Which plane was the most economically efficient?

[vikingBerserker]

There was the Nakajima Ki-115 Tsurugi which was pretty cheap to build (I could not find actual cost data), used any engine you would find and the pilot only had to be partially trained. However, there is that one use factor though.

 

[davebender]

Woud that make much difference? Most of the V-1 kills were accomplished at night with AA guns.

 

[Waynos]

Woud that make much difference? Most of the V-1 kills were accomplished at night with AA guns.

I was not arguing this point as a counter to the V-1. Crossbow, Diver patrols and Balloons would all have played their part in countering the threat, as they actually did, and no doubt other countermeasures would have been sought. One of which woukld have been an operational jet interceptor ASAP.

In this respect it is a further consequence to the 'what if' of V-1's dropping from 1941 on the war overall.

 

[Clay_Allison]

T-6 Texan (Harvard). Cheap, simple, and it trained an entire generation of American, Canadian, and British fighter pilots.

Speaking of fighters only, the F6F had a unit cost of only $35,000 and killed more planes than any other fighter in the Pacific.

 

[Shortround6]

T-6 Texan (Harvard). Cheap, simple, and it trained an entire generation of American, Canadian, and British fighter pilots.

Speaking of fighters only, the F6F had a unit cost of only $35,000 and killed more planes than any other fighter in the Pacific.

Was that airframe cost or for a compleate airplane?

 

[Clay_Allison]

Was that airframe cost or for a compleate airplane?

trying to find out.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

T-6 Texan (Harvard). Cheap, simple, and it trained an entire generation of American, Canadian, and British fighter pilots.

Speaking of fighters only, the F6F had a unit cost of only $35,000 and killed more planes than any other fighter in the Pacific.

You'd have to equate that into 2009 dollars.

Also consider the cost to operate and maintain and the availability of the aircraft. This is known as the Mission Capable Rate or Fully Mission Capable Rate.

 

[river]

Hi,

How about the Supermarine Walrus?

It looks pretty cheap and nasty, and it was used throughout the war mainly for rescue. And considering the time and cost to train pilots, one would only need to pick up a couple of pilots to make it worthwhile.

river

 

[timshatz]

Hi,

How about the Supermarine Walrus?

It looks pretty cheap and nasty, and it was used throughout the war mainly for rescue. And considering the time and cost to train pilots, one would only need to pick up a couple of pilots to make it worthwhile.

river

Good point. ROI is pretty good when you figure it probably cost 50K per pilot to train. Different way of looking at the question.