto further glory during the war, returned home after the war, and died peacefully at an old age in his beloved home, Canada.
It was a war. I don't see any ethical problem with trying to scratch one enemy pilot when the chance arises. A skilled pilot is a valuable asset and any of your compatriots killed by the pilot you let go wouldn't be thanking you.
@@nerdyali4154 yeah well, whatever. Nazi vermin coward Otto Schultz died minutes after his despicable and cowardly act, and Flt Lt Conrad went onto further glory during the war, returned home after the war, and died peacefully at an old age in his beloved home, Canada.
@@bobjohnbowles technically shooting a downed pilot is the same as strafing infantry. What Schultz did was he upped the brutality of air combat. Alistair Wardill may think Schultz is sparing his comrades by shooting a downed pilot, but in reality he’s affirming to the British that the Germans are less than human and not deserving of being treated with valor. Schultz is accomplishing the exact opposite of what Mr. Wardill claims.
Kitty Hawks were widely used for the west coast defense of Canada during the war. In addition, I think there were two dedicated RCAF kitty hawk squadrons deployed overseas to N.Africa. The RCAF did deploy kitty hawks to Alaska during the failed Japanese invasion of the islands too
I have always been told the P-40 was more maneuverable (turn and roll rate) than the 109, and wasn't such a slouch at low altitude which is where this war was fought in Africa?
War produces rapid advancement in technology. Many YT videos go on in comparisons of the various aircraft of WWII, often ignoring the critical element of who was flying those machines. Take a lot of WWII front-line fighters and put them against one another, and the more skilled / experienced pilot would win. As one veteran of that combat stated, a pilot who survived the first 7-8 hours of air battle had a very good chance of surviving, but the attrition among rookie pilots was enormous.
@ mencken8 - Your comments echo those of the legendary General Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager, the pilot famed for breaking the sound barrier but whose proudest accomplishment, at least according to his autobiography, was flying P-51s in combat over Europe during WW2. It is tough to think of a more ruthlessly Darwinian environment than air-to-air combat during that war. Yeager was a crafty old fox, though.Once, years after the war when he was in command of a unit flying F-86 Sabre fighters, his unit was flying in exercises against Canadian Air Force pilots who had a newer faster version of the aircraft. The Canadian pilots knew how great a stick-and-rudder man Yeager was, but they were mystified that his Sabre jet kept up with theirs seemingly without problems. Well, Yeager has cranked in the tabs on the exhaust nozzle of his aircraft, generating additional thrust and speed. He knew enough about the design of the engine that it could take a slightly elevated operating pressure and temp if he didn't abuse it, and he got away with it. Or, the short version would be: It ain't the plane, it is the pilot!
In more than one specialized source I read that the P-40 behaved worse than the Spitfire and the 109 SAVE IN HANDLING AT LOW-MIDDLE ALTITUDE, AND IN ITS RUGGED CONSTRUCTION. As a matter of fact, some pilots who flew both the Spit and the P-40 affirmed that at low and middle altitude the Curtiss fighter-bomber can out-turn a Spitfire, and hence a Bf-109. A Bf-109F was right in the red line of what a Kittyhawk could confront to, but in good hands that was still possible. At least a Kittyhawk was not a Hurricane.
The faster aircraft, especially one with a higher climb rate, will always have the advantage if used correctly. If the 109 pilot refused to get into a turning fight and maintained energy the Kittyhawk was toast. More than a few pilots lost their lives unnecessarily trying to play Red Baron.
Uncle flew 40s in the Med. Actually the P40 could out maneuver a 109 below 15,000 feet. Its real strengths were at below 10,000 feet nose down aircraft with fantastic roll capability. Split S and a rolling dive.
The P40 was a gun and run fighter. Anyone fool enough to get into a dogfight with a zero , BF109 or FW190 had better be a top notch pilot. The zero could dance ri gs around it, The BF 109 out climb and out dive it and the FW190 out e everything on it.These stories of P40,s going toe to toe with german aces in 109 and 190,s are just that STORIES. Marsaille would have had a field day with a flock of P40,s.
Keep in mind that Germany started the war and racked up kills against mostly unskilled pilots on all fronts. In the later years of the war, it got VERY tough for these pilots once the other nations adapted.
It's all about knowing when and where to use your plane's qualities so its weaknesses don't show. That model P-40 had no double-stage supercharger, so high-altitude fights were out. It wasn't the most- maneuvrable either. But it still had good horsepower, could take a beating, and had 6 .50 cal machine-guns that would tear down Me-109s in no time.
The p40, although an older design, had several advantages. It had an excellent roll rate, superior dive speed, it was heavily armed, and heavily armored. When using tactics to employ these advantages, it was a killer.
Can you please do a video about James Denis a French pilot who joined the RAF and flew the Hawker Hurricane. He defeated Hans Joachim Marseille twice .
When the 109 was topicalized to fly and not cook itself in North Africa the performance disparity between the 109 and the P-40 pretty much disappeared. The DB 605 was a heavy mother for the power obtainable compared to the V-1710 and on the little airframe and wing in the density altitude of the desert compared to norther Europe and Scandinavia, it was defanged pretty heavily.. A good pilot in a P-40 stood a good puncher's chance of being successful against Axis airplanes.
I have to disagree. The P40 was one of the most maneuverable American aircraft of WWII, given its moderate wing loading and relatively large wing and tail surfaces. Despite its obsolescence and lack of proper turbo supercharging, the P40 could fly with anything at mid to low altitudes. Clive Caldwell, also flying in North Africa was a 20+ kill ace in the P40. Saburo Sakai said it best when he recalled that the best allied aircraft he faced in WWII, when flown properly, was the P40.
The Germans had no breaks, served on multiple fronts and gained vast experience using capable aircraft over long time lines, frequently against less experienced pilots
at low altitude the P-40 was Fast, faster than a P-47 for example. And at low altitudes, it could out turn an Me109, making it "maneuverable" at low altitudes too. It was capable of defeating het Me109 if you played to the P-40's strengths (which is true for 100% of all dogfights in history). Notice how no one claims the Hurricane was obsolete in Africa or the med, even though it was. The Hurricane was retired from service early in the war, but the P-40 and Me109 soldiered on through the entire war as capable machines.
