MOST OVERRATED AIRCRAFT OF WWII

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

There is a thread on most over rated aircraft, the planes considered to be most over rated (by the poll) are some of those considered the highest performers P51, F6F, Spitfire etc.

I was one of the ones who voted for the P-51. Not because of its performance or service history. It's performance and service record are amazing. To me it was the fighter aircraft that impacted the war more than any. It was not the best in every catagory, but it was great in all catagories. It was the aircraft that took the fight to the Germans. One of the greatest ever built.

The reason I voted for it, is because I believe so many other great aircraft that contributed so much are forgotten because of the P-51. If Hollywood made a new BoB movie, the Brits would be using P-51's...

 

[pbehn]

I was one of the ones who voted for the P-51. Not because of its performance or service history. It's performance and service record are amazing. To me it was the fighter aircraft that impacted the war more than any. It was not the best in every catagory, but it was great in all catagories. It was the aircraft that took the fight to the Germans. One of the greatest ever built.

The reason I voted for it, is because I believe so many other great aircraft that contributed so much are forgotten because of the P-51. If Hollywood made a new BoB movie, the Brits would be using P-51's...

The P 51-D steals the thunder of all the other aircraft involved in the daylight bombing offensive mainly because it is so photogenic, it is rare for an article to show a picture of a P51-B/C in media articles published today let alone the P-47 or P-38 and the Spitfire never gets a mention. In British media the role of the Hurricane in the BoB is sometimes almost forgotten, "WW2 fighter pilot" and "Spitfire pilot" are seen as synonyms forgetting the Hurricane, Typhoon and Tempest completely. Having said that a BoB movie with P-51s would be cool, with the LW using Vulcans and Valiants.

 

[Dana Bell]

Most over-rated? That would have to be an aircraft that is still held in high esteem but that completely failed to perform up to its reputation. For me that would be the P-61 Black Widow. The "Queen of the Midnight Skies" failed to meet its minimum performance goals from its first evaluations through the end of the war. The "flyoff" against the British Mosquito was rigged against the Mossie, and proved only that the P-61 was the best available aircraft for US forces - the Mosquito was not available. By late 1944 Wright Field was wondering what to do about the aircraft, pulling the plug on further "improvements" and looking for a replacement aircraft.

The P-61 did have some successes, due to the aggressive nature if its crews, but overall too many enemy aircraft were able to escape before the P-61 could get close enough to engage.

Cheers,



Dana
(BTW - it's fun to see an old thread revisited eleven years later, then re-revisited a year after that!)

 

[swampyankee]

I don't think the 262 is overrated at all. Regardless of ones thoughts, it was the most advanced fighter aircraft built during WW2. Whether one likes it or not, it impacted future jet aircraft design. Fact is fact, period.

Now yes, its impact on the war was negligible because of teething problems. Now imagine though it would have been entered into service earlier..

Overrated? Hardly. Just as some people like to overstate its impact and call it a "Wunder Weapon", others just like to understate it. Probably because it was a German built aircraft. Had it been built by Lockheed or any other US manufacturer, it would have been the greatest single invention in the history of mankind. Hailed as the best of the best in every history book written, in every museum, and hollywood movie ever made. (Not saying anyone here is like that, just pointing out an observation I see on the interwebs...). Extreme "fanboys" on both sides of the argument cloud the reality.

Yes. I've seen, though, that many people tend to exaggerate German technical and engineering expertise, especially in aviation. Overall, the technological level between the major belligerents was very similar.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yes. I've seen, though, that many people tend to exaggerate German technical and engineering expertise, especially in aviation. Overall, the technological level between the major belligerents was very similar.

That does

Yes. I've seen, though, that many people tend to exaggerate German technical and engineering expertise, especially in aviation. Overall, the technological level between the major belligerents was very similar.

I won't disagree with any of that, but the same can be said about any "side".

Fact though is that all of them despite relatively similar, each had some things more advanced, some less. It is what it is.

 

[rochie]

Always find it funny that the P-51, Bf 109 and Spitfire seem to be near the top of both best and most over rated WW2 aircraft polls

 

[Greyman]

To be fair, 'best' and 'most overrated' aren't necessarily mutually exclusive.

 

[swampyankee]

That does


I won't disagree with any of that, but the same can be said about any "side".

Fact though is that all of them despite relatively similar, each had some things more advanced, some less. It is what it is.

Very true. Of the four largest powers -- US, UK, Germany, USSR, I think only the USSR could be regarded as significantly lagging, and starting from a relatively undeveloped Russian economy, followed by a decade of quite bloody civil war, this is hardly surprising.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Always find it funny that the P-51, Bf 109 and Spitfire seem to be near the top of both best and most over rated WW2 aircraft polls

It's a popularity contest.

 

[Shortround6]

Very true. Of the four largest powers -- US, UK, Germany, USSR, I think only the USSR could be regarded as significantly lagging, and starting from a relatively undeveloped Russian economy, followed by a decade of quite bloody civil war, this is hardly surprising.

I would note, that in my opinion (won't even get you low calorie sweetener for your coffee let alone buy the coffee), that the Russians could come up with ideas/theories but, for the reasons you mentioned, could not turn most of them into serviceable hardware.

 

[Shortround6]

Always find it funny that the P-51, Bf 109 and Spitfire seem to be near the top of both best and most over rated WW2 aircraft polls

well, if something is on the worst list it is rather unlikely to be over rated

 

[rochie]

It's a popularity contest.

Bingo !!!!

 

[Greg Boeser]

If Hollywood made a new BoB movie, the Brits would be using P-51's...

And they'd be flown by adventure seeking Yanks!

 

[Shortround6]

Even the obligatory nurse/s would be American women volunteering

 

[Greg Boeser]

Naw, Americans find women speaking in an English accent to be sexy.
Of course, it could be American actresses faking English accents! That's always funny.

 

[pbehn]

Naw, Americans find women speaking in an English accent to be sexy.
Of course, it could be American actresses faking English accents! That's always funny.

So a cast of Americans surrounded by sexy sounding women and men that sound like psychopaths, deviants and criminal masterminds?

 

[Greg Boeser]

I see blockbuster written all over it.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

And they'd be flown by adventure seeking Yanks!

You are absolutely correct. And then everyone in the US would talk about how they saved the British during the BoB.

 

[pbehn]

You are absolutely correct. And then everyone in the US would talk about how they saved the British during the BoB.

In my experience only about 25% know what Great Britain is, they just think it is all England.

 

[rochie]

You are absolutely correct. And then everyone in the US would talk about how they saved the British during the BoB.

But you did !
I saw that Ben Afleck documentary, pearl harbour....