Most innovative aircraft of WW2 ?

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Readie

Chief Master Sergeant
4,324
87
Apr 15, 2011
Plymouth, England
Leaving the usual much discussed favourites aside, I have been looking through my books and wondered what was the most innovative piston engined aircraft of WW2...

May I start with this
Do335 The Dornier Do335. The concept of a 'heavy fighter' is an interesting one'

I also offer this amazing design:
German flying wings

Over to you chaps
Cheers
John
 
I think you have to divide the period into early and late. The Do335 would be late late, like the Me262.

In 1939, when war broke out, my call would be the Bell P-39 Airacobra. Mid-engine. Tricycle LG. Canon through spinner. Electrics for most actuated devices (as opposed to manual or hydraulic. etc.)

MM
 
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Have to agree with you Michael. The P-39 was very innovative. If looking right was what made right, the P-39 would have been World Champion. In fact as an air racer it was a champion.
 
I agree.
Flettner-282 | Aircraft |

The first Fl 282 flew towards the end of 1941. The Fl-282 was more highly developed and flew more hours than any other German helicopter, and very extensive tests and measurements were made of all flight aspects. Most of this test work was done by Flettner's chief pilot, Hans E. Fuisting, who also undertook blind flying and trained many of the 50 pilots who learned to fly the Fl-282.

The Fl 282 served in the Baltic, North Aegean, and Mediterranean Seas. Plans to build thousands of Kolibris were abandoned after the Flettner factories were bombed by the Allies. Only three of these helicopters survived the war; the rest were destroyed to prevent capture. Two of the survivors went to the United States and Britain, the third to the Soviet Union.

Extremely maneuverable and very stable, even in gusty conditions, the machine could be flown hands-off in forward flight above 37 mph for indefinite periods. By 1942, the Kolibri was operational on warships with suitable platforms, escorting convoys in the Baltic, Mediterranean and Aegean Seas, and was thus effectively the first military helicopter in the world.

The helicopter was found to be especially valuable at dawn and dusk when pilots of fixed wing aircraft did not have good visual contact in the poor light. During the day observation was especially favorable in the Mediterranean where the clear water allowed the helicopter crews to 'see' submarines as deep as 130 feet.
 
I think the He163- rocket power! Despite being a failure, it sure was an innovative power plant.
 
What new concepts? Germany employed armored ground attack aircraft during WWI. Germany also employed aircraft cannon such as the 20mm Becker during WWI.

Junkers Aircraft of WW I

Junkers himself was not much engaged in the J4 design. He transfered the responsibility for this new aircraft to Dr. Mader, who was supported by Reuter, Steudel and Brandenburg, as well as by Madelung, who was sent to Dessau by the IDFLIEG. The principle ideas of the J3 design were transfered to the J4. The aircraft was designed with a Duralumin fuselage tube construction and the wings were constructed by corrugated Duralumin sheets and tubes. While the pilot's and oberserver's seat area were protected by a chrome nickel steel plate, the rear part of the fuselage tube construction was covered with textile coverings. The tail unit again was constructed in Duralumin structure.
 
B-29.

B-29 Superfortress changed the game of air power strategy up until this day. B-52 is a direct descendant of the B-29 and is still in service. For a basic heavy bomber concept that has had a 60+ year service life...well...what can you say?

For fighters, I'd say the Me-262. You can see the lines of the F-80/6 and MiG-15 if you squint at the Me-262.
 
so it had a little armour plate do not see the comparison
 
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