I remember reading the story of Otto Schulz being shot down by James Edwards waaay back in 'Fighters Over The Desert'. I noticed in the book, that when Schulz would damage an Allied aircraft to the point it needed to be belly land, he'd always come back and strafe the wreckage to make sure it could not be salvaged. Then on one mission he was caught doing just that, and shot down and killed. I was surprised how 'abrupt' it was.
The account that I read many years ago said Edwards had over 20 kills and that he figured he had numerous others but had not seen them crash so he didn't claim them.
Luftwaffe ace, Hans-Joachim Marseille,158 kills by the time he was 22 years old, and died due to mechanical failure of his BF109. Smoke filled the cockpit and he was suffering from asphyxiation when he ejected and hit the tail knocking him unconscious. He fell to his death. He was only 22 years old when he died. He was known as the Star of Africa and appropriately, so.
Different rules for scoring confirmed kills between the RAF, USAAF and the Luftwaffe. The Luftwaffe pilots didn't need witnesses to their claimed kills, they could claim them and other Luftwaffe pilots claiming the same downed aircraft as a confirmed kill, hence their tallies being ten times higher, but not actually realistic. Allied pilots would have to share a kill or not claim it if multiple aircraft contributed. Also, as soon as Allied pilots got to around 30 kills, they were taken out of the frontline to train novice pilots. The Germans left their aces out until they got the chop. It cost them dearly in the long run.
You need to do some research. Luftwaffe were at least as stringent as any Allied power. And usually tougher. They had to be witnessed and had to be confirmed by Berlin.
@@warager4753 No, I don't need to do any research because I've already done it smartarse. You need to accept the fact that what I'm stating is truth. Do the math on the aircraft kill tallies. Where are the stats for all these hundreds and hundreds of extra lost Allied aircraft ? German pilots were not ten times better at downing allied aircraft and not "usually tougher", that's just an outright German biased flippant remark. The numbers just don't add up at all, and the fact you say "had to be witnessed and had to be confirmed by Berlin" ? What, by the lying Nazi propaganda machine ? The same ones claiming a Wermacht victory at hand in Stalingrad in 1942 when they were getting their arses handed to them by the Red Army ? Wake up to reality 🙄
Everyone is entitled to his own opinion but not his own facts. Luftwaffe kill confirmation required a witness or gun camera footage. And it was Berlin's call. After eighty years, I know of no reputable source that says that the Germans overclaimed more than anyone else. Sorry that bothers you but THAT is the truth.
@@warager4753 Own opinion and truth ? What, from the Nazi Ministry of Truth ? Like JG52 fighter group claiming their 9,000th kill in May 1944 and their 10,000th kill in September 1944 with only 9 operational fighters ? Yeah, ok Goebbels, whatever you reckon Mein Herr Bullshit-Artist. You need to practice what you preach. That's complete bullshit and you know it. Gun camera footage ? So you're saying ALL Bf-109's and Fw-190's had gun cameras from 1940-1945 ? What, is that footage still classified is it, or is it all destroyed ? Where is all this footage ? You are full of bullshit mate, Nazi propaganda bullshit.
In the far East, the p40 did very well, could take a beating, good turns in dogfights, even against the Zero, which had similar abilities (just without the ruggedness:s) regards and thanks!!
I used to challenge myself in the Microsoft WWII flight sim, & fight against aces intentionally, a simulated triple ACE myself. I’d eventually get them, but way more challenging than all the others I had shot down, forcing myself to dig out all the tricks. Miss that a lot!!! My computer eventually became obsolete, & I could fly no more. 😞 I miss sawing their wings off!
There are accounts on other p40 youtube stories of an Aussie P40 pilot who used to SKOOL yanks in their shiny new P51s that you dont mess with a P40 when its in its envelope . A highly capable machine when you use its many strengths and not believe all the bad press it got because of newer aircraft coming on line. Learn to use what you got, learn what it CAN and cant do and take it to them . So it didnt have a flash 2 stage 2 speed S.C that could take it to 40000 plus, but get it mad at 12000 ft and below and you better know what your doing against it. I believe Greggs airplanes did a very involved comparison of what if..... a Merlin 2 stage engine would have done, NOT a lot it seems. Other accounts Ive read say the RAAF over boosted the very tough Allison , because it could take it , unlike more on the upper edge designs, and got very good results. It was more a case of This is what we got, we are not getting anything else, we are facing this adversary, and this is what we have to do to maintain some kind of equality . If it blows up , at least we tried, but if we left it stock, we are burnt toast anyhow. The Allison took it, and allowed the RAAF to compete. The RNZAF also flew P40 kittyhawks in the Pacific but I dont know if they followed suit. If i knew what I know now I would have been able to ask my Airframe and engine instructor when I was an apprentice 45 years ago. He was RNZAF mechanic in the Pacific. R.I.P "Saki "Bill Harold. The saki bit came from his love of liberated Japanese wine.
My book, "The Star of Africa: The Story of Hans Marseille has interviews with both German and Allied pilots regarding the Marseille story. I have no doubt that James Edwards killed Gunther Steinhausen and also shot down Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt. Both of those men were Marseille's best friends, and both were flying in his place due to his 109 being damaged. I also believe that I can confirm that Edwards also shot up Ludwig Franzisket, and See my discussion on Marseille at Forgotten History here on RUclips.com. This was a well done tribute. I had interviewed Edwards years ago. he was a great and humble man. I also believe that Edwards damaged Erbo von Kageneck forcing him to crash land. Later Clive Caldwell got him.
Famous British RN test pilot Eric "Winkle" Brown said that the P-40's roll rate was very fast and equal to most top Fighters !! Also rugged and like most American fighters it had 6 hard hitting .50 cals. 👍 Semper Fi
yes, but roll rate is only one metric. P-40s (until the N) lacked speed, climb, altitude performance, acceleration, and had trim issues in a dive or changing speed. It succeeded in the Med only because they outnumbered the retreating LW, whose supply lines had been devatated.
@@bobsakamanos4469 Yet fought great in China, The Pacific, The Med and in Russia !! 🤔 It's comes down to pilot skill, the will to fight and bravery !! 👍 Semper Fi
@@ronniefarnsworth6465 useed as an energy fighter at low level against Japanese, but can't do that effectively against the LW unless, as I said, you have numerical advantage and good top cover (Spitfires) in the Med. Yes, skill and agressiveness is important, like Clive Caldwell, but he wasn't average. The average low time pilots needed a better machine and lots of them against the LW. Most bombers in the Africa campaign flew at 12,000' so the LW had to come down and stay there, so the numerous P-40s and their top cover had an advantage.
