Most Unattractive Aircraft of WW2

GrauGeist · Apr 7, 2019

I think the LeO451 is a great looking bomber.
Not only clean lines, but it was fairly fast for it's time, making it difficult to intercept.
It was also packing a 20mm Hispano in it's dorsal turret, which caught a good many Luftwaffe pilots by surprise.

Shortround6 · Apr 7, 2019

nuuumannn said:
And the Potez 630; this was actually a very good aeroplane and was easily a rival to the Bf 110 as a multi role combat aircraft, which it vaguely resembles, but with radial engines. The Potez had a distinguished wartime career. It suffered because it had that very distinctive characteristic going for it that it couldn't shake off, it was French.

No, what the Potez 630 could not shake off was the fact that it was using 700hp engines when it's rivals had moved on to 1000-1100hp engines. And this is after they switched from Hispano radials to Gnome-Rhone radials. (Some of the Hispano radial engines established a reputation for the propellers parting company with engines/aircraft in flight)

The Bf 110s reputation would have been pretty poor if they tried to fight the Battle of France and the BoB using Jumo 210 engines.

nuuumannn · Apr 7, 2019

So it was more like the Blenheim, then, which still had an enviable wartime career. These engine issues were a French characteristic though, as you well know!

Shortround6 · Apr 7, 2019

The Potez 630 used the same engines as the Germans later used in the Hs 129 ground attack plane.
An 1159 cu in (19 liter) 14 cylinder radial that ran at 3030rpm at full power. It was light, it was only 37.4 in (less than a meter) in diameter.

The fighter versions were certainly sleek and good looking (the recon version leaves something to be desired) but the low powered engines doomed it. At least with 100 octane fuel you could push the engines on a Blenheim to about 1000hp for a short period of time.

Shortround6 · Apr 7, 2019

By the late 30s the French had figured out that you could not scare the air molecules out of the way of an airplane and proper streamlining and easy curves took over, just in time as the French failed to develop any production high powered engines despite a few promising prototypes.

spicmart · Apr 8, 2019

Shortround6 said:
Well, we all have our favorites
but the Boeing 314 doesn't look that bad.
View attachment 533478
Sikorsky VS-44A

View attachment 533479
Short empire class
View attachment 533480

Now please put on your protective gear suitable for viewing French aircraft.

Liore 102 - Google Search

Latecoere 521 - Google Search

Bréguet 730 - Google Search

I think all of them look great with the Sikorsky being the standout. But then again. I'm a sucker for flying boat configuration. Hence my penchant for the B-24 which looked like such and whose predecessors were flying boats.
The Sunderland version of the Short has a more attractive canopy.
Another great one is the Japanese H8K Emily, which was the best of its kind in WW2.

fubar57 · Apr 11, 2019

Might be here already, I dunno, the PZL.30BI

PZL P-30 (LWS-6) Zubr

spicmart · Apr 12, 2019

Most of the ugly planes suggested here are actually cuddly.

special ed · Apr 12, 2019

You mean, like an injured dog?

BiffF15 · Apr 12, 2019

Or road kill...

GrauGeist · Apr 12, 2019

Not sure how one would go about cuddling with a dumpster fire, but go ahead and give it a try - we'll watch from over here...

vikingBerserker · Apr 12, 2019

I think the PZL.30 has to rank up there, its one thing being a butt ugly aircraft that operates well, but another being a butt ugly plane that cannot do squat.

GrauGeist · Apr 12, 2019

Back to the French theory of scaring the air molecules out of the way...

The SAB AB.20:

The LeO 208:

The Amiot 140:

swampyankee · Apr 12, 2019

France did build some remarkably ugly aircraft (especially its bombers).

Britain did manage some "winners," too: I offer the ~~Fairey~~ Handley-Page Heyford:
(This image was created and released by the Imperial War Museum on the IWM Non Commercial Licence. Photographs taken, or artworks created, by a member of the forces during their active service duties are covered by Crown Copyright provisions. Faithful reproductions may be reused under that licence, which is considered expired 50 years after their creation. )

herman1rg · Apr 12, 2019

swampyankee said:
France did build some remarkably ugly aircraft (especially its bombers).

Britain did manage some "winners," too: I offer the Fairey Heyford: View attachment 535050
(This image was created and released by the Imperial War Museum on the IWM Non Commercial Licence. Photographs taken, or artworks created, by a member of the forces during their active service duties are covered by Crown Copyright provisions. Faithful reproductions may be reused under that licence, which is considered expired 50 years after their creation. )

Sorry to be picky but that's actually the Handley Page Heyford.

vikingBerserker · Apr 12, 2019

#153 looks like a combination of the 50's styling with steam punk mixed in.

spicmart · Apr 12, 2019

I meant most of them are so ugly it's actually funny in a way. With the Lancaster it's not.

swampyankee · Apr 12, 2019

herman1rg said:
Sorry to be picky but that's actually the Handley Page Heyford.

Thank you. It's corrected.

spicmart · Oct 23, 2019

Admiral Beez · Oct 24, 2019

Most Unattractive Aircraft of WW2

Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung

Major General

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Major General

Major General

Staff Sergeant

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2nd Lieutenant

Tech Sergeant

Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung

Lieutenant General

Generalfeldmarschall zur Luftschiff Abteilung

Chief Master Sergeant

Master Sergeant

Lieutenant General

Staff Sergeant

Chief Master Sergeant

Staff Sergeant

Major

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