NationStates Jolt Archive

This thread was a long time in coming (I was going to do it over a month ago, but... You know). Well, it's here at last! Post about your favorite WWII Aircraft. They can be fights, transport craft, bombers, or even recon craft.

My favorite: The Bf 109.

http://www.museumofflight.org/collections/images/aircraft/messerschmittbf109_2_lrg.jpg

Bf 109E – single seat fighter
First flight – September 1935
Total production – over 35,000
Powerplant – One 1,200 hp. Daimler-Benz DB 601N iquid-cooled inverted V-12 cylinder piston engine
Climb rate – 3,300 feet per minute
Armament – one hub-firing 20mm cannon and four 7.9mm machine guns, two located in the wings and two on the top of the engine cowling.

Wingspan – 32 ft., 4.5 in. (9.86 m)
Length – 28 ft., 8 in. (8.74 m)
Height – 11 ft., 2 in. (3.4 m)
Wing area – 174 sq. ft. (16.16 m2)
Weight – 4,440 lb. empty
Maximum takeoff weight – 6,100 lb.
Maximum speed – 358 mph
Ceiling – 36,500 ft.
Range – 680 miles

This is my favorite ride in Aces High 2 (a game I play frequently) and Il-2: Forgotten Battles (though the modelling on AH is far better, but let's not get into that). It's got great acceleration, an extremely high power-to-weight ratio, excellent mobility (though not quite on par with the Spitfire), and heavy firepower (especially in the later variants). It's a joy to fly, being very stable and forgiving, even moreso than the Fw 190's. If used correctly, it's the bane of any enemy fighter.

I don't know anything about this but my brother insisted that I say Fiat CR 42.

P-40 Warhawk

It was alright. Not a very advanced aircraft for its time (1938), but it was still quite good for the way it was made.

The Italian Macchi c.205 was far better than the Falco.

I love the FW-190, the Hellcat and the Corsair. The upward curving wings are just nice looking.

P-51. I had an uncle that flew one in the war.

For some reason I like the Thunderbolt too.....

P-51 was one hell of a plane. But the B-29 was revolutionary in an amazing way. The P-38 was also a radical new design, but it wasn't revolutionary, as in it didn't permanently change the aircraft industry.

P-51? I say "yawn" and "yawn again". Everybody and their mother's uncle likes the P-51. Yeah yeah yeah, it was fast and a winner but it is soo boring and popular. Also, shiny metal planes fill me with irrational hatred. If they would have painted it a nice blue or flat green or cammo then I would have been more inclined to like it.

A-26 was a nice bird, was it shiny and metallic usually?

I have two favourites. The Westland Lysander:

http://www.rlm.at/galerie/08/lysander_1656.jpg

And the Gloster Meteor.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nick.challoner/aviation/pix/99-44.jpg

Stuka dive bomber?!

http://www.2worldwar2.com/stuka.htm

My favorite is the YAK-9U

It could stand up well against MEs, Bfs, Zeros and N1Ks (pretty much all the axis fighters)
Though its not as maneuverable as the spit.. the spit is better, but i love the YAK

http://www.omsk.edu.ru/schools/sch064/samolet/yak9/yak_9u.jpg

my favorite is the NIG-90210

http://www.interet-general.info/IMG/me-109-4.jpg

bf-109

The Spitfire. I don't know the numbers, but I do know that it had the most impressive firepower on "Secret Weapons Over Normandy" of all the propeller driven aircraft. Fairly good speed too.
But my alltime favorite would have to be that German "Jet" plain that revolutionized the aircraft industry.

Messerschmitt Bf 109G
Spitfire
Hawker Hurricane Mk. IIA
P-51 Mustang

Those planes I like the most.

My favorite is the YAK-9U

It could stand up well against MEs, Bfs, Zeros and N1Ks (pretty much all the axis fighters)
Though its not as maneuverable as the spit.. the spit is better, but i love the YAK

http://www.omsk.edu.ru/schools/sch064/samolet/yak9/yak_9u.jpg

I love the Yaks! The Yak-3 was the best dogfighter of the bunch, while the Uak-9U was the most well-rounded. There's also the Yak-9T, which had a high-explosive 37mm cannon in the nose. Needless to say, it was extremely deadly.

The corvair was a gorgeous and graceful flying piece of deadly whoopass.

The P-38 never got it's chance to shine.

The P-51 was the first aircraft that was capable of nearing sonic speeds. WITH just a propellor! (Which, with some irony, was the only thing holding it back) The Superfortress was also impressive. A frigin flying gun platform.

The Hawker Hurricane, definately.

It was basically a flying tent with guns on, but it mauled the Luftwaffe, and in the hands of inexperienced pilots, too. Maneouverable, easy to fly, difficult to destroy, and easy to repair. Plus, it also became an effective tank killer later in the war.

The Hawker Hurricane, definately.