@@bobsakamanos4469 All good info Bob like you I've read it all on all Aircraft, Ships, Tanks etc. I'm 65' and probably like you Military History is my main hobby. The P40 for what it was held the line until better aircraft came alone, yet it still fought the whole war. I Love the underdog and History is the judge and it did its job well. !! Thanks for posting 👍
@@ronniefarnsworth6465 I should mention that my old man flew Spits, Hurricanes, and Kittyhawks (El Alamein & most Mks as test pilot) All good insight added to my own flying experience. cheers mate.☘
Almost made it to 101!! I met him quite by accident back in 2004. I had read about some of his exploits in the Spitfire, but discovering that this dapper, unassuming gentleman was the same person that I had read about, took me totally by surprise!!
Historians have proven numerous times that German pilots also often over claimed, especially after 1943 where kill verification criteria was relaxed somewhat. Stocky Edwards himself looked post war at German records vs. RAF losses in his area. The German claims for each day could rarely be reconciled with actual RAF unit losses. Over claiming happened in every air force.
@@mathswithgarry7104 not true. German pilots were given leave and postings to instructional duties. Marseille had many periods of leave while posted to Africa.
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Hi, can u make a vid about the ye old pub or the Memphis belle?
Video on famous Devil of Rabaul
Hiroyoshi Nishizawa
And the Clean Up Trio
Of Ota and Sakai
Why are my posted responses continually removed? .
Mr History. I love the song that starts at "The Background" part of the video. Please 🙏. I BEG!! What is the name of that song. IVE BEEN HUNTING FOR IT FOR MONTHS NOW😢
@@brandonhill7016 hmmm. I made this video a while back! Good chance it is one by Bonnie Grace. But all my songs come from Epidemic sound!
“Stocky” Edwards was an amazing person and humble Canadian. I was fortunate to have had lunch with him back in the late 90s. We talked flying and he recounted some stories from his time in WWII. I was sad to hear of his passing this past Saturday.
The venerable P 40 was used throughout the war and in spite of limitations, in the hands of a skilled pilot the Hawk was a very formidable machine. A very reliable & worthy fighter, often underrated.
This is very true, the P40 isn’t bad
The P-40 was as good as any fighter below 13,000 feet.
She was there when the Allies needed her. She also fought in Every Theater of WW2.
Two stage superchargers were hard to come by and their demand was put to newer designs.
It's because they out numbered the enemy, we already know throughout the war Germany was outnumbered 10 to 1, stats also show that Germany would of won if it was only outnumbered 5 to 1.
@@thehorsecockexpress1068 but they weren't right? Industry wins wars.... usually.
@@thehorsecockexpress1068 You say that Germany would **have** won if it **had been** outnumbered "only 5 to 1"? That is quite a bold statement. Especially since the P-40s were not the one and only fighters issued to British squadrons in North-Africa.
The P-40 was just more of a ground-attack plane than the Me-109 was.
Hey everyone, I hope you enjoyed! Some notes: First off, I tried to do this pilot justice and create a compelling story after I heard about him passing away earlier this month. Hopefully I served his memory well. Secondly, I based this off of the most accurate information I could from the combat reports from this time. His dogfights with Schulz and Marseille are pretty well confirmed, but the kill with Steinhausen is still subject to some debate based on the time of his sortie and the time of Steinhausen's death. Thanks for watching and please consider subscribing!
TJ…. You for being conscientious and doing your best. I really appreciate your videos. At the moment I’m not retired yet so I don’t have enough to make contributions and I bet you would be the first if I do retire.
I truly enjoy knowing the history of how these racist Nazi bastards were defeated.
Stop making stuff up TJ3! According to tinternt Steinhausen was killed at 8am local time while your man's claim was on the evening patrol. 😄
The fact that anyone still gives a shit makes me glad. Thank you. Even if being "dogged" / antagonize by others less than (ignorant) / or even more knowledgeable (arrogant) you are trying to keep history alive, relevant & respected. That said, as an American.....leave me alone to watch the next one. These microwaved enchiladas on my belly ain't gonna eat themselves whilst the next video is loading. Christ almighty ......no cheese in a jar 😡
I don't know where you got your information on the Curtis P-40/Tomahawk/Kittyhawk/Warhawk. One German ace talking about attacking a formation of P-40's from the rear "It was then I found how quickly they could turn. All of a sudden they were coming at me head on with all 6 guns smoking." The commander of the all black 99th pursuit squadron, Benjamin E. Davis in 1972--"P-40 operations in Europe bore many similarities to the F-86 Sabre operations in Korea. The German fighters could stay above us and refuse combat, but when they descended below 20,000 feet we were superior."
Vid is OK - however - you make it sound as if the Me 109 is a brandnew, all modern fighter compared to the oooold, stubborn Kittyhawk (which was called Tomahawk in British service). Mind you - P-40 first flight was in 1938. Me 109 first flight was 1935. So the P-40 was 3 years newer than than the Me 109.
Yes, the 109F was a later edition - so what? The P-40 Tomahawk was also a development of the 1938 prototype.
And yes, the P-40 Tomahawk was really outmatched against the 109 - but not because it was older - it was NEWER.
German aircraft simply outclassed American aircraft at that time. It wasn't until 2 years later that US aircraft finally became efficient.
He's my great-grandfather ♡ he sadly passed away just under a year ago, an amazing man and so proud to be his granddaughter.
I met the Australian ace Ron Cundy some years ago. He flew with Stocky and was his friend. Ron spoke very highly of him. Condolences for your loss.
Hope some random dude with german ace grandpa will not ask you a rematch on war thunder or dcs
Thank you for this video honouring a quiet legend of the skies. He has recently departed on his last patrol and it’s fantastic that his service is remembered - to live on. We are grateful for his service and your tribute. Salute
Can’t help but shed a tear at the end. 100 years ago and one hell of a life
As a Canadian I wish to thank you for this story on "Stocky" Edwards. I only heard of him from another RUclipsr a week ago. So many Canadians who served are long forgotten to time.
Thanks!
