WHat was a better Paratrooper transport of WWII?

[B-17engineer]

WHat transport was best of WWII? Was it the C-47 or Ju-52. I know the Ju-52 had some defensive armament but never really did it fight its way into a target like C-47's did towards the end of the war. If you guys could, could you basee it off, 10 points being the best and like, Durability, carrying capacity, Speed, armament, stuff like that i would just like to see what you guys think and thank you!

[pbfoot]

I would think the JU 52 had much more combat flying then the C47

[lesofprimus]

C47...

[syscom3]

C47's by a huge margin. The C47 simply had the range, payload, speed and strength that the JU didnt have.

[B-17engineer]

Thanks guys!

[ToughOmbre]

The greatest aircraft of WW II gets the nod....the C-47.

TO

[freebird]

Did either side ever use bomber aircraft to transport troops or supplies? Or was it not practical?

[evangilder]

B-17s and B-24s were used to drop supplies, but they weren't fitted with enough seats to drop paratroopers.

[Gnomey]

The British used the Halifax as a paratroop aircraft and sometimes to drop supplies as well. As for the best it has to be the C-47.

[FLYBOYJ]

When considering the "whole picture," the C-47 hands down.

[B-17engineer]

I think the SHort Stirling was converted from a bomber but i am not positive.

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by pbfoot

I would think the JU 52 had much more combat flying then the C47

PB - with due respect I wonder how you measure 'combat time'?

If elapsed time from first flight you are dead on 1930-1945 as the first flight of DC-3/C-47 was five years later... but combat time? - if you go by sorties the 47 wins by a huge margin as so many more were produced and operated in every theatre of the war... and several wars afterward to compound the service.

Number of Airborne Ops? of size equal to or greater than a Battalion? C-47 by huge margin. Ju-52 - Crete.. but what else? Just for 82nd AB at Regiment size and above, North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Normandy, Nijmegen, Rhine - then look to Puking Buzzard drops (formally Ft Campbell's school for refined ladies), Dragoon/Riviera - and then on to the Pacific - just for US drops.

Speed, trooper load capacity, cargo? - huge margin to 47. Wikipedia not always reliable but accurate in these comparisons.

The Ju 52 flew first, was occasionally used as a bomber and had some defensive armament - but the defense was worthless against flak or fighters so why bother?

I think my vote stays with the Gooney Bird.

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by evangilder

B-17s and B-24s were used to drop supplies, but they weren't fitted with enough seats to drop paratroopers.

The Carpetbagger B-24s were used to drop Jedburgh/OSS at long range in onesy/twosey numbers but not exactly airborne equipped. Halifax and Lanc did same thing. Wouldn't be suprised if He 177 also used same way but I am not sure of any instance.

[B-17engineer]

THe He-177 couldn't it was cramped in there and its fuselage had many teething problems and Hitler said it was too dangerous........

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by drgondog

The Ju 52 flew first, was occasionally used as a bomber and had some defensive armament - but the defense was worthless against flak or fighters so why bother?

"The 57th FG was the main unit involved in the "Palm Sunday Massacre", of 18 April 1943. De-coded Ultra signals had given away a plan for a large formation of German Junkers Ju 52 transport planes to cross the Mediterranean, escorted by Bf 109s. An ambush was planned, using three squadrons of the 57th, a P-40 squadron from the 324th FG and a small group of Desert Air Force Spitfires. They intercepted the German formation and shot down at least 70 planes, with only six or seven Allied airplanes being downed."