Which WWII aircraft would you choose?

[Conslaw]

Another option would be the B-17 equipped with the Fulton Surface to Air Rescue System or STARS, better known as SKYHOOK, as featured in the James Bond movie "Thunderball."

Reason: let's say you are at a party, and it is boring. you simply use your wrist radio to call your plane. You deploy the helium balloon with the snare from a secret compartment in your tux, which of course has a built-in harness, and next thing you know, you are sailing through the air on the way to a better party.
Thunderball Skyhook scene - low res

 

[GrauGeist]

That, good sir, earns bacon for the most excellent creativity!

 

[jetcal1]

Stick a fake turret on top and call it a war bird
View attachment 592790

Tried to get a buddy of mine to buy one of those "quite a few" years ago.

A company I worked for owned a tri-gear 250. Not this one! (Credit the Dee Howard Foundation)

 

[herman1rg]

That's beautfiul

 

[contrails16]

Ok, so you have the finances and technical connections to have any single aircraft of WWII that actually existed during the war, built from the ground up, regardless of type or nationality - what would it be and why.

For me, it would be the He280 because it has a destinct 1930's look to it's design, it was a nimble and responsive aircraft and it was the world's first combat jet and no examples exist, making it extremely rare.

That's a tough one! It comes down to either the FW-190 A5 or the A6M3 Zero for me
Both are timeless designs that have their flaws wn unique flight characteristics. If I had to go to war in it I would likely the choose the 190, if I just was going to fly it for fun it would be the A6M3. If it was to look at... both

 

[Spitlead]

Westland Whirlwind would be nice. seen here in unarmed spec...

View attachment 592382

View attachment 592383

I'd replace the four Hispano 20mm with a fuel tank in the nose. The extra fuel and lack of barrels should increase range to close to 2,000 kms (1,200 miles).

I have to say, the Whirlwind engine nacelles look like they came straight off of a Mosquito. The landing gear as well.

 

[Capt. Vick]

All of them?

 

[aknome]

Grumman F7F Tigercat.

 

[soulezoo]

How about a BV 141? Just to be different of course. Very different. Or a DO 335. I just like that aircraft.

 

[windhund116]

Fw189 seems to have a good reputation, from its pilots, from what I've read. Handling, sturdiness, visibility, take-off and landing characteristics.

 

[herman1rg]

Fw189 seems to have a good reputation, from its pilots, from what I've read. Handling, sturdiness, visibility, take-off and landing characteristics.

Interesting choice, one of my first model kits was of that. I always thought the engines looked small.

However I've also found this LuftArchiv.de - Das Archiv der Deutschen Luftwaffe

 

[GrauGeist]

I always thought the engines looked small.

The Argus 411 wasn't a very large engine to start with.
I always wondered why Focke-Wulf didn't use an engine like the Gnome-Rhone for the 189.

 

[davparlr]

p-51H
P-80 with good fuel pumps

I would need to be trained to take off a high torque tail dragger but the P-80 should be a piece of cake.

 

[Escuadrilla Azul]

The Argus 411 wasn't a very large engine to start with.
I always wondered why Focke-Wulf didn't use an engine like the Gnome-Rhone for the 189.

Perhaps couldn't got enough of them neither weren't reliable. Hs 129 had plenty of engine problems in Russia and North Africa

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

The Argus 411 wasn't a very large engine to start with.
I always wondered why Focke-Wulf didn't use an engine like the Gnome-Rhone for the 189.

Availability ...

 

[NevadaK]

I may have posted on this thread before, but thinking about it rationally. For M-F flying back and forth to the office, this:

For weekend camping, photo or fishing trips or runs to the hardware store, this:

and for keeping in the garage as a father son project and an occasional tear around the block, this:

I currently have three cars in my garage, why can't I have three planes in my hangar. And, yes I nominated the Heston as one of the worst planes, but it looks too cool not to admire. Besides, old Ferraris are troublesome and break down a lot too.

 

[windhund116]

The Lockheed Constellation was a really good looking plane.

 

[swampyankee]

The Lockheed Constellation was a really good looking plane.

Agreed; easily the prettiest of the piston airliners. Arguably though, the DC-6/DC-7 were better at the job of being airliners.

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There are probably hundreds of different WW2 aircraft I wish were in flying, or even museum, condition, from trainers, like the N3N to what may have been the apex of Republic's piston-engined aircraft, the Republic Rainbow. I'd like to see some of the aircraft from countries other the US, UK, and Germany.

Is there a flyable N3N? They weren't retired from service until 1961.

 

[GrauGeist]

Is there a flyable N3N? They weren't retired from service until 1961.

It doesn't seem that any of the surviving types are airworthy but the fact that over a dozen examples out of almost a thousand built is fairly impressive.

 

[Milosh]

Favorite planes are: F4U, Fw190D-9, Hawker Tempest V.