@@inominate2024 Yes. Canadian did more than what most Canadians know about them. Canadians served with distinction in all of the services. Their stories can be found in many books published about them. And even today Canadians serve their country with pride. They must not be forgotten. My dad (Canadian Army) landed June 7th on the beaches, after they were secured. He was wounded in France and had to be sent back later that year.
@Peter Simons Yes. Turdeau is a commie dictator just like his father Fidel.
What a fine gentleman! I hadn’t heard of him, till now!! Thanks! Rest In Peace Ancient Warrior!
Thank you for the blog. With his recent passing another legend has gone on his last patrol. It’s great that you have honoured him in this video. Great job - thank you
Thank you!
Old fart here...I had six uncles that served in WW2, only 3 came back. Two killed in Europe, one in the Pacific. Of the survivors, one was a fighter pilot (P47), one bomber pilot (B17) and one was a Jeep driver for officers. He was a liberator @ 2 camps, never, ever talked about it. All 3 survivors were terrible drunks after the war, but my driver uncle was saved by my aunt, who turned him into a very good and sober man. Don't know much about the other uncles, as no one really knew much about them, but none were returned to the USA for burial. IMO, heroes all.
Your family has sacrificed a lot--regards
Years ago I worked for a guy at his gas station. He was always drunk, I later found out that during WWII, he was the upper gunner in the RAF, Bomber Command. He bailed out three times because his aircraft were shot down, I think I'd need a bottle of courage too after all that.
I had 4 relatives that I know for sure. U. Leo was a C.B., U. Herb was navy but like most never spoke of it though I did get his Bulova. Pull out the stem and it stopped. U. Howard was army and survived the Hurtgen forest which was a waste of life do to the idiocy of politician generals wanting to make a name for themselves. German reports spoke of the stupidity of that battle. And A. Elsie was a nurse stationed in Italy.
Hats off to your family! Most of today's generations will never understand that kind of sacrifice.
I had seven (7)uncles(actually my dad is one of those 7)in ww2.....3 in Korea......they all came back....
As an Aussie, I'd appreciate any Australian aces both in the Pacific and Europe/North Africa,we had many.
Another under represented country that had many aces was Italy, the RAF used to say over Malta"When the 109s fly home check your tail because their could be a Macchi on your tail!"
This was because Italian pilots flew till November 1941 with poor speed planes like Fiat cr 42, g 50 and Macchi c 200. So their only tactic was turn dogfight. But when Macchi c 202 Folgore (Lighting) was available, they have a very fast plane and they could engage Allied pilots in epic close dogfight. They couldn't engage with boom& zoom due to the low rate of fire by the two .50 calibre, but they were very skilled in close combat. Anyway the p 40 was a monster in close combat if the right hand, as typed by Italian ace Gorrini. Not so fast as Folgore but more manouvrable. Anyway till the arriving of Spit mk v in North Africa, 109 f was the top.
The great Buzz Beurling from Canada said during his time in Malta that the Germans left the fight first but the Italians stuck around to duke it out. He admired their spirit.
The LW had complete air superiority over the Hurricanes until the Spitfires showed up in numbers and then the LW was dispersed to Africa by May 1942.
He's one humble ace killer. Deserves respect totally!
Australian pilot Clive Caldwell the highest scoring P40 ace of WW2 with 22.5 victories including five Stukas in one action and a total of ten 109's He was ambushed by a German ace and his wing man and although wounded and his P40 heavily damaged he shot down the wing man and damaged the aces 109 causing him to break off.He also shot down another German ace.Transferred to the Pacific from the desert he finished the war on 27.5 kills confirmed fly ing P40'S and Spitfires
And all in that Glorious "Jack of all Trades" P-40 !!! 👍
Semper Fi
The P40 didnt have the performance of the 109s at altitude but at low and medium altitude it could be competitive.
You can also talk about the free french ace Georges James Denis ( only knowed as James Denis during the war, with 6 victorys ) this french shoot down Hans Joachim Marseille two time during the war.
And James Denis flew in Hurricane against HJ Marseille in a BF109E7 so it wasn't easy !
ruclips.net/video/4cGVzoC-RMU/видео.html in french
@@dominiquebaumgarten8010 thanks, i know this channel and have already saw this video ;-)
Stocky recently passed away.... As a Canadian, he is a legend to us!
Fabulous effort, fabulous telling. Remarkable man, clearly his honesty and honor, and his flying skills put this fine man in good stead for life.
at low level the P-40 could maneuver with the 109. BF was faster but once engaged was a secondary in most cases. warhawk gets a bad rap many times, but it outturn the P-47 and P-51at it's operating altitude. haven't seen anything on a contest with the Spit but then again, hurricane was able to outturn the 109 so maybe he wasn't as handicapped plane wise as many people speak to
And most engagements occurred at 12,000 or lower
Winston Churchill tried to get P-40's from FDR to fight the Battle of Britain.
P40 could actually hit 388mph at lower altitude, about same as a 109.
there's no way a Hurricane could outrun anything. It was inferior in climb, dive, acceleration, roll rate and speed. It's only virtue was turning radius, but then the same could be said for a biplane. Hurricanes were outdated by fall of 1940.
'Never say "War" to a Canadian!'
His nickname was Stocky. He gave up a pro hockey career to join the RCAF. Some say his skill at hockey was what made him such a great fighter pilot. He became Canada's most decorated and skilled fighter pilot of the war. He retired from the RCAF as a Colonel.
Extraordinary! Especially in a Kittyhawk …
Yes, definitely. At low altitude though, this plane could compete with just about any other plane.
Wait a minute...the P-40,with all its limitations, was a fairly manoeuverable aircraft. I heard it deemed as a kinda "poor man's Spitfire"
Not only was it highly maneuverable but it could also absorb heavy battle damage and stay in the air.
The P-40B version was actually more maneuverable than a Spitfire 1 or 109E at high speed (320+mph).
The Spit and 109 ailerons tended to become stiff and heavy while the P-40's remained constantly light and easy.
@@Curtissaviation ah, Curt, you're breaaking through an open door: the P-40 is one of my fav so called "underdogs"! Beautiful aircraft!
@@Curtissaviation 109 required very good physic condition, specially strenght, to be exploited. That is why was so un-understand by many allied pilots when they tried the captured units.
