Worst aircraft of WW2?

[Civettone]

I have to admit that I don't remember that. Really interesting!



Kris

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by Waynos

That was a subtlety that had completely passed me by, thanks for that Elivis.

You're welcome.
Actually, if someone wanted to be a real stickler, they could say I was wrong, as well.
Technically, the biplane was the XF4F-1.
From what I understand, it was basically a slightly upgraded F3F, with some structural differences and a more powerful engine.
By this time, though, the US Military was hip to the advantages of the monoplane design, and seeing how other nations were started to use it, they figured it was high time they jumped on the bandwagon as well.
The designer (sorry, name escapes me at the momment) was told to go back and redesign the plane and the XF4F-2 was the result.
Quite an amazing little plane, when you get into the whole story.
I think Joe Baugher dedicated a few pages to it at his website.
Great read!


Elvis

[PJay]

I haven't read all the posts. I'd suggest the Fairy Barracuda should be considered. It's main virtue was any fighter pilot trying to shoot it down missed because they were laughing too hard.

[B-17engineer]

The Roc Blackburn was pretty bad.... no forward armament. What was with this plane and the Boulton Paul Defiant? No foward armament just, huge turrets ?

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by PJay

I haven't read all the posts. I'd suggest the Fairy Barracuda should be considered. It's main virtue was any fighter pilot trying to shoot it down missed because they were laughing too hard.

LOL!

After a comment like that, I HAD to look this one up



Aviation Trivia called it "one of the ugliest mass produced aircraft in the world..."



Elvis

[FLYBOYJ]

The Barracuda was not a pretty airplane, but it was far from the "worse." It suffer from some density altitude problems that diminished its performance in the Pacific, but for the most part fulfilled the role it was designed for.

[PJay]

True it was made to work, apparently it's low speed handling was exemplary.
But, Christonaraft how can anyone design something like that given that they could see what other aircraft looked like? I wonder if the designers ever met?

[FLYBOYJ]

Originally Posted by PJay

True it was made to work, apparently it's low speed handling was exemplary.
But, Christonaraft how can anyone design something like that given that they could see what other aircraft looked like? I wonder if the designers ever met?

I fly airplanes - I could care less if an airplane I had to go into combat with looked like the Bride of Frankenstein's nostrils - as long as it did the job and got me home safe.

[Negative Creep]

The Barracuda didn't have any forward armament either, which I've always found a bit odd

[Waynos]

There probably wasn't much point. It can't really manouvre, and there's no benefit to firing a 303 at a ship.

[Civettone]

All things consider, I think that I would vote for the Roc to be the worst fighter aircraft of WW2...


Kris

[airboiy]

Am I the only one that thinks an aircraft is bad if it can't fly?

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Originally Posted by airboiy

Am I the only one that thinks an aircraft is bad if it can't fly?

Why would you be the only one to think that? I think you might be missing the point of the thread.

[NZTyphoon]

B-17engineer:The Roc Blackburn was pretty bad.... no forward armament. What was with this plane and the Boulton Paul Defiant? No foward armament just, huge turrets ?

Both the Defiant and the Roc were designed in the belief that they would not face fighter opposition; their sole purpose was to shoot down bombers by positioning themselves on the flanks or underneath bomber formations. Part of the specifications for the Defiant reads:

The speed of modern bombers is so great that it is only worthwhile to attack them under conditions which allow no relative motion between the fighter and its target. The fixed-gun fighter with guns firing ahead can only realise these conditions by attacking the bomber from dead astern...

When the Defiant did encounter Bf 109s this flawed concept cost lives. Boulton Paul did experiment with turning the prototype Defiant into a single-seat fighter without turret, and with wing bays for twelve .303 Brownings. This, the P.94, had a top speed of 360 mph and might have developed into a reasonable fighter.

As for the Roc?

Has anyone mentioned the Bristol Buckingham? Although it did not reach operational service it would seem that this was fortunate. The Air Ministry canned the design for its poor cockpit layout (shades of the Blenheim), weak armament and the bomb aimer's position which was in a gondola under the fuselage. By the time the prototype flew it was outmoded by the Mosquito which was faster, far more manoeuverable and had a higher operational ceiling. Even as a fighter-bomber, the Mosquito could carry a heavier bomb load. Possibly the Buckingham was not THE worst aircraft of WW2, but it was a clunker nevertheless.

Its cousin, the Brigand, was later noted for its ability to shoot itself down, propellers which fell apart, dive brakes which failed and, finally, corroded wing spars which led to a couple of wings falling off. After the corroded spars were discovered the RAF cut its losses and relegated the Brigand to scrapyards or sold them to Pakistan.

[Elvis]

Originally Posted by NZTyphoon

Has anyone mentioned the Bristol Buckingham? Although it did not reach operational service it would seem that this was fortunate. The Air Ministry canned the design for its poor cockpit layout (shades of the Blenheim), weak armament and the bomb aimer's position which was in a gondola under the fuselage. By the time the prototype flew it was outmoded by the Mosquito which was faster, far more manoeuverable and had a higher operational ceiling. Even as a fighter-bomber, the Mosquito could carry a heavier bomb load. Possibly the Buckingham was not THE worst aircraft of WW2, but it was a clunker nevertheless.

Gee, sounds like the Bristol Buckingham was Kind of a Drag.

.........

( sorry folks, just couldn't pass that one up )




Elvis