Most Overrated aircraft of WWII.....?

[Civettone]

Why did FW get the contract then? TWICE is a lot for little/no pay off.

It's not a good idea to put all your money on one horse. This has also to do with politics, as it's not advisable to let one company deliver all the fighters. The Bf 109 could also be produced with the BMW radial engine because the prototype was a succes. Instead, they pushed on with the Fw 190.

Plus, the Fw 190 could carry a larger bombload and was the better fighter bomber. Though I doubt if that's why the Fw 190 was chosen.

Note, it's not so much that the Fw 190 costed twice as much, it just took twice as long to build. A cost price is meaningless in a closed war economy.
Kris

 

[Thorlifter]

1. I never said it operated at RAF standards. I completely agree with you that it didn't. But it sure did for the Russians and I'm sure you would agree with that.

2. You may be right about the P-39 in the CBI/TO preforming well. My appologies. I've been enjoying my new bottle of Canadian Hunter this afternoon and I'm feeling no pain! But they were there. USAAF Chonology January 1944

 

[Thorlifter]

Maybe youre thinking of the Zero when it comes to lack of structural strength. Because the P51 wasnt a light weight like you make it out to be.Over rated? Not by much. And its certeinly not in the same league as the P39 and -110.

You are correct. I would not choose either of these above the P-51. But the title of this post is most overrated. If you watch footage or documentaries, the only fighter that gets any mention is the Mustang. The P-47 and the P-38 are mere afterthoughts.

I will conceed a valid argument towards the ME-110, but the P-39 was NOT the most overrated. In fact, I would argue it was underrated. Not much was expected out of it and it did perform exceedingly well in select situations.

 

[amrit]

2. You may be right about the P-39 in the CBI/TO preforming well. My appologies. I've been enjoying my new bottle of Canadian Hunter this afternoon and I'm feeling no pain! But they were there. USAAF Chonology January 1944

I never said that they didn't perform well. They may have done a brilliant job - just not in the CBI theatre.

The link above refers to P-39 activities specifically in SW Pacific or Pacific Ocean Theatres.

The one mention of P-39s being used in the CBI is for the Tenth Air Force attack on Sunday 2 January 1944. However, the Tenth didn't operate any P-39s at this time (must be a typo for P-38) See:

10th AF UNITS
or
https://www.airforcehistory.hq.af.mil/Publications/fulltext/af_combat_units_wwii.pdf

 

[Gnomey]

I voted for the P-51. I recognize it was one of the best combat aircraft of WW2 but at the same time many ill-informed historians have played it up to be superior to every German fighter with the exception of the Me 262.

Yep, I would agree with that. I would also say the BF-110 and the Zero are up there as well.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Well I voted the P-51D as well. It was a great aircraft dont take me wrong but she was not all she was cracked up to be. One on one there were many aircraft that were just as good or better but she gets all the attention.

The P-51D does deserve credit where it is due though and it certainly not a pushover aircraft and obviously one of the top of the war.

Now having said that most overated:

Germany - Bf 110 for reasons stated by many. I think she was a great night fighter but never became what she needed to be.

Japan - Zero a myth. She was outclassed for the later half of the war.

England - Spitfire Dont take me wrong. The Spit was a marvelous aircraft and in my opinion better than the P-51 except for the range however I hate to see the Hurricanes achievments overshadowed by the Spitfire.

 

[Parmigiano]

My vote goes to the P51, assuming that 'overrated' is related to what the general public and not only the experts is believing.

 

[davparlr]

In point of fact, the Mustang was a good all-round performer and was probably not the BEST in any single category.

I think the Mustang is the BEST long range escort fighter and the BEST long range interdiction fighter.

While I think the P-51 is generally overrated by public perception, I think it is the most underrated aircraft on this, otherwise, very knowledgable site.

As I have said before, the P-51 is like the T-34, when the P-51B appeared, it outclassed the opposition (like the Fw-190 did when it appeared), and sent the Germans to drawing boards to come up with an answer, and, by the time they did, they were overwhelmed by the vast quantities facing them.

 

[Civettone]

Of course these are personal opinions so not my place to criticize. But I do wonder about the Bf 110 because I usually consider it as the most underrated aircraft. If you google Bf 110 you'll read about how it suffered horrible losses in the BoB and that it was a complete failure as a fighter. So the general sentiment towards the Bf 110 seems to be rather negative.

As a nightfighter the Bf 110 has gained more respect but I still feel that it's mainly being judged as a fighter...
Kris

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I never said it was a complete failure. I think it was overated in its intended role and did not do that very well. It was a very good night fighter however.

