This is why America is so great cause of men that stand and fight and will put there life on the line for the people in there country. Thanks to all the men and women serving our country. God Bless America.
Beautiful! Thank the Japanese for having really flimsy aircraft. They built the plane to be as light and agile as possible. The bomber on the other hand as tough as nails. Not to mention a pilot thats as tough as the bomber itself! 9gs without a G-suit... WOO wee!!
Elfulcrum ....yeah I know all about Russian history books. According to Russian history the Soviets won WW II by themselves, lol. Sure, all the U.S. B-17 & B-24 bombing missions against the Germans didn't do a thing huh? Oh, let's not forget the 1000's of trucks, the equipment, and planes given to Russia BY the U.S. And what about D-day and Omaha beach? Was the Russian army there? You sound ignorant.
@marcelo5252 Yes,air combat is tough.I'm not a pilot...but i saw combat against real people in WW2 flight sims flying an assortment of fighters.Some of these sims had amazing physics,and were extremely realistic.I had no idea just how complex air combat could be,and gained a new respect for fighter pilots.I was amazed at how much there was to learn...about my aircrafts abilities and tactics.
@takesometokes Did you ever see ''The final countdown''?, Well, kinda tacky, but fun to watch, about the U.S.S. Nimitz going back in time to just before Pearl Harbor. Some scenes where pretty cool but, the premise... Well, You'll see, don't wanna ruin it fer ya...
OMFG, that was effing AWESOME! To be able to maneuver his plane like that--in the days BEFORE g-suits, fly-by-wire controls, or other such aids--nothing short of amazing. "Swede" Vejtasa--a man among men (and his tailgunner too, for that matter), to be able to toss that plane around and beat such "Long Odds."
It's a shame History Ch cancelled this show. It would have been cool to see how much they might improve it, as computer/animation capabilities and quality advance over time.
@darknessesbane He may have volunteered for Dive bombing, after all they need accuracy as much in the bombing run as in the turning air battle. If he had been in an SBD at Midway, he might have gotten the Hiryu before it got the Yorktown, food for thought, he obviously knew how to handle a SBD. God bless him.
@spanish111japan What? because he defended himself brilliantly from three noobs who, on the whole, had the advantage in speed, weapons and maneuverability and, in all their ''Overrated'' samurai bravado, BLEW IT!!! You're blaming.... HIM?!? For defending his life MORE than fairly... he, being the better pilot for sure. Wow, numb nuts, get...a...grip!!! Ignoramus. P.S., you must be 12
@plugs313 I don't argue with kids dude. And i'm not 12. If you wan't to argue, write well. But listen, i'm not going to listen to someone who replies to 100 people in a day. Argueing about aviation is for people who know about it, not people who write like 'He defended from a few noobs!!!!'
@spanish111japan I write better than you but, don't change the subject. Admit it, those three guys wanted to play a game of cat and mouse, they ended up being the mice... end of story!
Don't talk to me, i won't convert to gay. And, do i have do admit that they were dogfighting? Did i even say sometime that they weren't? What the fuck? You're weird.
@plugs313 Donç be... Si t'agrada xupar polles, endavant. Jo no tinc la culpa de que els canadencs sigueu maricons, mare meva quina vergonya de pais! XD
@marcelo5252 , my grandfather lived it, and I have his journals of everyday, he was up there. He wrote all of the manuvers he had to do, he wouldn't attack a dauntless head on, he shot down 4 of them , but by attacking them from behind and underneath. This program isn't the best source for this story, maybe if I had seen it earlier on a less biased program, I could believe it. however, I still can't believe this particular story.
@Akirameerkat Believe it. It is not a matter of how maneuverable a plane is, but how good the tactics of the pilot are in order to maximize his strengths and undermine his enemies' strengths. Hans Ulrich Rudel shot down 9 Soviet planes -among them 7 fighters- with a Stuka, a plane that was far more limited than the Dauntless. "Swede" Vejtasa's achievement is a lesson that we all can apply even in daily life, when we face "long odds". Know and play your strengths. Cheers!
@marcelo5252I would doubt it too, even more if it was a Stuka. there plenty of Americans who did well, but this pacticular story just doesn't seem realistic, its very hollywood cliche like. if this story was where he did it in a wildcat or if his rear gunner shot down the plane, I would , or could believe it. but there is no way a Dauntless could ever out maneuver a zero like in this vid.
In this dogfight having higher top speed the Zeros can engage or break from the dogfight at will. He really is at a big disadvantage, the only thing he can do is do everything he can to face them head to head on and at least make it 50/50 chance. That the rear gunner didn't fire means a Zero never got on his tail within range, which as a fighter pilot is what you fight to avoid. One gun anyway is no defense vs. the Zeros multiple gun armament which would of shredded the Dauntless on its tail.
why were we fighting at all? was there not an Obama to talk to our foes?..what right did we have to kill anyone? saber rattling only leads to more violence! i was listening to sean penn amd Bono the other day................
I'm argentinian and I honestly thank the americans for stopping the nazis and the japanese, as I also thank the Europeans for making the great sacrifices to stop the nazis, and to coutner attack later on in the war.
Salutations to all of you, and rest assured, if I had been alive during the war, I would have joined some army to fight the nazis.
@nikermaster you do realize that america didnt stop the nazis only helped the Soviet union caused the most damage to the Nazis especially during the battle of kursk
@nikermaster Yeah well, fuck you and your salutations. You want to "fight the Nazi's" huh? How about me and you having our own private war? I can at least shut your mouth so you can't talk about joining to fight us Nazi's. Think about what you say tough guy.
@TeutonicKnight39 Nazis are taking over my country. I'll have my shot at taking down facism. Want to join them? Come over to Argentina and face me. And believe me I have thought every thing through
@mrspritezero Many Canadians fought and died along side their British and American allies at D-Day and through out the war. They were not losers in any way. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!
@Gasbaggful Also the Canadians allowed many of our men who wanted to join the army or navy air forces but were rejected to receive training and go fight the Nazis long before 12/7/41. Some of the first American aces of WW2 were Canadian-trained.
@nikermaster Im shock with your words, believe or not, these days the people that we save their asses in both wars now seems that have short term memory, and they don't like us as before (Europeans). But still appreciate your words.
we probably shouldn't forget the four planes and eight men shot down before this segment even began, the only difference between them and this pilot was that he say the japs earlier
Sims are probably not a great way to "experience" WWII dogfights. Remember what the narrator was saying about pulling 9Gs? You're not going to get that sitting in an armchair, even with simulated blackouts. The muscular strain a pilot endures during high-G turns can be excruciating. It must take a heck of a lot to take that kind of beating and keep one's cool in a life-or-death struggle.