Britain didn’t care. They pressed all they could against the Germans. The P-40 ended up becoming the underrated legend that it is.
Great account. From documentaries I've seen with the p40 going up against Japanese planes , the American pilots had to depend on making high speed passes with accurate bursts of fire . Not getting into a dog fight with the more nimble Japanese planes. These accounts of this Canadian pilot seem similar. Somehow he was above the German pilots and able to gain speed and catch the by surprise in their superior 109's. Great tactics , whatever they were.
Sometimes you just have to make the best with what you have!
damn Wing Commander Edwards lived to 100. A long and illustrious life
I had to find out about Wally Conrad to see if he survived. He did, and went on to win the DFC twice. His wingman knocked his tail off over France in 1944 but he bailed out, evaded capture and returned to duty after escaping through Spain.
I think he ended the war with 7 kills and many ground attack missions under his belt.
Wally certainly survived. He flew with Wing Commander Johnnie Johnson in 1944 and 1945 as part of a Canadian Wing over Europe. Johnnie mentions losing Wally after the collision, and his delight at hearing that he had escaped.
Hey man, glad your still making videos. I have a request and a future video for you. You may not know but I am a passionate builder of model aircraft. I have just purchased Tamiya's superb P51D mustang in 1/32 scale. Whilst researching paint schemes, I came across one that took my fancy. "American Beauty" piloted by captain John J Voll.
A video about him would be fantastic. With 21 aerial victories he was one of America's highest scoring aces, but better still he has performed a feat that very few pilots can claim. Becoming an ace in a day.
While leading an escort mission to Munich on 16 November 1944, Captain Voll experienced electrical problems and left the formation. As he returned alone, he spotted a single Ju 88 over Udine, Italy. Chasing the German aircraft as it attempted to return to its base, Voll was suddenly jumped by 12 Bf 109s and Fw 190s. He quickly shot down the Ju 88 and turned into the enemy fighters. In a swirling, five-minute battle, John Voll destroyed two Fw 190s, one Bf 109, had two probables, and two damaged, making him one of the 38 Army Air Force "ace in a day" pilots. He ended the war with 21 air-to-air kills, all while flying the P-51 Mustang.
Keep up the great work mate. 👍
I'll give it a look! Thanks!
@Stephen Negley I'm not gonna lie. I'm a little nervous about as it's one of the most involved kits I've ever attempted. But I've spoken with many model enthusiasts as they all say the same thing. The build quality and engineering is so good. That the model just practically falls together. So although it's involved it's actually fairly easy and straightforward to build.
I'd heard and read about James Francis Edwards many years ago when I was seriously into reading about Canadian Aces. One other very unknown Canadian Ace is George "Buzz" Beurling. Also known as 'The Falcon of Malta'. Credited for 27 axis aircraft in 14 days!
Actually George "Buzz" Beurling was one of the most famous of the allied aces in the European theatre during the war... but not in a good way. Certainly he did have one of the highest kill counts in the Commonwealth, but he was also openly hated by his fellow pilots and commanders. Eventually he was grounded before war's end because most pilots refused to fly with him and multiple charges of insubordination. Quite the combination! But he did love killing. He finally got a shot at more action in 1948 when he signed on with the newly founded Israeli Air Force but died in a plane crash ferrying a fighter into Israel. All in all a person the RCAF wants very much to be forgotten.
@@dscott6629 Well he is not well known today. Yes he had his issues, one being he was like a lone wolf in the air, many times disobeying orders and separating from his flight to attack the enemy. (Apparently he had amazing eyesight and would spot enemy planes when others couldn't.) But all his issues doesn't take away from his ability to kill the enemy and to do so valiantly. He was one of the few who helped save Malta.
@@dscott6629yeah. That’s because he stayed on with the RAF, after the RCAF took control of it’s own squadrons. George was a volunteer for the RAF. RCAF didn’t like that he turned them down.
@@Flagrum3 Issues? He kept on shooting down his wing mates! He saw a plane and he'd shoot it down. What do you think does it take to be hated by your fellow pilots? Going off on your own to shoot down the enemy? Being one of the war's top pilots and still being grounded says everything if you have a shred of logic.
@@dscott6629 I'm going to assume you know very little about dogfighting back then. There is countless examples of 'misidentification' and friendly 'kills' reported throughout the war. You think he did it on purpose? Your a moron if you think so, and yes it was a big no-no to break formation and go off on your own, as it put the rest of the formation in danger and simply was against orders. That was only one reason he was disliked, but also because he was of a loner mentality. He didn't socialize with his colleagues well.
Such an amazing Pilot & story. RIP good sir. Thank you for your service.
-fr: Another Saskatchewan boy
As I understand what happened, when a pilot in the allies attained hours or kills they were brought off the front line to train, the Germans kept three aces in the air till they were killed
The allied pilots who managed to attain a certain total of flight hours and combat victories were not permanently taken off the front lines. At least, not that I think.
They were just more often sent to tour the flight schools so they could pass their experiences and teachings to pilots in training, through theoretical lessons or in flight.
But I really think they would still see action, be it just to keep their experiences relevant and up-to-date.
It's not true that the Kittyhawk wasn't highly maneuverable in comparison to the ME 109. It wasn't as good as the Zero or most Japanese planes in that department but few or no allied planes were. Without the second stage super charger it couldn't dictate the fight because the me 109 could always climb above the p-40. With as many as the old aces that survived the war that went on to live to ripe out ages it shows how rigorous the selection process was especially early in the war.
What is a ME 109 ? Such a plane never exists...
@@altblechasyl_cs2093 Bf-109, I believe is what he means.
@@Dr1fterTW same thing
@@altblechasyl_cs2093 it could be called either. My grandfather and I had this exact same conversation before. I notice that older veterans refer to it had the me109 quite often. I think I'm going to research 🤔 this discrepancy now that it has been brought up again and I can't recall where the bf comes from considering the plane is a me company wise
@@keithbaker1951 No, it isn't. The plane was issued by the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG unter the short cut BF-109 acc. to the designation system of the Reichsluftwaffe. This was never changed during war also not after reorganisation the BFW AG into the Messerschmidt AG. Therefor it will be a Messerschmidt BF-109. 😉
Marmaduke Pattle was a notable commonwealth pilot in the Mediterranean theatre as well.
