MOST OVERRATED AIRCRAFT OF WWII

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by Gemhorse

Ah Udet, you may not have studied your history that well.....What makes you think the 'Channel Dash' was a failure on the part of the British ?...You don't want to talk about the German battleships AFTER the event, so what about before ?....

Very good point the German battleships were rendered useless during the war. The only major accomplishment of a German battleship I can think off was the sinking of the Hood by the Bismark. Not too say that the German battlehships were not good. They were very good ships but they did nothing to help the war effort for Germany.

Besides what does any of this have to do with MOST OVERRATED AIRCRAFT OF WWII?

[DAVIDICUS]

At the start of the war, Italy had a very impressive navy as well. What a waste!

[the lancaster kicks ass]

yeah i think when the italians are mentioned it's time we get back on topic...........

[Matt308]

I love these threads. Good post.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

well thank you...........

[Matt308]

Geez this is an active thread. I'm going to have to start posting what I mean to respond to. No insult intended to you Lanc.

[Concorde247]

I think that the overrated Aircraft were the Russian IL-2 & Stuka.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

no they both did play a major part in the war.........

[Concorde247]

Yes, they played a big part, but were still overrated.

[wmaxt]

I think the P-51 is most over rated aircraft. I think it was a good compettive fighter. However I don't think it was:
The Best Fighter ever (in it's own time) Discover Wings Poll
The plane that turned the tide in WWII
The best Piston Fighter
The plane that destroyed the Luftwaffe.

These are used to describe the Mustang very often, not that it was compettive and after help from planes like the P-47, and Spitfire short range and the P-38 in the long range missions durring the most criticle period of the air war in Europe and then smothered what was left of the Luftwaffe.

[DAVIDICUS]

Agreed.

[Matt308]

Okay. So where does that leave us. I can't include the P-51, it was a great plane, accomplished what its rumours, history, and legends indicate. Even if the P-51s accomplishments were achieved by sheer numbers alone (which we all know is not solely true), the accomplishments are undeniable.

I still think that the most overrated fighter was the Zeke (Zero). An excellent fighter that turned out to be a paper tiger. And I do mean an excellent plane with more than commendable characteristics (range!!, maneuverability, firepower and reliability). But it did have its shortcomings (ability to absorb battle damage, diving speed, armour protection, self sealing fuel tanks, etc). Further, I don't think you can decouple any airplane from the pilots who flew them and Japan made a grave mistake by not rotating their best seasoned pilots homeside to train new cadre. Attrition was the final blow to the Zeke as surely as the obsolesence of the airframe and its weapons. Keeping these two in perspective provides insight into the basis for any airplane's fame...or its relagation to mediocrity. Fate has many faces. Ask the Italians about their G.55 or Macchi MC205 or the Regiane 2000 series. Surely world class fighters if their ever were ones.

Early in the war, the Zeke was credited with being undefeatable.
Did turn the tide in Japan's favor in early WWII.
Was considered the best piston fighter by many world powers at the beginning of the war.
And was credited with the defeat of China and winner of early US battles.


...but turned out to be a relatively toothless dog if treated with distance.

Aren't we talking about airplanes that were credited with great accomplishments, but by definition of 'overrated' were not worthy of the moniker?

Perhaps some others might include the Bf110 (not really much of a Destroyer after all), Mitsubishi G4M (the Flying Cigar...'nuff said), or maybe the Soviet Petlyakov Pe-8 (long range, but unreliable and subject to constant upgrades...not good for a superpower's only strategic bomber which constantly broached Berlins defenses).

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by wmaxt

I think the P-51 is most over rated aircraft. I think it was a good compettive fighter. However I don't think it was:
The Best Fighter ever (in it's own time) Discover Wings Poll
The plane that turned the tide in WWII
The best Piston Fighter
The plane that destroyed the Luftwaffe.

These are used to describe the Mustang very often, not that it was compettive and after help from planes like the P-47, and Spitfire short range and the P-38 in the long range missions durring the most criticle period of the air war in Europe and then smothered what was left of the Luftwaffe.

This I will agree with you that I think it was overated but not the most overated. The 51 was a great aircraft just not the best. Personally it is my favorite allied aircraft but I think the P-38 was much better and gets overshadowed by the P-51 a lot.

I think the most overated would have to go to the Ju-87 Stuka, Bf-110 (it was okay though in the night fighter role), and the Zero.

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by wmaxt

I think the P-51 is most over rated aircraft. I think it was a good compettive fighter. However I don't think it was:
The Best Fighter ever (in it's own time) Discover Wings Poll
The plane that turned the tide in WWII
The best Piston Fighter
The plane that destroyed the Luftwaffe.

These are used to describe the Mustang very often, not that it was compettive and after help from planes like the P-47, and Spitfire short range and the P-38 in the long range missions durring the most criticle period of the air war in Europe and then smothered what was left of the Luftwaffe.

Oh man RG is going to flip out, here we go again. You are burning his baby.

[the lancaster kicks ass]

it's true though.......