Slowest Combat aircraft of WWII

[fastmongrel]

We get a bit obsessed with the fastest, highest, longest ranged on this site. However it occurred to me what was the slowest proper combat aircraft of WWII. I dont mean trainer or transport aircraft I mean proper fighting aircraft.

The slowest I can think of off the top of my head would be the Fairey Swordfish mark III that flew off Merchant Aircraft Carriers. To get off the short deck the fixed pitch prop had to be set for take off performance not cruising or max speed. Lumbered as it was with an ASV radome and 8x 3 inch AP rockets apparently top speed was about 90 mph with a full fuel load. Not that this mattered too much when you are protecting a 6 knot convoy.

So nation by nation what was the slowest combat plane of WWII.

 

[kration]

In relation to Russia, the Polikarpov PO2. A very effective night harrassment aircraft flown by the 'Night Witches' female pilots. Its top speed was slower than the stall speed of a BF109 or FW190 which made it difficult to intercept.

 

[vikingBerserker]

K-Type blimp - max speed 50mph but usually patrolled at a much slower speed.

 

[parsifal]

One of the slowest fighters has to be the fiat CR 32 I think

 

[fastmongrel]

Think I might have cheated on my own thread but I reckon I found the slowest combat aircraft of all time the Focke-Anchgelis Fa 330. Not really an airplane but certainly an aircraft. Not really a combat aircraft but it was used in a warlike fashion so I think it can count. The Fa 330 was a gyroglider towed behind a U-Boat at an altitude of about 500 feet to give the boat a wider view of the sea. Not sure of its top speed but I reckon a U-Boat cant have done much more than 20 knots.

Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[fastmongrel]

One of the slowest fighters has to be the fiat CR 32 I think

Think I can just beat that. The Hawker Fury fought in WWII with the Yugoslav air force and South African air force and it was a bit slower than the CR32. 223 mph to 230 mph according to the internet.

 

[Vincenzo]

One of the slowest fighters has to be the fiat CR 32 I think

was not slow for him generation

 

[krieghund]

Don't forget the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch. the Storch could fly as slow as 50 km/h (32 mph), take off into a light wind in less than 45 m (150 ft), and land in 18 m (60 ft).

 

[zoomar]

Don't forget the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch. the Storch could fly as slow as 50 km/h (32 mph), take off into a light wind in less than 45 m (150 ft), and land in 18 m (60 ft).

That was my idea also, but some might not consider the Fi156 a combat aircraft, strictly speaking. For a combat type (although never in squadron servicel) one might choose the Fi-167 shipboard torpedo bomber designed for the never completed German carrier Graf Zeppelin. Apparently it had outstanding low speed characteristics.

Except for people who cheated with airships and helicopters, I suspect a Fieseler type would win any slowest award.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Cheated? You said aircraft, not airplanes.

 

[bobbysocks]

dont forget the piper cub....flying into a good head wind you could wind up going backwards.

 

[gerrywac]

The Storch was fitted with a machine gun so I would say that makes it a combat aircraft

 

[fastmongrel]

Looks like the Fieseler Fi 156 Storch is going to top the poll for the slowest aircraft . As for being a combat aircraft in my opinion anything that could fly that slow over a battlefield is definitely a combat aircraft even if it didnt carry anything to fire back with.

 

[bobbysocks]

found this on the cub...kinda funny.

Within 4th Armored Division three pilots assigned to the artillery liasion squadron had fitted their L-4 aircraft with 6 bazookas (a bundle of three under each wing just outboard of the struts)for attacking ground targets. These pilots were:
The squadron CO, Major Charles Carpenter flying Rosie the Rocketer, and 2nd Lieutenants Roy Carson and Harley Merrick.
Two instances where these aircraft made successful attacks were:
19 September near Arracourt Major Carpenter attacked a column of Panther tanks advancing on CCA of 4th Armored Division. He made three diving passes on the column firing 2 bazooka rounds per pass. On his third firing run Major Carpenter hit and knocked out one of the Panthers hitting it once in the turret. The crew abandoned the tank which subsequently burned. The column withdrew to cover in part because of his action.
On 12 November near Guebling France one of the three L-4's from 4th Armored attacked a column of SPW half tracks knocking out 1 or 2 vehicles. Which pilot was not specified in the account I have.
Major Carpenter was officially credited with 5 tanks destroyed by the end of the war."

and the germans did the same thing...

...six Bü 181s of 3. Panzerjagdstaffel (tank hunting squadron) flew their first sortie against Allied armour at 20h20 in the vicinity of Tübingen on 19 April 1945. Although the crews (pilot navigator) failed to locate any tanks, a number of Allied trucks were destroyed. The sortie was repeated on the following day. 3. Panzerjagdstaffel flew what was probably their last sortie of the war at dawn on the 24th ..."

 

[davebender]

The Fi-282 observation helicopter was operational during 1942. It had a top speed of 93 mph.

 

[buffnut453]

Interesting thread. Was the Storch slower than the Lysander? Just wondering 'cos the latter at least needs an honourable mention!

 

[RyanShort1]

The Stinson L-1 would be close to the Storch category. One time at Stinson airfield in San Antonio about 10-15 years ago there were two restored examples present and they did a "slow" race to see which aircraft could safely cross the line last.

Ryan

 

[windswords]

For twin engine aircraft I would go with the Q1W1 "Lorna" antisubmarine patrol aircraft. You will have to look up the performance, but it was slow. For a combat aircraft (not necessarily an airplane) how about the Kayaba KA-1 autogyro? It was also used as an antisubmarine aircraft.

 

[Markus]

Ok, so far the LTA K-blimb is clearly the slowest aircraft, followed by the Storch as the slowest airplane. By the way, the Storch could not just carry one RCMG but also two fully armed infantrymen. Makes it a true multi-role combat a/c.

edit: By the way, I found a slower twin. The Avro Anson. 188mph instead of Lorna´s speedy 201mph.

 

[smackers]

The Anson is a true racer compared to this one - Supermarine Stranraer @ just 165 mph