Most Beautiful Aircraft of WW2? (2 Viewers)

[pbehn]

The F7F Tigercat is above and beyond the most beautiful plane in my opinion, and it sounds beautiful with those two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radials

Did they try making it out of wood?

 

[CAVU Mark]

For me... the Mitsubishi A6M Zero. Small and to the point. Rounded lines, great canopy and a radial.

 

[Dave Woods]

This is a personal opinion question and no wrong answer. The Spitfires wing makes it commonly regarded as the most beautiful aircraft of WWII. The Corsair's inverted gull wing always does a little something for me. Some may like the 12 .50's on a B-17. IMO, these are mine.

#1 - Corsair
#2 - P-38
#3 - P-40
#4 - Fw-190
#5 - Me-262

plus many others........

That's a great list

 

[mikemike]

I would like to mention an aircraft that everyone here overlooked, especially those that voted for the Mosquito - the De Havilland D.H. 103 Hornet. None left, unfortunately, but you've got to love a plane that could keep up with a Spitfire with only one engine running and that could be looped with both engines off. And just look at it!

 

[pbehn]

I would like to mention an aircraft that everyone here overlooked, especially those that voted for the Mosquito - the De Havilland D.H. 103 Hornet. None left, unfortunately, but you've got to love a plane that could keep up with a Spitfire with only one engine running and that could be looped with both engines off. And just look at it!

Sadly it wasn't operational in WW2

 

[Elvis]

...nuthin wrong with a T-6...

 

[Elvis]

...or a C-47...

 

[Elvis]

...how about the PBY...

 

[Elvis]

...even my little avatar has a certain beauty to it...

 

[Elvis]

...has anyone mentioned the Hawker Sea Fury?...

 

[Elvis]

...any fan of the FW-190 may also like Sweden's "wooden wonder" the FFVS J22...

 

[mikemike]

Sadly it wasn't operational in WW2

Neither was the Tigercat. And, really, RADIAL engines are beautiful? Efficient, yes, but certainly rarely elegant (the Republic F-12 was a great try, however).

 

[Elvis]

...when I was a kid, I thought the Swedish J21 was the coolest plane I'd ever seen...

 

[pbehn]

Neither was the Tigercat.

The Tigercat was not a WW2 aircraft and it wasn't even made of wood, why are we even discussing non wooden aircraft?

 

[JJWilson]

Neither was the Tigercat.

The Tigercat was introduced to the Navy in 1944 actually, and while it never saw combat, it was technically in WW2.

 

[Elvis]

...I always thought the P-36 had lovely lines, as well...

 

[mikemike]

...when I was a kid, I thought the Swedish J21 was the coolest plane I'd ever seen...

View attachment 491305

... and it had a German engine, to boot.

Now if only someone had bought and stored all those Swedish DB605s when the Flygwapen threw them on the scrap heap....

 

[Elvis]

...lots of very beautiful planes to choose from, but when its all said and done, does it really get any sexier than a Polikarpov PO-2?...

...look at that sexy beast. I'm gettin' hot just lookin' at it...ok, actually I think I just like the sound of a 5-cylinder radial engine.


]View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blnn0ZyqGQ4[/media]

 

[DarrenW]

And, really, RADIAL engines are beautiful? Efficient, yes, but certainly rarely elegant

Hi mikemike,
Your comment is well taken but I believe JJWilson was talking about the sound they made. Radial engines (and their associated cowlings) have a business-like quality to them, lacking the overall grace of a finally streamlined Merlin or Allison. But one can still admit that those beautifully-shaped engine nacelles of the Tigercat were as close to elegance as any radial engine ever achieved....

 

[taly01]

Spitfire Mk.Ia , here is the recently done complete restoration of P9374, lost over Dunkirk to a Do17 gunner of all things!