Best World War II Aircraft?

[kool kitty89]

Inless better alloys or cooling systems were used, but this wouldn't have been the case for the soviet gun, though I don't know if the M3 had improvements in construction and cooling...

Still the single 12.7mm turret and single 7.62mm in waist and nose was a considderable defensive armament.(though still weak, though not so much considdering the size of the a/c) Similar to many early-war armaments of German medium bombers. (He 111, Do 17, Ju 88 )

[kool kitty89]

Soren, would you agree that if not the best, the C-47/DC-3/etc. was the most successful aircraft in history so far?

[Elvis]

I believe it was Eisenhower who called it....the C-47.



What was that list again? The C-47, the landing craft and the 2 1/2 ton truck.
That what won the war for us.



Elvis

[Gundrium]

Ok. I have gotten torched in the worst aircrast area for this, an I understand this is about aircraft that ACUTUALY MADE IT, but should we not also discuss aircraft That ALLMOST made it? Like the Grumman Bearcat and Tigercat? Or pehaps the prototype of the C-47 that had a TURRET?




P.S: I KNOW THIS IS NOT AN ACTUAL COMMENT ABOUT AIRCRAFT FROM WW2!!!!! SO NO FLAMERS!!!

[Elvis]

Re: C-47 w/ turret.

IIRC, I believe that design inspired "Puff the Magic Dragon" of the Vietnam era.




Elvis

[kool kitty89]

As mentioned on the last couple pages the Russian's C-47's (or license built) had a 12.7 mm turret on top and up to 3x 7.62 mm guns (total) in waist and (sometimes) nose positions iirc. (note ShKAS 7.62 mm guns are more powerful than other RCMG'c with the same mussel velocity as the .30-06 M2 Browning but a heavier round with a much higher ROF; Note: the .30 M2 Browning was more powerful than the .303 browning as well)

See: The WWII Fighter Gun Debate: Gun Tables

[kool kitty89]

The Li-2 (Soviet C-47)

[Gundrium]

WOW! When the article mentioned a turret, I ASSUMED they meant a nose turret... (I guess it's like what they say... when you ASSUME, you make an ASS out of U and ME...)

[kool kitty89]

The Russians did that, I don't think the USAAF ever felt a major need to introduce armament on the C-47 during WWII.

I learned of this model while searching the plane inventory on Il-2.

The Japanese had a version of the C-47 equivalent (converted from their DC-3's iirc) which also carries a top-mounted turret. The Ju 52 had a similar turret.

[Elvis]

Not exactly the same thing, but the B-18, which was heavily based on the DC-2, (eventually) had a powered nose turret.





Elvis

[broke91hatch]

Im going to have to go with the Dauntless on this one. Even though my heart lies with the Corsair

[bf109 Emil]

Hurricane can claim as being the only aircraft to see action in every theatre, Russian, Mediterannean, western europe, pacific, burma, china, malaysa,

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by bf109 Emil

Hurricane can claim as being the only aircraft to see action in every theatre, Russian, Mediterannean, western europe, pacific, burma, china, malaysa,

And how did it get it's replacement parts and fuel - and are there 500 of them still flying today?

[kool kitty89]

Originally Posted by bf109 Emil

Hurricane can claim as being the only aircraft to see action in every theatre, Russian, Mediterannean, western europe, pacific, burma, china, malaysa,

I think the P-40 did that as well. (although not in theaters that were evacuated before it got there, like Singapore iirc)


Agree, FBJ.

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by kool kitty89

I think the P-40 did that as well. (although not in theaters that were evacuated before it got there, like Singapore iirc)


Agree, FBJ.

Don't forget the Aleutians....