Stuart, XN923 is correct in his assessment re. my meaning in this thread. I confess absolutely to using a phrase I know people misinterpret (also ran) but I also very carefully did not use the common phrase “an also ran” as you have done. I used the phrase in its original (racing) context and meaning. A horse wins, the others “also ran” by which it means they competed.
My meaning is clear … would the outcome (of WWII) have been any different without the Spifire, which is often accorded much glorification? Is it worthy of all that glorification?
To my mind NO. But don’t get me wrong here, I think it’s a beautiful machine, a credit to its designer and an all round fantastic aircraft. But I don’t think anything swung in the balance on its presence. I think it punched above it’s weight … but that’s not the same thing either!
The argument I am inclined to listen to is Alertken’s … that the sheer versatilty and effectiveness of the Spifire and its production enabled other production to be freed up and that may well have been crucial to the outcome. It’s a very good argument and I’m swaying on that point.
But I don’t think you’re right to allege, as I think you are doing, that the Spitfire won the BoB and if that battle hadn’t been won the others wouldn’t have happened. I disagree with you on a couple of points there …
(a) I believe the BoB was won on superior tactics as has been noted a few times above, and
(b) the Russian/Eastern front would almost certainly have started anyway … without it who knows what might have happened.
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