The Best Anti-Tank Aircraft of World War 2....

[lesofprimus]

One Poll thats missing here is the Tank Killer, so here it is.... The regular thread is quite informative, and I recommend anyone who votes here to read through the previous thread(s) and sducate themselves on some of the information that has been pumped into this site over the years.....

http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/aviation/best-tank-killer-ww2-continued-625.html

Another thread on topic....
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/aviation/tank-busting-armaments-whats-best-setup-439.html

Tony Woods Site....
TANKBUSTERS: AIRBORNE ANTI-TANK GUNS IN WW2

 

[Konigstiger205]

I have to go with the Ju87G on this one...after all Hans-Ulrich Rudel did destroy hundreds of tanks with it...

 

[Desert Fox]

Honourable mention to the Ju-87G, but my choice is the IL-2M, efficient, versatile and deadly.

 

[MacArther]

I'm gonna say the Hurricane IID because it was brutally effective in North Africa and Tunisia, and if worse came to worse, you still had a plane that performed well enough to run away. Also, I would have given more time for the Brits to develop the 47mm anti-tank gun that they were trying to fit to the Hurricane, or even just the squeeze bore modification for the 40mm, and kept the Hurricanes in service longer.

 

[lesofprimus]

As always, I voted for the Fw 190F-8 Panzerblitz 2... Truly devestating rocket rounds that thwarted many a breakout attempt by the Ruskies.... Fast, maneoverable, armored, a very stable platform....

 

[joy17782]

well it a hard pick this time but for the love of the ju 87 i got too pick her, she was a very good platform , slow but cant have everything can you

 

[drgondog]

I also picked the 190F. Doesn't do any good in the weeds if you become a victim to other predators. I have often wondered what the deficiency of the Soviet doctrine was for the Ju 87D to last so long on the east front.

The Stuka was toast in the MTO and ETO after 1943

 

[Milos Sijacki]

I'm going for IL-2M - good, versatile and well armed and armored.

Ju-87G is also a good one, packing a good punch, but wasn't agile.

 

[eddie_brunette]

Is that a Typhoon or Tempest?

 

[Thorlifter]

I'm going with the Hurricane also. Probably would have voted for the P-47 or Typhoon because of their ability to fight there way out of trouble, but I don't like the rocket setup. Somewhere on this board we discussed the accuracy of the rockets being about 5%. I'll take the Hurricane shooting 4 20mm cannons over the rockets and the Hurricane can still fight it's way out of trouble. The Ju-87 and Il-2 were absolutely NOT dogfighters and needed cover to survive.

 

[SoD Stitch]

Is that a Typhoon or Tempest?

Judging by the thickness of the wing's root section, I'd say it's a Typhoon.

 

[Evilnine]

The Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik known to the German soldiers as "Schwarzer Tod", "Black Death"

 

[Mangrove]

The Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik known to the German soldiers as "Schwarzer Tod", "Black Death"

And as "Maatalouskone" ("agricultural machine") among the Finns, but IL-2 wasn't a very deadly plane at the Finnish Front.

For example on the 4th June 1943 6-10 IL-2s attacked the Finnish aerodrome at Nurmoila covered by eight fighters. For twenty minutes they strafed, bombed and fired rockets but the only damage was the holes in the runway. [1]

Finns probably shot down more IL-2s than the Iljushins killed Finnish soldiers and equipment. The total number of shot down planes is somewhere in 400 - 450 at the Finnish Front.

[1] T-19282/91. Finnish National Archive Service.

 

[16KJV11]

And as "Maatalouskone" ("agricultural machine") among the Finns, but IL-2 wasn't a very deadly plane at the Finnish Front.

For example on the 4th June 1943 6-10 IL-2s attacked the Finnish aerodrome at Nurmoila covered by eight fighters. For twenty minutes they strafed, bombed and fired rockets but the only damage was the holes in the runway. [1]

Finns probably shot down more IL-2s than the Iljushins killed Finnish soldiers and equipment. The total number of shot down planes is somewhere in 400 - 450 at the Finnish Front.

[1] T-19282/91. Finnish National Archive Service.

What were the Fins using to battle the Soviets?
I just know it wasn't the Gladiator!

 

[Mangrove]

What were the Fins using to battle the Soviets?
I just know it wasn't the Gladiator!

Backwoods Landing Strip - Finnish Air Force Aircraft
Welcome to the Finnish Military Page (FMP)

 

[dcasuta]

I voted for Ju87G. I think that for an old designed aircraft like that...was more that devastating on the russian tanks. The next logical choise was IL-2 (good armour...).
I judge after the number of kills, and the facts are for the Stuka.
We (the romanian army) had Ju87, Hs129 and also IL-2(10). Our pilots loved the Stuka and the Hs129.

 

[drgondog]

I voted for Ju87G. I think that for an old designed aircraft like that...was more that devastating on the russian tanks. The next logical choise was IL-2 (good armour...).
I judge after the number of kills, and the facts are for the Stuka.
We (the romanian army) had Ju87, Hs129 and also IL-2(10). Our pilots loved the Stuka and the Hs129.

The issue with making judgements about any aitcraft in WWII for any discussed mission - is the timeframe.

While the Axis forces had air superiority over the enemy battlefield a slow, relatively defenseless aircraft could be very effective.. once the air superiority was lost, the Stuka created a logistics problem on scarce Luftwaffe resources - namely I must draw fighter escort from other duties to provide escort to the Stuka... and still not a guarantee that the Stuka's will reach the target if enemy fighters are encountered.

Another factor is raw speed. The slower the cruise, the more time the opponent has to be alerted and react to the threat.

It virtually disappeared from West in late 1943 and when it ventured out, like on D-Day the one attempt (as near dusk) by SG103 was virtually wiped out in minutes.

That is why it makes sense for me to ask which system was a.) lethal on ground vehicles and tanks and, b.) was able to defend itself., and c.) fast.

Lightnings, Corsairs, Tempests, Typhoons, Thunderbolts, and Fw 190's fit that vision for me. All had heavy firepower, ability to carry both rickets and bombs, were fast and (varyingly) agile at low altitudes. I then went to radial engine, then selected.

The only reason I picked the 190 is that my impression is that a.) it had greater all around firepower with rapid firing 20mm cannon, and b.) it matched up well with other fighters it was likely to encounter down low, and c.) radial engine in general more survivable to small arms fire.

just a different perspective, doesn't make my view 'correct'

 

[lesofprimus]

U pretty much mimicked how I feel about it as well Bill.... I love the 87G and the 129B, and feel that the 129B was the best DEDICATED tank killer, but overall, the 190F-8 Panzerblitz is/was the best of all worlds combined....

Those of u voting for the IL-2 need to get better edumacted....

 

[Soren]

Hmmm... This is about the best anti-tank aircraft, not the most versatile a/c, and for that reason the Hs-129B-2 seems to be my fav in this category.

 

[drgondog]

maybe the perspective could include "which one would I prefer to fly over or beyond MLR against an enemy with capable fighters"

The Hs 129 was outsatnding in the East. Like the Ju 87D, it was a 'no show' in the West. It seems to me that one qualification for Best is that it should not only perform its intended design but also have a good chance of matching a takeoff with a landing. Both were ridiculously easy to shoot down

Dan - it seems our perspective, while in agreement, has no buy in as we are the only two idiots picking the Fw from the list..maybe we need to be more "edumacted" also.