Best World War II Aircraft?

[rochie]

i agree with everything you say and i think the P-51 was an amazing aircraft and great at it's job but it didn't win ww2 on its own which this show seemed to suggest that's what got me worked up

 

[The Jug Rules!]

To put it all simply...The mustang is overated, a handful of hits in the right spot, and she's out of the fight. If you're over enemy territory, then you are sol, because your engine probably wont make it all the way home.

I think that the -4 corsair, or an M model thunderbolt would give her a run for her money, but it all depends on the pilot and his tactics. That goes for any plane. A guy in a b model p-40 could slaughter a pilot in a p51 H if he doesn't know how to handle his bird. Try to get in a turning fight with a 51, and youre in a thunderbolt, you will LOSE badly. The Jug Pilot would use his supereior firepower in a head on run, or use a diving attack. I believe that when the performance between aircraft are very close, then It comes down to the pilots themselves.

 

[rochie]

you might have a point there jug still it deserves some credit though, nice pic of a P-47 by the way

 

[Erich]

sorry Jug but the pilots of the top scoring unit in the ETO, the 354th fg disagree. they hated the Jug

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I wuold still rather have a Jug. I like its ruggedness...

...how having said that the best aircraft of WW2 was the C-47!

 

[mkloby]

Jug - a couple of hits in the right place will put anything out of commission! Get hit in the radiator - and you got trouble on any liquid cooled A/C.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

hit a couple of bullets through the side of a P-47 will kill the pilot and down the whole aircraft, what's your point? yes liquid cooled engines are more easily damaged, but a couple of shots? really? the P-47 and no air cooled is invincible, many of them were lost so obviously they aren't, and stories of planes returning on a handful of cyclinders aren't commonplace they happened yes, but let's face it and damaged engine is gonna cause you problems and in a heavy single engined fighter you're just as likely to go down flying on a couple of cyclinders...........

 

[mkloby]

hit a couple of bullets through the side of a P-47 will kill the pilot and down the whole aircraft, what's your point? yes liquid cooled engines are more easily damaged, but a couple of shots? really? the P-47 and no air cooled is invincible, many of them were lost so obviously they aren't, and stories of planes returning on a handful of cyclinders aren't commonplace they happened yes, but let's face it and damaged engine is gonna cause you problems and in a heavy single engined fighter you're just as likely to go down flying on a couple of cyclinders...........

That's my poinit lanc! Taking rounds in the right place will down anything - not soley P-51s...

 

[lesofprimus]

BUT, the P-51D WAS more susceptible to groundfire than the P-47D... Why???

The engine...

All this back and forth sh!t is drivin me crazy... Any plane can be shot down by the lucky magic penetrator, but the Mustang was easier to shoot down...

 

[mkloby]

BUT, the P-51D WAS more susceptible to groundfire than the P-47D... Why???

The engine...

All this back and forth sh!t is drivin me crazy... Any plane can be shot down by the lucky magic penetrator, but the Mustang was easier to shoot down...

Agreed Les!
Have a thread called best WWII A/C and that's all you're going to get... everyone's opinion is prejudiced and nobody here has flown these damn things - if somoene has they certainly haven't flown all of them!... an aircraft's true essence cannot be boiled down to stats and numbers - any pilot will tell you that...

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

And that I agree with.

The only reason I go with the C-47 is for reasons stated, without it the ground guys would not have gotten supplies to win the war.

 

[twoeagles]

Try reverse logic. The lack of what aircraft, had it not existed, would
have had the most impact on the execution of the war...Since the war in
Europe, at least, ultimately had to be won on the ground, then maybe
the C-47/Dakota isn't a bad candidate. Name all the other dedicated
cargo haulers (okay C-46; and the B-29 supplied Southeast Asia/China)...
So, could the ground war in Europe have been won without the C-47 for
cargo and troop air drops?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

well if there was no C-47 there would just be annother similar transport, but that's true of most aircraft, but we'll never know............

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

And since the C-47 existed, the C-47 gets my vote.

 

[[DH]Chris89]

Well if it Has to be British i would have to say the Wonder Full Mosqutio, Quick, Light weight, and had one hell off a punch in the nose.

For German it would Defenitly would have to be the Foker Wolf 190 A-8 fast and a brillent Aircraft agasint B-17s and P-51D's

And Sorry i can't think of any american aircraft

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

C-47 my friend. Supplied the troops on the ground to win the war.

 

[Gnomey]

Well if it Has to be British i would have to say the Wonder Full Mosqutio, Quick, Light weight, and had one hell off a punch in the nose.

For German it would Defenitly would have to be the Foker Wolf 190 A-8 fast and a brillent Aircraft agasint B-17s and P-51D's

And Sorry i can't think of any american aircraft

You just said 2 - P51 and B17...

C-47 my friend. Supplied the troops on the ground to win the war.

Agreed (and you know that most people here will agree too).

 

[mkloby]

And Sorry i can't think of any american aircraft

Because Americans produced 0 notable aircraft???

 

[saltlakespitfire]

Well on the logistical side , C-47 was the definete winner. None of the other countries fighting the war produced such a versatile aircraft.

But on the combat side the spit would be the best for me

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

Because Americans produced 0 notable aircraft???

got it in one my friend........