The Best Bomber of WWII: #4

[the lancaster kicks ass]

couldn't you've just said there was no point in making a comparios ninsted of making me do all that??

and what do you think of the lanc's use in daytime now?

 

[Gnomey]

The same as he did before...

 

[syscom3]

I couldnt have said that without having data to presume it. I though there were far more B24 missions in the 8th than there were. One thing that struck me on the B24 missions in 1942, was even though my source said "group" sorties, in actuality, only 1/4 to 1/3 of the planes went on the mission(s).

The day loss rate was interesting. But I think we will start see a big difference in data from the last part of 1943 onwards. Once the 8th was going on regular mssions deep into Germany, the loss rates went way up.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I will continue to post things about this as its opened all sorts of variables on what made both planes so great.

Sometimes, but most of the time it leads you back to the same crap.

 

[lancasterman]

The Lancaster with the Halifax a close second

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Well the Lancaster is definnatly a 2nd but there is no way that it was better than the B-29.

The B-29 was the most advanced and best bomber to see service in WW2.

 

[lancasterman]

The B29 didnt enter the war until late in the conflict

 

[syscom3]

The first B29 raid on Japan was 15 June 1944. Hardly "late" in the war.

Target was the Imperial Iron and Steel Works at Yawata on the island of Kyushu.

First BG over target was the 468th Bomb Group

 

[FLYBOYJ]

The B29 didnt enter the war until late in the conflict

The first B-29 raid was June 5 1944 - it flew with payload over distances that eclipsed anything being done in Europe. it was the most advanced bomber of WW2 period, although I do place the Lancaster a distant second.

 

[Newanda]

Hello my friends!.
I'm new around here, but I could assure you I'm very passionate by planes.

Well by my knowledges, the best bomber plane in the II WW was indeed the B24 Liberator, but I want to say that the B17 Flying Fortress is one I like more.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Hello my friends!.
I'm new around here, but I could assure you I'm very passionate by planes.

Well by my knowledges, the best bomber plane in the II WW was indeed the B24 Liberator, but I want to say that the B17 Flying Fortress is one I like more.

Welcome!

Neither one of them could touch a B-29 - it's fire control system alone was probably more complicated than both aircraft put together....

 

[syscom3]

Welcome!

Neither one of them could touch a B-29 - it's fire control system alone was probably more complicated than both aircraft put together....

It was more than just that. The avionics suite alone was the culmination of all that was learned in the 4 years of the air war.

The B29 was the first bomber designed as a system, similar to a warship in the navy.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The B29 didnt enter the war until late in the conflict

First of all in June 1944 there was still a year left in the war. 2nd even if it had not seen combat until March of 1945, the war was still going on and therefor it is a WW2 bomber. Therefore since it was the most advanced and best bomber of WW2 it is number 1.

1. B-29
2. Lancaster
3. B-17
4. B-24
5. Halifax

 

[red admiral]

The title "best" can only go to the Arado 234. You can drop your bombs uninterrupted sauf for ack-ack. It is by far the "best".

Most useful during the war period would go to Lancaster.

Best piston-engined is the B29 by some way. If only the sabre mosquito had come about...

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

While I agree that the Ar-234 was a magnificent aircraft and was very innovative and ahead of its time, its useful bomb load was not very much and it was better suited to small tactical bombing or aerial recon.

 

[red admiral]

Isn't it better to drop a small amount of bombs with negligible loss rate than to drop slightly more bombs with a loss rate of around 3-4%? (highest rate for 8AF 6.5%)

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

If you are doing tactical boming yes, but for the purpose of Strategic bombing no. For Strategic bombing you need to put out the most tonnage of bombs as possible to destroy large vast areas of targets.

In order to do that with a Ar-234 you would need litterally thousands of them.

 

[starfish1]

"best"has naught 2 do w/#of sorties,only best machine.B-29 was the best,obviously..nuff said

 

[syscom3]

The Arado's payload is way to small to make it an efficient strategic bomber. There is no way it could qualify as a great bomber because it didnt do anything spectacular to mention.

Using your logic, I nominate the P38 droop snoop's as they could drop 2 tons on target accurately and then outrun the defending fighters.

 

[red admiral]

Who said strategic bombing?

The comparison with droop snoot is poor. It can get shot down on the way there and on the way back. The 234 is still flying.

In order to do that with a Ar-234 you would need litterally thousands of them.

The Allies also needed thousands of B-17s, B-24s, Lancasters, Halifaxes, Stirlings and B-29s. With the 234 you don't lose half of your production run, you don't use as many resources to build them, you only lose 1 crewman and you have about 75% - 50% of the bombload of a B-17/24