Best World War II Aircraft?

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by kool kitty89

I think he means the a/c in SoD's signature pic.

oh

[ratdog]

true and sry a i was a little ticked when i wrote it and wasnt thinking
those are weird looking things does it have two engines or something?

[Waynos]

Yes one at the back and one at the front, very novel. And very fast.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by ratdog

true and sry a i was a little ticked when i wrote it and wasnt thinking
those are weird looking things does it have two engines or something?

Fortunatly only 38 were built. There is only one left in the world and it is at the NASM in Washington.

Dornier Do 335 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Elvis]

Fastest piston / propeller powered airplane of WWII, wasn't it?
I seem to remember it being credited with a top speed of, like, 470-475 MPH.



Elvis

[kool kitty89]

I think it was more or less even with the Ta 152 and Fw 190D-13 (slightly faster) in terms of speed.

And then there's the P-51H which could make ~480 mph in clean configuration. But it never reached combat. (about equal to the D-13)

The fastest of the war (and for a long time after -till "Rare Bear" iirc) was the XP-47J at 507 mph at 32,000 ft.

[Elvis]

So it wasn't the fastest in production?

You might want to tell this guy, then.

"The Dornier Do 335 was the fastest piston-engine aircraft of the War. With a puller engine in the nose and a pusher engine in the tail, the Do 335 could reach a speed up to 470mph."




Elvis

[kool kitty89]

In testing the P-51H exceeded 480 mph. (production models with racks fitted and at full combat weight would probably have been more in the range of 460-470 mph at critical altitude and WEP)

[Elvis]

Ok, I'll give you that one.

According to "jbaugher", it did enter production, but did so, so late in the war, it never saw combat.
(North American P-51H Mustang)

Impressive speed numbers, though. Apparently faster than the 335.
This site lists a top speed for the "H" as 487MPH@25K ft., although it does not say whether that was ascertained during testing or in combat.
This site lists the 335's speed as 474MPH@21.325K ft. (6500m), although it too does not mention whether that was ascertained during testing or in combat.

(NOTE: JMHO, but I think, generally, we'd have to assume "tested" for any airplane's listed top speed. It seems people might be a bit too preoccupied with trying to stay alive to worry about such things, under "battle conditions")

I'll give you a litle pat on the back for doing the research, anyway.




Elvis

[drgondog]

Originally Posted by Elvis

Ok, I'll give you that one.

According to "jbaugher", it did enter production, but did so, so late in the war, it never saw combat.
(North American P-51H Mustang)

Impressive speed numbers, though. Apparently faster than the 335.
This site lists a top speed for the "H" as 487MPH@25K ft., although it does not say whether that was ascertained during testing or in combat.
This site lists the 335's speed as 474MPH@21.325K ft. (6500m), although it too does not mention whether that was ascertained during testing or in combat.


The 51H entered production in February with first delivery in February, 1945 - only deployed in Stateside squadrons through May, then deployed to Alaska for July/August, 1945

(NOTE: JMHO, but I think, generally, we'd have to assume "tested" for any airplane's listed top speed. It seems people might be a bit too preoccupied with trying to stay alive to worry about such things, under "battle conditions")

I'll give you a litle pat on the back for doing the research, anyway.




Elvis

The 487mph was a North American Aviation test with no external racks and no fuselage tank fuel. Represents 'about as good as it could be in an interceptor role'.

[Elvis]

Yeah, that's kinda what I figured.

Thanks.




Elvis

[P-Popsie]

So here i go again with the feline among the birds but and i might add i have only read the tail of the thread so be gentle with me untill i catch up but wouldn't one of the major parameters of best constitute versatility and under these considerations woudn't the DH 98 in its various configurations have to stand tall as an obvious choice. It could do any job virtually from that of the Spitfire' to that of the Flying Fort. and before i hear the cry of impossible consider that the Cookie 4000lbs Bombs that were carried by these A/C all the way to Berlin are the same weight as the bomb load of a B-17G. it was employed as a Ship hunter, a Train Hunter, a Gestapo Hunter, Pathfinder Night fighter, Ground Attack, High altitude precision bomber ,Night Bomber escort and the list goes on anyone got any other A/C that was expected to perform so many varied roles?

[D.H firemoth]

What about the tampest its a very fast prop. aircraft for one engine and has good role and turn rate so theirs my vote

[D.H firemoth]

or the p-38

[renrich]

Not postulating that the Zeke was the best WW2 AC but am rereading Lundstrom's second book about USN fighters in the early going in the Pacific. When the Guadalcanal invasion was begun(summer 1942) the IJN had no carriers in the vicinity so sent landbased bombers to attack the Allied invasion fleet. The escorting A6M model 21s, operating from landbases had to fly 560 miles, mostly over water, fight and return that same 560 miles. Lundstrom mentions by comparison the distance from eastern England to Berlin is 460 miles. Whew! It is fortunate that the LW did not have the Zeke during the BOB.