@DrThunder88 its the only way possible today, no WW2 planes flying today are allowed to have working guns, the sim was made very accurate, and with my knowledge of all these planes, I know what they could do and what they couldn't do
Yeah, but he didn't have a P51, he? He is talents were well used to keep him alive. And didn't you hear? "Master talents" And fighters were in little supply at the time.
I think you must have misread me. I was conversing to superbamse. If you read his comment and then mine afterwards, I think you can discern as to what he/she and I were talking about.
Dog Fights rocks, I got season 1 for my kids after happening across it on vacation in our hotel room, they were glued to the tv set, this one is an excellent episode, thanks for sharing!
I can see a few arguements about using iL-2 not the best point of arguement using a pc sim. The SBD had a tighter turning circle and thats enough to gain position and survival.
By the time Japan had the Shinden going the US would have had the P-80 Shooting Star jet. Also the Japanese economy and industry was starving by 1945 because of the US sub blockade, so it would be hard for Japan to build them in the numbers they'd need. WW2 in 1945 was quite different than WW2 in 1942.
Some of you seem to be forgetting that he had a witness sitting right behind him. Also quite possibly there were ships below who witnessed the fight. I'm not sure if SBD's had gun cameras, but if they did, the first two Zekes would have been caught on film. But mainly, remember that gunner in the back seat. LMAO, I bet the carrier crew had to peel that guy off Swede after they landed.
its hard to believe, I did this scenerion in IL-2 1946, I first was in the A6M3 with 2 others, we destroyed the SBD in two passes, then I di it from the SBD, three times, trying to do the same thing this pilot claims to have done, but the zero was more agile and shot me down all 3 different times, I only managed to bring down one zero, because of the mid air collision, but shooting it with the nose, can't be done,. its difficult to even aim the SBD.
its a simulation of the war, its the most realistic ww2 air combat simulation there is. There you can recreate every aspect of the war, That simulator shows whats possible and whats not possible, this long odds episode I don;t believe, seeing its not possible, theres no such thing as luck.
the physics are the same.. and the calculations of the aircrafts movements and weight and speed, tell that such a battle as this couldn't be possible in a dauntless. a dauntless is too heavy to out maneuver a zero. this is all CGI anyway..no photographic proof of the story, so its no more better then what could be made in Il-2
if he did it in an F4F, or if the planes were shot down by the tailer gunner, I could believe it, however the side that says to stranger things can happen that makes me thing maybe there are some other varibles not might not be able to be deturmined by science, like when Sakai escaped 7 hellcats and shot down one, but still that was in a fighter not a bomber.
however, there could be also the factor of the zero the pilots, that maybe they were novices who didn't know a single thing on how to fly their aircraft, that factor, could also come into play, since the dauntless, now that I remember, could make a surprise attack on a zero if it got on its 6 without the zero pilot noticing.
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I can down hellcats easily on all realism setttings in the the zero, trust me I am not a crap pilot, Its the best way to see the potential of these aircraft in combat today, after all, this old man could just be an actor all we know.. IL-2 is the only place where the stats of these planes matter anymore.
You are no pilot. If you want to badmouth veterans of the US military, follow these steps-
1. Move out of parents' house and join Navy or Airforce
2. Complete fighter training
3. Serve in combat
Until you do this you can keep your mouth shut. Games are not reality. You might be a legend in your own mind but it doesn't mean shit in the real world.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
you have no right to try to silence me. my sim is more real than this CGI crap story...that game is the only way to experience WW2 dogfights today, sinceno WW2 planes today have active weaponary...your the one who means nothing. I was a pilot in real, I flew a cessna for an advertising company,..I had to quit that job for collage..there's no air to air dogfights today anyway, the wars in the miiddle east are all ground wars., so you keep your mouth shut..
@seon126 no, your twisting my words, I also compile data from the information about these aircraft, and by the laws of Physics and aerodynamics, weight distribution, air speed, stall speed, the data of both aircrafts, and comparing the movements to what this video, it can be dertimined that this story is false, due to that fact, that the movements that are shown in this CGI story, are not possible to do in the RL world with an SBD dauntless.
@Shurryy No, I could out fly a SBD with a Zero very easily rl or virtual, since I know both aircraft inside and out. my grandfather shot down dauntless, the only thing he had to worry about was the tail gunner.
@Akirameerkat wow dude way to go. a video game? nice. you can say its the most realistic WWII sim out there, but its still a frickin game. it is impossible to EXACTLY copy the aerodynamics of a certain airframe in a game, not to mention all the other factors that went into this aviator's situation.
regardless, I still say this story is greatly fabricated or is entirely a work of fiction due to History channels one sided view, using some old actor to make up a hollywood cliche type story.
@AngryIndy is where you typed that, listen, I know more about these planes then anything else, I know exactly what the SBD dauntless was capable of , and what it wasn't capable of, and flying of this style wasn't possible for an SBD dauntless, its too heavy of a plane, it would stall very quickly.
@Akirameerkat So you are accusing and WW2 veteran ace and an award winning T.V. channel of lying? This is living Naval Aviation History being taught today. But you know better,that's funny. What are you credentials? Where did you learn your wealth of knowledge about the SBD to make these accusations? Whats the stalling speed of the SBD? What altitude did this battle take place? What was the weight of the SBD at the time? What speed was it at during these maneuvers? But you just KNOW right?
@r1cw this is a biased show considering, that it only shows American pilot stories., my credentials are a lifetime of studying ww2 planes and aeronautics. this story is a work of fiction, the dauntless weight is twice that of the zeros, making it too heavy to out turn the zero. the max his SBD could do is 225 mph, the zero could do 310 mph, what is depicted in this CGI story is not possible to do with a SBD dauntless, a Hellcat, yes, a Wildcat, maybe, but not a dauntless.
@Akirameerkat Its an American show about American pilots, why does that make it untrue?I don't hear any Japanese history scholars calling out the show for making false claims.But you do??And if a Zero is doing 250 but the SBD is doing 125 it will turn with the zero until bleeds off to much speed .Most of the battle shows the planes making 180's and head on passes not spiraling, turning and twisting duels. The Zero pilots made the mistake of not exploiting their advantages. The best pilot won.
@r1cw its not the American POV alone, like the Zero killer episode is all believable stuff at least, the physics of the dauntless render it incapable of those type of maneuvers at 2:26, that type of turn would stall the dauntless.
@Akirameerkat What? A high G turn? How in the hell can you state that!?! They don't give us any speed details. They don't give enough details to challenge the validity of the dogfight. You are looking a cgi renditions of 2 mens recollection of an event and trying to make factual statements. Your arguments are ridiculous and for you to try to inpune and American aces actions in historic air battle are equally ridiculous. Just like your "credentials" .
