Tyler Pinkerton
Well-Known Member
It happens a lot in the war bird community. The majority of the named aircraft that are wearing names of documented combat aircraft are in fact another aircraft. Because of that, when they give the history of what the aircraft itself did or what the named aircraft did, it can be lost in translation to people who are not actually involved with warbirds.
Most of the planes flying today are around because they were built too late to be sent over, were used as trainers, were wrecked and abandoned but not actually scrapped or they are mash up of various frames to make a complete frame due to previous wrecks or scrapings. I would say on a complete WAG, being conservative, no more than 40% of American warbirds (WWII era) saw actual combat service. I would also say when you start looking at British and German types, that percentage goes up.
