What's your favorite WW2 Airplane?

Subnormal · Post by **Subnormal** » 2002-09-07 09:07pm

I'm not asking which is the best, but which one you find to be your most favorite.

RayCav of ASVS · Post by **RayCav of ASVS** » 2002-09-07 09:10pm

You know, there's been a whole flame war about this at SB.com...it was that whole "B-1B vs. Tu-95 vs. Lancaster vs. F-22 vs. Starfury vs. X-Wing vs. TIE" thing I was talking about

Subnormal · Post by **Subnormal** » 2002-09-07 09:11pm

THIS IS NOT A VERSES TREAD: You have been warned.

RayCav of ASVS · Post by **RayCav of ASVS** » 2002-09-07 09:12pm

countdooku wrote:THIS IS NOT A VERSES TREAD: You have been warned.

It will turn into one. YOU have been warned.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2002-09-07 09:13pm

I said before I am a Pacific war fan.

Corsair, Hellcat, Zero.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2002-09-07 09:15pm

For me its the P-38. Sure, she wasn't the best plane by the end of the war, but she was still a damned fine one that was still very deadly. She practically won the war of the pacific in the air and the Japanesse learned to hate the P-38 because of the obscene levels of damage it could survive compared to the Zero. Shortly behind the 38 would have to be the P-51. This plane when fully outfitted towards the later part of the war was an incredible machine. Fast, manueverable, long range, high altitude, and a good mix of weapons. This fighter is noted for being one of the best bomber interceptors and escort, and many say it one the skies of Europe. The 332nd flew P-51s and escorted the first deep strikes into Berlin while also scorring the first M-262 kills of the war.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2002-09-07 09:15pm

CR.42, the ultimate bi-plane!

Just kidding..

Anyway I've always liked the Tu-2, F6F, Bf-109Gk-4, All late Model Spitefires, Il-10, Re2002/5, B-24, Hell Diver, Avenger, and many others.

RayCav of ASVS · Post by **RayCav of ASVS** » 2002-09-07 09:21pm

Well, doesn't look like a flamewar, so...

Ju-88, the G-1 and S specifically

Subnormal · Post by **Subnormal** » 2002-09-07 09:24pm

Spitfire, B-17, Lancaster, P-51, Dauntless, hurricane, Blenhiem, B-24, B-25.

RayCav of ASVS · Post by **RayCav of ASVS** » 2002-09-07 09:26pm

Ju-88 G-1 Night Fighter

Ju-88 S-2. Still capable of 300 + MPH with a 4,000 + bombload. See that big buldged bomb bay? There's a pair of 13 mm guns on the aft end of that thing.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2002-09-07 09:31pm

It's got to be the P-38 Lightning. An absolutely unique aircraft. They fought well in every theater deployed. Not to mention it was the aircraft that paid Yamamoto back for Pearl Harbor. It did it's country proud. Our airfair has tried to get one for years. A couple times we've gotten one only to have it cancel due to mechanical problems or other complications.

My other favorite is the B-29 Superfortress. I love that aircraft. She just has a majesty about her that modern bombers lack.

RayCav of ASVS · Post by **RayCav of ASVS** » 2002-09-07 09:35pm

Stormbringer wrote: My other favorite is the B-29 Superfortress. I love that aircraft. She just has a majesty about her that modern bombers lack.

The Nazi Superfortress - the Ju-488!

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2002-09-07 09:45pm

The Nazi Superfortress - the Ju-488!

She still can't compete with the B-29. That bird just has a presence that nothing else can match. Just watching that old bird taking flight, it's beautiful.

RayCav of ASVS · Post by **RayCav of ASVS** » 2002-09-07 09:47pm

Stormbringer wrote:
The Nazi Superfortress - the Ju-488!
She still can't compete with the B-29. That bird just has a presence that nothing else can match. Just watching that old bird taking flight, it's beautiful.

True. Not to mention that they actually built a B-29. All 3,000 of them.

phongn · Post by **phongn** » 2002-09-07 10:07pm

Either the B-29 or B-17.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-09-07 10:23pm

I like the Spitfire and the P-51. I also like the FW-190. All are superb aircraft. To be honest, I've never really been taken by the P-38. I can see why the split tail is considered so stylish, but I've never really seen it as being very cool.

Some of the aircraft the Luftwaffe was spitting out in the end of the war were pretty cool, too. I especially like their rocket designs.

RayCav of ASVS · Post by **RayCav of ASVS** » 2002-09-07 11:26pm

Ju-88 P-4 - the ultimate bomber killer!