@r1cw oh STFU, This story is fiction a SBD dauntless is heavy to make turns that sharp, the dauntless is to heavy to do that. Its like expecting a B767 to do the manuvers of a F22, it just doesn't work, if those zeros were shot down by the tail gunner, that I could believe, this story as they show it, can only happen in a world of CGI
@Akirameerkat Lame example but I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Have a good day making cartoons on you computer. I'm sure you can make yourself a diploma to go along with you credentials too. Lol!!
Aircraft carrier Pilots never fight this long for just only 1 SBD. They have to back to their gathering point at same time to protect their bomber. And gun bullet is limited.
still, The SBD was never designed for dogfighting. how can the zero's be out maneuver and out pilot when it was suppost to be the quicker of the 2? and there were not 1 but 3 zero's.
The SBD could out-corner the Zeros because the SBD is better built than the Zeros, meaning it could fly the tighter, more demanding and excruciating 9G turns that the Zero couldn't. And another rule of dogfighting; even if there are 10 other planes against you, only one can fire upon you.
thats hard to believe that 1 plane can fire. 1 at 6 o' clock another above the 6 can fire and also the sides also. and i thought the zero was the pride of the japanese airforce. they are suppost to be the more agile and quicker on turns.
Ok, maybe I can make it clearer. In the sky, it's not like you are on the ground. On the ground it's steady and still. But in the sky, there are different circumstances. High winds, fatigue, plane damage etc. can prevent gunners from aiming and firing properly. If more that one plane fires on the enemy, big chance you could hit each other. That is why only one enemy fires on another every time. Comprendo?
I don't know about you but i'm not a pilot so I can say for sure those are the factors that contribute to the downfall of the zeros. maybe you could be right but I still think the japanese pilot had no poor training and stay at home dads were forced to fly.
FYI, in other vids i've seen planes shot down from other angles and not just 6 o' clock so I dunno.
@1958plymouth440V8 the answer lies in the pilot's skill.....american pilots are trained professionals while the japanese lost their skilled pilots during the first parts of the war...and ended up having brainwashed "volunteers" who are only taught basic procedures. That's why Japan lost
In this situation you dont have a choice to fight or run. His plane cant outrun the Zero's so the only way to survive is to try and do the things his plane is good at. It can take a lot of damage, and dive faster. And im sure the Zero pilots didnt have the training either. He wasnt to far from the carrier either so fuel wasnt a issue.
I think it is sad that many people have just forgotten these brave guys.I feel we owe them much gratitude for keeping America free. My hat is off to all the vets that have served our country.
that account of the dogfight goes to show the U.S. military and pilots ARE the best trained, protected and fighters IN THE WORLD. THEN AND NOW. I'm in shock and awe that an SBD against 3 Mitchubishia A6M's and wins the dogfight.
well for one the top allied ace in WW2 was the russian Ivan Kozhedub with 62 downed enemy fighters, the top american ace was Richard Bong with 40 kills
incidently the top japanese ace Hiroyoshi NIshizawa had 87 kills
and germany's top ace and the world's all time ace Erich Hartmann had 352 victories in WW2
so you'd better catch up on history
the top WWI ace the Red Baron was also german with 80 victories
Excuse me now tell me who won the second world war? What country led the way? I don't care what country had the most kills thats not important. The axis countries pilots flew untill they surrendered or were shot down or killed in combat. The United States had the best and is still the world leader in fighter pilot training. So you can have your view and thats ok. I have my view. Have a nice day. : )
the Soviet Union won the war, after all 80 percent of the german casualties were on the eastern front, and you can look up and statistics from a well informed book about WW2 and it will tell you the same
on D-day there were some 60 odd german divisions in France, and 243 german divisions tied up on the huuuuuge eastern front
ask any GERMAN where they lost the most men, tanks and equipment? it wasn't in France I tell you
you're right, I'll go so far as to say Hitler did the Free World a HUGE favor by attacking the Soviet Union while it was ill prepared. There's was a point made in a documentary stating Stalin may well have wanted to wait a few years while the allies whittled down the Nazis (and it would've been YEARS) then declare war, open a second and seize most of mainland Europe for communism. Hitler's Operation Barbarosa may well have derailed that plan. That's the rumor anyway.
The german wehrmacht lost the iniative in Stalingrad early 1943, after that they were on the retreat and it was clear to most german generals the war couldn't be won since a good deal of young german men were already dead and there was no way to replace them. Of course Himmler was keen to grant anybody fighting for nazi germany "aryan status" including a Bosnian Muslim SS division, the SS Handschar. He called those "muslim aryans". Unbelievable.
The reason Enemy pilots got more kills than US pilots is because after a US pilot fought a certain amount of missions, they got to go home to the US and train pilots there. Enemy pilots in every war we have been in fight until they are killed captured or the war is over. So imagine that, you could be a German pilot and participate in damn near every major battle for six years straight.. You're also in constant combat every day of your life. You probally don't survive, but you get lots of kills
Erich Hartmann only finished his pilot training in january 1942 and wasn't stationed for front line service until october 1942, at which time the war had already been going on for 3 years
OK, nearly all of Hartmann's kills were against the Soviet airforce, which had inferior aircraft (especially at the start of the war) and woman pilots. They had 30 million casualties for god's sake. They weren't particularly known for finding ways to keep their pilots alive and well equiped and trained. He knew if caught by them he would spend the rest of his life hanging by his balls in a Soviet torture chamber, so he surrendered to the US army, which was known for being humane.
Also, Richard Bong kicked so much ass he was given leave back to the United States during the war in 1943, got married, when back to combat, was given leave again in 1944, was assigned to Fighter Command in a non flying job, begged to go out and fight more, was authorized and killed a dozen more, and finally went home in Jan of 45 for good to go be a posterboy for warbonds. See, if you kicked serious ass in the USAAF, they would eventually take you out of the air.
Woah, I didn't know know about Swede until today. Dogfighting 3 A6M3 Zero's in a single SBD, and winning, that takes skill. I salute you Lt. "Swede" Vejtasa, thank you for your contribution in WW2.
I think Swede got transferred from dive bombers to fighters, not because of his dogfighting skills, but because the rear gunners were tired of Swede kicking the crap out of them with his crazy high-G maneuvering.
The Navy Cross? Ok, God bless him!!!, that is what the old generation was like. They did good for us. He didn't give up, he kept fighting. God bless
giannivee1 2 weeks ago
Someone give that guy a freakin Medal!!!! Im in...AWE...
Bagheera2 2 months ago
BEAST!
lerox22 4 months ago
I remember watching this just being amazed at his story of this event. Good skills V.
