Switch the Axis and Allies planes during WW2 (1943 Western Front)

[B-17engineer]

So, I'm sitting here bored and I thought of this:

Say you switch the Axis and the Allies planes in 1943. So, Allies have any planes the Axis had operational in 1943 and the Axis have any planes the Allies had operational in 1943. Would the Allies still be able to complete their objectives? Or were the aircraft the Axis produced at the time not suited for the operations the Allies were carrying out?

 

[Civettone]

Very interesting !
Especially if you bring in the Japanese and Russians.

The obvious dillema would be the bombers. The Allies would no longer have a strategic bomber, the He 177 was not fully operational yet.
The Allies did not need the Bf 109 nor Fw 190 nor Stuka nor Ju 88. Maybe the Hs 129 or Ju 87G? Better than the Hurricane IV.
Maybe the He 219 with Double Wasp engines?

The Germans could well have used the Mosquito and some long-range high-altitude fighters like the P-38 or P-47 to escort their B-17s.

The Japanese would have liked the F-6F for their carriers. And the TBF and SBD.
I also assume that the Americans would be forced to use Japanse bombers like the G3M! :/

As such, I only see advantages for the axis, none for the allies. Says a lot !

Kris

 

[gjs238]

I've always thought that the U.S. was (or needed to be) geared towards expeditionary warfare, whereas the Germans were geared more towards shorter range, Reich-based actions.

Equipment designed for expeditionary warfare may very well have better suited the Germans in their far-off adventures.

 

[B-17engineer]

I switched the title to both fronts as I feel like the East would be very interesting between Germany and Russia!

 

[l'Omnivore Sobriquet]

Quite a radical 'what if' proposition...

Certainly awakes the most bored 'n sitting internet WWII 'expert'...

The question is : could japanese pilots simlply reach the Hellcat's cockpits ??

 

[gjs238]

Could the Germans afford the price of U.S. equipment?

 

[GrauGeist]

The Me264 and Ju290 were available to the Germans in 1942, so technically there were long range, heavy bombers available to the Allies in this scenario. Unless this scenario dictates that the Allies have the limited resources that plagued the Germans...otherwise, those two bombers would be able to be mass produced and brought into service.

 

[altsym]

Americans with the Me 262? Game over (first flight 18 July 1942 with jet engines).

 

[GrauGeist]

Americans with the Me 262? Game over (first flight 18 July 1942 with jet engines).

Actually, I was referring to the Me264, which was a long range heavy 4 engined bomber.
The Me262 jet would still have suffered at the hands of the "enemy" fighters due to it's inability to dogfight, so I wouldn't rely on that as a game changer unless the He280 (capable of production while Me262 was still in testing) was put into a role of fighter cover for the Me262's heavy interceptor role.

But bear in mind that the range of the He280 and Me262 were less than 600 miles (cruising, much less in combat) so in this reverse scenario, you'd have have similiar problems the Allies actually faced early in the war in regards to combat radius.

 

[fastmongrel]

The LW in 43
needed a good point defence fighter = Bf109 and Ta152
A good general purpose fighter bomber/bomber killer = FW190
A good medium bomber and night fighter = Ju88 family
A Jet powered bomber killer = Me262
A cheap transport = Ju52
A heavy fighter/PR/Attack = Me410

It didnt need a big bomber or a long range bomber escort so I think they had it pretty well covered and didnt need anything particulary from the Allied arsenal apart from fuel, enemy free skies to train pilots and there very own Detroit.

 

[GrauGeist]

However, how would the Allies conduct a heavy bombing campaign against the Axis without the Me264 and Ju290?

 

[pinsog]

I think the P47 in German hands would have been a nightmare for the allied bombing campaign. Fast, tough, superb high altitude capability, ability to carry a VERY heavy bomber killing armament without affecting performance(4 20mm and a LOT of ammo or 6 20 mm, or 4 30mm or something else if you like). A nightmare for allied bombers in my opinion.

Same goes for the P38. If you re-armed a P38 with German weapons, either 20mm or 30mm cannon, or a mix of both, I think it would be a potent bomber killer with the added advantage of long range and being able to defend itself against escorting fighters.

Unlike Germany's 109 and 190, the P47 and P38 could carry a heavy bomber killing armament without degrading performance. They could kill bombers and still defend themselves against single engine escort fighters.

 

[davebender]

Nope.

U.S. and British doctrine revolved around massive aerial bombing. German doctrine revolved around CAS. As one would expect aircraft were designed to fulfill national doctrine. Ju-88 cannot perform high altitude aerial bombardment and B-17 cannot perform CAS.

 

[altsym]

The Americans is a production GIANT in WWII. THousands of HE-111's, Me 262's, etc., etc., etc., would be prowling the skies.
Its all about the numbers at that time.

 

[B-17engineer]

So we have two different point of views it seems

1) Sheer numbers would allow the allies to finish their objective regardless of aircraft and the role it was developed for

2)The Axis' aircraft suited a specific mission that no matter how many numbers, were not going to fulfill the Allies duty.

 

[davebender]

Axis' aircraft suited a specific mission that no matter how many numbers, were not going to fulfill the Allies duty.

The reverse is also true. Even during 1945 the USA had nothing which could take out a bridge, bunker or artillery emplacement as well as Ju-87 and Ju-88 dive bombers.

 

[VBF-13]

The question is : could japanese pilots simlply reach the Hellcat's cockpits ??

They'd probably need another step-hole in the side and probably need to sit on phone books to see over the dash but beyond that I don't see them having any problems with it.

PS:

 

[GrauGeist]

So we have two different point of views it seems

1) Sheer numbers would allow the allies to finish their objective regardless of aircraft and the role it was developed for

2)The Axis' aircraft suited a specific mission that no matter how many numbers, were not going to fulfill the Allies duty.

I think adaptability would be the order of the day...if all the Allies had at the time, were the Me264 and Ju290 for thier heavy bombing, then that's what they'd use...

For medium bombing, there was the He111 and the jack-of-all-trades; Ju88. Just having the Ju88 alone would fill many roles, just as it did in German hands.

I al ost forgot that Italy had several medium and heavy bombers that could apply here, too.

 

[B-17engineer]

What would be the best option for the allies in terms of Italian bombers?

 

[bob44]

Interesting thought.
I see a big problem with the US Navy using light unarmored Japanese planes. Adding armor to the Zero would hurt performance.
This would give the Germans some interesting aircraft. B17s, P51s, Mossies.
On the Russian front, I do not think swapping aircraft would make a huge difference.