The Best Allied Plane Of WW2

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by Glamorgan, Aug 2, 2007.

  1. ADM199

    ADM199 Well-Known Member

    No Contest ; Best Allround!!!!!! Aircraft of WW2.------------The Mossie,just look at all the Rolls it took.
     
  2. Passchendaele_Baby

    Passchendaele_Baby Grandads Little Girl

    Spitfire... thank goodness for it and the men in her.
    :yeah: I'ld have to say the spitfire too... :metoo:

    but i do have a special spot in my heart for lancasters :D
     
  3. Ferahgo

    Ferahgo Senior Member

    depends on whats meant by best.
    best at versatility-Hurricane/Mossie
    best morale booster-Spitfire
    best workhorse-DC-3
    best underdog- Gloster Gladiator
    best seaplane-sunderland
    best at being shot down-Fairey Battle...
    most of the areoplanes were best at something or other, positive and negative.
    I do however pick the Avro Lancaster. Grand-slam, Dam-Buster, and the hundreds of other missions carried out my Lancs.
     
  4. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    I'll throw my vote behind the Mosquito as well. For many of the reasons already mentioned: Lowest combat loss rate among Allied aircraft, sheer versatility as a fighter, bomber, night fighter, photo recc, pathfinder, etc, and that while in service it was the most dominant aircraft. Besides, it was manufactured with good old Canadian plywood!
     
  5. ozjohn39

    ozjohn39 Senior Member

    Best, multi-role, aircraft?

    DH MOSQUITO, without a doubt.

    John.
     
  6. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    It got to be the Mosquito for me
    First multi role aircraft & had a big impact in the war

    Have to agree with the Mosquito as best Multi-role aircraft. Excellent at whatever it was required to do and produced remarkably low loss rates.

    Regards
    Tom
     
  7. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    Can we agree that the best aircraft engine of the war was clearly the RR Merlin?
     
  8. Ferahgo

    Ferahgo Senior Member

    I agree with Canuck...The Merlin made the Spitfire, the Lancaster, the Mustang was reborn with it and became magnificent. All good planes need a Merlin...
     
  9. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Didn't German fighters have an advantage over aircraft with a Merlin engine?

    German aircraft having fuel injection systems and Merlins a carburettor which cause fuel suplly problems when maneuvering.

    I'm thinking of the Me109 and the Spitfire at the time of the BoB.

    Regards
    Andy
     
  10. Macca

    Macca Member

    My vote goes to the PBY Catalina. It's naval recon in the Pacific and Atlantic spotted more enemy ships than any other plane used and saved more allied ships and lives than any other plane or ship. I bet there's a few sailors and airmen who ended up in the drink and were rescued by Air Sea Rescue who'd agree.
     
  11. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

    Didn't German fighters have an advantage over aircraft with a Merlin engine?

    German aircraft having fuel injection systems and Merlins a carburettor which cause fuel suplly problems when maneuvering.

    I'm thinking of the Me109 and the Spitfire at the time of the BoB.

    Regards
    Andy

    Quite correct Andy, but the problem was soon cured, originally by the use of a coin (Halfpenny I believe), before a better modification was installed.
    It was the "Negative G forces" which shut off the fuel supply momentarily.

    But yes, think just how good a RR Merlin would have been if it was injected from the beginning!

    Regards
    Tom
     
  12. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Cheers Tom I seem remember the coin Mod now you mention it .... One thing I always admire about the 'Joe Tommy' in the Britsh military is his ability to overcome a problem :D

    Regards
    Andy
     
  13. Smudger Jnr

    Smudger Jnr Our Man in Berlin

  14. canuck

    canuck Closed Account

    I agree with Canuck...The Merlin made the Spitfire, the Lancaster, the Mustang was reborn with it and became magnificent. All good planes need a Merlin...

    I'm sure the Mossie was Merlin powered as well.
     
  15. ozjohn39

    ozjohn39 Senior Member

    Just imagine the RR 'Griffon' in the Mosquito, Lancaster, Mustang, etc.

    Even the P-38 and the old P-40.


    John.
     
  16. Larkinator

    Larkinator Junior Member

    I think it terms of the roles played overall by aircraft, I'd have to go with the Spitfire and all it's variants. The impact they had on the Battle of Britain stemmed the tide in Western Europe, and they were constantly envied by the Germans and prized by the British.

    Beyond that, I think on the Eastern Front the Il-2 Sturmoviks would get my vote due to their ability to absolutely decimate German supply columns and heavy armour, and they could hold up alright in sorties with the Luftwaffe despite their main functionality being a ground attack unit.
     
  17. ozjohn39

    ozjohn39 Senior Member

    Given the wording of the question, I have to agree about the C-47, but my heart belongs to the DH 'Mosquito'.

    A truly magnificent aircraft, beyond all others in the combat role.


    John.
     
  18. A-58

    A-58 Not so senior Member

    I like the P-40 also. I know, it was not an air-supremacy fighter and obsolete in many catagories, but there was something about it that always captured my imagination. Maybe it was reading about the Flying Tigers....
     
  19. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    I was always draw to it by it's big smiling mouth in my youth :D <-----See :)
     
  20. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Whilst the Spitfire is still my favourite aircraft the Hurricane was responsible for 80% of all kills IIRC in the BoB!.

    The Hurri seems to have been the ugly sister.
     

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