Best Fighter Designer?

[Parmigiano]

Unable to think with jets? The Ta 183 was a neat design, after the war working in India and Argentina (with all the possible respect) with a very low budget and without his technical team was not exactly the same thing as working in US or USSR or even the Reich... a great designer is not enough to make a great airplane.

 

[V-1710]

There was also Ed Heinemann. SBD and A-20 to F-16. And a whole bunch in between.

 

[102first_hussars]

I got to say Willy Messchermit made one hell of a plane

 

[Twitch]

The Ta 183 was Hans Multhopp's design. Tank screwed with it so he could put his dubious mark on it in the Pulqui II.

 

[Thorlifter]

I'd go with Messerschmitt, Tank, Kelly Johnson, and Tex B. Beisel just because he designed my favorite plane, the Corsair.

 

[JeffK]

John Smith, from Vickers Supermarine.

Responsible for the Spitfire II - F24 and Seafire!

 

[Grampa]

haven't there been any greater Japanese aircraft-designer?

 

[Nonskimmer]

haven't there been any greater Japanese aircraft-designer?

Tatsuo Hasegawa's Ki-94 interceptor looked promising, if just a bit too late for Japan. Too bad it never even got to fly. In fact, it was scheduled to make it's very first test flight on the very day that Japan surrendered.

 

[Jabberwocky]

I wouls say R J Mitchell thinking on how the Spitfire/Seafire could still be kept updated and front lined after all those year's in service.

RJ Mitchell died in 1937.

It was Joseph Smith that took over Spitfire development after his death and was chief designer for wartime period.

Its a real shame that RJ never got to see his design in the RAF, or do the sterling service it did.

My vote personally goes for Kurt Tank, just for the FW-190, which was about the most revolutionary fighter of the war, at least in terms of its impact after its introduction.

Second is Geoffrey de Haviland, for the Mossie and the Vampire. Working with wood, anyone?

Third is Jiro Horikoshi, designer of the, A5M Claude, A6M Zero, J2M Raiden and the A7M Reppu. Prolific and a fantastic engineer working with limited resources.

 

[tomsong3320]

Kurt Tank had more designs than just the fw.The TA152h happens to be my fav ac with a prop that is

 

[Soren]

The best fighter designer of WWII is definitely Kurt Tank.

As a second I'll go with Willi Messerschmidt.

And as a third T. Koyama for his near unbeatable design when it comes to low alt speed and maneuverability, the Ki-84 "Hayate" or "FRANK" as the Allies called it.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I pretty much am the same as your list except that I would throw in Kelly Johnson in third. Sure most of his best designs came after the war but he made some magnificant designs as well during such as the P-38, Constellation and Electra.

Another good designer or team of designers was Boeing's and Curtis's and even Douglas's.

 

[Soren]

Kelly made some beautiful designs alright, but I cannot help but admirer T.Koyama for churning out such a fantastic design considering the conditions in which the Japanese industry had to work under by 43-45. Yet he pulled it off and made a fighter considered untouchable at low altitude by even the very latest Allied fighters.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

He did do some great things with that design.

 

[Soren]

Indeed he did.

Capable of approx. 620 + km/h at sea level using MW boost this was one very fast bird at low altitude. Service ceiling was 40,000 + ft.