World's Best Aircraft - 1944?

[Aozora]

No doubt as soon as the Wright flyer took its first flight there have been arguments/discussions over which are the world's best aircraft/bombers/fighters/ etc
Here's an article from Flight 1944 "The World's Best Aircraft." ( Flight February 10th 1944 )

in full:
View attachment World's Best Aircraft - 1944.pdf

It is probably fortunate that the internet didn't exist in 1944...

 

[GregP]

Thanks!

Interesting, and you are probably right about the internet remark. I bet some explosives will fly in here about it.

I find it interesting that people with little to no experience in a type feel qualified to rate it somehow. That is still widely prevalent.

 

[pattle]

Me 262 as a fighter and B29 as a four engined bomber, the mosquito and mustang are also worthy for their unique attributes.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

"The World's Best Aircraft"

DC-3/ C-47

 

[gjs238]

"The World's Best Aircraft"

DC-3/ C-47

Always wondered why the C-46 didn't take on a bigger role.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Always wondered why the C-46 didn't take on a bigger role.

It was harder to fly and cost more to maintain and operate.

 

[tyrodtom]

Always wondered why the C-46 didn't take on a bigger role.

The C-46 was a much bigger, more complicated aircraft. It might not have been able to operate out of as small a airfield as the C-47.
I don't know which aircraft carried the most tonnage overall, but the C-47 got all the glory.

 

[boeing299]

C-46s carried much more payload than the C-47 but could not operate out of some of the more primitive Pacilfic fields. Curtiss had significant problems fulfilling it's contracts for other designs, to the point that government procurement people got involved and in some cases took over Curtiss' plant operations. That is likely the biggest reason why more C-46s weren't built. Another reason was the stiff competition for it's R-2800 engines for P-47s, B-26s and F6Fs. Douglas, on the other hand, had long and well established production lines dedicated to producing DC-2s and then DC-3s well before the push for wartime production.

 

[nincomp]

It is probably fortunate that the internet didn't exist in 1944...

No problem. The author covered all bases when he wrote "..only between aircraft which are in active operational service and about which details may be published."
In other words: " There may be better planes, but I have not read about them and I could not tell you about them if I had read about them."

 

[davebender]

Neither aircraft was ready for prime time during 1944. Change date to 1945 and I might agree with Me-262 and B-29.

 

[fastmongrel]

I am with Flyboy the DC3 is my number 1 all time bird. My father was an RAF instrument fitter and his verdict on the Dakota. It was built by people who understood flying.

 

[evangilder]

I am a huge fan of the Goonie bird. To me, it is the greatest airplane ever built. There are three in Southern California that served in WWII, then to France and Belgium before going into Israeli service. The last Dakota retired from Israeli service was in 2000! The three that are here now had not been on US soil since they were built until the last few years. 50+ years of military service is impressive.