NTHSOULSLAYER 9 months ago
best pilot ever
vd172hb 9 months ago
I wonder how his fighter tactics changed when he switched to the F4F!
ianrkav 9 months ago
THIS GUY IS TH EFN LEGEND!!!! ohhh mayn, how can you not like this. what th ef?!! flip....this guy is th mayn!!
kinglijah 11 months ago
Had they invented the G-Suit yet?
Tang0Fox1 1 year ago
@Tang0Fox1
No
PhinfanUK 1 year ago
@PhinfanUK Then that makes this all the more awesome doing that WITHOUT a G suit.
Tang0Fox1 1 year ago
the planes were great but the pilots were awesome thank you all for what you did
dmr122003 1 year ago
This is why America is so great cause of men that stand and fight and will put there life on the line for the people in there country. Thanks to all the men and women serving our country. God Bless America.
andydrew777 1 year ago
Beautiful! Thank the Japanese for having really flimsy aircraft. They built the plane to be as light and agile as possible. The bomber on the other hand as tough as nails. Not to mention a pilot thats as tough as the bomber itself! 9gs without a G-suit... WOO wee!!
boresightlock 1 year ago
cool
pilotdave1000 1 year ago
Elfulcrum ....yeah I know all about Russian history books. According to Russian history the Soviets won WW II by themselves, lol. Sure, all the U.S. B-17 & B-24 bombing missions against the Germans didn't do a thing huh? Oh, let's not forget the 1000's of trucks, the equipment, and planes given to Russia BY the U.S. And what about D-day and Omaha beach? Was the Russian army there? You sound ignorant.
Greenbird65 1 year ago
@marcelo5252 Yes,air combat is tough.I'm not a pilot...but i saw combat against real people in WW2 flight sims flying an assortment of fighters.Some of these sims had amazing physics,and were extremely realistic.I had no idea just how complex air combat could be,and gained a new respect for fighter pilots.I was amazed at how much there was to learn...about my aircrafts abilities and tactics.
noblepuker 1 year ago
imagine thhrowing a a couple f 16s in ww2.. lol. and having this guy fly..dang
takesometokes 1 year ago
@takesometokes Did you ever see ''The final countdown''?, Well, kinda tacky, but fun to watch, about the U.S.S. Nimitz going back in time to just before Pearl Harbor. Some scenes where pretty cool but, the premise... Well, You'll see, don't wanna ruin it fer ya...
plugs313 1 year ago
OMFG, that was effing AWESOME! To be able to maneuver his plane like that--in the days BEFORE g-suits, fly-by-wire controls, or other such aids--nothing short of amazing. "Swede" Vejtasa--a man among men (and his tailgunner too, for that matter), to be able to toss that plane around and beat such "Long Odds."
It's a shame History Ch cancelled this show. It would have been cool to see how much they might improve it, as computer/animation capabilities and quality advance over time.
reddsun1 1 year ago 4
I hope they gave this guy the flying cross and the navy cross. At least.
ImperatorDominus 1 year ago
My question is, what idiot put this guy in a divebomber instead of a fighter in the first place?
darknessesbane 1 year ago 5
@darknessesbane He may have volunteered for Dive bombing, after all they need accuracy as much in the bombing run as in the turning air battle. If he had been in an SBD at Midway, he might have gotten the Hiryu before it got the Yorktown, food for thought, he obviously knew how to handle a SBD. God bless him.
giannivee1 2 weeks ago
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If i had the opportunity, i would stick knifes in the eyes of that grandpa, and cut him till death. Big son of a bitch.
spanish111japan 1 year ago
@spanish111japan What? because he defended himself brilliantly from three noobs who, on the whole, had the advantage in speed, weapons and maneuverability and, in all their ''Overrated'' samurai bravado, BLEW IT!!! You're blaming.... HIM?!? For defending his life MORE than fairly... he, being the better pilot for sure. Wow, numb nuts, get...a...grip!!! Ignoramus. P.S., you must be 12
plugs313 1 year ago 2
@plugs313 I don't argue with kids dude. And i'm not 12. If you wan't to argue, write well. But listen, i'm not going to listen to someone who replies to 100 people in a day. Argueing about aviation is for people who know about it, not people who write like 'He defended from a few noobs!!!!'
spanish111japan 1 year ago
@spanish111japan I write better than you but, don't change the subject. Admit it, those three guys wanted to play a game of cat and mouse, they ended up being the mice... end of story!
plugs313 1 year ago
@plugs313
I noticed you're canadian... French descendants.
Don't talk to me, i won't convert to gay. And, do i have do admit that they were dogfighting? Did i even say sometime that they weren't? What the fuck? You're weird.
spanish111japan 1 year ago
@spanish111japan Nice!, très bien! t'est bizarre toi aussi! ;-)
plugs313 1 year ago
@plugs313 Donç be... Si t'agrada xupar polles, endavant. Jo no tinc la culpa de que els canadencs sigueu maricons, mare meva quina vergonya de pais! XD
spanish111japan 1 year ago
This Swede guy, he's quite a good flyer isn't he?
KnockoffNigeI 1 year ago
@KnockoffNigeI
Makes me wonder why the fuck they put him on a dive-bomber? Maybe they needed a lot of dive-bomber pilots?
CVKent317 1 year ago
I wonder how his tactics changed when he tranfered to F4U Corsairs.
ianrkav 1 year ago
@marcelo5252 maybe, but I still will never believe a dauntless can fly like that.
Akirameerkat 1 year ago
@marcelo5252 , my grandfather lived it, and I have his journals of everyday, he was up there. He wrote all of the manuvers he had to do, he wouldn't attack a dauntless head on, he shot down 4 of them , but by attacking them from behind and underneath. This program isn't the best source for this story, maybe if I had seen it earlier on a less biased program, I could believe it. however, I still can't believe this particular story.
Akirameerkat 1 year ago
@Akirameerkat Believe it. It is not a matter of how maneuverable a plane is, but how good the tactics of the pilot are in order to maximize his strengths and undermine his enemies' strengths. Hans Ulrich Rudel shot down 9 Soviet planes -among them 7 fighters- with a Stuka, a plane that was far more limited than the Dauntless. "Swede" Vejtasa's achievement is a lesson that we all can apply even in daily life, when we face "long odds". Know and play your strengths. Cheers!
slick4401 1 year ago
@marcelo5252I would doubt it too, even more if it was a Stuka. there plenty of Americans who did well, but this pacticular story just doesn't seem realistic, its very hollywood cliche like. if this story was where he did it in a wildcat or if his rear gunner shot down the plane, I would , or could believe it. but there is no way a Dauntless could ever out maneuver a zero like in this vid.