You're looking at a pair of airborne Pak 38s!

Pablo Sanchez · Post by **Pablo Sanchez** » 2002-09-07 11:35pm

My Picks:

Il-2 Sturmovik, the "Flying Tank." Pretty much the best ground-attack aircraft of WWII. Almost impossible to kill and well armed, a real terror for Panzers.

P-39 Aircobra. I hadn't thought much of this aircraft until I flew it in the Il-2 game. It's a real badass, with the 37mm cannon, twin .50s, and four .30 cal machineguns. Too bad about the shoddy airframe, though.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2002-09-07 11:45pm

Pablo Sanchez wrote:My Picks:

Il-2 Sturmovik, the "Flying Tank." Pretty much the best ground-attack aircraft of WWII. Almost impossible to kill and well armed, a real terror for Panzers.

P-39 Aircobra. I hadn't thought much of this aircraft until I flew it in the Il-2 game. It's a real badass, with the 37mm cannon, twin .50s, and four .30 cal machineguns. Too bad about the shoddy airframe, though.

Nothing beats a late model Yak-9 with a 45mm cannon..

The Il-2 was impressive, but quite easy to down with 20mm AP rounds. The real problume though was the regularity with which pilots flew there Sturmovik's into the ground when strafing. This in part prompted the Soviets to develop gun pods with depressible cannons post war.

Pablo Sanchez · Post by **Pablo Sanchez** » 2002-09-08 12:05am

Sea Skimmer wrote:Nothing beats a late model Yak-9 with a 45mm cannon..

One shot, one kill.

The IS-2 was impressive,

Heavy tanks weighing on your mind?

but quite easy to down with 20mm AP rounds.

True, but that's a natural consequence of being a ground-attack aircraft. If you're too fast for them to hit you, you're too damn fast to hit them.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2002-09-08 12:22am

Pablo Sanchez wrote: One shot, one kill.

Yup, and with 15 rounds you can make ace three times over in a single sortie.

Pablo Sanchez wrote:Heavy tanks weighing on your mind?

You knew what I meant, and I'm sure I can find a way to kill a Stalin with a 20mm cannon, a shaped charge stick bomb should work…

Pablo Sanchez wrote:True, but that's a natural consequence of being a ground-attack aircraft. If you're too fast for them to hit you, you're too damn fast to hit them.

I'm aware of that. What I was pointing out is that solid hits from a very common AAA piece would down an Il-2 are surely as any other tactical aircraft. Like the A-10, the aircrafts armor provided protection against infantry calibers, but against any real AA weapons it could only limit damage from hits in non critical areas.

Useful, but not what its often made out to be by rapid fans.

Pablo Sanchez · Post by **Pablo Sanchez** » 2002-09-08 09:52am

Sea Skimmer wrote:Yup, and with 15 rounds you can make ace three times over in a single sortie.

Good luck

You knew what I meant, and I'm sure I can find a way to kill a Stalin with a 20mm cannon, a shaped charge stick bomb should work…

An aircraft firing down on an IS-2 could crack the top armor, easy.

Useful, but not what its often made out to be by rapid fans.

I know, I know. But it's still a powerful image.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2002-09-08 04:04pm

Pablo Sanchez wrote:
Sea Skimmer wrote:Yup, and with 15 rounds you can make ace three times over in a single sortie.
Good luck

You knew what I meant, and I'm sure I can find a way to kill a Stalin with a 20mm cannon, a shaped charge stick bomb should work…
An aircraft firing down on an IS-2 could crack the top armor, easy.

I meant with a ground based FLAK gun.

Vendetta · Post by **Vendetta** » 2002-09-08 05:05pm

Lancaster. Absolutely beautiful plane, Obscene bomb payload (four times that of the B-17 or B-29), occasional raids saw them carrying a single, special purpose 22,000lb bomb.

Plus I have a friend who crewed one in the war (Tail gunner).

RayCav of ASVS · Post by **RayCav of ASVS** » 2002-09-08 05:27pm

Vendetta wrote:Lancaster. Absolutely beautiful plane, Obscene bomb payload (four times that of the B-17 or B-29), occasional raids saw them carrying a single, special purpose 22,000lb bomb.

Plus I have a friend who crewed one in the war (Tail gunner).

Only you Brits can think of the Lanc as pretty

"If it's ugly, it's a British plane"

"If it's weird, it's a French plane"

"If it's both ugly and weird, it's a Russian plane"