The Most Awesome Looking WWII Aircraft Ever

[Pong]

Okay, now regardless of performance, what do you think is the most beautiful World War II plane ever?

For me it's between this...

And this...

I will add a poll later on.

-Arlo

 

[timshatz]

Actually, I'd think some of the four engined transports were the best in sheer looks. The Condor or the C54 had really nice lines. B17's lines were nice too, before they started putting turrets all over the place. That pretty much ruined it from a visual aspect.

As far as single engined airplanes are concerned, I think the best lines would be a toss up. The Zero or the Spitfire. Spitfire looks like it's moving even on the ground. Beautiful lines, very angular. The Zero is incredible well balanced in looks. Everything looks right.

Think the Japanese tended to make the best "looking" aircraft. Also the Italians. The Americans and the Germans pretty much made them functional. Ruined the lines but they weren't concerned with that. Brits, French and Russians were somewhere in the middle. Some great lookers, some real dogs.

 

[Vraciu]

Mitsubishi A7M3-J Reppu, Mitsubishi J2M5 Raiden, Kawanishi N1K4-A Shiden-Kai, Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate

 

[drgondog]

Spit IX for me as the most elegant.. Do 335 perhaps for sheer menace

After that the Me 109K, the P-51B w/malcolm hood, the B-17F, the Ta 152, the Mossie, for aircraft that evoke some form of emotional response

and finally the Ar 234 and B-29 for what clean areodynamics should look like

 

[buffnut453]

Mosquito, Mosquito and Mosquito.

Did I mention the Mosquito?

 

[GrauGeist]

The Me264, B-29 and the He111 would be my choice for bombers and all had just a sleek, futuristic look about them.

As far as fighters go, I always loved the P-38 for it's design but the He280 and He100 were always my favorites with thier looks and design.

 

[claidemore]

Spitfire, Mk IX or XIV with standard wingtips would be the hands down winner for me. It just looks like it can 'FLY' and it has curves in all the right places.
Runners up from each of the major air forces would be Ki-43 Hayabusa (clean and nimble looking), Mosquito (aerodynamic), Mc202 (best camo paint job), FW190Dora (deadly and powerful), P38 (stands out in a crowd), and Yak 3 (simple and clean).

 

[riacrato]

I think there are many good looking aircraft. Almost no nation that doesn't have a candidate in that poll.

My personal favourite at the moment is the Fw 190 Dora, as it looks like a very good form and function mix to me: Everything seems very well laid out with good care taken of both aerodynamics and simplicity for production. Of the subtypes, the D-13 strikes me as the purest, the lack of cowling mounted MGs makes it more sleek in looks.

P-51 D is my personal second place at the moment, but was my No. 1 for years. I'm simply not that interested at the moment as I have learned about it enough for now.

 

[timshatz]

and finally the Ar 234 and B-29 for what clean areodynamics should look like

Forgot about the Arado, that was a good looking design. Again, very balanced.

 

[imalko]

For me it has always been Messerschmitt Bf 109F and early G series, before 13mm machine guns above the engine were introduced.

 

[Marcel]

Thought you would never ask:

[/IMG]

 

[Gnomey]

Spitfire has always been up there for me, along with the FW190 Doras, Ta-152 and many others. There wasn't a shortage of good looking planes in that era.

 

[ccheese]

You guys know, of course, that this discussion could go on forever..... Beauty
being in the eye of the beholder, if you ask twenty people, you'll probably get
20 different answers. Most [I said most] of the allied and axis fighters had good
"lines", and all served a purpose..... some better than others. The bf109, the Zero,
and the P-51 all were in a class by themselves, just to name three......

Charles

 

[vikingBerserker]

A choice between the Stirling and the P-40. Stirling always looked majestic to me.

 

[Njaco]

For me I've always loved the look of the Bf 109E 'Emil" - just clean and aggressive at the same time. For twin engines its the Me 410 - just dangerous looking.

 

[Violator]

The Blohm Voss Bv 141. This is awesome looking in its own way, right?

Copyright unknown...

 

[spicmart]

For me it's the Fw 190D/Ta 152C and Me 109K. while many find the bulges on these and other very late war machines ugly (well, the blisters above the cowl guns of most the 109G series ARE ugly), I think they just project the hardly tamed power underneath their skin.
The right bulges on the right places just makes them look muscular and ripped while still in proportion. Don't like wider span of the Ta 152H though.
My favorite twin is the Ta 154 (with normal canopy, not raised). Well proportioned and functional.
Also like the He 219, Me 410 and Mossie. They look like cool prehistoric insects to me with their large canopies being the compound eyes.
You will probably think I'm crazy when I say that I think that the B-24 is the most awesome looking 4-engined bomber!
It is ugly in a cool futuristic way, reminding me more of a flying boat than a landbased plane.
Consolidated Corporation was known for its flying boats before designing the B-24.
Its double rudder arrangement and form also gave it a distinct look (Cool!) and its wings were nothing short of elegant making an appealing contrast to "barnlike" fuselage. I never get tired of looking at it.
As opposed to this the Lancaster with a similar layout strikes me as PLAIN ugly. One of the ugliest aircraft ever, a hunchback. There is nothing on it that is pleasing to the eye.
Well, but it's all a matter of taste...

 

[Thorlifter]

I agree with both planes Njaco said and for the same reasons.

But, IMHO, you can't beat the Corsair. Sleek, fast, tough as nails, heavily armed, good range....just about the perfect aircraft.

 

[renrich]

Awesome-causing awe, awful, terrible. Not sure how this applies to AC but as for beautiful I vote for the Spitfire and interestingly another design conceived before the war, the A6M. Take a look at the video in WW2 videos on this forum of the A6M5.

 

[timshatz]

The Blohm Voss Bv 141. This is awesome looking in its own way, right?

Copyright unknown...

It looks like they forgot the other half of the airplane. Like they were trying to make an FW189 and quit half way through.