Most Unattractive Aircraft of WW2

[spicmart]

The Lancastrian civilian version of the Lancaster hurts my eyes for reasons I cant explain, I suppose a Lancaster looks like a Lancaster. View attachment 532921

And I thought I were the only one with this opinion.

 

[pbehn]

And I thought I were the only one with this opinion.

From some angles the Lanc looked very businesslike

 

[spicmart]

From some angles the Lanc looked very businesslike View attachment 532924

Well..

Pouting snout. The epitome of ugliness.

 

[pbehn]

Well..View attachment 532925

Interesting, look at the finish on the nacelles compared to the mosquito.

 

[spicmart]

The Lancastrian civilian version of the Lancaster hurts my eyes for reasons I cant explain, I suppose a Lancaster looks like a Lancaster. View attachment 532921

While the nose looks better, the tail, that is attached too low at the fuselage, does not win any prizes.

 

[Marcel]

Doc and Fifi are nice and fresh, so they should be good for quite some time.

I know that Eric (evangilder) has been an Airventure regular there for years and I believe he captured the historic flight of the two at Oshkosh in 2017.
Things have been realy hectic for me, so I haven't made it back there yet, but maybe we can all plan on a big get together at Airventure 2021 - like get as many friends from across the pond (and of course, our friends under the Southern Cross, too) and here in the states to converge for a bash!

Oh man, I would love to go to Oshkosh someday, especially with you guys. But I don't think I could pull this off at the moment with two upgrowing kids at home.

 

[pbehn]

While the nose looks better, the tail, that is attached too low at the fuselage, does not win any prizes.

That was so you could get in the tail turret.

 

[nuuumannn]

That was so you could get in the tail turret.

Actually, it was so the toilet lid had something to rest on! That's the tailplane spar.

SCN_0256

Crawling over the spar (as Pbehn said) to get to the rear turret. Excuse the blurry photo, taken with a film camera many years ago.

SCN_0258

There's not much room in a Lancaster, it'd be a rough cramped ride in a Lancastrian as a passenger, let alone as bomber crew. These raised frames are the fwd and aft main spars and had to be climbed over to get to the cockpit.

SCN_0264

Taken from the navigator's position, with the mannequin standing in front of the flight engineer's panel. Pilot's headrest armour plate visible.

SCN_0270

 

[nuuumannn]

Know what you mean but the B-24, B-17 and B-29 are just as graceful when in the air imho. As I said I'm just judging on aesthetics, and there those other bombers win by a long shot.

Yeah, the B-17 is a beaut in flight.

B-17 smoky pass

But the B-24? Hmmm, like someone once said, it was the box the B-17 came in!

As mentioned, not seen a B-29 in flight, but even on the ground it is a beautiful bird.

 

[nuuumannn]

But I don't think I could pull this off at the moment with two upgrowing kids at home.

Oh yeah, I know how that feels. While my daughter was growing up, we didn't go very far, and we just have one!

 

[special ed]

That's why with my last one, while all were at Disney World, I went to airports and air museums. Returned to pick them up at nightfall, then to motel. All went to bed happy.

 

[wlewisiii]

Last time I made it to Oshkosh (and I even live IN Wisconsin) I did get to catch the Boeing 307. Now that is the ultimate in elegant aircraft. But I love the shark fin B-17s too.

For purposes of this thread, thought, I nominate the BV-141:

 

[spicmart]

Yeah, the B-17 is a beaut in flight.

View attachment 532957B-17 smoky pass

But the B-24? Hmmm, like someone once said, it was the box the B-17 came in!

As mentioned, not seen a B-29 in flight, but even on the ground it is a beautiful bird.

Imho the B-24 has a futuristic appeal to it. The slender Davis wing gives it a grace in contrast to its hull which looks cool somehow. The twin tail shape is unmistakable.
The PB4Y-2 Privateer with its longer fuselage and turrets shapes looks especially badass though I don't quite like the single tail.
Main thing is they are not as angular as the Lanc, together with them lacking all the ugly features I mentioned before.
The eye of the beholder...

 

[spicmart]

Sorry. Wrong thread.

Focke Wulf Ta154

 

[GrauGeist]

The Ta154 was a good looking ship.
But if we want to talk fugly bombers, then the Soviet's archaic TB-3 even beats anything made by the French for the title of: "most unattractive aircraft that even a drunk wouldn't appreciate"...

 

[Shortround6]

Please check out this list.

Be forewarned to wear your best protective eyewear, suitable for solar eclipses.

Category:French bomber aircraft 1930–1939 - Wikipedia

 

[michael rauls]

Ouch! I thought you were just kidding about the protective eye wear. I'll take such warnings seriously from now on.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Yes, but they did have drapes and came with room service.

 

[Elmas]

from the Italian side, Breda Ba 65

 

[swampyankee]

Dornier produced some truly ugly aircraft, such as the DoX and the Dornier Dolphin


The Soviets produced the Kalinin K-7