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Well FLYBOYJ I guess we have to agree to disagree on this.
The DC-3 didn't evolve any more than most other a/c, and I doubt it was anymore easily adapted than most other a/c either. The thing that made the DC-3 a success was mainly that it was reliable cheap, something which often seems to win out over superior performance technology.
Ok this confuses me abit, what is your position exactly ?
I mean you say "I do not think you can say that the Ju 290 was able to be used in more roles" and then you say "I am sure the 290 could perform more roles. It was a bigger aircraft and capable of performing more roles."
I agree that it was capable of performing more roles more effectively than the DC-3, no doubt about it. The Ju-290 was used as a long range heavy bomber, heavy transport, large passenger a/c recon plane. The DC-3 was used as transport passenger a/c during the war, that's it. After the war it was used in numerous other roles.
The Soviets experimented with some DC-3 designs, but none proved successful besides the original.
I've known about the Li-2 forever pretty much Juha, but I never considered it a bomber, and it wasn't either.
As for the Ju-290, the LW's emphazis on fighters and more defensive kind of war Germany was fighting at the time of the Ju-290's introduction meant it didn't get the chance to prove its worth in the heavy bomber role like the Allied bomber designs had plenty of opportunity to. But that doesn't take away the fact that it was excellent for the role, being well armed, fast being able to carry a very large loadout.
I've known about the Li-2 forever pretty much Juha, but I never considered it a bomber, and it wasn't either.
As for the Ju-290, the LW's emphazis on fighters and more defensive kind of war Germany was fighting at the time of the Ju-290's introduction meant it didn't get the chance to prove its worth in the heavy bomber role like the Allied bomber designs had plenty of opportunity to. But that doesn't take away the fact that it was excellent for the role, being well armed, fast being able to carry a very large loadout.
Waiting for this replyIf it is not a candidate for greatest of all time what would you nominate to place above the Gooneybird?
ok why not put in a poll of like the top 5 aircraft and then go from there?
The B-23 isn't the DC-3, they are quite different.
As for the Russian use of the Li-2 as a bomber, it was no success, and 4x 250 kg bombs, heck a Fw-190 can carry more! By comparison the Ju-290 could carry up to 8 tons of bombs. And the defensive armament of the Li-2 was like I said, miserable.
Now if being the best is all about being simple cheap, then I think the Ju-52 deserves a mention. This a/c was also used well after the war for a variety of roles. But I wouldn't consider it the best a/c of the war or ever to fly at all.
Waiting for this reply
well what was better ? I realize its subjective but you I'm sure have a something in mindBut like I've always said, the DC-3 was a great a/c, one of the all time greats. But IMO it simply isn't the best a/c of all time, and the reason is that it wasn't tailored to do any role besides carrying passengers and hauling medium transport loads.
And that's all it had to do to be one of the reasons why the allies won WW2.But IMO it simply isn't the best a/c of all time, and the reason is that it wasn't tailored to do any role besides carrying passengers and hauling medium transport loads.
Soren
Quote:" open battlefield the T-34 proved to be nothing but gunfodder for German tanks"
Now in 45 your gunfodder ended up in Berlin but German überpanzers in junkyards. So clearly T34 in real world was a bit better than mere gunfodder. Eastern front wasn't one flat field either. Was T-34 the best tank in WWII, I don't know, maybe not but it wasn't mere gun fodder either.
Juha