Akirameerkat 1 year ago
that guy can FLY
lolhahalol2 1 year ago
U the man, Swede
noslack1964 1 year ago 2
this is some major pwnage right here...
johnsclouds 1 year ago
In this dogfight having higher top speed the Zeros can engage or break from the dogfight at will. He really is at a big disadvantage, the only thing he can do is do everything he can to face them head to head on and at least make it 50/50 chance. That the rear gunner didn't fire means a Zero never got on his tail within range, which as a fighter pilot is what you fight to avoid. One gun anyway is no defense vs. the Zeros multiple gun armament which would of shredded the Dauntless on its tail.
cobrachoppergirl 1 year ago
@cobrachoppergirl Ask Saburo Sakai if rear gunners are no defense.
Salguine 1 year ago
@cobrachoppergirl He was crushed into the seat by the turns. he could'nt even swing his gun.
serdel5000 1 year ago
The tail gunner should get quite a bit of credit. He would have been spotting all the turns for his pilot, giving him eyes in the back of his head.
fluffycat087 1 year ago
why were we fighting at all? was there not an Obama to talk to our foes?..what right did we have to kill anyone? saber rattling only leads to more violence! i was listening to sean penn amd Bono the other day................
angryscowl 1 year ago
That is some awesome piloting...
Nnexxxx 1 year ago 2
Are those bozos for real trying to compare themselves playing a game to these guys that did it for real. Please tell me they are not serious.
blkwtch37 1 year ago
What. A. Utter. LEGEND!!
soulecho1 1 year ago
dive bombers in general are designed to handle massive g forces, something he was able to use to his advantage to maximizing effect
still a zero beats a dive bomber 99 times out of 100 lol
stevensw 1 year ago
in this kind of dogfight, the gunners get almost neutralized cause there's too much turns and the guy can't line a plane very well
;D
Baguilinha 1 year ago
y dosent the gunner do anything?
OldCrow001 1 year ago
I'm argentinian and I honestly thank the americans for stopping the nazis and the japanese, as I also thank the Europeans for making the great sacrifices to stop the nazis, and to coutner attack later on in the war.
Salutations to all of you, and rest assured, if I had been alive during the war, I would have joined some army to fight the nazis.
Cheers,
Niker
nikermaster 1 year ago 18
@nikermaster you do realize that america didnt stop the nazis only helped the Soviet union caused the most damage to the Nazis especially during the battle of kursk
Elfulcrum777 1 year ago
@nikermaster Yeah well, fuck you and your salutations. You want to "fight the Nazi's" huh? How about me and you having our own private war? I can at least shut your mouth so you can't talk about joining to fight us Nazi's. Think about what you say tough guy.
TeutonicKnight39 1 year ago
@TeutonicKnight39 Nazis are taking over my country. I'll have my shot at taking down facism. Want to join them? Come over to Argentina and face me. And believe me I have thought every thing through
Niker
nikermaster 1 year ago
@nikermaster They're taking over huh? Well it's about time. Thanks for the good news, I needed that.
TeutonicKnight39 1 year ago
@TeutonicKnight39 the Nazis lost the war, shut the fuck up, go and shot yourself just like Hitler did, what a coward.
jac8897 1 year ago
@nikermaster yeah the canadians did nothing we are losers in other countrys aperntly
mrspritezero 9 months ago
@mrspritezero Many Canadians fought and died along side their British and American allies at D-Day and through out the war. They were not losers in any way. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!
Gasbaggful 7 months ago
@Gasbaggful Also the Canadians allowed many of our men who wanted to join the army or navy air forces but were rejected to receive training and go fight the Nazis long before 12/7/41. Some of the first American aces of WW2 were Canadian-trained.
darknessesbane 7 months ago 2
@nikermaster Im shock with your words, believe or not, these days the people that we save their asses in both wars now seems that have short term memory, and they don't like us as before (Europeans). But still appreciate your words.
joseito007 8 months ago
How do you win a dogfight with an SBD? Cut the other plane in half! LOL!
ilgeneralisimo 1 year ago
i wonder what the tailgunner was thinking through all of this
bangerrify 2 years ago 36
@bangerrify
Probably something like "O Shit dude this thing isn't made for dogfights!"
"We're screwed man we're screwed!"
"I would ask you to keep it steady but, I don't think thats a good idea right now"
"This machine gun isn't doing sh*t! We're outta range!"
"Aww hell how many G's was that turn!?"
"I might black out!!"
ClydeE247 2 years ago 3
@bangerrify gota stay awake ..dont ..black out...stay..awa-.. shiiiii... *Blacksout*
icanmyshoetie 1 year ago
@bangerrify
only creaming. aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarhhhhhr
Kunio99 1 year ago
@bangerrify
HOOOOLLLYYYY SHIIIIIIT
Plawranc 1 year ago
@bangerrify the words SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT, where most likely going through his mind a lot, maybe the odd Fuck fuck fuck
CaptianPugwash173 1 year ago
@bangerrify I don't know but something along the lines of "If I were the tailgunner of a lesser pilot I would have been dead that day!"
That tailgunner won the lottery by having Vejtasa as his pilot that day.
AngryIndy 1 year ago
@bangerrify i'd think he was like WE'RE FUCKED UP
xanthegreat1 1 year ago
@bangerrify probly wasnt thinkin just hanging on and shooting for life
mufflerbearin 1 year ago
@bangerrify Where's that damned sic sac?
plugs313 1 year ago
@bangerrify He must be thinking: wow, this is even better than a ride on roller coaster
xiuyuansean 1 year ago
@bangerrify he was not thinking ,he was shitting on his pants on the entire dog fight and praying to be over soon
adonnis010983 11 months ago
@bangerrify I think the narrator at one point says the rear gunner had passed out due to all the g's Vejtasa was pulling to keep the Zekes in sight!
Zionsge 10 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@bangerrify Give me a chance to light up one of these jap bastards!
DavidLMadWI 5 months ago
Respond to this video... Hats off to the Grumman Iron Works...
DavidLMadWI 5 months ago
Love this...an American Navy dive bomber against the top Japanese fighter plane of WW2. Stud pilot!
DavidLMadWI 5 months ago
we probably shouldn't forget the four planes and eight men shot down before this segment even began, the only difference between them and this pilot was that he say the japs earlier
bangerrify 2 years ago
5:57 this is the biggest poppycock i ever hear about this "document"
TheSturmovik 2 years ago
another badass in a longline of ass kickers, its easy to talk to talk, but hard to walk the walk. God Bless The US !! USA#1 blow me haters !
jtrod2007 2 years ago 2
Sims are probably not a great way to "experience" WWII dogfights. Remember what the narrator was saying about pulling 9Gs? You're not going to get that sitting in an armchair, even with simulated blackouts. The muscular strain a pilot endures during high-G turns can be excruciating. It must take a heck of a lot to take that kind of beating and keep one's cool in a life-or-death struggle.
