Best World War II Aircraft?

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i never mentioned the lanc, you're the one bringing her up....

but now you have...

[FLYBOYJ]

Here we go again...

With over 12,000 built, 60 years of service, operated by Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burma, Cambodia, Canada, Chad, China, Chile, Colombia, Congo, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, France, Finland, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Laos, Libya, LOT Polish Airlines, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauretania, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, North Korea, North Vietnam, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Papa New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Rhodesia, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, South Korea, South Vietnam, Somalia, Soviet Union, Sri Lanka, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Taiwan, Thailand, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, Uruguay, United Kingdom, United States (Army Air Corps, Army Air Force, Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy), Venezuela, Vietnam, Yeman, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Zambia, and with close to 400 of them still flying, this is a mute argument....

Overall best WW2 aircraft...

[mkloby]

Hey Flyboy I heard that Argentina used them as gunships like the C-130 gunships... albeit a little older tech. Definitely a most excellent bird.

However, everybody knows the Bf 109 was the best bird of WW2 - it ushered in a new era of aircraft and raised the bar to unparalleled heights! Speaking of which, I bought a 1990 Mustang GT off of a guy distantly related to Willy Messerschmitt, not that this knowledge will affect anyone's life.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

ushered in a new era of aircraft

i will agree that it did perhaps raise the bar a bit but the first "modern" fighter of the Era was the I-16, first monoplane with an all metal construction, enclosed cockpit and retractable landing gear.........

[FLYBOYJ]

Bf-109, a great aircraft, ONE of the best, operated by Spain (HA-1112) into the 60s.

Overall performance, longevity durability and versatility, nothing beats a Gooney!!!!

[davparlr]

Originally Posted by mkloby

However, everybody knows the Bf 109 was the best bird of WW2 - it ushered in a new era of aircraft and raised the bar to unparalleled heights!

???? And the Spitfire did what???

Long live the C-47. R4D to the Navy types.

[mkloby]

Originally Posted by davparlr

???? And the Spitfire did what???

Long live the C-47. R4D to the Navy types.

The spit was not operational until 1938 while the Bf 109B entered service in April '37 - a big gap there.

And the I-16 was a step forward (retractable gear, yes, but God cranking those handles is ridiculous!) - although not a very capable fighter with it's stubby fuselage and poor handling combined with a big and weak radial - and the extremely flawed design revealed itself in the fact that it could not be successfully upgraded... definitely not in the same class as the 109.

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by davparlr

???? And the Spitfire did what???

Long live the C-47. R4D to the Navy types.

Here, here!!!

[davparlr]

Originally Posted by mkloby

The spit was not operational until 1938 while the Bf 109B entered service in April '37 - a big gap there.

a year was a big gap in WWII but not in mid 30s. Development was very close to parallel and you can bet the 109 had no impact on the design of the spitfire, a plane that was its equal when they met.

[mkloby]

Originally Posted by davparlr

a year was a big gap in WWII but not in mid 30s. Development was very close to parallel and you can bet the 109 had no impact on the design of the spitfire, a plane that was its equal when they met.

I agree. The developments did run mostly concurrently, the 109 just beat the spit to the punch! Hell, it even beat the Hurricane to operational status.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Im with FBJ on this. The best aircraft has to be the C-47.

Oh and mkloby the C-47 was used like the AC-130 in the United States as well in Vietnam. We called it "Puff the Magic Dragon".

[syscom3]

The first time I had ever heard of the "puff" version of the C47 was when I watched "The Green Berets".

[evangilder]

I've said it before, but I think the DC-3/C-47 is the greatest plane ever built. From it's maiden flight as the DC-1 in 1933, until today, the DC-3/C-47 is still in use hauling people and cargo in many places throughout the world.

95% of commercial flights in the US were flown in DC-3s by the end of 1938. By 1939, 90% of commercial traffic worldwide was flown in DC-3s.

After the war, the DC-3 was the start of the fledgling airline industries as we know them today. I have yet to meet a pilot that flew one that had anything bad to said about the old Gooney bird.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Here are some pictures of a USAF AC-47 Spooky (Puff The Magic Dragon)

[evangilder]

The lowest ranking member of the USAF to be awarded the Medal of Honor was a crewman on an AC-47. John Levitow was part of the crew manning the guns as another crewmember was dropping flares out of the back door. The were hit as the other crewmember was dropping the flare and it ended up dropping inside the aircraft. Obviously, a white phosphorous flare inside and aircraft, lit, is a bad thing! It was made even worse with live ammo nearby. They all struggled to get it out of the airplane. Although wounded himself in the legs and lower body, Levitow threw himself onto the flare, hugged it to his chest, and crawled to the door to fling it out.

John Levitow was an airman first class (A1C), or an E-3. He passed away a few years ago.

Here are some shots of the aircraft upon it's return, and a tribute to John Levitow. I do not remember where I got these pictures, source is unknown.