Most "Bad Ass" looking Aircraft of WW2

[BlackSheep]

Here's another way Dave.

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All that is missing is a the vanity license plate "Meatball"…

 

[BlackSheep]

I love the planes that look super narrow when viewed from the right angle, like the Baltimore and Tigercat
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the tigercat looks ah-1 thin!

 

[CBSKY]

How did we make it this far without a 190?

 

[XBe02Drvr]

How aDORAble! Ain't she cute?

 

[msxyz]

How aDORAble! Ain't she cute?

Long nose FW-190s are nice, the original version with the radial engine not so much imho...

 

[GrauGeist]

I know it's matter of personal preference, but I find the Fw190A (and F/G) much better looking than the Dora or Ta152.

That long nose just doesn't look right.

 

[XBe02Drvr]

I know it's matter of personal preference, but I find the Fw190A (and F/G) much better looking than the Dora or Ta152.

That long nose just doesn't look right.

Pinocchio agrees!

 

[soulezoo]

I know it's matter of personal preference, but I find the Fw190A (and F/G) much better looking than the Dora or Ta152.

That long nose just doesn't look right.

While I completely agree with you on the look, if'n I had to fight in one, I'm thinking D-13.

 

[BlackSheep]

I know it's matter of personal preference, but I find the Fw190A (and F/G) much better looking than the Dora or Ta152.

That long nose just doesn't look right.

I agree, but, I also love USN Wildcats/Hellcats/Bearcats, too. Something about the way those blunt noses look….

 

[drgondog]

When I think of 'formidable looking' my minds eye sees the YB-40, then drifts to the Pappy Gunn modified B-25s, then to the B-29. Nothing sez 'bad ass' more than 20KT mushroom cloud in the rear view mirrror.

 

[GrauGeist]

It is a real shame the YB-40 and XB-41 projects didn't work out.

Aside from escort duties, they would have been perfect for hunting Ju88s and Fw200s near the Bay of Biscay.

 

[SaparotRob]

It is a real shame the YB-40 and XB-41 projects didn't work out.

Aside from escort duties, they would have been perfect for hunting Ju88s and Fw200s near the Bay of Biscay.

Dude, preaching to the choir.

 

[drgondog]

too slow

 

[SaparotRob]

We know. But doesn't the little kid inside you remember drawing B-17s with even more guns?

 

[wuzak]

It is a real shame the YB-40 and XB-41 projects didn't work out.

Aside from escort duties, they would have been perfect for hunting Ju88s and Fw200s near the Bay of Biscay.

Could the YB-40 could catch a Ju 88?

Maybe would serve better in that role as a mothership for some fighters.

Or just leave it to Mosquitoes....

 

[wuzak]

Long nose FW-190s are nice, the original version with the radial engine not so much imho...

I know it's matter of personal preference, but I find the Fw190A (and F/G) much better looking than the Dora or Ta152.

That long nose just doesn't look right.

I think the Fw 190A looks tough and brutal, just sitting on the ground.

I find the Fw 190D more attractive/elegant.

But the OP was after the most "bad ass" looking aircraft, which he described as "the one that looks like it means business just sitting there on the hardstand or grass field". In that sense, the Fw 190A wins IMO.

 

[GrauGeist]

Could the YB-40 could catch a Ju 88?

Maybe would serve better in that role as a mothership for some fighters.

Or just leave it to Mosquitoes....

Like the Sunderland and B-24/PB4Y, the Ju88s come to you!

 

[BlackSheep]

It is a real shame the YB-40 and XB-41 projects didn't work out.

Aside from escort duties, they would have been perfect for hunting Ju88s and Fw200s near the Bay of Biscay.

Hands down, imho, the best YB-40 story is the hunting of Italian pilot Guido Rossi flying a captured P-38, by a LT. Fisher. It has everything sneaky bad guy stuff, awesome good guy stuff, of course there is some female drama, and a Red, White, and Blue apple pie and mama ending.

The Phantom P-38

One of the more interesting stories in the MTO was of the phantom P-38, which was causing trouble for many crippled bombers. Beginning on June 4, 1943, a crippled bomber was coming back from a mission against the island of Pantelleria. The crew was considering bailing out of their bomber when...

ww2aircraft.net

 

[GrauGeist]

Hands down, imho, the best YB-40 story is the hunting of Italian pilot Guido Rossi flying a captured P-38, by a LT. Fisher. It has everything sneaky bad guy stuff, awesome good guy stuff, of course there is some female drama, and a Red, White, and Blue apple pie and mama ending.

The Phantom P-38

One of the more interesting stories in the MTO was of the phantom P-38, which was causing trouble for many crippled bombers. Beginning on June 4, 1943, a crippled bomber was coming back from a mission against the island of Pantelleria. The crew was considering bailing out of their bomber when...

ww2aircraft.net

It is a great story, almost worthy of a movie, even.
But pure fiction by the master story teller Caidin - the only bit of truth is that the Italians did have a captured P-38 and it was piloted by Lt. Col. Tondi (who did attack a B-17G) for a short while before the low grade Italian fuel fried the P-38's engines.

The rumors of seeing an Italian P-38 several times in the area, including an attack on an American bomber (aside from Tondi's attack) was most likely the Savoia-Marchetti SM.91.

 

[Denniss]

How did we make it this far without a 190?

With that big fat air intake this is probably a very latewar special version like D-12/D-13 or Ta 152C