DrThunder88 2 years ago 2
@DrThunder88 its the only way possible today, no WW2 planes flying today are allowed to have working guns, the sim was made very accurate, and with my knowledge of all these planes, I know what they could do and what they couldn't do
Akirameerkat 1 year ago
I'd say this man's talents were wasted in a dive bomber. He'd blow everybody out of the sky with a P51.
superbamse 2 years ago 2
Ah so he was transferred. Note to self: Watch the entire clip before commenting :)
superbamse 2 years ago
Yeah, but he didn't have a P51, he? He is talents were well used to keep him alive. And didn't you hear? "Master talents" And fighters were in little supply at the time.
1958plymouth440V8 2 years ago
Well, in 1942 mustangs were not available and mustangs cannot operate from carriers, can they?
opmdevil 2 years ago
I think you must have misread me. I was conversing to superbamse. If you read his comment and then mine afterwards, I think you can discern as to what he/she and I were talking about.
1958plymouth440V8 2 years ago
I believe at the end of the episode they said he was transferred to fighters after his feat in the SBD.
DEP717 2 years ago
Im not an american but i feel proud of people like him , respect for all ww2 heros
edxx7 2 years ago 3
Probably the most INCREDIBLE WW2 air combat story I ever saw!
erwintommy 2 years ago
I salute "Swede" Vejtasa. That is truly an amazing feat to take out 3 Zeros with a dive bomber.
axsimulate 2 years ago
amzing show i love this vid i subbed.
popsnacks2 2 years ago
Lot of gamers on here commenting like they know how to fly for real.
csrtitus 2 years ago
Why "Swede"?
SweGuy 2 years ago
think it's 'cause of his name, or his parents immigrated, sth like that...
YouT00ber 2 years ago
Dog Fights rocks, I got season 1 for my kids after happening across it on vacation in our hotel room, they were glued to the tv set, this one is an excellent episode, thanks for sharing!
CupcakeJeffries 2 years ago 3
can this dvd work on a ps3
u8789 2 years ago
I can see a few arguements about using iL-2 not the best point of arguement using a pc sim. The SBD had a tighter turning circle and thats enough to gain position and survival.
44Beats 2 years ago
shinden would kick american asses!!!!!
darrenmicallef6 2 years ago
By the time Japan had the Shinden going the US would have had the P-80 Shooting Star jet. Also the Japanese economy and industry was starving by 1945 because of the US sub blockade, so it would be hard for Japan to build them in the numbers they'd need. WW2 in 1945 was quite different than WW2 in 1942.
DEP717 2 years ago
Some of you seem to be forgetting that he had a witness sitting right behind him. Also quite possibly there were ships below who witnessed the fight. I'm not sure if SBD's had gun cameras, but if they did, the first two Zekes would have been caught on film. But mainly, remember that gunner in the back seat. LMAO, I bet the carrier crew had to peel that guy off Swede after they landed.
Rikki0 2 years ago
its hard to believe, I did this scenerion in IL-2 1946, I first was in the A6M3 with 2 others, we destroyed the SBD in two passes, then I di it from the SBD, three times, trying to do the same thing this pilot claims to have done, but the zero was more agile and shot me down all 3 different times, I only managed to bring down one zero, because of the mid air collision, but shooting it with the nose, can't be done,. its difficult to even aim the SBD.
Akirameerkat 2 years ago
So you base this on a video game you played?
Real life isn't a video game, unusual situation with luck on the guy's side. No video game can ever emulate that.
moonrules 2 years ago
its a simulation of the war, its the most realistic ww2 air combat simulation there is. There you can recreate every aspect of the war, That simulator shows whats possible and whats not possible, this long odds episode I don;t believe, seeing its not possible, theres no such thing as luck.
Akirameerkat 2 years ago
yes. the people are also fake. Duh. Its not possible to have such an old man exist.
...
deadspirit90 2 years ago
no, thats not what I am saying, its just the story is hard to believe, its possible the old man is an actor.
Akirameerkat 2 years ago
The problem is there was Vejtasa behind the stick in reality but you in the IL2 game. And he was Mr. Pilot...
seesul1 2 years ago
the physics are the same.. and the calculations of the aircrafts movements and weight and speed, tell that such a battle as this couldn't be possible in a dauntless. a dauntless is too heavy to out maneuver a zero. this is all CGI anyway..no photographic proof of the story, so its no more better then what could be made in Il-2
Akirameerkat 2 years ago
Don´t 4 get there was a tail gunner in the same cocpit as well, so there were 2 liars?
I was in touch with Vejtasa one year ago and he told me his body was one big bruise after that dogfight.
And he confirmed his qualities later behind the stick of F4F...
The quality of the a/c doesn´t mean a victory always...there´s a pilot skill in play as well.
seesul1 2 years ago
if he did it in an F4F, or if the planes were shot down by the tailer gunner, I could believe it, however the side that says to stranger things can happen that makes me thing maybe there are some other varibles not might not be able to be deturmined by science, like when Sakai escaped 7 hellcats and shot down one, but still that was in a fighter not a bomber.
Akirameerkat 2 years ago
however, there could be also the factor of the zero the pilots, that maybe they were novices who didn't know a single thing on how to fly their aircraft, that factor, could also come into play, since the dauntless, now that I remember, could make a surprise attack on a zero if it got on its 6 without the zero pilot noticing.
Akirameerkat 2 years ago
could it possibly be that your a crap pilot in that game. oh yea and a game is not reality.
seon126 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
I can down hellcats easily on all realism setttings in the the zero, trust me I am not a crap pilot, Its the best way to see the potential of these aircraft in combat today, after all, this old man could just be an actor all we know.. IL-2 is the only place where the stats of these planes matter anymore.
Akirameerkat 2 years ago
You are no pilot. If you want to badmouth veterans of the US military, follow these steps-
1. Move out of parents' house and join Navy or Airforce
2. Complete fighter training
3. Serve in combat
Until you do this you can keep your mouth shut. Games are not reality. You might be a legend in your own mind but it doesn't mean shit in the real world.
m39bolt 2 years ago 6
This comment has received too many negative votes show
you have no right to try to silence me. my sim is more real than this CGI crap story...that game is the only way to experience WW2 dogfights today, sinceno WW2 planes today have active weaponary...your the one who means nothing. I was a pilot in real, I flew a cessna for an advertising company,..I had to quit that job for collage..there's no air to air dogfights today anyway, the wars in the miiddle east are all ground wars., so you keep your mouth shut..