North African oil deposits were not discovered until the late 1950s. WWII in North Africa cost both sides a lot of oil but didn't afford any to either.
I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Edwards a number of years ago. He was a true gentlemanman. He was also the ranking officer at my uncle's funeral, who was killed in a Sabre crash at 2(F) Wing at Grostenquin in 1953.
Stocky Edwards, the Canadian legend !
Great video! I think the battle of Malta would be a good follow up!
Noteworthy: Walter 'Wally' Conrad survived being strafed by Nazi vermin Otto Schulz. Flt Lt Conrad went onto further glory during the war, returned home after the war, and died peacefully at an old age in his beloved home, Canada.
Yes I thought this was cool as well
It was a war. I don't see any ethical problem with trying to scratch one enemy pilot when the chance arises. A skilled pilot is a valuable asset and any of your compatriots killed by the pilot you let go wouldn't be thanking you.
@@nerdyali4154 yeah well, whatever. Nazi vermin coward Otto Schultz died minutes after his despicable and cowardly act, and Flt Lt Conrad went onto further glory during the war, returned home after the war, and died peacefully at an old age in his beloved home, Canada.
@@nerdyali4154 Even in war there are things that are not done, unless you are a war criminal.
@@bobjohnbowles technically shooting a downed pilot is the same as strafing infantry. What Schultz did was he upped the brutality of air combat. Alistair Wardill may think Schultz is sparing his comrades by shooting a downed pilot, but in reality he’s affirming to the British that the Germans are less than human and not deserving of being treated with valor. Schultz is accomplishing the exact opposite of what Mr. Wardill claims.
Kitty Hawks were widely used for the west coast defense of Canada during the war. In addition, I think there were two dedicated RCAF kitty hawk squadrons deployed overseas to N.Africa. The RCAF did deploy kitty hawks to Alaska during the failed Japanese invasion of the islands too
Wow! Great story and video! The terrain mapping is very authentic!
Thanks!
Great story. Well told with re-enacted with animation.
Thank you!
I have always been told the P-40 was more maneuverable (turn and roll rate) than the 109, and wasn't such a slouch at low altitude which is where this war was fought in Africa?
You are correct. The 40 was a great aircraft in search of a great engine. Under 15,000 feet aircraft.
Here's what Wing Commander Edwards himself said about fighting 109s with P-40 Kittyhawks. ruclips.net/video/nb-AeppJBF0/видео.html
I have seen a few of your videos but this one made me change my status from "lurker" to "subscriber".
Haha thanks!
War produces rapid advancement in technology. Many YT videos go on in comparisons of the various aircraft of WWII, often ignoring the critical element of who was flying those machines. Take a lot of WWII front-line fighters and put them against one another, and the more skilled / experienced pilot would win. As one veteran of that combat stated, a pilot who survived the first 7-8 hours of air battle had a very good chance of surviving, but the attrition among rookie pilots was enormous.
@ mencken8 - Your comments echo those of the legendary General Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager, the pilot famed for breaking the sound barrier but whose proudest accomplishment, at least according to his autobiography, was flying P-51s in combat over Europe during WW2. It is tough to think of a more ruthlessly Darwinian environment than air-to-air combat during that war. Yeager was a crafty old fox, though.Once, years after the war when he was in command of a unit flying F-86 Sabre fighters, his unit was flying in exercises against Canadian Air Force pilots who had a newer faster version of the aircraft. The Canadian pilots knew how great a stick-and-rudder man Yeager was, but they were mystified that his Sabre jet kept up with theirs seemingly without problems. Well, Yeager has cranked in the tabs on the exhaust nozzle of his aircraft, generating additional thrust and speed. He knew enough about the design of the engine that it could take a slightly elevated operating pressure and temp if he didn't abuse it, and he got away with it. Or, the short version would be: It ain't the plane, it is the pilot!
Excellent video. Rich historical account. Thanks for sharing.
at 4:45 you can see the warthunder menu screen flash for a second
Wonderful story, what a hero.
In more than one specialized source I read that the P-40 behaved worse than the Spitfire and the 109 SAVE IN HANDLING AT LOW-MIDDLE ALTITUDE, AND IN ITS RUGGED CONSTRUCTION. As a matter of fact, some pilots who flew both the Spit and the P-40 affirmed that at low and middle altitude the Curtiss fighter-bomber can out-turn a Spitfire, and hence a Bf-109.
A Bf-109F was right in the red line of what a Kittyhawk could confront to, but in good hands that was still possible. At least a Kittyhawk was not a Hurricane.
The faster aircraft, especially one with a higher climb rate, will always have the advantage if used correctly. If the 109 pilot refused to get into a turning fight and maintained energy the Kittyhawk was toast. More than a few pilots lost their lives unnecessarily trying to play Red Baron.
Good video, something I heard, the British in N.A were the first to have the famous sharks teeth on their P40s
112 Sqn
I love the Afrika Corps. They look so cool. It would mean a lot it tou coupd make more videos based on the afrika corps
Uncle flew 40s in the Med. Actually the P40 could out maneuver a 109 below 15,000 feet. Its real strengths were at below 10,000 feet nose down aircraft with fantastic roll capability. Split S and a rolling dive.
Constant re-trimming required when diving or other speed changes. High workload.
The P40 was a gun and run fighter. Anyone fool enough to get into a dogfight with a zero , BF109 or FW190 had better be a top notch pilot. The zero could dance ri gs around it, The BF 109 out climb and out dive it and the FW190 out e everything on it.These stories of P40,s going toe to toe with german aces in 109 and 190,s are just that STORIES. Marsaille would have had a field day with a flock of P40,s.
Yup, until the LW had their supply lines cut and were severely outnumbered.
Thank you for covering all too often under-reported Canadians.
Thank you for telling his story.
sir, you have to make a video of George Beurling the "Knight of Malta"
I agree. I also requested a battle of Malta video! And he was known as the Falcon of Malta.
Wonderful story of a humble man and deadly pilot. Good video
Sorry, Marseille died by leaving his ME. He had to give up the plane because of difficulties with the Engine!
RIP Mr. Edwards.
Keep in mind that Germany started the war and racked up kills against mostly unskilled pilots on all fronts.
In the later years of the war, it got VERY tough for these pilots once the other nations adapted.
