Most Overrated aircraft of WWII.....?

[fastmongrel]

I have a vague memory of a photo of an RAF Boston with 12 X .303s in the nose. Can't find it again as is usual when you remember something.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Another Heinemann hotrod. Just think if they'd put a machine gun battery nose on it like they did on B25s later, what an unholy terror it would have been in the Port Moresby - Lae feud early on. Zeros would get one pass at it, MAYBE, then be over the hump of the Owen Stanleys before they could catch up to it again. That is, IF they survived the initial head-on pass against a battery of boresighted .50s. What do you think, could you fit six in there without resorting to cheek blisters? Anybody for eight? Any takers?

They did have a solid-nose version with six fifties iirc.

 

[GrauGeist]

The B-25 and A-26 gunships could easily have 12 or more .50 MGs facing foreward.
An 8-gun nose, two "cheek packs" (two .50s each) and the upper turret (two .50s) locked foreward would rain down a great deal of hurt.
Add wing blisters and the numbers increase from there...

 

[33k in the air]

They did have a solid-nose version with six fifties iirc.

The early A-20G attack version had a solid nose containing 4 x 20mm cannons, each with 60 rounds, and 2 x .50-cal machine guns, each with 350 rounds. This was later replaced with a nose containing 6 x .50-cal machine guns, each with 350 rounds. The bomber version had a glazed nose with 2 x .50-cal machine guns, each with 350 rounds.

The B-25 and A-26 gunships could easily have 12 or more .50 MGs facing foreward.
An 8-gun nose, two "cheek packs" (two .50s each) and the upper turret (two .50s) locked foreward would rain down a great deal of hurt.
Add wing blisters and the numbers increase from there...

The A-26 could be fitted with a variety of nose armaments according to the aircraft's manual:

6 x .50-cal MGs
1 x 37mm cannon and 4 x .50-cal MGs
1 x 37mm cannon and 2 x .50-cal MGs
2 x 37mm cannons
1 x 75mm cannon and 2 x .50-cal MGs
1 x 75mm cannon and 1 x 37mm cannon

I don't know how often these other loadouts were used, but they apparently existed as options. The forward nose armament could also be supplemented with up to 8 x .50-cal MGs in underwing pods (two pods under each wing, each pod containing two MGs). Later A-26s had a solid nose with 8 x .50-cal MGs with 6 x .50-cal MGs in the wings (three inside each).

The A-26C bomber version had a glazed nose with two fixed .50-cal MGs.

 

[Escuadrilla Azul]

Nice to have this thread alive again.

I assume that you know that the A-20/DB-7 intended role was a battlefield attack light bomber - tasked for interdiction.

Perhaps you could name other similar role aircraft operationally available in 1941-1942?

The Bf 110 and the Ju 88 in the S.U. in such way, the Pe-2 by the S.U., the Baltimore and the Maryland in N.A.

Recall that the A-20 was tasked for medium level bombardment as required - simply because it was available in quantity when the B-25 and B-26 (and Successor A-26) were not. So it was tasked to perform fighter bomber/attack roles in Pacific/CBI and Africa and Italy. It was tasked for recon and night fighting because it could be modified to fit those roles until newer attack/recon/NF aircraft replaced it.

It wasn't very successful as recon or nightfighter and others were in service such as the Mosquito and the Beaufighter (deployed by USAAF in the MTO).

To your point of 'most over-rated'. Versus what?

Against the idea that it was THE light bomber/interdictor. Could be my fault that I had gone to put the A-20 in the highest regard at first and came after to see that wasn't so unique. There were others as capable at first and others more versatile after midwar.

 

[SaparotRob]

I'm surprised that the Mustang got so many "overrated" votes.

 

[pbehn]

I'm surprised that the Mustang got so many "overrated" votes.

Basically because it didn't win the whole war from start to finish in every theatre on its own, some have the impression that it did.

 

[SaparotRob]

It didn't?

 

[Shortround6]

It wasn't very successful as recon

This was rather dependent on theater. It didn't have enough range for many recon missions in the Pacific.

The Russians used a number of the early ones (without armor or self sealing tanks) for Recon and were fairly successful. But most of eastern Europe didn't have anywhere near the flak density or fighter coverage of either western Europe or the Med.

See: The Douglas A-20 Havoc/Boston in Soviet Service

although some of the claims may be a bit overstated

 

[GrauGeist]

It didn't?

There's only a select few types that soldiered on from the war's start to finish AND served in all theaters, the Mustang was not one of them.

 

[Stig1207]

This was rather dependent on theater. It didn't have enough range for many recon missions in the Pacific.

The Russians used a number of the early ones (without armor or self sealing tanks) for Recon and were fairly successful. But most of eastern Europe didn't have anywhere near the flak density or fighter coverage of either western Europe or the Med.

See: The Douglas A-20 Havoc/Boston in Soviet Service

although some of the claims may be a bit overstated

Thanks for the link, nice find.

 

[Peter Gunn]

There's only a select few types that soldiered on from the war's start to finish AND served in all theaters, the Mustang was not one of them.

Then how do you explain it escorting the Doolittle raid, torpedoing three carriers at Midway, knocking Rommel for six and dropping the Atomic bomb?

 

[fastmongrel]

Then how do you explain it escorting the Doolittle raid, torpedoing three carriers at Midway, knocking Rommel for six and dropping the Atomic bomb?

It was only two carriers at Midway the third was scuttled by the crew.

 

[pbehn]

It was only two carriers at Midway the third was scuttled by the crew.

Scuttled when they saw the einsel schwantz flieger Cadillac, commonly called "grumbling backfiring laminar death"

 

[SaparotRob]

There's only a select few types that soldiered on from the war's start to finish AND served in all theaters, the Mustang was not one of them.

I know, I know. Aw c'mon GrauGeist, I was joking. I think that's the third confirmed joke to crash and burn.

 

[SaparotRob]

Then how do you explain it escorting the Doolittle raid, torpedoing three carriers at Midway, knocking Rommel for six and dropping the Atomic bomb?

You forgot leading the air search for Amelia Earhart.

 

[SaparotRob]

Although it may have the P.509.

 

[pbehn]

I know, I know. Aw c'mon GrauGeist, I was joking. I think that's the third confirmed joke to crash and burn.

Hey, stick around a while, we havnt agreed when it started and finished yet.

 

[GrauGeist]

...and dropping the Atomic bomb?

That was the P-39 (without nose-armor)

I know, I know. Aw c'mon GrauGeist, I was joking. I think that's the third confirmed joke to crash and burn.

Try putting black crosses on your jokes, then.
They'll fly higher, faster and be invincible...

 

[SaparotRob]

As an aside, I know I've been posting too much when balkenkreuz is the first choice to pop up on the "predictive spelling" app on my iPhone.