Worst aircraft of WW2?

[Waynos]

I agree there. The older Grumman Helldiver also shared features like an enclosed canopy and retractable u/cart with monoplanes whilst itself being a biplane, while on the other hand the Dewoitine D.500 monoplane fighter had an open cockpit and fixed gear. Yes, the dividing line between the Fury and Hurricane generation is a very blurry and squiggly one.

 

[Civettone]

Yeah.


The Grumman F-3F and F-4F also come to mind.

Kris

 

[Clay_Allison]

Yeah.


The Grumman F-3F and F-4F also come to mind.

Kris

The F4F does NOT deserve that. I hate the plane in a lot of ways but the Japanese Zero still could not achieve total air superiority against it. Was the Zero one of the worst planes of the war? We won some air battles with the Wildcat, it was tough enough to let us use the Thach Weave, which is a pretty scary maneuver since one guy has to have a Zero on his ass.

 

[GrauGeist]

There is no way the F4F falls under the worst category. It performance against the Zero and other adversaries proves it was quite capable of holding it's own.

The kill ratio the Wildcat achieved overall confirms that.

 

[Waynos]

I think, GG and Clay, you have misinterpreted civettones posts. If you read back over the preceding few posts we were discussing the evolution from biplane to monoplane, one of those digressions from the main topic that always happens in long threads. Examples used were Gladiator to F.5/34 and Fury to Hurricane, F3F to F4F is another example of that evolutionary changeover, it was not offered as an example of the worst of anything.

 

[Condora]

That kind of "small evolutions on a basic design" has been kept only by Dassault and the russians, most of the other manufacturers change their products a lot, since the 50s.
The designer's touch has almost vanished, in them old days one could tell which manufacturer had designed some aircraft. Now, sometimes you cannot even tell the country of origin...

 

[Civettone]

I think, GG and Clay, you have misinterpreted civettones posts. If you read back over the preceding few posts we were discussing the evolution from biplane to monoplane, one of those digressions from the main topic that always happens in long threads. Examples used were Gladiator to F.5/34 and Fury to Hurricane, F3F to F4F is another example of that evolutionary changeover, it was not offered as an example of the worst of anything.

exactly! thanks wayons for clarifying that. appreciate it!


Kris

 

[GrauGeist]

OOps..my bad, didn't see the comparison going on...

The thread has changed a little since I was last in here

Thanks for the headsup, Waynos!

 

[Elvis]

I think, GG and Clay, you have misinterpreted civettones posts. If you read back over the preceding few posts we were discussing the evolution from biplane to monoplane, one of those digressions from the main topic that always happens in long threads. Examples used were Gladiator to F.5/34 and Fury to Hurricane, F3F to F4F is another example of that evolutionary changeover, it was not offered as an example of the worst of anything.

Yeah, that's how I read it, too.
However, the F4F was also a biplane.
It was the F4F-2, and all succeeding versions of that model, that were the monoplanes.


Elvis

 

[Waynos]

Yeah, that's how I read it, too.
However, the F4F was also a biplane.
It was the F4F-2, and all succeeding versions of that model, that were the monoplanes.


Elvis

That was a subtlety that had completely passed me by, thanks for that Elivis.

 

[Civettone]

I have to admit that I don't remember that. Really interesting!

Kris

 

[Elvis]

That was a subtlety that had completely passed me by, thanks for that Elivis.

You're welcome.
Actually, if someone wanted to be a real stickler, they could say I was wrong, as well.
Technically, the biplane was the XF4F-1.
From what I understand, it was basically a slightly upgraded F3F, with some structural differences and a more powerful engine.
By this time, though, the US Military was hip to the advantages of the monoplane design, and seeing how other nations were started to use it, they figured it was high time they jumped on the bandwagon as well.
The designer (sorry, name escapes me at the momment) was told to go back and redesign the plane and the XF4F-2 was the result.
Quite an amazing little plane, when you get into the whole story.
I think Joe Baugher dedicated a few pages to it at his website.
Great read!


Elvis

 

[PJay]

I haven't read all the posts. I'd suggest the Fairy Barracuda should be considered. It's main virtue was any fighter pilot trying to shoot it down missed because they were laughing too hard.

 

[B-17engineer]

The Roc Blackburn was pretty bad.... no forward armament. What was with this plane and the Boulton Paul Defiant? No foward armament just, huge turrets ?

 

[Elvis]

I haven't read all the posts. I'd suggest the Fairy Barracuda should be considered. It's main virtue was any fighter pilot trying to shoot it down missed because they were laughing too hard.

LOL!

After a comment like that, I HAD to look this one up

Aviation Trivia called it "one of the ugliest mass produced aircraft in the world..."



Elvis

 

[FLYBOYJ]

The Barracuda was not a pretty airplane, but it was far from the "worse." It suffer from some density altitude problems that diminished its performance in the Pacific, but for the most part fulfilled the role it was designed for.

 

[PJay]

True it was made to work, apparently it's low speed handling was exemplary.
But, Christonaraft how can anyone design something like that given that they could see what other aircraft looked like? I wonder if the designers ever met?

 

[FLYBOYJ]

True it was made to work, apparently it's low speed handling was exemplary.
But, Christonaraft how can anyone design something like that given that they could see what other aircraft looked like? I wonder if the designers ever met?

I fly airplanes - I could care less if an airplane I had to go into combat with looked like the Bride of Frankenstein's nostrils - as long as it did the job and got me home safe.

 

[Negative Creep]

The Barracuda didn't have any forward armament either, which I've always found a bit odd

 

[Waynos]

There probably wasn't much point. It can't really manouvre, and there's no benefit to firing a 303 at a ship.