Pick Your Own Air Force

[davparlr]

Transport: C-47 (simply the best transport of the war and the best aircraft of the war in my opinion.)

I looked at this simply from load lifting, range, and dependability standpoint, ie. strategic airlift. However, on second thought, the C-47 was more versatile and probably was was used in situations where the C-54 could not perform, especially in the tactical airlift. If we were smart, we probably would give up some other aircraft to include both. The C-46 was also a workhorse and underrated but still just doesn't stand up to the C-47.

Night Fighter/Medium Bomber: Ju-88 (gotta love that versatility, not the best aircraft of the war but damn good at everything she did)

Being mostly an allied kind of guy, I didn't think too much about the Ju-88. I chose a Mosquito mainly because of the speed. The Ju-88 was certainly an outstanding aircraft and an airforce could not go wrong with either of these. I also thought of the P-38, but I didn't know the airspeed with load and I suspect it was quite a bit slower with all the wing weapons and tanks.

Naval Recon/Anti-Submarine/Sea Rescue - PBY Catalina (I like her looks but would also not have a problem choosing the Do-24 and Do-26 which were actually a bit better than the Cat)

These are good selections. I went strickly with range and payload.

Over all? Nice, formidable Air Force!

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Thankyou, I was not disagreeing with yours either. I was just using your template for mine.

 

[davparlr]

I didn't have a problem with what you said. There are quite a few really good aircraft that could be exchanged. Since I don't have any reference books on British aircraft, I tend not to know much about them. I have learned a lot more about German planes since I have been reading this forum.

 

[Thorlifter]

Picked a few that I couldn't argue with, but also picked a few just to be different.

Trainer: AT-6 Texan
Transport: C-47
High Altitude Fighter: Ta-152H
Fighter/Naval Fighter: F6F Hellcat (I'd really pick the Corsair, but just to be different)
Heavy Bomber: B-29
Medium Bomber/Attack: A-26 Invader
Night Fighter: P-61 Black Widow (just cause I like it)
Naval all purpose: - PBY Catalina
Attack/Fighter: - P-47N

 

[Matt308]

I noticed that none of us picked a reconnaisance airplane.

What about the Ju-388? Faster than hell.

Or for the Maritime aircraft the Kawanishi H8K? Now that baby had legs, weapon loadout and (different from many Japanese planes) self sealing fuel tanks.

And while folks have focused upon the Ta-152H, and rightly so, what about the Ta-152B??

 

[Chingachgook]

Well my always chose British manufacturer broken record friend, then this should piss you off...

Strategic Bomber - B-29 (armament, speed)
Medium/Attack Bomber - A-26 (armament, speed, versatility)
Fighter/CAS - P-47 (ruggedness, handling, speed, range)
Night Fighter - P-61 (radar sophistication, range)
Maritime Patrol - Short Sunderland (armament, range)
Transport - C-46 (loadout)
Fighter - F4U (nuff said)
Trainer - Piper Cub (what's not to like)

And my choices are HEAVILY influenced by common engine cores for virtually all of my choices. Thus saving training, maintenance, spares and operational readiness.

I like it - smart move on transport (better than C-47). Smart on engines too. One problem is Corsair - I have read too much about them (picking a fight )
jk
Is Bearcat legal on this list?

 

[Matt308]

Bearcat is not legal. I was wondering about P-80 though. Made it to Italy before close of war.

 

[Thorlifter]

I noticed that none of us picked a reconnaisance airplane.

?

Actually, I did, I just didn't label it as such. I picked the Catalina, which was an excellent recon plane

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I noticed that none of us picked a reconnaisance airplane.

That is because most aircraft could be converted to dedicated recon aircraft. The Fw-190s that I said would compliment my Me-262s could be used as photo recon.

The Ju-88 that I chose as a medium bomber was the same thing and had dedicated recon versions.

The Cat and the Do-24 and Do-26 all could be used as recon as well.

 

[Thorlifter]

Very true. I didn't think of it that way. Dont forget the Mossie was used as a recon plane too.

 

[Matt308]

Yeah I was thinking that no one actually assigned a dedicated high altitude recon.

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

1) Your air force must consist of no more than 9 aircraft
2) You must have atleast one trainer and one transport
3) Any aircraft chosen must have seen service with an Air force during WWII

Allied Side

Trainer: Piper Cub J-3.
Transport: C-47
Heavy Bombers: B-29
Fighters: P-51, Spitfire, Gloster Meteor
Medium Bombers: B-26
Ground Attack: P-47
Camera reconnaissance plane: de Havilland Mosquito


Axis Side

Trainer: Bucker Bu 131 Jungmann
Transport: Junkers Ju 290
Bombers: Junkers Ju 88, Arado Ar 234
Fighters: Focke-Wulf Ta 152, ME 262, The Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate
Reconnaissance plane: Nakajima J1N
Ground Attack: FW 190 A-9

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I think he meant 9 catagories of planes not that you could only have 9 planes total.

 

[Soundbreaker Welch?]

Oh. Thanks. That helps my poor little Air Force a LOT!!!

 

[davparlr]

I noticed that none of us picked a reconnaisance airplane.

What about the Ju-388? Faster than hell.

As fast as a Mosquito??

And while folks have focused upon the Ta-152H, and rightly so, what about the Ta-152B??

My sources says that there was no production versions of the Ta-152B.

 

[pbfoot]

Trainer Fleet Finch
Strategic Bomber B29
Fighter/Escort/Interceptor P51
Attack A26
ASW/Patrol Kawanishi H8K
Transport C47
and for my naval component
Helldiver and Corsair

 

[loomaluftwaffe]

Trainer: Bu-131
Heavy Bomber: B-29
Medium Bomber: Ar-234, Ju-188
Interceptor: Me-262
Fighter: Ta-152, Spitfire XIV
Escort/Ground Attack(?): P-38
Transport/Maritime Patrol: Ju-290

 

[Matt308]

As fast as a Mosquito??

My sources says that there was no production versions of the Ta-152B.

Faster at altitude. 460mph max with 435mph in armed version. But I'd have to check. A bit faster than wartime Mosquito.

[Below is the Wikipedia pic. She looks brutally fast.]

I'll have to check on the 152B. I thought that some were made in production, but only a handful.

 

[davparlr]

Faster at altitude. 460mph max with 435mph in armed version. But I'd have to check. A bit faster than wartime Mosquito.

[Below is the Wikipedia pic. She looks brutally fast.]

QUOTE]

Best I could find is 435 mph with high performance engines (also from Wikipedia).

"With later models of the 222 it was supposed to have reached around 700 km/h (435 mph), again losing about 25 km/h for nightfighters. These -2 versions were considerably faster than the de Havilland Mosquito. The bomber versions flew at roughly the same speeds (depending on load), while the recce versions would have been about 25 km/h faster."

In any event, it seems to be an excellent recon. I am not sure that it would fit in this category. There doesn't seem to be a record of these high powered versions being built or used in combat.

 

[Matt308]

I'll check some of my references. I thought that I read that in an Angelucci Encyclopedia of WWII Aircraft reference. I'll see. Now my curiosity is piqued.