Akirameerkat 2 years ago
@Akirameerkat thats like saying I cant do through the fire and flames on expert on gutiar hero so whoever said the did it must be lying
seon126 1 year ago
@seon126 no, your twisting my words, I also compile data from the information about these aircraft, and by the laws of Physics and aerodynamics, weight distribution, air speed, stall speed, the data of both aircrafts, and comparing the movements to what this video, it can be dertimined that this story is false, due to that fact, that the movements that are shown in this CGI story, are not possible to do in the RL world with an SBD dauntless.
Akirameerkat 1 year ago
@Akirameerkat
Oh I bet you flew one and tried but failed so you're sad about it. xD
Shurryy 1 year ago
@Shurryy No, I could out fly a SBD with a Zero very easily rl or virtual, since I know both aircraft inside and out. my grandfather shot down dauntless, the only thing he had to worry about was the tail gunner.
Akirameerkat 1 year ago
@Akirameerkat
Sorry man not going to bother reading your reply, but instead I am going to apologize for my anger impulsive and childish comment from earlier.
I am sorry. Just that I respect old war veterans so I found it almost a little to personal even though it has nothing to do with me atall. :(
Shurryy 1 year ago
@Akirameerkat wow dude way to go. a video game? nice. you can say its the most realistic WWII sim out there, but its still a frickin game. it is impossible to EXACTLY copy the aerodynamics of a certain airframe in a game, not to mention all the other factors that went into this aviator's situation.
navyman221 1 year ago
@navyman221
regardless, I still say this story is greatly fabricated or is entirely a work of fiction due to History channels one sided view, using some old actor to make up a hollywood cliche type story.
Akirameerkat 1 year ago
Comment removed
AngryIndy 1 year ago
@AngryIndy is where you typed that, listen, I know more about these planes then anything else, I know exactly what the SBD dauntless was capable of , and what it wasn't capable of, and flying of this style wasn't possible for an SBD dauntless, its too heavy of a plane, it would stall very quickly.
Akirameerkat 1 year ago
@Akirameerkat So you are accusing and WW2 veteran ace and an award winning T.V. channel of lying? This is living Naval Aviation History being taught today. But you know better,that's funny. What are you credentials? Where did you learn your wealth of knowledge about the SBD to make these accusations? Whats the stalling speed of the SBD? What altitude did this battle take place? What was the weight of the SBD at the time? What speed was it at during these maneuvers? But you just KNOW right?
r1cw 1 year ago
@r1cw this is a biased show considering, that it only shows American pilot stories., my credentials are a lifetime of studying ww2 planes and aeronautics. this story is a work of fiction, the dauntless weight is twice that of the zeros, making it too heavy to out turn the zero. the max his SBD could do is 225 mph, the zero could do 310 mph, what is depicted in this CGI story is not possible to do with a SBD dauntless, a Hellcat, yes, a Wildcat, maybe, but not a dauntless.
Akirameerkat 1 year ago
@Akirameerkat Its an American show about American pilots, why does that make it untrue?I don't hear any Japanese history scholars calling out the show for making false claims.But you do??And if a Zero is doing 250 but the SBD is doing 125 it will turn with the zero until bleeds off to much speed .Most of the battle shows the planes making 180's and head on passes not spiraling, turning and twisting duels. The Zero pilots made the mistake of not exploiting their advantages. The best pilot won.
r1cw 1 year ago
@r1cw its not the American POV alone, like the Zero killer episode is all believable stuff at least, the physics of the dauntless render it incapable of those type of maneuvers at 2:26, that type of turn would stall the dauntless.
Akirameerkat 1 year ago
@Akirameerkat What? A high G turn? How in the hell can you state that!?! They don't give us any speed details. They don't give enough details to challenge the validity of the dogfight. You are looking a cgi renditions of 2 mens recollection of an event and trying to make factual statements. Your arguments are ridiculous and for you to try to inpune and American aces actions in historic air battle are equally ridiculous. Just like your "credentials" .
r1cw 1 year ago
@r1cw oh STFU, This story is fiction a SBD dauntless is heavy to make turns that sharp, the dauntless is to heavy to do that. Its like expecting a B767 to do the manuvers of a F22, it just doesn't work, if those zeros were shot down by the tail gunner, that I could believe, this story as they show it, can only happen in a world of CGI
Akirameerkat 1 year ago
@Akirameerkat Lame example but I wouldn't expect anything less from you. Have a good day making cartoons on you computer. I'm sure you can make yourself a diploma to go along with you credentials too. Lol!!
r1cw 1 year ago
@r1cw it would still be far more real then this fictitious story.
Akirameerkat 1 year ago
This story is not beliebable.
Aircraft carrier Pilots never fight this long for just only 1 SBD. They have to back to their gathering point at same time to protect their bomber. And gun bullet is limited.
risamio540 2 years ago
please note this wasn't a usual circumstance... SBD's were being used for cover here because of lack or resources used in other operations that day.
YouT00ber 2 years ago
still, The SBD was never designed for dogfighting. how can the zero's be out maneuver and out pilot when it was suppost to be the quicker of the 2? and there were not 1 but 3 zero's.
SilverSurfer3o 2 years ago
any number of variables come into play here, but in the end he's survived to talk about it.
It just goes to show why this is an extraordinairy feat.
YouT00ber 2 years ago
Superior airmanship and a little bit of luck...quite simply, Vejtasa was the better pilot with better mastery of his plane and better training.
aaronjg682 2 years ago
The SBD could out-corner the Zeros because the SBD is better built than the Zeros, meaning it could fly the tighter, more demanding and excruciating 9G turns that the Zero couldn't. And another rule of dogfighting; even if there are 10 other planes against you, only one can fire upon you.
1958plymouth440V8 2 years ago
thats hard to believe that 1 plane can fire. 1 at 6 o' clock another above the 6 can fire and also the sides also. and i thought the zero was the pride of the japanese airforce. they are suppost to be the more agile and quicker on turns.
SilverSurfer3o 2 years ago
Ok, maybe I can make it clearer. In the sky, it's not like you are on the ground. On the ground it's steady and still. But in the sky, there are different circumstances. High winds, fatigue, plane damage etc. can prevent gunners from aiming and firing properly. If more that one plane fires on the enemy, big chance you could hit each other. That is why only one enemy fires on another every time. Comprendo?
1958plymouth440V8 2 years ago
I don't know about you but i'm not a pilot so I can say for sure those are the factors that contribute to the downfall of the zeros. maybe you could be right but I still think the japanese pilot had no poor training and stay at home dads were forced to fly.