Fighting seasoned veterens in an outdated aircraft and coming off the better , what a smart man . R.I.P
It's all about knowing when and where to use your plane's qualities so its weaknesses don't show.
That model P-40 had no double-stage supercharger, so high-altitude fights were out.
It wasn't the most- maneuvrable either. But it still had good horsepower, could take a beating, and had 6 .50 cal machine-guns that would tear down Me-109s in no time.
The p40, although an older design, had several advantages. It had an excellent roll rate, superior dive speed, it was heavily armed, and heavily armored. When using tactics to employ these advantages, it was a killer.
Only when outnumbering the LW during/after El Alamein.
@@bobsakamanos4469 like I said "tactics".
@@bobsakamanos4469 roll rate, and dive speed (acceleration and ultimate speed).
@@johnmoldoch-vj2jk read up on the P-40 handling problems with change of speed and especially in the dive.
One allied Ace said the biggest limitation of the P40 was the pilots
Great video of a very brave man RIP ...
Can you please do a video about James Denis a French pilot who joined the RAF and flew the Hawker Hurricane. He defeated Hans Joachim Marseille twice .
hello low il y en a une en français ruclips.net/video/4cGVzoC-RMU/видео.html
Hans-Joachim Marseille, Vergangen, aber nicht vergessen.
These WarThunder shots looking pretty cool 👍
Agreed! Thanks!
Sad how the MSM has other things on their minds rather than honouring Canadian veterans. Thank you for this post. TJ3.
When the 109 was topicalized to fly and not cook itself in North Africa the performance disparity between the 109 and the P-40 pretty much disappeared. The DB 605 was a heavy mother for the power obtainable compared to the V-1710 and on the little airframe and wing in the density altitude of the desert compared to norther Europe and Scandinavia, it was defanged pretty heavily.. A good pilot in a P-40 stood a good puncher's chance of being successful against Axis airplanes.
P-40E was a low level fighter and outclassed in every aspect except roll rate.
I have to disagree. The P40 was one of the most maneuverable American aircraft of WWII, given its moderate wing loading and relatively large wing and tail surfaces. Despite its obsolescence and lack of proper turbo supercharging, the P40 could fly with anything at mid to low altitudes. Clive Caldwell, also flying in North Africa was a 20+ kill ace in the P40. Saburo Sakai said it best when he recalled that the best allied aircraft he faced in WWII, when flown properly, was the P40.
Clive was exceptional at deflection shooting. He was shot down several times prior to learning that. The P-40 rolled well, but that was it.
The Germans had no breaks, served on multiple fronts and gained vast experience using capable aircraft over long time lines, frequently against less experienced pilots
at low altitude the P-40 was Fast, faster than a P-47 for example. And at low altitudes, it could out turn an Me109, making it "maneuverable" at low altitudes too. It was capable of defeating het Me109 if you played to the P-40's strengths (which is true for 100% of all dogfights in history).
Notice how no one claims the Hurricane was obsolete in Africa or the med, even though it was. The Hurricane was retired from service early in the war, but the P-40 and Me109 soldiered on through the entire war as capable machines.
Thank you for this video on an under-appreciated pilot!
I remember reading the story of Otto Schulz being shot down by James Edwards waaay back in 'Fighters Over The Desert'. I noticed in the book, that when Schulz would damage an Allied aircraft to the point it needed to be belly land, he'd always come back and strafe the wreckage to make sure it could not be salvaged. Then on one mission he was caught doing just that, and shot down and killed. I was surprised how 'abrupt' it was.
Sorry I don’t believe the story
@@drstrangelove4998 it's pretty much a fact that is how Schultz "bought it".
Death tends to be abrupt in combat..
@@davidwass8366 up until that day, I had never heard of Schultz. I was hoping he'd be one of the pilots who survived the war,.
Thanks, and Respect!
The account that I read many years ago said Edwards had over 20 kills and that he figured he had numerous others but had not seen them crash so he didn't claim them.
Rest in peace ace
Luftwaffe ace, Hans-Joachim Marseille,158 kills by the time he was 22 years old, and died due to mechanical failure of his BF109. Smoke filled the cockpit and he was suffering from asphyxiation when he ejected and hit the tail knocking him unconscious. He fell to his death. He was only 22 years old when he died. He was known as the Star of Africa and appropriately, so.
Rip thank you for your service
Different rules for scoring confirmed kills between the RAF, USAAF and the Luftwaffe. The Luftwaffe pilots didn't need witnesses to their claimed kills, they could claim them and other Luftwaffe pilots claiming the same downed aircraft as a confirmed kill, hence their tallies being ten times higher, but not actually realistic. Allied pilots would have to share a kill or not claim it if multiple aircraft contributed. Also, as soon as Allied pilots got to around 30 kills, they were taken out of the frontline to train novice pilots. The Germans left their aces out until they got the chop. It cost them dearly in the long run.
You need to do some research. Luftwaffe were at least as stringent as any Allied power. And usually tougher. They had to be witnessed and had to be confirmed by Berlin.
@@warager4753 No, I don't need to do any research because I've already done it smartarse. You need to accept the fact that what I'm stating is truth. Do the math on the aircraft kill tallies. Where are the stats for all these hundreds and hundreds of extra lost Allied aircraft ? German pilots were not ten times better at downing allied aircraft and not "usually tougher", that's just an outright German biased flippant remark. The numbers just don't add up at all, and the fact you say "had to be witnessed and had to be confirmed by Berlin" ? What, by the lying Nazi propaganda machine ? The same ones claiming a Wermacht victory at hand in Stalingrad in 1942 when they were getting their arses handed to them by the Red Army ? Wake up to reality 🙄
Everyone is entitled to his own opinion but not his own facts. Luftwaffe kill confirmation required a witness or gun camera footage. And it was Berlin's call. After eighty years, I know of no reputable source that says that the Germans overclaimed more than anyone else. Sorry that bothers you but THAT is the truth.
@@warager4753 Own opinion and truth ? What, from the Nazi Ministry of Truth ? Like JG52 fighter group claiming their 9,000th kill in May 1944 and their 10,000th kill in September 1944 with only 9 operational fighters ? Yeah, ok Goebbels, whatever you reckon Mein Herr Bullshit-Artist.
