The Forum's Favorite WW2 Aircraft?

Doughboy · May 23, 2009

F4U Corsair for me...It was maneuverable, good-looking, and had some firepower.

imalko · May 24, 2009

My favorite always has been Messerschmitt Bf 109, especially F/G/K series. I know it probably wasn't the best, but I like it the most - so I voted accordingly.

Soundbreaker Welch? · May 24, 2009

Nice poll Adler, real nice long list of just about all the aircraft of WWII.

Edit: Possibly the I.A.R 80 should be on the list, even if it's a relatively unknown fighter. It could give a Spitfire or a Zero a run for it's money.

BombTaxi · May 24, 2009

I voted for the Hurricane. This aircraft ensured that the RAF went to war in a monoplane - the Battle of France would largely have been fought by Gladiators and Furies otherwise, with results best left unimagined. It was also the workhorse of the BoB, although the sexier, faster Spitfire got most of the glory. And finally, it was infinitely adaptable in ways the Spit wasn't, serving as a fighter, night fighter, fighter-bomber, tank buster, and even being catapulted from CAM ships in the Atlantic (making the first Allied a/c available to protect Atlantic convoys in deep water), as well as serving the Belgians and the Russians. Not bad for a plane which represented the final evolution of a line that started with the Hawker bi-plane fighters of the early 30s...

Maestro · May 25, 2009

BombTaxi said:
although the sexier, faster Spitfire got most of the glory.

Sexier ? That's the first time I hear a plane being qualified of being "sexy"...

calquin24 · May 26, 2009

The Havilland Mosquito for me.

renrich · May 26, 2009

My favorite is the F4U, not only because I saw a picture in a book I had during WW2 of the prototype in color, yellow and silver, but because, all things considered I believe it was the best fighter to serve in WW2.

Coors9 · May 26, 2009

As long as it has a birdcage..... The Corsair is the dam prettiest thing sittin' on 3 wheels.
The Razorback T-Bolts just says , Don't @$%# with me.
The Hellcat makes the colour blue even better.
The 109 says Pure German engineering.
The P-51B Mustang, Like they say, Cadalliac of the sky.

Tough choice, As much as i luv the Birdcage Corsair, I'll go with the P-51B Mustang. Tie breaker was Gentile flew Shangri-la+ . God bless the the man and the machine.

Coors9 · May 26, 2009

Sexy is the only way to describe a warbird man!!!!I think that their as Sexy as hell.

snafud1 · Jun 3, 2009

P-47 for me. The first time I saw the plane was in art work in an encyclopedia. I thought it looked "cool". After reading up on it , I was amazed on what it could do and how much punishment it could take and still bring a pilot back home. To me it just just looked big and bad with an attitude that said"you want a piece of me?".

diddyriddick · Jun 3, 2009

Interesting poll. I find it remarkable that nobody chose the Zeke. Considering that it was completely dominant over anything the allies could throw at it before th F6f, that is astonishing to me.

tomo pauk · Jun 7, 2009

In the time line Zeke was dominant around Pacific, at last a handful of other planes had the advantage over key features.
3 main types of Bf-109, 3 main types of Spitfire, Fw-190, Mig-3, La-5...

renrich · Jun 10, 2009

The A6M had one advantage that no other fighter in the early war had that made it so effective. Range! If your fighter can't be there, it matters not how good it is.

Soundbreaker Welch? · Jun 10, 2009

The P-51 of the early war.

The Ta-152 had a long range, it could have almost gotten to Britain from Germany.

trackend · Jun 11, 2009

Loved the Stringbag every since I was a kid, slow, ponderous, out of date, got a mountain of character, loved by those who flew her and one of the best anti shipping aircraft of WW2.

Yerger · Jun 12, 2009

I voted B17, but see the one WWII plane I can't stand has the lead

Doughboy · Jun 12, 2009

You can't stand one of the best planes in the war? Without the Mustang you're B-17's would've been in trouble....Since the Mustang usually was their escort(if I'm right?).

Catch22 · Jun 12, 2009

You're right, it did usually escort them.

I personally don't like the Mustang a lot either though, but that's because I think it's overrated. Sure, it was a superb aircraft, but there were aircraft that were just as good. It was in the right place at the right time.

Yerger · Jun 13, 2009

Doughboy said:
You can't stand one of the best planes in the war? Without the Mustang you're B-17's would've been in trouble....Since the Mustang usually was their escort(if I'm right?).

Visually can't stand it and sick to death of hearing about it. Not a book or print of it here, just doesn't do it for me in any way. I'd pick numerous US fighters over it as a favorite in that area, don't even walk to see one at an airshow

Doughboy · Jun 13, 2009

Yerger said:
Visually can't stand it and sick to death of hearing about it. Not a book or print of it here, just doesn't do it for me in any way. I'd pick numerous US fighters over it as a favorite in that area, don't even walk to see one at an airshow

I made my point and I will not attack you about you're own opinion...That would be wrong.

The Forum's Favorite WW2 Aircraft?

What is it?

North American P-51 Mustang

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Grumman F4F Wildcat

Boeing P-26 Peashooter

Curtis P-36 Hawk

Lockheed P-38 Lightning

Bell P-39 Airacobra

Curtiss P-40 Warhawk

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

Douglas SBD Dauntless

Douglas A-20 Havoc

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

North American B-25 Mitchell

TBD Devastator

Martin PBM Mariner

Lockheed Hudson

Consolidated PBY Catalina

Vought OS2U Kingfisher

North American T-6 Texan

Douglas C-47 Skytrain

Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando

Curtiss SB2C Helldiver

Douglas A-26 Invader

Boeing B-29 Super Fortress

Consolidated B-32 Dominator

Grumman F6F Hellcat

Chance Vought F4U Corsair

Northrop P-61 Black Widow

Bell P-63 Kingcobra

Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star

Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper

Douglas C-54 Skymaster

Sikorsky R-4

Avia B-135

Avia B.534

Amiot 143

Amiot 354

Bloch MB.131

Bloch MB.210

Bloch MB.200

Breguet 693

Lioré et Olivier LeO 45

Potez 630

Potez 540

Bloch MB.150

Caudron C.714

Dewoitine D.520

Morane-Saulnier M.S.406

Morane-Saulnier MS.230

Henschel Hs 123

Henschel Hs 129

Dornier Do 17

Dornier Do 215

Heinkel He 111

Heinkel He 115

Junkers Ju 87 Stuka

Junkers Ju 88

Focke-Wulf Fw 190

Messerschmitt Bf 109

Messerschmitt Bf 110

Dornier Do 18

Dornier Do 24

Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Kondor

Arado Ar 196

Blohm Voss BV 141

Blohm Voss BV 138

Focke-Wulf Fw 189

Bücker Bü 133 Jungmeister

Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann

Junkers Ju 52

Junkers Ju 90

Fieseler Fi 156 Storch

Messerschmitt Bf 108 Taifun

Arado Ar 234 Blitz

Dornier Do 217

Heinkel He 177 Greif

Junkers Ju 188

Junkers Ju 288