Best World War II Aircraft?

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I agree on teh C47 but can not agree on the Catalina. Yes she was a great aircraft but what did she really accomplish that sets her over other aircraft?

[Parmigiano]

I agree on C47 as 'overall aircraft'

Parm special prizes (a chunk of old Parmigiano with a glass of Brunello)

Special prize for combat aircraft
Il2-Il 10 series
they won the war for Russia, tout court. And they were such a pain in the axx for the Wermacht that half of the Luftwaffe fighters were busy in trying to stop them.
Technically, it was by far the best attack aircraft of WW II, also easy to produce in great numbers.
OK, they suffered terrible losses but EVERY attack aircraft would, if deployed in a situation of air inferiority (see the Stuka example)

Special prize for innovation
Me 262
Simply one generation ahead, even if it was an 'interim' design.

Special prize for 'just in time'
Hmm... for me a difficult contest between the Spit in 1940 and the P51 in 1944. But I would say the P51, only because I think that Germans would not have won BoB even without the Spit.

[Gnomey]

"The Battle of Britain could of been won only with the Spitfire but it could not of been won only with the Hurricane" - Alex Henshaw (Spitfire Test Pilot)

[Parmigiano]

Originally Posted by Gnomey

"The Battle of Britain could of been won only with the Spitfire but it could not of been won only with the Hurricane" - Alex Henshaw (Spitfire Test Pilot)

Ok, but this is like asking the butcher if the beef is good..

No, seriously, my point about BoB is independent from aircrafts: I believe that the Germans had not enough power (in numbers and in type of aircrafts) to substantially 'damage beyond repair' the British industry and warpower.

[Glider]

Originally Posted by DerAdlerIstGelandet

I agree on teh C47 but can not agree on the Catalina. Yes she was a great aircraft but what did she really accomplish that sets her over other aircraft?

The role I was thinking of was the long range maritime recce / Anti Sub role. It was clearly the best on the allied side serving with UK/USA/Russia and built in Russia with or without US approval. I simply cannot think of any Axis aircraft that comes close.

[redcoat]

Originally Posted by Glider

The role I was thinking of was the long range maritime recce / Anti Sub role. It was clearly the best on the allied side serving with UK/USA/Russia and built in Russia with or without US approval. I simply cannot think of any Axis aircraft that comes close.

The Catalina was an excellent aircraft, and it was the third highest scoring ASW aircraft with 34 credited U-boat kills, but the greatest ASW aircraft without doubt, was the Consolidated B-24 Liberator with 72 credited U-boat kills.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by Glider

The role I was thinking of was the long range maritime recce / Anti Sub role. It was clearly the best on the allied side serving with UK/USA/Russia and built in Russia with or without US approval. I simply cannot think of any Axis aircraft that comes close.

Well I am thinking of best WW2 aircraft and that she was not. Great Aircraft though.

[daishi12]

Originally Posted by redcoat

The Catalina was an excellent aircraft, and it was the third highest scoring ASW aircraft with 34 credited U-boat kills, but the greatest ASW aircraft without doubt, was the Consolidated B-24 Liberator with 72 credited U-boat kills.

Hi Redcoat, do you know off hand the stats of the Short Sunderland in the ASW role, bearing in mind that I think there were far fewer Sunderlands in service than either the B24 or Catalina ?

[redcoat]

Originally Posted by daishi12

Hi Redcoat, do you know off hand the stats of the Short Sunderland in the ASW role, bearing in mind that I think there were far fewer Sunderlands in service than either the B24 or Catalina ?

The Short Sunderland is credited with 27 U-Boat kills

U-Boat.net has a list of major ASW aircraft types and their war record against U-Boats.
uboat.net - Fighting the U-boats - Aircraft

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Ive allways liked that website, especially the part with the history of every U-Boot.

[Soren]

Yes, that is indeed a great website, and I agree with Adler the most interesting part is the history provided for each boat.

[Crumpp]

No, seriously, my point about BoB is independent from aircrafts: I believe that the Germans had not enough power (in numbers and in type of aircrafts) to substantially 'damage beyond repair' the British industry and warpower.

Certainly.

Luftwaffe doctrine, so successful in establishing a powerful synergy between air and land operations, was deeply flawed in its understanding of the fundamentals of airpower. The causes were various, but the result was inadequate provision for the industrial investment and resources necessary to sustain operations in the face of high wastage rates that war would bring. By contrast, the Royal Air Force (RAF) was well placed to defend Great Britain, notwithstanding its perceived doctrinal emphasis on strategic bombing. As Richard Overy recently pointed out, the contest the country faced after Dunkirk had been anticipated and prepared for in the 1930s. [1] The Air Ministry, planning the rapid expansion of the front line, had clearly understood the lessons of the First World War, in particular, the high cost--in human and materiel terms--of sustaining air operations.

Even though the Germans were winning the war of attrition, at best it would have been a Pyrrhic victory.

It had nothing to do with the performance of any aircraft. All were competative.

Logistics and the Battle of Britain Air Force Journal of Logistics - Find Articles

All the best,

Crumpp

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

That I can somewhat agree with.

[dinos7]

i officially have posted after 6 months of non usage

[the lancaster kicks ass]

have a friggin' biscuit..........