You need to practice what you preach. That's complete bullshit and you know it. Gun camera footage ? So you're saying ALL Bf-109's and Fw-190's had gun cameras from 1940-1945 ? What, is that footage still classified is it, or is it all destroyed ? Where is all this footage ? You are full of bullshit mate, Nazi propaganda bullshit.
In the far East, the p40 did very well, could take a beating, good turns in dogfights, even against the Zero, which had similar abilities (just without the ruggedness:s) regards and thanks!!
I used to challenge myself in the Microsoft WWII flight sim, & fight against aces intentionally, a simulated triple ACE myself.
I’d eventually get them, but way more challenging than all the others I had shot down, forcing myself to dig out all the tricks. Miss that a lot!!! My computer eventually became obsolete, & I could fly no more. 😞
I miss sawing their wings off!
I thought he was Caldwell. Deeply surprised,never even heard about this man.
the angel that received his wings BEFORE going to heaven !!!
SO GOOD
Unless I missed it..what game are you using for footage? Amazing tale..I study WW2 and enjoy pilot stories
There are accounts on other p40 youtube stories of an Aussie P40 pilot who used to SKOOL yanks in their shiny new P51s that you dont mess with a P40 when its in its envelope . A highly capable machine when you use its many strengths and not believe all the bad press it got because of newer aircraft coming on line. Learn to use what you got, learn what it CAN and cant do and take it to them . So it didnt have a flash 2 stage 2 speed S.C that could take it to 40000 plus, but get it mad at 12000 ft and below and you better know what your doing against it.
I believe Greggs airplanes did a very involved comparison of what if..... a Merlin 2 stage engine would have done, NOT a lot it seems. Other accounts Ive read say the RAAF over boosted the very tough Allison , because it could take it , unlike more on the upper edge designs, and got very good results. It was more a case of This is what we got, we are not getting anything else, we are facing this adversary, and this is what we have to do to maintain some kind of equality . If it blows up , at least we tried, but if we left it stock, we are burnt toast anyhow. The Allison took it, and allowed the RAAF to compete. The RNZAF also flew P40 kittyhawks in the Pacific but I dont know if they followed suit. If i knew what I know now I would have been able to ask my Airframe and engine instructor when I was an apprentice 45 years ago. He was RNZAF mechanic in the Pacific. R.I.P "Saki "Bill Harold. The saki bit came from his love of liberated Japanese wine.
5:31 i think Me 109 F 2or4 Trop didn't have wing gun gondola called R2 "Rustsatz2" ; but fitted on type G :Gustav
My book, "The Star of Africa: The Story of Hans Marseille has interviews with both German and Allied pilots regarding the Marseille story. I have no doubt that James Edwards killed Gunther Steinhausen and also shot down Hans-Arnold Stahlschmidt. Both of those men were Marseille's best friends, and both were flying in his place due to his 109 being damaged. I also believe that I can confirm that Edwards also shot up Ludwig Franzisket, and See my discussion on Marseille at Forgotten History here on RUclips.com. This was a well done tribute. I had interviewed Edwards years ago. he was a great and humble man. I also believe that Edwards damaged Erbo von Kageneck forcing him to crash land. Later Clive Caldwell got him.
How much you believe Marseille victory list?
Clive left Africa (112 Sqn) in mid '42.
Great video!
Thanks!
Famous British RN test pilot Eric "Winkle" Brown said that the P-40's roll rate was very fast and equal to most top Fighters !! Also rugged and like most American fighters it had 6 hard hitting .50 cals. 👍 Semper Fi
yes, but roll rate is only one metric. P-40s (until the N) lacked speed, climb, altitude performance, acceleration, and had trim issues in a dive or changing speed. It succeeded in the Med only because they outnumbered the retreating LW, whose supply lines had been devatated.
@@bobsakamanos4469 Yet fought great in China, The Pacific, The Med and in Russia !! 🤔
It's comes down to pilot skill, the will to fight and bravery !! 👍 Semper Fi
@@ronniefarnsworth6465 useed as an energy fighter at low level against Japanese, but can't do that effectively against the LW unless, as I said, you have numerical advantage and good top cover (Spitfires) in the Med. Yes, skill and agressiveness is important, like Clive Caldwell, but he wasn't average. The average low time pilots needed a better machine and lots of them against the LW. Most bombers in the Africa campaign flew at 12,000' so the LW had to come down and stay there, so the numerous P-40s and their top cover had an advantage.
@@bobsakamanos4469 All good info Bob like you I've read it all on all Aircraft, Ships, Tanks etc. I'm 65' and probably like you Military History is my main hobby. The P40 for what it was held the line until better aircraft came alone, yet it still fought the whole war. I Love the underdog and History is the judge and it did its job well. !! Thanks for posting 👍
@@ronniefarnsworth6465 I should mention that my old man flew Spits, Hurricanes, and Kittyhawks (El Alamein & most Mks as test pilot) All good insight added to my own flying experience. cheers mate.☘
I would have loved to have met him!!!
Edwards died on 14 May 2022, at the age of 100 . . .
Almost made it to 101!!
I met him quite by accident back in 2004. I had read about some of his exploits in the Spitfire, but discovering that this dapper, unassuming gentleman was the same person that I had read about, took me totally by surprise!!
German fighters not overclaimed their victories - german system of confirmation of kills was pretty exact - there was small space for mistakes
Historians have proven numerous times that German pilots also often over claimed, especially after 1943 where kill verification criteria was relaxed somewhat. Stocky Edwards himself looked post war at German records vs. RAF losses in his area. The German claims for each day could rarely be reconciled with actual RAF unit losses. Over claiming happened in every air force.
German number of missions was staggering - How they stood the strain was amazing ? Odds usually caught up to them given enough time ! 🤔
Yeah, the Allied air forces seemed to rotate their aces back home to train others, but the Germans simply flew theirs until their luck ran out.
@@mathswithgarry7104 not true. German pilots were given leave and postings to instructional duties. Marseille had many periods of leave while posted to Africa.
Gabreski. Top American ace 8th Air Force Europe theatre
Good information
The top scoring P40 pilot was Clive Caldwell RAAF
So the "Ace Killer" was like Hans Rudel, flying an outdated fighter, but scoring good!
P40 lack of climb and high altitude ability. Yes very maneuverable.
A color scheme or trim is referred to as a "liv-er-ee". Thanks for an excellent docu.