Admiral Beez
Captain
Going Total Recall here, but what WW2 aircraft would be useful in sizeable quantities in Ukraine's fight with Russia today? My immediate thought goes to the Douglas A-26 Invader.
Best WW2 plane for Ukraine today?
- Thread starter Admiral Beez
- Start date
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FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
I edited my original response, I see that you mentioned if it was possible to have a World War II airplane. This is total fantasy, I get it.
FLYBOYJ
"THE GREAT GAZOO"
I was drinking a beer when I first saw this post and almost spit it out laughing. But to entertain this, I would go with something like a P 47 or IL-2
Thumpalumpacus
Major
I'd love to see -47s and Tiffies carving up that stuck convoy.
A few role-specific aircraft are required, but yes, a ground pounder is definitely one needed, with a battlefield interdiction and anti-armour strike capability. Ukraine needs a good point defence interceptor that is good at height and low level, or two different types. Russian strike aircraft have been operating at low and medium-to-high altitude, so these are a necessity. During the war there weren't specific SEAD types, but it's a requirement now owing to Russian mobile SAM units, the role would also cover disabling long range ground-based radars being used to track Ukrainian air activity. Airfield denial is also a requirement to prevent Russian activity at captured airports. Just for kicks, an anti-shipping strike aircraft as well, throw in a heavy multi-role platform like the Beaufighter, too. Photographic recon is essential, tactical and strategic.
If you wanna go beyond Ukrainian borders, how about some strategic air assets?
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
If it's required that the aircraft saw service during WWII, then I'd say the B-25J strafer with the 14+ MG setup.
If it's an aircraft under development and first flew before V-E or V-J day, then I'd go with the Douglas AD or Beechcraft XA-38.
If it's an aircraft under development and first flew before V-E or V-J day, then I'd go with the Douglas AD or Beechcraft XA-38.
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
PO-2. Not joking. Are there 2 seat variants? Drone mother ship. Eye in the sky. Quiet for all kinds of mad cap antics. Fly 'em from car parks, fields, small fields. Yup, I'm good with a "Rosie the Rocketeer" or a Fiesler Storch. Don't need quite as much support as a MiG-29 or a Typhoon. Ukraine ain't getting air supremacy stuff which it really needs. Time to get creative.
Po-2 was almost excxlusively two seaters - only some of VIP transport converted was single seater with enclosed aft cokpit for passangers
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
The U-2 was noisey as hell - that was part of the night harassment scheme.
Make noise, drop bombs out of the darkness and disappear, which kept the enemy from resting.
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
I thought I read somewhere about the Night Witches idling down their engines to sneak up on a position before attacking it.
GrauGeist
Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung
On approach, yes, but throttling up hard after dropping the bombs made for quite a bit of noise.
Also keep in mind that "washing machine Charlie" in Korea was the same Polikarpov U-2 type...
ThomasP
Senior Master Sergeant
Are we including the required volume of spares? If so, the the Москітний.
Capable of operating from grass and dirt fields
Big enough to handle diverse and heavy ordnance
2-man crew for multi-mission capability - excluding the air-superiority mission, but including:
__long range strike with dumb bombs/rockets/cannon - or with guided weapons if modern electronics (including ECM) and weapons fits are allowed
__ground attack with dumb bombs/rockets/cannon - or with guided weapons if modern electronics (including ECM) and weapons fits are allowed
__fast enough to get away from the RF attack helicopters
__fast enough to catch RF attack helicopters
__relatively low radar signature
__twin-engine survivability
Otherwise, the Corsair or similarly capable single engine FB - allowing slightly less restrictive operating requirements, but with reduced multi-mission capability.
Capable of operating from grass and dirt fields
Big enough to handle diverse and heavy ordnance
2-man crew for multi-mission capability - excluding the air-superiority mission, but including:
__long range strike with dumb bombs/rockets/cannon - or with guided weapons if modern electronics (including ECM) and weapons fits are allowed
__ground attack with dumb bombs/rockets/cannon - or with guided weapons if modern electronics (including ECM) and weapons fits are allowed
__fast enough to get away from the RF attack helicopters
__fast enough to catch RF attack helicopters
__relatively low radar signature
__twin-engine survivability
Otherwise, the Corsair or similarly capable single engine FB - allowing slightly less restrictive operating requirements, but with reduced multi-mission capability.
SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
That's the quiet part I meant. Stuff going BOOM tends to wake me up, anyway.
- Thread starter
- #16
Admiral Beez
Captain
Hmm…. Lancasters dropping 22,000 lb Grand Slam earthquake bombs on the Kremlin?
Snautzer01
Honourably banned
- 40,105
- Mar 26, 2007
Not only the Witches. Condor Legion used this tactic in Spain.
swampyankee
Chief Master Sergeant
- 3,977
- Jun 25, 2013
While sending WWII piston-engined aircraft to Ukraine, where will they get enough 115/145 avgas?
Jagdflieger
Senior Airman
- 580
- Mar 23, 2022
Clearly B-29's, bringing the terror as to where it got started
The rest in the Ukraine itself, handled by the Douglas A-26 Invaders and Mustangs, off course would be nice to see the Fw-190F-9 too and just for the
howling effect (scaring the living daylight out of those attacked) and weaponry the Ju 87G-1
But; what Russian aircraft's and especially AA units are these WW2 planes supposed to face? it was mentioned Russia/today - then it's not going to be a fruitful enterprise.
Regards
Jagdflieger
The rest in the Ukraine itself, handled by the Douglas A-26 Invaders and Mustangs, off course would be nice to see the Fw-190F-9 too and just for the
howling effect (scaring the living daylight out of those attacked) and weaponry the Ju 87G-1
But; what Russian aircraft's and especially AA units are these WW2 planes supposed to face? it was mentioned Russia/today - then it's not going to be a fruitful enterprise.
Regards
Jagdflieger
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SaparotRob
Unter Gemeine Geschwader Murmeltier XIII
I think the thread is going for what WW II aircraft might be usable today for Ukraine, not what could take on the VKS directly. That's how I interpret it. The B-29 was part of the "measure/counter measure" development tree that lead to the high altitude no-man's land. There are a few prop planes from WW II that would be good for counter insurgency missions. Those, however, would probably be meat on the table for today's MANPADs and really can only be used in uncontested airspace. Ukraine needs a boatload of F-16s or F/A-18s. We know how Putin honors commitments so F-35's are out. Besides, no time to train air and ground crews. They have to think outside the box. Something like an ultra light. Sneak it in close to the bad guy lines, assemble in any of many wrecked structures and used in unconventional means. Lawn mower engines are far less maintenance heavy than a Merlin or an R-3350. I'll go out on a limb and say a lawn mower engine uses a bit less fuel than an Allison V-1710. I'm not an FAA licensed mechanic so I don't know for sure. Ukraine seems to be using unconventional tactics. Hence my idea of a "Rosie the Rocketeer".
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