ju-88vs b-25vs b-26
- Thread starter fly boy
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I am not sure how I would rank them.
Of the 3 I like the Ju 88 the best because of its versatility.
Of the 3 I like the Ju 88 the best because of its versatility.
Arsenal VG-33
Senior Airman
B-26 Marauder, because it was my favorite Snap-Tite model to build when I was a kid!
davparlr
Senior Master Sergeant
Comparing medium bombers in WWII is very difficult. First, the medium bomber must be defined. Then, since weapons load and fuel load (range) can be traded off, it is difficult to compare oranges to oranges when reviewing performance on published data. Another difficulty was that they were all pretty outstanding aircraft. In comparison, I threw in the A-20 and Mosquito. They're probably classified as light bombers but the comparison is interesting. I tried to take a snap shot at D-day, just to try to even up the capabilities. I also tried to use the common aircraft at the time. Load-Max is max weight minus empty weigh. I use this value as a reflection of flexibility of design and the ability evaluate trade off of weapons vs. fuel of the competing aircraft. Load N is normal bomb load, Range N is range with nomal bomb load. Data was based on B-25H, B-26G, Ju-88A-4, A-20J, and Mosquito B-IV. The chart will probably come out weird. Airspeed is MPH, wt is in Klbs, loads in Klbs, and range is in 1000 miles.
B-25 B-26 Ju-88 A-20 Mos.
AS 285 282 292 317 380
Wt-e 19.5 24 19 17 14.9
Load-Max 15.5 14.2 11.8 10 7.5
Load-N 3 4 2.2 2 2
Rng-N 1.5 1 1.5 1 1.1
Note: For the Ju-88, only 1000lbs of bombs could be carried internally. This would affect speed performance prior to weapons release.
Just looking at the data and addressing the purely bomber role, it appears that the B-25 is the best choice. With normal bomb load, it is probably the fastest since the Ju-88 must carry some bombs externally, at least until weapons are released, and then it is still close. It has a best load carrying ability by a large amount, 1.3k lbs vs. the B-26 and 3.7k lbs more than the Ju-88. In range it is probably similar to the B-26 since the B-26 normal bomb load is 1k more and if you swapped that for fuel, range would certainly increase accordingly. The B-25's range is similar to that of the Ju-88 but is carrying 800 lbs more bombs. In addition both the B-25 and the B-26 are carrying significantly more defensive fire power than the Ju-88. In contested airspace those extra guns would certainly be helpful.
For the pure bomber roll, the B-25 is my choice. For versatility the Ju-88 would be the leader with the B-25 a close second. All three aircraft are superb and performed great service for their respective sides.
B-25 B-26 Ju-88 A-20 Mos.
AS 285 282 292 317 380
Wt-e 19.5 24 19 17 14.9
Load-Max 15.5 14.2 11.8 10 7.5
Load-N 3 4 2.2 2 2
Rng-N 1.5 1 1.5 1 1.1
Note: For the Ju-88, only 1000lbs of bombs could be carried internally. This would affect speed performance prior to weapons release.
Just looking at the data and addressing the purely bomber role, it appears that the B-25 is the best choice. With normal bomb load, it is probably the fastest since the Ju-88 must carry some bombs externally, at least until weapons are released, and then it is still close. It has a best load carrying ability by a large amount, 1.3k lbs vs. the B-26 and 3.7k lbs more than the Ju-88. In range it is probably similar to the B-26 since the B-26 normal bomb load is 1k more and if you swapped that for fuel, range would certainly increase accordingly. The B-25's range is similar to that of the Ju-88 but is carrying 800 lbs more bombs. In addition both the B-25 and the B-26 are carrying significantly more defensive fire power than the Ju-88. In contested airspace those extra guns would certainly be helpful.
For the pure bomber roll, the B-25 is my choice. For versatility the Ju-88 would be the leader with the B-25 a close second. All three aircraft are superb and performed great service for their respective sides.
glennasher
Senior Airman
B-25 gets my vote, it was even versatile enough, in one instance, anyway, to take off from the USS Hornet.
davparlr
Senior Master Sergeant
The information I have is that the A-1 and A-2 had 1400 kg internal weapon carriage, but the A-4, the one I referenced, replace one weapons bay with a fuel tank and had internal carriage of 500 kg.
Thorlifter
Captain
I would agree.
Boy, that sets a pretty high standard for the rest of us to follow
Parmigiano
Senior Airman
Ju 88. Mainly for being an excellent jack of all trades in every front and role with different configurations, engines etc.
renrich
Chief Master Sergeant
To me, comparing the JU 88 with B25 and B26 is like apples and oranges. THe 25 and 26 were true medium bombers. The 88 was a multi purpose AC but in the bombing role more of a light bomber perhaps to be compared to the Mosquito or A20. The Mitchell and Marauder more like Dornier 17 and HE111. If one goes just by bomb load to define since the bombs loads are all around 4000 pounds then one has to say the B17 is a medium bomber since on some missions it's bomb load was 4000 pounds. Also the Corsair would need to be a medium bomber since it could carry a bomb load of 4000 pounds.
B-17engineer
Colonel
I need more specifics........out of all of them i am going with adler.....Ju-88
davparlr
Senior Master Sergeant
The A-26 wasn't in the running and while in production, it did not get to Europe intil Fall of 44, missing D-day. However with a top speed of 355 mph and a range of 1400 miles with 4000 lbs of bombs, it easily outperformed the contestants. Interesting enough, the A-26 did not make a big name for itself until after the war. It was one of the few planes that flew in three wars, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam. Maybe other wars in the service of other countries.
renrich said:
I agree with your thought. I think bomber ratings should be on load carrying capacity since armament can be traded off with fuel(range). I don't know why, but I don't think fighters with big loads like the F4U-4 or the even more impressive in the load lifting category, the P-38, should not be classified with bombers.
drgondog
Major
The P-38 was used several times in high altitude, level bombing, attacks - notably in the 'middle part' of the campaign against Ploesti in 1944. These attacks bombed off of a lead bomb aiming ship.
Later, one of the Droop Snoot version had a norden mobsight in it, although I am not aware of any significant success.
One of the things I didn't see in Dave's analysis was the cruise speed and range with max load at that range?
The next question is what Mission profile is the basis for comparison? Medium altitude precision bombing, low level attack, long range night strikes, dive bombing? all of the above?
If the latter I lean to the Ju 88, and I might favor the A26/B26 for medium altitude/medium range precision, B-25 for anti shipping, etc. They are all good and versatile aircraft
- Thread starter
- #18
B-17engineer
Colonel
That was anti-shipping not anti-personel
renrich
Chief Master Sergeant
Dav, I agree with you that a Corsair can't be considered as a bomber. I still don't believe a JU88 can be considered in the same category with a B25 or B26 but I guess it is really a question of semantics. The Ju88 could carry 4000 pounds of bombs but most had to be carried externally. As a bomber, it was a failure during BOB. Not as effective as the HE111 but maybe that was because the Germans thought it could operate un escorted. The B25 and B26 could and did operate unescorted. They had much heavier defensive armamment that the JU88 and I suspect they were faster with a full load of bombs aboard. However, I still say the JU88 should be compared with the likes of the A20, perhaps the Beaufort or even the Mosquito. An interesting note about the JU88. Was reading about the 4 engined bombers used against the U-boats, B24s, B17s, Halifaxes and of course Sunderland. They were giving the U-boats what for in the Bay of Biscay and the LW sent out JU88s to attack them and the Brits sent out Beaufighters to attack the JU88s. The Beaus soon disposed of the JUs and their pilots said the JUs were too slow and too lightly armed.
