Best World War II Aircraft?

[wingnuts]

Yes, called Geodesic Structure.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Too much testosterone here kiddies - overall the best airplane of WW2 plain and simple...

 

[moomoo2]

Fighters
The P51 was the best American
Best RAF was the Spitfire, boring choice but it was good.
The KI84 was the best Japanese
Best German the Dora 9
Best Italian the Macchi 205
Russians the Yak 3

Bombers
UK, Lancaster
US, B29
German, HE177, once they actually got it to stop being suicidal
Russia, TU 2
Japan, P1Y

Oh, yes i agree with above comment the C47 was a great aircraft, did alot of donkey work for not much credit.

 

[SoD Stitch]

Too much testosterone here kiddies - overall the best airplane of WW2 plain and simple...

Agreed; flew in every theatre of the War, hauled all kinds of stuff everywhere, and was even armed after the War (AC-47).

 

[ratdog]

hey SoD Stitch, what are those nazi planes on the lower end of your post? sorry just couldnt resist

 

[FLYBOYJ]

hey SoD Stitch, what are those nazi planes on the lower end of your post? sorry just couldnt resist

You mean the ones on the airfield getting over run????

 

[ratdog]

no the other one the one on top are some c-47s

 

[FLYBOYJ]

no the other one the one on top are some c-47s

Oh, the4 C-47s scattering troops a over the countryside among other things....

 

[kool kitty89]

I think he means the a/c in SoD's signature pic.

Which are Do 335's Dornier Do 335 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Waynos]

The two fighters? They are Dornier Do 335's. They are also German, not Nazi, aircraft are not allowed to be members of political parties.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I think he means the a/c in SoD's signature pic.

oh

 

[ratdog]

true and sry a i was a little ticked when i wrote it and wasnt thinking
those are weird looking things does it have two engines or something?

 

[Waynos]

Yes one at the back and one at the front, very novel. And very fast.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

true and sry a i was a little ticked when i wrote it and wasnt thinking
those are weird looking things does it have two engines or something?

Fortunatly only 38 were built. There is only one left in the world and it is at the NASM in Washington.

Dornier Do 335 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Elvis]

Fastest piston / propeller powered airplane of WWII, wasn't it?
I seem to remember it being credited with a top speed of, like, 470-475 MPH.



Elvis

 

[kool kitty89]

I think it was more or less even with the Ta 152 and Fw 190D-13 (slightly faster) in terms of speed.

And then there's the P-51H which could make ~480 mph in clean configuration. But it never reached combat. (about equal to the D-13)

The fastest of the war (and for a long time after -till "Rare Bear" iirc) was the XP-47J at 507 mph at 32,000 ft.

 

[Elvis]

So it wasn't the fastest in production?

You might want to tell this guy, then.

"The Dornier Do 335 was the fastest piston-engine aircraft of the War. With a puller engine in the nose and a pusher engine in the tail, the Do 335 could reach a speed up to 470mph."




Elvis

 

[kool kitty89]

In testing the P-51H exceeded 480 mph. (production models with racks fitted and at full combat weight would probably have been more in the range of 460-470 mph at critical altitude and WEP)

 

[Elvis]

Ok, I'll give you that one.

According to "jbaugher", it did enter production, but did so, so late in the war, it never saw combat.
(North American P-51H Mustang)

Impressive speed numbers, though. Apparently faster than the 335.
This site lists a top speed for the "H" as 487MPH@25K ft., although it does not say whether that was ascertained during testing or in combat.
This site lists the 335's speed as [email protected] ft. (6500m), although it too does not mention whether that was ascertained during testing or in combat.

(NOTE: JMHO, but I think, generally, we'd have to assume "tested" for any airplane's listed top speed. It seems people might be a bit too preoccupied with trying to stay alive to worry about such things, under "battle conditions")

I'll give you a litle pat on the back for doing the research, anyway.




Elvis

 

[drgondog]

Ok, I'll give you that one.

According to "jbaugher", it did enter production, but did so, so late in the war, it never saw combat.
(North American P-51H Mustang)

Impressive speed numbers, though. Apparently faster than the 335.
This site lists a top speed for the "H" as 487MPH@25K ft., although it does not say whether that was ascertained during testing or in combat.
This site lists the 335's speed as [email protected] ft. (6500m), although it too does not mention whether that was ascertained during testing or in combat.


The 51H entered production in February with first delivery in February, 1945 - only deployed in Stateside squadrons through May, then deployed to Alaska for July/August, 1945

(NOTE: JMHO, but I think, generally, we'd have to assume "tested" for any airplane's listed top speed. It seems people might be a bit too preoccupied with trying to stay alive to worry about such things, under "battle conditions")

I'll give you a litle pat on the back for doing the research, anyway.




Elvis

The 487mph was a North American Aviation test with no external racks and no fuselage tank fuel. Represents 'about as good as it could be in an interceptor role'.