Which were best for antishipping?

[Lucky13]

Which was better in the antishipping role? Was it the B-25, the Mosquito was it the Beaufighter or maybe even the Ju 88? I vote for the B-25 myself with its different armaments from .50's to the 75mm cannon. Maybe you have other ideas?

[Maharg]

Beaufighter for me M8.

[syscom3]

The B25 by a large margin.

[FLYBOYJ]

I'd go with the B-25 but many of its features that made it a real ship killer were done in the field as well as some of its ordinance goodies, such as the parafrag filled with shrapnel.

[Wildcat]

Close one between the B-25 and Beaufighter, but I'd probably go with the Beau. Cannon, rockets, bombs or a torpedo make it one hell of a anti shipping a/c.

[Watanbe]

Beaufighter,

[Maharg]

The B-25 was my 2nd choice. (my favourite WW2 medium bomber). But, the Beaufighter was used in all the theatres whereas the B-25 in the anti-shipping role was mainly used in the Pacific, where it preformed outstandingly.

[red admiral]

Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 by a considerable margin.

[amrit]

Even though my first choice would be the Beaufighter, I would give an honourable mention to the Beaufort (especially in the Med and in RAAF service in the Pacific, ).

[Lucky13]

I wouldn't like to be on recieving end off 10 .50's and a 75mm gun...

[amrit]

Does anyone have any stats for tonnage sunk per type? I suppose the concept of best should be considered in light of their actual combat record.

[Lucky13]

Good question amrit. Another thing, did the B-25 operate in the ETO, MTO and in the PTO in the antishipping role as the Beaufighter or just in PTO?

[Heinz]

The B-25 for me, that is one hell of a sting in that nose.

[Glider]

Its between the B25 and the Beaufighter but I would give it to the Beau for flexibility. It carried such a variety of weapons it could deliver a fatal blow to any target.

Now to get controversial, the B25 with its 10 x HMG and 75mm is dare I say it, more illusionary than effective. The Beau with its 4 x 20mm and 4 x HMG is at least the equal of the 10 x HMG and the 75mm was a slow firing weapon of limited use (how many ships do you know that were sunk by a couple of 75mm shells). The 75mm doesn't come close to the impact of the rockets or the torpedo.
Had the war continued for a few more months I would have gone for the Mossie, as the Anti Shipping highball bouncing bomb would have been devastating.

[amrit]

Good point, Glider.

In field operations, the big 75 millimeter cannon did not prove as impressive as it looked. With manual loading, it had a low rate of fire, and the trajectory of its shell was much different from that of the bullets from the forward-firing machine guns, preventing the machine guns from being used to target the cannon. Salvo-fired HVARs proved a much more effective approach to heavy forward firepower, and while there some B-25 pilots who liked the big gun, it was often removed in the field.

From: The North American B-25 Mitchell