Worst ww2 fighter

  • Mitsubishi A5M

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Brewster Buffalo

    Votes: 6 12.2%
  • Gloster gladiator (if you choose this you are CRAZY)

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • PZL P11 (watch it)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Boulton Paul Defiant

    Votes: 8 16.3%
  • Policarpov I 16 (be prepared to explain)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Policarpov I 15

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Boeing P-26 Peashooter (if you choose this I understand why)

    Votes: 3 6.1%
  • Messerchmitt Bf 110 (you must be wierd to choose this....)

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • Fiat CR.32

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • Messerchmitt Bf210

    Votes: 5 10.2%
  • Fiat CR.42

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Macchi C.200

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Mig 1

    Votes: 3 6.1%
  • Blackburn Roc

    Votes: 21 42.9%

  • Total voters
    49

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I noticed you'd missed-out the abysmal French fighter, the Caudron C.714


Almost makes the Blackburn Roc look GOOD (or so I'm told)


POST EDIT ; WENT STRAIGHT TO THE POLL, 1ST, WITHOUT SCROLLING THRU POSTS, then saw the discussion, above. :confused:


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The list is rather short of French fighters, of which there were many terrible examples. The best French fighter of the War, the Dewotaine D.520, was initially unliked by its pilots, who preferred the slower but more predictable Morraine-Saulnier MS.406. RAF trials commented on how the D.520 had a serious stability issue with fuel in the wing tanks, which were also unprotected.
The MS.406 itself was woefully slow and under-armed, but at least has the bragging rights that a MS.406 pilot shot down German ace Werner Molders.
Other French options? The Bloch MB.151, developed from the MB.150 which originally couldn't even get off the ground! The initial production batch of MB.151s accepted by the French had to be grounded due to problems with the tailplane. That was the ones delivered in a flyable state - many had been accepted without vital components like gunsights and propellers! The MB.152 was supposed to be the combat-ready version, but had problems dealing with the ME110, let alone the ME109, and couldn't get up enough speed to catch many of the German bombers. It was so unmanouvrable that it suffered the most losses of all French fighters.
But probably the epitome of awful French designs has to be the Loire 210 seaplane fighter, accepted into service in August 1939. It had to be withdrawn from use after three months because the wings kept falling off! The Loire 210 actually makes the Blackburn Roc look effective.
 
The D.520 was used by several Axis nations, particularly the Royal Bulgarian Air force, who had considerable success with the type.
I did say it was the best available French design, just that that's the best of a pretty poor bunch, especially the little-known Loire 210. Just to illustrate how bad the Loire 210 was, the floatplane-fitted Roc was faster even though it carried two crew to the Loire's one, and the hefty turret! Given that the Roc is rated the worst of the selection offered, I'd have to say the selection needs to be widened to include some Gallic offerings.
 

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