It was basically a flying tent with guns on, but it mauled the Luftwaffe, and in the hands of inexperienced pilots, too. Maneouverable, easy to fly, difficult to destroy, and easy to repair. Plus, it also became an effective tank killer later in the war.

You read my mind! I really enjoy flying the Hurricane Mk. IIC, which is fitted with four 20mm Hispano cannons. It's a slow plane, yes, but it is extremely reliable and surprisingly resistant to gunfire.

I also should include the Spitfire and the Corsair, both excellent planes as well.

And some of the experimental German jet fighters designed just before the end of the war are really amazing as well.

I also should include the Spitfire and the Corsair, both excellent planes as well.

And some of the experimental German jet fighters designed just before the end of the war are really amazing as well.

The F4U-4 Corsair was actually superior to the P-51D Mustang in every respect, except for energy retention (how well it holds its speed in turns and quick climbs) and range.

The CAC Boomerang (Australian)

http://www.raafmuseum.com.au/raaf2/assets/images/boom.gif

Dewoitine D.520 (French)

http://moinier.club.fr/armeeair/avions/d520.jpg

Shinden (Japanese)

http://www.rcgrabbag.com/skypirates/topgun/topgun2000/images/shinden.jpg

http://www.geocities.jp/emx008/images/cg/shinden-2.jpg

Shinden (Japanese)
http://www.geocities.jp/emx008/images/cg/shinden-2.jpg

Cool. Anyone seen Wings of Honneamise (Royal Space Force)? Now I know what the inspiration for these was:

http://jupiter.walagata.com/w/fricasso/woh_17.jpg

:D

I have always liked the Corsair the most, but the P-51D was the best fighter of the war.

Cool. Anyone seen Wings of Honneamise (Royal Space Force)? Now I know what the inspiration for these was:

Most likely :) The PC/Xbox game Crimson Skies uses similar designs too.

I have always liked the Corsair the most, but the P-51D was the best fighter of the war.

Well, they give it that credit because it was the most widely-known. The F4U-4 Corsair was actually superior. Look it up.

I have always liked the Corsair the most, but the P-51D was the best fighter of the war.

The CAC Boomerang had greater range (1600 miles), comparable maneuverability (due to being about a third lighter) and far greater firepower (4 .303 machineguns and 2 20mm cannons).

The flaw being that it was fairly slow, but it utilised an old engine. Later prototypes with better engines could almost match the P.51 in speed.

The CAC Boomerang had greater range (1600 miles), comparable maneuverability (due to being about a third lighter) and far greater firepower (4 .303 machineguns and 2 20mm cannons).

The flaw being that it was fairly slow, but it utilised an old engine. Later prototypes with better engines could almost match the P.51 in speed.

I've heard some really good things about the Boomerang. Sadly, they haven't modeled it in Aces High 2...

For some reason, I particularly like the P-38.

For some reason, I particularly like the P-38.

You should like it with good reason. It was the most stable propeller-driven aircraft in the world at the time, it could climb very fast, was extremely reliable, and had all of its guns in the nose, so it was very deadly and easy to use.

Single-Engine Fighter: P-51
Two-Engine Fighter: P-38
Light Bomber: B-26
Heavy Bomber: B-29
Exotic: Me-162 Rocket

My favorite: The Bf 109.

Yeah the flammingKnife!!!
I think thats what its called!

The Bf 109
P-51D
Spitfire prior to the Mk10
Hurricane
P-40
Most under-rated Focker Wulf(German Hurricane)
MArichetti(SP) The flying weakness[/Sarcasam]

Every American pilot who flew captured Italian aircraft loved them to death. They said what a joy it was to fly them, especially the Macchi c.202's and c.205's.

Just because nobody has mentioned it, I've got to go with the Blohm and Voss BV-141, aka the most asymmetrical aircraft ever flown.

Yes, it did indeed manage to get off the ground, and actually maneuvered very well. It was intended as a light bomber/reconnaisance aircraft, but the
German politicians :sniper: were so turned off by the wierd design that they decided to replace it with the Fw-189.

Pics (http://www.luftarchiv.de/flugzeuge/blohm-voss/bv141.htm)
Specs (http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/bv141.html)

Just because nobody has mentioned it, I've got to go with the Blohm and Voss BV-141, aka the most asymmetrical aircraft ever flown.

Yes, it did indeed manage to get off the ground, and actually maneuvered very well. It was intended as a light bomber/reconnaisance aircraft, but the
German politicians :sniper: were so turned off by the wierd design that they decided to replace it with the Fw-189.

Pics (http://www.luftarchiv.de/flugzeuge/blohm-voss/bv141.htm)
Specs (http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/bv141.html)

Such an odd aircraft... It might have worked, but there were much better designs.

Exotic: Me-162 Rocket

Wasn't that the 163?

I don't know much about this subject, but I like the Komet, and also the Short Sunderland.

I'll also say the Me-163. Who wants to fly a plane when you can fly a rocket? Live fast die young, leave a nice looking corpse.

http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/air_power/ap16a.htm

Check out the 30 mm Cannons!

