The Forum's Favorite WW2 Aircraft?

• Nov 16, 2008

• #21

Marcel

rotartsinimdA

Staff

Admin

Mod

10,944

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Sep 19, 2006

Dordrecht

www.redbeatband.nl

Done

 

• Nov 16, 2008

• #22

parsifal

Colonel

13,354

2,133

Apr 6, 2008

Orange NSW

for me its the stringbag. An obsolescent anachronism that achieved a massively impressive record at sea. not bad for an aircraft more at home in wwi and still flying in the age of jets....

 

• Nov 16, 2008

• #23

Wildcat

Major

9,271

1,345

Apr 11, 2005

South East Queensland

Other. My favourite is the brutish looking Vultee Vengeance Definately one of the unsung heroes of WWII.

 

• Nov 16, 2008

• #24

G

Glider

Captain

8,921

5,093

Apr 23, 2005

Lincolnshire

I went for the Mossie. It was a brave idea and design, looked good and you will be hard pressed to find an aircraft that was at the top of the tree in so many different roles.

 

• Nov 16, 2008

• #25

RabidAlien

1st Lieutenant

6,533

11

Apr 27, 2008

Hurst, Texas

P-38. Looks cool, and its what got me interested in WW2 history.

 

• Nov 16, 2008

• #26

Milos Sijacki

Senior Airman

404

3

Nov 9, 2006

Serbia

I go for FW-190 any time. I find it to be the best looking aircraft of that war and not to mention the characteristics of it. Here are the characteristics for my personal favorite FW-190 A8.

Cheers

Performance:

* Maximum speed: 656 km/h at 4,800 m, 685 km/h with boost (383 mph at 19,420 ft (5,920 m), 408 mph (657 km/h) with boost)
* Range: 800 km (500 miles)
* Service ceiling 11,410 m (37,430 ft)
* Rate of climb: 13 m/s (2560 feet/min)
* Wing loading: 241 kg/m² (49.4 lb/ft²)
* Power/mass: 0.29 - 0.33 kW/kg (0.18 - 0.21 hp/lb)

Armament:

* 2× 13 mm MG 131 machine guns with 475 rounds/gun
* 4× 20 mm MG 151/20 E cannons with 250 rounds/gun in the wing root and 140 rounds/gun outboard.

 

• Nov 16, 2008

• #27

drgondog

Major

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Jun 28, 2006

Scurry, Texas

I'm probsbly selfish - the P-51 saved daylight bombing and probably more American lives than any other airplane.. and conversely did more damage (air and ground) to Luftwaffe than any other fighter.

Gets my vote.. F-86 close second for all time

 

• Nov 16, 2008

• #28

magnocain

Senior Airman

369

4

Oct 28, 2007

Corsair

 

• Nov 17, 2008

• #29

Airframes

Benevolens Magister

62,992

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Aug 24, 2008

Cheshire, UK

I'd be hard pressed to settle on a single favourite. Of course, the Spit, P51 and Mosquito are near the top of my list, along with others, but one that is in there somewhere is the B25 Mitchell. Not for any reasons to do with performance or ability in intended role, but for its looks. See one on the ground today, and remember when it was designed and built; it looks modern, with the tri-cycle gear, the rounded lines and smooth exterior, that is, with the Perspex nose. It just looks right and, as most engineers would say 'If it looks right, it probably IS right!'

 

• Nov 17, 2008

• #30

Juha

Senior Master Sergeant

3,725

104

Jan 8, 2007

Helsinki

Very difficult to choose only one, but in the end I chose Spitfire, which like 109, 88 and Wellington fought from 1939 to 1945 and like 109 and 88 most of the time as among the very best of its type. And it had the looks. I especially like Mks I, VIII and XIV even if Mk XII was the most sinister looking Spit.

Juha

 

• Nov 17, 2008

• #31

Gnomey

Globetrotting Surgeon General

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Nov 28, 2004

London / Southsea / Royal Deeside, UK

www.flickr.com

The Spitfire, the Dora and the Ta-152 are my favourites, going to have to think about this a bit before I vote...

 

• Nov 17, 2008

• #32

Sgt. Pappy

Airman 1st Class

197

0

Jun 7, 2006

Being a Canadian, it's gotta be the Spitfire for me.
I like the Mustang too, but I find it a bit overrated and a slightly worse dogfighter.

 

• Nov 17, 2008

• #33

Bernhart

2012 Forum Fantasy Football Champion

884

625

Jan 9, 2007

Canada

hawker hurricane, did everything, fought everywhere, one of the few airplanes to serve from beginning of the war until the very end with few changes. it is hard to pick one favourite, I love Typhoons, the swordfish, C 47's, the macchi 205's...

 

• Nov 17, 2008

• #34

A

Arsenal VG-33

Senior Airman

429

6

Nov 9, 2007

Indiana

Neither of my favorites are on the ballot (Bloch 174, Arsenal VG-33), so I'm voting "other".

 

• Nov 17, 2008

• #35

johnbr

2nd Lieutenant

5,591

5,162

Jun 23, 2006

London Ontario Canada

For me it is the Horton Ho 229 Xp 67 and Ki 84 What the xp 67 need was the RR Crecy with 2-stage supercharging.

 

• Nov 18, 2008

• #36

rochie

Moderator

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Aug 9, 2006

billingham nr middlesbrough uk

fw190, f4u, hurricane, mosquito, bf109 and even A6m and beaufighter struggling to to choose just one may vote with my eyes closed !!!!

 

• Nov 18, 2008

• #37

ToughOmbre

Senior Master Sergeant

3,732

21

Mar 18, 2007

Jersey Shore, USA

The Flying Fortress. Beautiful airframe, looks graceful, powerfull, tough from almost any angle.

But most of all, because she would bring her crews back after suffering battle damage that would prevent most aircraft from flying at all.

TO

 

• Nov 18, 2008

• #38

C

chuckn49

Airman

34

1

Feb 19, 2008

New Hampshire

For me, it will always be the P-38 Lightning. I grew up listening to my brother talk abouit it with great affection. It also looks really cool on the ground or in the air.

If I had a second choice, it would be the Mosquito. Once again, an unconventional aircraft doing an incredible job.

Great poll idea!

 

• Nov 18, 2008

• #39

ccheese

Member In Perpetuity

12,408

131

Jul 10, 2007

Virginia Beach, Va.

Lockheed P-38 Lightning for me..... beautiful on the ground or in the
air. Good combat record, too.

Charles

 

• Nov 18, 2008

• #40

Venganza

Senior Airman

337

1

Sep 13, 2008

Terra

I think all the choices mentioned in the posts are good ones. I've always loved the Spitfire, Beaufighter, Invader and the Swordfish, but I went with the IL-2 Shturmovik. People can debate whether it was a deathtrap that succeeded just because of sheer numbers, or a good design hampered in the beginning by bad tactics and German air superiority, but in my opinion it was the single plane most responsible for defeating the Nazis. Plus it looked like the tough, no-nonsense mudmover it was.

Venganza