Which Fighter Covered Most Theatres?

[Jim Oxley]

WWII covered an enormous number of countries and theatres, and both Allied and Axis fighters had to fight in a huge and varied arena. Britain, Norway, France, Germany, Eastern Europe, Russia, Western Desert, Malta, Balkans, Italy, Greece, Iraq, Malaya, Burma, Aleutians, New Guinea, East Indies, Solomons, China, Pacific Ocean, Philippines; the list is almost endless.

So which fighter would have fought over most of the area's in the conflict?

Both the Me 109 and the A6M Zero certainly covered, comprehensively, their own respective theatres. But didn't cross over into each others areas.

Which leaves Allied fighters. And there are several contenders. The P-39 and P-40 both saw widespread service, but missed out over Britain and Europe. P-51 is a strong contender, but also missed out over Britain, and the Western Desert and didn't appear in the Pacific until 1945. The Hurricane did just about everything - Britain, Europe, Norway, Western Desert, Russia, Greece and the Balkans, the Med and Malta, carrier service, Malaya, Burma, East Indies.

There are, to my mind, three contenders. The Spitfire (and I'm including it's clone the Seafire); the P-47 Thunderbolt and the P-38 Lightning.

The P-38 covered the Aleutians, Solomons, New Guinea, Philippines, Tunisia, Italy and Europe.
The P-47 fought over Europe, Tunisia, Italy, Russia, New Guinea, Philippines and Japan.
The Spitfire started it all over France, Britain, Norway (Seafire), Western Desert, Malta, Tunisia, Italy, Europe, Russia, Australia, Burma, and with the British pacific Fleet as the Seafire throughout.

I'd have to go with the Spitfire/Seafire.

Anyone think differently?

[Graham Boak]

Not sure why you missed out the Hurricane in your final cut. Apart from the Pacific, it was just about everywhere else. You didn't mention Iraq, Persia, East Africa, Finland, Romania, Madagascar.

The only US fighter with a similar range was the P-40, which you barely mention. It did serve with the RAF in Western Europe, in the Army Air Co-operation squadrons, which did include a few combat trips over the Channel.

[PeterVerney]

The P51 certainly saw service in British airspace, as a 12 year old I was nearly killed by one vainly attempting to shoot down a V1.

[SpitfirePilot01]

The Hurricane flew in the pacific theatre including Sumatra and Burma so I recon the Hurricane is up there with the Spitfire.

[Csaba B. Stenge]

IMHO evidently the Hurricane is the winner, and do not forget Yugoslavia as well, which country also used its Hurricanes intensively in combat for few days in April, 1941.

[Pilot]

Csaba- also at the end of war Hurricanes operated over Yugoslavia. So result is higher for Hurricane and Spitfires.

[Csaba B. Stenge]

Originally Posted by Pilot

Csaba- also at the end of war Hurricanes operated over Yugoslavia. So result is higher for Hurricane and Spitfires.

I know, but I mentioned the 1941 air war only, since the Yugoslav Hurricanes flew over more areas in 1941 - they intruded even into the Hungarian air space as well (the only occasion, when Hurricanes flew combat sorties over Hungary) From Italy, they had no chance to flew so long missions.

BTW even the Japanese had a captured British Hurricane in Burma, which they flew few combat missions, before it was strafed and destroyed in an AVG attack in early 1942.

[Pilot]

So its might to be '41 hot year for Hurricane- flew from Asia to Northern Europe! And in such a little more neumber then Spitfires. Very interesting topic

Merry Christmass

[jeanba]

Morane 406 fought in France, Indochina, Eastern Front, Madagascar, Africa

Curtiss P36 / H75 fought in Pacific, Burma, Eastern Front, North Africa, China maybe, Singapore, France