Bah, Soviet Narco State beat me to it!

I'll also say the Me-163. Who wants to fly a plane when you can fly a rocket? Live fast die young, leave a nice looking corpse.

http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/air_power/ap16a.htm

Check out the 30 mm Cannons!

As I understand it, the people who died landing those things probably did not leave particularly good looking corpses...

Bah, Soviet Narco State beat me to it!
You can have the Komet, the plane I really love is the Swordfish topedo bomber, one torpedo from a freakin biplane crippled the most powerful ship in the world ha ha take that filthy nazis.

I actually don't really like the 163. I want an aircraft that you can actually manuever!

Supermarine Spitfire Mk-1
Motor: Rolls-Royce Merlin-III, 1030 Pk
Armament: 8 .303-inch Browning MG
Max Speed: 650 km/h at 6000 m
Climbspeed: 760 m/min
Maximum Height: 10650 m
Radius: 1035 km
Weight: 2800 kg
length: 8.97 m
width: 8.97

Probably the most significant airplane that served throughout the entire war. It wasn't the best allround fighter of the war (although many will disagree this place is for the P-51) yet it was the best defensive fighter for the entire war. It is too bad that Mitchell never saw it in action: it was a plane to be proud of.

P-38. Dollar to pound, it carried more bombs than a B-29, could fight well, flew fast, could do recon, torpedo(though wasnt used for it), and pretty much anything else you would expect the most versatile ww2 plane to do.

Supermarine Spitfire Mk-1
Motor: Rolls-Royce Merlin-III, 1030 Pk
Armament: 8 .303-inch Browning MG
Max Speed: 650 km/h at 6000 m
Climbspeed: 760 m/min
Maximum Height: 10650 m
Radius: 1035 km
Weight: 2800 kg
length: 8.97 m
width: 8.97

Probably the most significant airplane that served throughout the entire war. It wasn't the best allround fighter of the war (although many will disagree this place is for the P-51) yet it was the best defensive fighter for the entire war. It is too bad that Mitchell never saw it in action: it was a plane to be proud of.

The Spitfire Mk. I was one hell of a fighter, but for sheer precision, I'd go for the Spitfire LF Mk. IX. It had speed, firepower, and extremely good maneuverability.

P-38. Dollar to pound, it carried more bombs than a B-29, could fight well, flew fast, could do recon, torpedo(though wasnt used for it), and pretty much anything else you would expect the most versatile ww2 plane to do.

I hold the De Haviland Mosquito up there too. It could carry a slightly heavier payload, esp on the Mark XI. Not quite as fast but definitely fast enough, and a little more manouverable to according to some.

good link (http://www.compsoc.man.ac.uk/~wingman/)

Spitfire (Just out of interest, the local town near me has the story of a German Dornier that bombed a part of it, and was then pursued by two Spitfires down this long straight road that's still there today, and is lined by trees on either side. You can imagine the planes flying at low altitude above and down this road. The spitfires shot the Dornier down in a field)

Typhoon (A variant of Spitfire that fired Tank busting rockets)

Hurricane.

Lancaster (I can't believe no one has mentioned this Titan yet.)

Mosquito

ME-109

ME-262

Mitsubushi Zero (I love the look of that plane, white with a red dot.)

Corsair

P-51

I like the Hurricane. It was pretty much out of date by the start of the war, but was the backbone of the RAF during the Battle of Britain and was progressively modified & up-gunned throughout the war to remain an effective tank killer/ground attack aircraft.

That said, the Spit was simply outstanding.

Spitfire Mk I-IX

Hurricane in all guises, fighter, tank-destroyer, come on people!

Messerschmitt ME 262, sadly (or is that luckily?)ruined by Hitler wanting to use it as a bomber!

Lancaster, dambusters anyone?!

Messerschmitt Bf109, damn good aircraft that gave the Brits a run for their money during the BoB and still performed well until the end of the war.

Gloster Meteor, not really as maneouverable as the 262, but more reliable.

Gloster Gladiator, last RAF by-plane and continued to serve for the Fleet Air Arm until 1945!http://www.military.cz/british/air/war/fighter/gladiator/gladiator_en.htm

I say Hurricane and the Il-2 Sturmovik.

My old favorite......

Supermarine spitfire MK IX

Manuverable, durable, and enough firepower to blow almost anything out of the sky.

A blimp.

P-38 Lightning
http://www.wpafb.af.mil/museum/air_power/ap3.jpg

Every American pilot who flew captured Italian aircraft loved them to death. They said what a joy it was to fly them, especially the Macchi c.202's and c.205's.
Eh sure Ever heard the saying "One a Day in Tampa Bay"? :p

A large proportion of Italian Transport planes were used to transport Whores for the Officers! so they needed to be a nice ride! :eek:

The Germans wouldnt get caught dead in them!

Another fav of mine is the Brewster Buffalo!-Awesome Plane!