By the 1942 the Bf 110 was however outclassed by all other aircraft in its class that were used by the major players.

 

[Gnomey]

I never said it was a complete failure. I think it was overated in its intended role and did not do that very well. It was a very good night fighter however.

By the 1942 the Bf 110 was however outclassed by all other aircraft in its class that were used by the major players.

Yep. In 1940 the RAF was more wary of the -110 than they were of the -109...

 

[Civettone]

I never said it was a complete failure.

I know. I said this is what you usually read about the Bf 110 fighter.

I think it was overated in its intended role and did not do that very well.

Of course. But you see, I interpreted this poll as WW2 aircraft which are overrated NOW.
There is no doubt whatsoever that the Germans and their enemies overrated the Bf 110.

Kris

 

[renrich]

I mentioned the BF110 and P39 early on because they had when first operational a good reputation as fighters or in the case of the P39, pursuits. However neither turned out to be effective fighters or pursuits. The 110 served as a nightfighter well and the P39 served as close support a/c fairly well but neither could survive for long when first line enemy single engined fighters were about, except for the P39 at very low altitudes. I voted for the P51 as most overrated because as many of you have pointed out of it's exalted reputation as the "greatest" piston engined fighter ever. With certain strict parameters, mainly range, maybe it should be considered among the best but using different parameters, not so. In some ways, the P51 reminds me of the Zero. At one time the Zero was the "wonder fighter" of WW2 until it's achilles heels were discovered. The fact remains though in the first year of so of the Pacific War the Zero kept turning up where many thought it had no chance to be because of its seven league boots. And when it did show up it was a winner until our pilots learned how to counteract it's weak points with our fighters strong points. In fact the Japanese campaigns from Pearl Harbor on until after Guadacanal probably would not have been nearly as successful without the Zero. One shudders to think what the LW could have accomplished with the Zero during the BOB. Like wise the P51 could be someplace no other fighter could be in early 44 and be pretty effective when it showed up. However, there are several fighters I can name I would rather be driving in a one V one with another premier fighter of WW2. (admittedly based on book learning only)

 

[Jank]

"However, there are several fighters I can name I would rather be driving in a one V one with another premier fighter of WW2."

Which planes would you choose?

 

[renrich]

Well Jank, if I was in Europe in WW2 and confined to the A/C in that theater, I would go for the latest P47 or if short range is not a problem the MkXIV Spitfire. The FW190D9 would be attractive. If I had my choice of any WW2 fighter, the F4U4 would be my choice.

 

[Hunter368]

Simple choices for me:

ME-110

Zero

P-51

All were good in some ways but history gives them far too much credit.

 

[Sgt. Pappy]

After the battle of Britania the Spit got the honor of the plane that did the most of saving britania from german invasion but in fact it whas the Hawker Hurricane who did the most work because by it whas more than twice faster to manucacture than the Spit and so become in greate number so the Hurricane should stand as symbol over battle of Brittania whit the Me 109 instead of the Spit.
sorry for my bad spelling.

i may be a spitfire freak, but i agree with you. but just to clarify...

the spitfire took longer to make, therefore there would be less units coming out of the factories than hurricanes for a given amount of time. this would mean that the spits are carrying a heavier burden since they must do just as much work but with less units. i do believe that the hurricane, however, is underrated under the shadow of the spitfire, since it did pretty much just as much work (as it had a very similar kill ratio during the battle of britain).

 

[Thorlifter]

If I had my choice of any WW2 fighter, the F4U4 would be my choice.

Good man!!!!!!!!!

 

[Civettone]

Renrich, I agree that the P-51 is overrated as it wasn't the fighter that defeated the Luftwaffe as often claimed.
But to say that you would rather fly other fighters goes a bit too far IMO. The P-51 wasn't a superfighter but it was by far the best fighter flying over Germany until late 1944.


Hunter, I'm surprised you're mentioning the P-51 as that aircraft in your signature looks a lot like one.
Kris

 

[Hunter368]

Renrich, I agree that the P-51 is overrated as it wasn't the fighter that defeated the Luftwaffe as often claimed.
But to say that you would rather fly other fighters goes a bit too far IMO. The P-51 wasn't a superfighter but it was by far the best fighter flying over Germany until late 1944.


Hunter, I'm surprised you're mentioning the P-51 as that aircraft in your signature looks a lot like one.
Kris

Could you explain what you meant by the following statement: "P-51 is overrated as it wasn't the fighter that defeated the Luftwaffe as often claimed."

My Sig you ask? I have it not b/c I have some great love for the P-51. It is historic and belongs to the city where I live. I think my sig is clasic looking IMO. One day I will change it, like I have before several times.