Poll: Which was the best WWII transport?

[ShVAK]

Pick your favorite.

I'm going with the C-47. Very successful in multiple theaters, widely copied, used well after the war.

 

[fastmongrel]

I voted other because my favourite transport aircraft is the DeHavilland DH 89 Dragon Rapide. I have had a flight in one and it was the highlight of the year.

http://www.military-aircraft.org.uk/trainers/de-havilland-dh-89-dominie.htm

2nd place is quite obviously the C 47 Dakota my late father was an RAF instrument technician and worked on dozens of aircraft from bi-plane initial trainers in 1944 to his final Squadron 22 years later working on Avro Vulcans. He always said the Dak was the best plane he ever worked on and he reckoned it had been designed by a man or men who truly knew there job.

 

[DonL]

Dakota!

Please ad the Ju 252, because it was a very good tranport a/c and the best german. So I think it should be on the list.

 

[ShVAK]

Only 15 of them were made though. That's barely even a production aircraft. Although I did include the Arado and that had about the same number, now I want to edit the poll.

 

[B-17engineer]

Going with C-47 since it was THE workhorse of the allies.

The Ju-52 is my favorite though in terms of the looks and stuff.

 

[DonL]

Only 15 of them were made though. That's barely even a production aircraft.

I agree and understand your opinion, but it was only rejected, because it was built with too much important raw materials for more war important a/c's for germany, not because it had problems or enough performance.
Anyway it was pretty good for 1942/43 with it's range, speed, payload and the Trapoklappe, a hydraulically powered ventral rear loading ramp.

 

[syscom3]

I'm going with the C54. As much as the C47 deserves the accolades it earned, deservedly so; it was still a tactical transport. The C54 is what carried critical supplies and personnel around the world. I think the global reach of the USAAF would not have been as successful without this workhorse flying around on long haul flights.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

As for best, I voted for the C-47. It is an amazing aircraft, and the fact that so many Gooney Birds are still flying today shows how great of an aircraft it is.

My favorite however is the Ju 52. I just love how that tin can looks.

Honorable mention for best however have to go to the Arado Ar 232. It can be argued that it was the first true "modern" military cargo/transport aircraft. Not built in very significant numbers however.

 

[vikingBerserker]

I had to go with the Me 323, it was the forerunner of heavy transports.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

C-47 hands down. Some aircraft carried more, some flew faster and higher, but the C-47 was a benchmark and IMO was probably the best aircraft ever built.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I too agree that it was the best aircraft ever built.

Of course vikingberserker's post does bring something up, as well as syscom's. There are just too many different kinds of transport/cargo aircraft. Tactical, heavy, medium, etc...

Can't really put the C-47 in the same category as the Ju 252 for instance.

 

[wuzak]

Definitely the C-47 Dakota/Skytrain.

The most used and most significant.

 

[nuuumannn]

I'm with Adler, Wuzak, Flyboy, B-17 Engineer; C-47 hands down. Ju 52/3m for looks though!

 

[GregP]

I like the Curtiss C-43 Commando. Hauled more cargo, farther, and into and out of the same size airfields as the C-47. Of course, the C-47 was more numerous and a great plane, but the C-46 outperformed it everywhere in the envelope.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

but the C-46 outperformed it everywhere in the envelope.

Except where it counted - $$$$.

 

[GregP]

Even today it is more expensive to operate and maintain a C-46 since the R-2800 is more expensive than the R-1820.

But you can also haul about twice as much stuff, and I do not know if the operational costs are twice that of a C-47 or not since I don't fly one.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Even today it is more expensive to operate and maintain a C-46 since the R-2800 is more expensive than the R-1820.

But you can also haul about twice as much stuff, and I do not know if the operational costs are twice that of a C-47 or not since I don't fly one.

I remember reading the C-46 was twice as expensive to operate, maintenance, fuel, etc.

 

[glennasher]

Except where it counted - $$$$.

They were also prone to catch fire quickly when hit by AAA, they were a disaster on the jump over the Rhine. As an old 82nd. Abn. Div. trooper, I tend to look at such things a bit differently than you airedales. :^) IIRC, that was the only combat jump they were used for, the double jump doors would have made things a lot better, but for their tendencies to flame "really badly".

 

[futuredogfight]

Go Sky Train!

 

[davebender]

IMO you need separate categories for tactical transports and long range transports.

Ju-52 was the best tactical transport during the early 1930s. It was eclipsed by C-47 during late 1930s but still a useful and effective aircraft throughout WWII and beyond. Ju-52 had better short / rough field performance and it was dirt cheap (162,00 RM with engines). During the 1930s and 1940s either aircraft would be an excellent choice.

Ar-232B gets the "might have been best" award. Only 10 built but it had all the desirable characteristics of a modern tactical transport aircraft.

Long Range Transports.
Expensive to purchase and operate but if you need to haul heavy / bulky cargo over long distances then you need the big boys. C-46 doesn't have any serious competition.

Ju-252 gets the "might have been best" award. Only 15 built but unlike C-46 the fuselage was optimized for loading / unloading cargo. That's a big deal when moving large / bulky cargo.