WHAT "DUD" WOULD YOU FLY?

[FLYBOYJ]

We always talk about how good a fighter or bomber is, but what if you're stuck flying a "Dud?" For example, if I was a relatively new pilot I wouldn't be too happy flying the following in WW2....

P-40
P-39
Fairey Battle
Brewster Buffalo
Curtiss CW-21B
Douglas Devestator
Breda Ba.65
MiG-1

If you had to fly a "dud" which would you choose?

 

[kiwimac]

P-40 was ok, certainly the RNZAF put them to good use in the Pacific and the P-39 was okish under 3000m.

Brewster Buffalo ..... urrrghh

Kiwimac

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I think the CW-21B would of been fun to fly, but taking it into combat would of been another story. I call the CW-21B the "American Zero."

 

[evangilder]

Didn't they have some P-36s in the Pacific early on as well?

 

[trackend]

Fairey Barracuda.
From what I have read it was disliked intensly by both the Pilots and the ground crews as it flew like a pig and maintenance was a nightmare.

 

[evangilder]

I have heard it said that if you could fly the I-16, you could fly anything.

 

[Glider]

For me its a the Battle. Easy to fly, reasionable payload so I could take plenty of beer and food. Room in the back for jolly flights and a decent range, so if I had to go into battle I could fly as far as possible in the other direction.

 

[GermansRGeniuses]

Hmmmmm...


A Lancaster on the Schweinfurt mission (I know there weren't any, hypothetical situation).

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

so baisically we're looking for the best, bad aircraft??

 

[Bushranger]

I'd pick the P-40, but it ain't a dud

I wouldn't mind flying the Cr-42 and Gladiator, Stringbag, the bipe's in Pisis' sig, Stuka, P-36 (Finns used em well), MS 410/Morane, Po2

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

as much as i wanna dissagree, i will conceed, the stringbad must be counted as a dud

 

[delcyros]

The Brewster Buffalo or the P-40 would be my choice, they are easy to fly and rugged. The Mig-1 probably has the best performance (men, one of the prototypes made 651 Kp/h or 404 mp/h!) but is a tricky plane, bad for newcomers anyway...

 

[Hot Space]

I think the Me-210 - Some donkey that was.

Hot Space

 

[mosquitoman]

I'd go for a P-40 or a Bristol Blenheim, both easy to fly and both could take a beating

 

[cheddar cheese]

Id go for a Reggiane Re-2000. Gotta love the ability to out-turn the CR.42 8)

 

[DAVIDICUS]

Really, the Re-2000 could turn inside a Fiat Cr 42? That's amazing.

 

[cheddar cheese]

Yep. Out of the G.50, MC.200 and Re-2000 the Re-2000 was by far the best, but the other two were favoured for some reason.

 

[plan_D]

If evan felt the need to mention the P-36 as a possible dud, I'm taking that because it was better than the Spitfire Mk.I in everything but speed.

 

[evangilder]

Hmmm..I mentioned the P-36 because it was the predecessor to the P-40. I don't know much about the P-36 though. I am assuming that the P-40 should have been better than the P-36 as it was after, but I could be wrong.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

so baisically we're looking for the best, bad aircraft??

Exactly - and happy B day Lanc!