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Quoted:
I love civiltary warbirds. North American B-25 Mitchell https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/48911/civilMitchell8_jpg-933638.JPG Martin B-26 Marauder https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/48911/civilMarauder1_jpg-933641.JPG Douglas A-20 Havoc https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/48911/civilHavoc6_jpg-933642.JPG Douglas A-26 Invader https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/48911/civilInvader35a_jpg-933654.JPG View Quote But all those involved in the naming of those should be tortured. Douglas A-20 Havoc..... then they built the A-26 Invader but renamed it the B-26 when the Air Force was formed and when the Martin B-26 Marauder was retired. And then they renamed it the A-26. |
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JU88 was the most flexible aircraft of the war. It did everything well.
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The B-26 Flak Bait is being restored at the Smithsonian in Virginia.
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I always read that an A26, once it dropped it's bomb load, could out turn and out dive an ME109. By the end of the war in Europe, the A26's had shot down as many ME109's as the ME109's had shot down A26's.
The Mosquito was a bad ass, too. Fast enough, when stripped down, to use for daylight recon over Europe. They had a very good chance of being able to take off from Britain, fly to a target area (day before or the day after) a bombing raid and take pictures before returning to their base. While outrunning the best German fighters multiple times during the mission. One you seldom see mentioned was called a Bristol Beaufighter. Night fighter later used for daylight ground attack, coastal defense, etc. Fast and maneuverable. |
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Catch 22 Take off scene |
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Top speed of the Mosquito in level flight at altitude was actually around 400 mph, not the 300 mph stated by a previous poster. Here's a good overview.
WWII Documentary: The Mosquito | The Legendary Aircraft Of WWII There are also some good youtubes about the variety of missions they flew. |
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Probably the most iconic would be the B-25 Mitchel.
From the early dark days of WW2 until the last days of the war the B-25 carried the fight to the enemy. Good range, good payload & forgiving to fly !! Made a huge impact on Japanese shipping and on Japanese airfields. I would say that the two that capture my imagination the most are the B-25 and A-26 Invader. My dad used to load bombs and ammo onto A-26s in Laos during the early part of the war in SE Asia. Around 1964. So the Invader has a special place in my heart. I always look at these aircraft from the standpoint of what they would be like to actually fly myself. The A-26 Invader would probably be more entertaining since it would fly more like a fighter. If I ever win the Powerball I'll get both. |
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Heavy bomber but venerable for sure. I understand that Tom Landry the ex head coach of the Dallas Cowboys was a B-17 pilot in WWII. They say that he was a very competent and a good one too. I'm sure he was. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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From the National Air Force Museum. One of my favorites. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/327887/20190413_162830_jpg-933617.JPG Well, not a twin engine I understand that Tom Landry the ex head coach of the Dallas Cowboys was a B-17 pilot in WWII. They say that he was a very competent and a good one too. I'm sure he was. |
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I love civiltary warbirds. North American B-25 Mitchell https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/48911/civilMitchell8_jpg-933638.JPG Martin B-26 Marauder https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/48911/civilMarauder1_jpg-933641.JPG Douglas A-20 Havoc https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/48911/civilHavoc6_jpg-933642.JPG Douglas A-26 Invader https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/48911/civilInvader35a_jpg-933654.JPG View Quote |
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JU88 was the most flexible aircraft of the war. It did everything well. View Quote High Altitude Long Range Night Bomber (able to fly to Berlin & Back with the Payload of a B-17 or B-24) Medium Altitude tactical bomber Pathfinder (to designate & mark targets for attack by night bomber main force) Surgical Attack Aircraft (used in some of the most daring & pinpoint bombing raids of the war) Long Range Strategic Reconnaissance (the workhorse of the Allies) Night Fighter (intercept and shoot down enemy aircraft in your airspace) Intruder (fly at night into enemy airspace to hunt his night fighters or attack his airfields) Anti-shipping strike aircraft (Rockets + 57mm cannon "Molins gun on the "Tsetse Fly" version) Long Range Heavy Fighter to hunt enemy anti-shipping aircraft High Priority Fast Transport (BOAC) And as a Fighter Bomber... Just an Amazing Aircraft that excelled in so many roles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Mosquito Put a JU-88 in the air around Spitfires, P-47 or P-51s and you'd have an easy kill Put a Mosquito in the air around Bf-109 or FW-190 and most often the Mosquito returns home to base. (& Maybe the enemy does not....) FROM THE WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE : "The FB Mk VI proved capable of holding its own against fighter aircraft, in addition to strike/bombing roles. For example, on 15 January 1945 Mosquito FB Mk VIs of 143 Squadron were engaged by 30 Focke-Wulf Fw 190s from Jagdgeschwader 5: the Mosquitos sank an armed trawler and two merchant ships, but five Mosquitos were lost (two reportedly to flak),[177] while shooting down five Fw 190s" |
