Your Favorite Attack Aircraft of WW2, all sides welcome

[Gnomey]

That last shot is just what a Luftwaffe Night Fighter pilot would want to see...
One lanc down.

 

[cheddar cheese]

Nice pic there Gnomey! 8)

 

[NAVAIR]

There's a lot of viable candidates that didn't make the list, probably because some were not dedicated attack aircraft. Here's a few with some load-outs (not all combinations are listed).

A-26: Up to 6,000 lb of bombs.
P-47D/N: 2,500 lb of bombs, plus ten 5" rockets.
F4U-1/4: Up to 4,000 lb of bombs (only when operating from shore bases), although the usual load would be 2,000 lb plus six 5" rockets.
P-38L: Up to 4,000 lb of bombs or 2,000 lb and ten 5" rockets.
P-51D: 2,000 lb and six 5" rockets.
F6F-5: A maximum of 3,000 lb when centerline rack was used. Normally 2,000 lb and six 5" rockets.
Fw 190F series: As much as 1,800 kilos, or one 1,000 kilo and four 50 kilo bombs on wing racks. Could also carry air-to-ground rockets.
Bf 110G: Two 500 kilo bombs and four 50 kilo bombs.
SB2C: 2,000 lb, with 1,000 lb internally, 1,000 lb under wings.
TBM-3: 2,000 lb internally and six 5" rockets.
Pe-2: 1,000 kilos.

If we examine the Typhoon Ib, we see it can carry 2,000 lb of bombs OR eight 6" rockets. That's substantially less than the P-47D-30 or the P-38L. F4Us were so effective in the attack role that the type was still flying combat missions with the USN ten years after its introduction.

If it were included in the poll, I'd have voted for the F4U-4. Not only was it one of the very best attack aircraft of the war, it was also one of the best air-to-air propeller driven fighters ever built, with unmatched versatility. Only a few fighters were faster, fewer still could out-climb it or match its acceleration. None deemed as competitors could operate from sea and land.

My regards,

Navair

 

[P38 Pilot]

P-38L: Up to 4,000 lb of bombs or 2,000 lb and ten 5" rockets.

That's my bird there!

 

[cheddar cheese]

Except it was 5,200lbs as a max.

 

[P38 Pilot]

I know, but the P-38L could put a world of hurt on the enemy!

 

[cheddar cheese]

Hell yeah

 

[cheddar cheese]

Or some 14 rockets..Or a couple of torps...

 

[trackend]

That looks incredible with all those rockets racked up what a punch from a relatively small aircraft

 

[mosquitoman]

You're forgetting 2 planes in that lot
deHavilland Mosquito FBVI: 4x20mm cannon, up to 4,000lbs of bombs in the bomb bay and either 8 rockets or 1,000lbs of bombs on the wings
Bristol Beaufighter MkVIc: 4x20mm cannon, 6x 0.303 machine guns and either a torpedo, 8 rockets or 1,000 pounds of bombs

 

[plan_D]

Why no British aircraft in that list, NAVAIR? You mention the P-51D as a contender yet try to pass off the Typhoon IB as inferior because extra loading is less than the P-38 and P-47. Why would the P-51D be above an aircraft than can carry more equipment plus four 20mm cannon, did you forget about them?

And no Mosquito? Which could carry a whole host of equipment, more than most of those you listed. Again, while having four 20mm cannon.

And then there's the Hurricane IID which with it's two Vickers-S 40mm cannon packed more than enough punch as a ground attack aircraft.

When we examine the Typhoon IB, NAVAIR, we find it can carry eight "6 rockets, fire them off and still be capable of destroying most of the armour and support of the Wehrmacht with it's four 20s ...while being a more than capable fighter on the low.

 

[lesofprimus]

Valid points right there...

 

[Gnomey]

Good points pD and nice pics CC.

 

[MacArther]

This has definately been my most successful forum thingi to date (mind just relapsed into forgetfullness mode). As for the attack subject, yeah, I did leave some out, but mostly because I was looking for ATTACK planes, not fighter-bombers.

 

[plan_D]

So, if a fighter-bomber isn't an attack plane, what aircraft were attack? Only those with Attack prefix?

 

[cheddar cheese]

That looks incredible with all those rockets racked up what a punch from a relatively small aircraft

Yes it does, but the 14 rocket slvo was never actually used in combat, the 10 rocket "Christmas Tree" format was more common.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Well I would go with the Me-262A-2 Sturmvogel, A-26 Invader, or the Typhoon.

 

[wmaxt]

If it were included in the poll, I'd have voted for the F4U-4. Not only was it one of the very best attack aircraft of the war, it was also one of the best air-to-air propeller driven fighters ever built, with unmatched versatility. Only a few fighters were faster, fewer still could out-climb it or match its acceleration. None deemed as competitors could operate from sea and land.

My regards,

Navair

I will stick with the P-38L I feel it was a little more versatile Compared to the F4U-4 it was also

Able to match it in a climb
Accelerated faster.
Carried as much
With differential Throttls very close in maneuverability
About 3 miles an hour slower
Much greater range
Was more controlable at the edges of the flight envelope

I feel mission would be the deciding factor of which aircraft to use, their capabilities were so close and each had an advantage or two over the other.

I also felt that planes like the A-20 and B-25 are more appropriate in this forum as they were more often dedicated in this role and were more effective even if the differences were not that great. A P-38 or F4U with 3,000/4,000lbs (or more) of bombs and the guns is still quite effective at ground attack.

PlanD,

The Mossie is up there for choosing, but I think most people decided like I did that this was for the more dedicated attack planes.

wmaxt

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I agree with you, between the P-38 and the F4U-4 I would go with the P-38. In my opinion more versatile also in the ground attack role.

 

[plan_D]

And what makes the P-38 and F4U more dedicated than the Mosquito? They are both fighters used as attack aircraft, the Mosquito was a bomber used as an attack aircraft.