FYI, in other vids i've seen planes shot down from other angles and not just 6 o' clock so I dunno.
SilverSurfer3o 2 years ago
@1958plymouth440V8 the answer lies in the pilot's skill.....american pilots are trained professionals while the japanese lost their skilled pilots during the first parts of the war...and ended up having brainwashed "volunteers" who are only taught basic procedures. That's why Japan lost
shredingman123 1 year ago
zeros were known for thier huge gas tanks and long range they had the time to play with the SBD
grodspc 2 years ago
In this situation you dont have a choice to fight or run. His plane cant outrun the Zero's so the only way to survive is to try and do the things his plane is good at. It can take a lot of damage, and dive faster. And im sure the Zero pilots didnt have the training either. He wasnt to far from the carrier either so fuel wasnt a issue.
mrnipplechopps 2 years ago
most impressive.This guy is fearsome.I felt sorry for his rear gunner.He must have been terrified and frustrated.
noblepuker 2 years ago
tracy12345689 is a dude.
turduckens4u 2 years ago
those guys must have felt gay when they lost to 1plane while they had 3 lol
UnfairBattle 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
don't worry, that japs have small dicks.
Nassault630 2 years ago
did you saw it xD?
zizikelizike 2 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
gay
JadeyCee13 2 years ago
if I was that last Zero I would've just run the fuck away
ArgPanchito 2 years ago 3
noone mentions his poor bastard rear gunner :D
MilitantOldLady 2 years ago
Yes they do. Did you actually pay attention to the video?
Kloran27 2 years ago 4
I think it is sad that many people have just forgotten these brave guys.I feel we owe them much gratitude for keeping America free. My hat is off to all the vets that have served our country.
kevsart 2 years ago 9
the best fighter pilot in the world
rwickmannp11 2 years ago
that account of the dogfight goes to show the U.S. military and pilots ARE the best trained, protected and fighters IN THE WORLD. THEN AND NOW. I'm in shock and awe that an SBD against 3 Mitchubishia A6M's and wins the dogfight.
kensmdad 2 years ago
well for one the top allied ace in WW2 was the russian Ivan Kozhedub with 62 downed enemy fighters, the top american ace was Richard Bong with 40 kills
incidently the top japanese ace Hiroyoshi NIshizawa had 87 kills
and germany's top ace and the world's all time ace Erich Hartmann had 352 victories in WW2
so you'd better catch up on history
the top WWI ace the Red Baron was also german with 80 victories
SteveSpicerPortsmuth 2 years ago 2
Excuse me now tell me who won the second world war? What country led the way? I don't care what country had the most kills thats not important. The axis countries pilots flew untill they surrendered or were shot down or killed in combat. The United States had the best and is still the world leader in fighter pilot training. So you can have your view and thats ok. I have my view. Have a nice day. : )
kensmdad 2 years ago
the Soviet Union won the war, after all 80 percent of the german casualties were on the eastern front, and you can look up and statistics from a well informed book about WW2 and it will tell you the same
on D-day there were some 60 odd german divisions in France, and 243 german divisions tied up on the huuuuuge eastern front
ask any GERMAN where they lost the most men, tanks and equipment? it wasn't in France I tell you
SteveSpicerPortsmuth 2 years ago 7
you're right, I'll go so far as to say Hitler did the Free World a HUGE favor by attacking the Soviet Union while it was ill prepared. There's was a point made in a documentary stating Stalin may well have wanted to wait a few years while the allies whittled down the Nazis (and it would've been YEARS) then declare war, open a second and seize most of mainland Europe for communism. Hitler's Operation Barbarosa may well have derailed that plan. That's the rumor anyway.
Darthbelal 2 years ago
yes but japan was almost all focused on the us. anywa im not trying to get into a history shootout.
seon126 2 years ago
@SteveSpicerPortsmuth Hummm...Wow, I didn't know tyhe russians won the pacific war too??
Bobbyo60 1 year ago
The german wehrmacht lost the iniative in Stalingrad early 1943, after that they were on the retreat and it was clear to most german generals the war couldn't be won since a good deal of young german men were already dead and there was no way to replace them. Of course Himmler was keen to grant anybody fighting for nazi germany "aryan status" including a Bosnian Muslim SS division, the SS Handschar. He called those "muslim aryans". Unbelievable.
D-day saved western europe from communist rule
AlexDeLarge90 2 years ago 3
The reason Enemy pilots got more kills than US pilots is because after a US pilot fought a certain amount of missions, they got to go home to the US and train pilots there. Enemy pilots in every war we have been in fight until they are killed captured or the war is over. So imagine that, you could be a German pilot and participate in damn near every major battle for six years straight.. You're also in constant combat every day of your life. You probally don't survive, but you get lots of kills
rawdawg15 2 years ago 3
Erich Hartmann only finished his pilot training in january 1942 and wasn't stationed for front line service until october 1942, at which time the war had already been going on for 3 years
SteveSpicerPortsmuth 2 years ago 5
OK, nearly all of Hartmann's kills were against the Soviet airforce, which had inferior aircraft (especially at the start of the war) and woman pilots. They had 30 million casualties for god's sake. They weren't particularly known for finding ways to keep their pilots alive and well equiped and trained. He knew if caught by them he would spend the rest of his life hanging by his balls in a Soviet torture chamber, so he surrendered to the US army, which was known for being humane.
rawdawg15 2 years ago
Also, Richard Bong kicked so much ass he was given leave back to the United States during the war in 1943, got married, when back to combat, was given leave again in 1944, was assigned to Fighter Command in a non flying job, begged to go out and fight more, was authorized and killed a dozen more, and finally went home in Jan of 45 for good to go be a posterboy for warbonds. See, if you kicked serious ass in the USAAF, they would eventually take you out of the air.
rawdawg15 2 years ago
but you know that all those guys were KIA
seon126 2 years ago
no way
acemacleod1 2 years ago
Woah, I didn't know know about Swede until today. Dogfighting 3 A6M3 Zero's in a single SBD, and winning, that takes skill. I salute you Lt. "Swede" Vejtasa, thank you for your contribution in WW2.
vassilizaitzev1 2 years ago 4
hehe that was like " ohh you wanna crush me?? well.. FUCK YOU!!!! (wing slash)
Querberus 2 years ago
I think Swede got transferred from dive bombers to fighters, not because of his dogfighting skills, but because the rear gunners were tired of Swede kicking the crap out of them with his crazy high-G maneuvering.
Three Sweded meatballs bite the dust!
Go Swede!
alfazedz 3 years ago 5
this guy just cheated death
camcorder13 3 years ago
kick ass
metallician2 3 years ago
Very cool! 5 Stars!
flx3086 3 years ago