Best A/C of WWII

[Ausaviator]

Where do we get into discussions about WWII aircraft and which was the best of them?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Welcome Ausaviator,

There are dozens of threads debuting the best bomber, fighter, transport, etc., try going through the archives and you'll get a perspective of our members and what goes on here. Cheers!

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

yep you've come to the right place to discuss WWII aircraft, like Flyboy said it's worth looking around for a bit first, there's plenty of "bests" topics, we'll listen to any suggestions in them........

btw, best aircraft of WWII? the lancaster

 

[mosquitoman]

Nah, it's the Mossie

 

[FLYBOYJ]

For the benifit of our newest member.....

If we're gonna talk in general across the board, all nations all types.....

The C-47! 8)

 

[pbfoot]

For the benifit of you newest member.....

If we're gonna talk in general across the board, all nations all types.....

The C-47! 8)

your right the best a/c ever

 

[FLYBOYJ]

For the benifit of you newest member.....

If we're gonna talk in general across the board, all nations all types.....

The C-47! 8)

your right the best a/c ever

YEP!!!

 

[pbfoot]

in the 80's some of the ground guys were saying they went to replace cables on a dak they used factory specs they didn't fit it turns out it was used as glider tug tug in ww2 and it had stretched 8" i can't confirm that

 

[FLYBOYJ]

It wouldn't surprise me!

 

[evangilder]

Joe, you beat me to it. My vote of best aircraft would go with the C-47 as well.

 

[book1182]

Greatest aircraft of World War 2 has to be the C-47. What if Germany would have won??? Would that make the JU-52 the number 1 aircraft?
Combat aircraft would have to go to the A-26 Invader. It lasted three wars. World War 2, Korea, Vietnam.

 

[evangilder]

The JU-52 wasn't even close. The C-47 was the DC-3, which at one time, carried 90% of worldwide commercial airline traffic (1939). After the war, it lumbered on in commercial usage and there are part of the world where they are still used today! I would go as far as to say that the DC-3/C-47 was the best airplane ever made as far as longevity, influence and durability.

 

[book1182]

Don't get me wrong I agree about the C-47 as the best. But what if Germany had won. Would they have stopped the production of the C-47 and only built the JU-52. Also, part of the world??? Try the United States. I worked for a freight company a couple of years ago that still uses them. They also have one that has been upgraded with turbo props.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

If Germany won WW2? The JU-52 would of been delivering parts to the factories building C-47s.

I bet Germany would of built C-47s in mass numbers!!!!

 

[GregP]

The C-47? What are you guys thinking? It wasn't a combat aircraft! It was a transport! Sure, it was a great transport, but best of WWII?

Maybe you guys were born quartermasters (nothing wrong with that ...), but I think the greatest aircraft of WWII has to be at LEAST a COMBAT aircraft!

 

[lesofprimus]

Goddamn not another argument about this best of shit...

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The C-47? What are you guys thinking? It wasn't a combat aircraft! It was a transport! Sure, it was a great transport, but best of WWII?

Maybe you guys were born quartermasters (nothing wrong with that ...), but I think the greatest aircraft of WWII has to be at LEAST a COMBAT aircraft!

Yes the C-47. What is so hard to comprehend about that. Do you think that combat aircraft are the only aircraft that win wars? The C-47 carried the supplies to the troops that won the war. Combat troops have to eat, combat troops need medicals supplies, combat troops need reinforcements. The C-47 did it all.

 

[Gnomey]

The C-47? What are you guys thinking? It wasn't a combat aircraft! It was a transport! Sure, it was a great transport, but best of WWII?

Maybe you guys were born quartermasters (nothing wrong with that ...), but I think the greatest aircraft of WWII has to be at LEAST a COMBAT aircraft!

Yes the C-47. What is so hard to comprehend about that. Do you think that combat aircraft are the only aircraft that win wars? The C-47 carried the supplies to the troops that won the war. Combat troops have to eat, combat troops need medicals supplies, combat troops need reinforcements. The C-47 did it all.

Agreed, the C-47 for me too.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

The C-47? What are you guys thinking? It wasn't a combat aircraft! It was a transport! Sure, it was a great transport, but best of WWII?

Maybe you guys were born quartermasters (nothing wrong with that ...), but I think the greatest aircraft of WWII has to be at LEAST a COMBAT aircraft!

The C-47 did it all. It flew more hours, more miles and participated in every front during WW2. Warplanes? There would be NO warplanes or gas for them if it wasn't for the C-47. Oh by the way, it was used as an impromptu bomber and one was even flown with a DC-2 wing attached to it. The Russians even installed a gun turret on theirs!

Just don't think air combat is about dropping bombs and trying to blast fighters out of the skies. Some of the missions flown over the hump and other theaters during WW2 were actually more dangerous than being in actual combat!!!!! 10 minutes of actual aerial combat is nothing compared to 1 hour flying through a thunderstorm.....

 

[evangilder]

Don't get me wrong I agree about the C-47 as the best. But what if Germany had won. Would they have stopped the production of the C-47 and only built the JU-52. Also, part of the world??? Try the United States. I worked for a freight company a couple of years ago that still uses them. They also have one that has been upgraded with turbo props.

Nope, not just the US. They are flown today still in South and Central America and parts of Canada for freight as well. There is a company here in California that runs 2 DC-3s out to Catalina Island and back.

If the Germans had won, the Ju-52 would not have replaced the DC-3/C-47. It wouldn't have made sense.