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Probably the most iconic would be the B-25 Mitchel. I always look at these aircraft from the standpoint of what they would be like to actually fly myself. The A-26 Invader would probably be more entertaining since it would fly more like a fighter. If I ever win the Powerball I'll get both. View Quote |
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Quoted: We all have our opinion, but I'd give the Blue ribbon to the Mosquito. High Altitude Long Range Night Bomber (able to fly to Berlin & Back with the Payload of a B-17 or B-24) Medium Altitude tactical bomber Pathfinder (to designate & mark targets for attack by night bomber main force) Surgical Attack Aircraft (used in some of the most daring & pinpoint bombing raids of the war) Long Range Strategic Reconnaissance (the workhorse of the Allies) Night Fighter (intercept and shoot down enemy aircraft in your airspace) Intruder (fly at night into enemy airspace to hunt his night fighters or attack his airfields) Anti-shipping strike aircraft (Rockets + 57mm cannon "Molins gun on the "Tsetse Fly" version) Long Range Heavy Fighter to hunt enemy anti-shipping aircraft High Priority Fast Transport (BOAC) And as a Fighter Bomber... Just an Amazing Aircraft that excelled in so many roles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Mosquito Put a JU-88 in the air around Spitfires, P-47 or P-51s and you'd have an easy kill Put a Mosquito in the air around Bf-109 or FW-190 and most often the Mosquito returns home to base. (& Maybe the enemy does not....) FROM THE WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE : "The FB Mk VI proved capable of holding its own against fighter aircraft, in addition to strike/bombing roles. For example, on 15 January 1945 Mosquito FB Mk VIs of 143 Squadron were engaged by 30 Focke-Wulf Fw 190s from Jagdgeschwader 5: the Mosquitos sank an armed trawler and two merchant ships, but five Mosquitos were lost (two reportedly to flak),[177] while shooting down five Fw 190s" View Quote |
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Saw a video on this one the other day. Made of wood as several of them like the B-24 were. Could attain speeds of up to 300 mph. Impressive for the day and for what it achieved. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes |
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Top speed of the Mosquito in level flight at altitude was actually around 400 mph, not the 300 mph stated by a previous poster. There are some good youtubes about the variety of missions they flew. View Quote |
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That can be misleading, what altitudes, pilot abilities, what phase of the war? I’m a huge fan of the twins, but generally they are no match for a single engine fighter. The mosquito isn’t really a bomber, it’s actually a fighter pressed into service as bomber and Reece use because of its speed. There are very,very few actual incidents of actual dog fights with medium and light bombers, where the bomber won. Look at the Battle of Britain the Luftwaffe had to pull out their twins due to loss’s. Big twins just can’t turn and are a big bullseye. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
Quoted: We all have our opinion, but I'd give the Blue ribbon to the Mosquito. High Altitude Long Range Night Bomber (able to fly to Berlin & Back with the Payload of a B-17 or B-24) Medium Altitude tactical bomber Pathfinder (to designate & mark targets for attack by night bomber main force) Surgical Attack Aircraft (used in some of the most daring & pinpoint bombing raids of the war) Long Range Strategic Reconnaissance (the workhorse of the Allies) Night Fighter (intercept and shoot down enemy aircraft in your airspace) Intruder (fly at night into enemy airspace to hunt his night fighters or attack his airfields) Anti-shipping strike aircraft (Rockets + 57mm cannon "Molins gun on the "Tsetse Fly" version) Long Range Heavy Fighter to hunt enemy anti-shipping aircraft High Priority Fast Transport (BOAC) And as a Fighter Bomber... Just an Amazing Aircraft that excelled in so many roles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Mosquito Put a JU-88 in the air around Spitfires, P-47 or P-51s and you'd have an easy kill Put a Mosquito in the air around Bf-109 or FW-190 and most often the Mosquito returns home to base. (& Maybe the enemy does not....) FROM THE WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE : "The FB Mk VI proved capable of holding its own against fighter aircraft, in addition to strike/bombing roles. For example, on 15 January 1945 Mosquito FB Mk VIs of 143 Squadron were engaged by 30 Focke-Wulf Fw 190s from Jagdgeschwader 5: the Mosquitos sank an armed trawler and two merchant ships, but five Mosquitos were lost (two reportedly to flak),[177] while shooting down five Fw 190s" In the Battle of Britain, the German Bombers DO-17, HE-111, JU-88 never really worked out the whole defensive fire plan thing. The Germans used single, hand held 8mm machineguns with a 50 round drum... Contrast that Vs. 8 belt fed .303 brownings off a Hurricane or Spitfire... The Me-110 (German twin engined "fighter" was manhandled so badly by the RAF, that the Luftwaffe had to assign Fighers Escorts (BF-109) to their "fighter" ME-110s You are correct that the size & mass of a twin engine fighter works against it being as maneuverable as most single engined fighters. The P-38 had trouble in the E.T.O. against the German Bf-109 & FW-190s for that reason. In the Pacific, the P-38 couldn't maneuver with the super Nimble Zero or Oscars either, but the US pilots shot down a LOT of them by using their range, speed & heavy punch to Boom & Zoom. The P-38 was to top USAAF fighter in the P.T.O. I would not take a Mosquito as first pick to go FW-190 hunting, but the speed and heavy firepower of the Mosquito were really unique in WWII. German Fighters who messed with a swarm of Mosquitos could find the Hunter becoming the Hunted. |
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Another prototype that never entered service
Bell AT-38 Grizzly attack plane Had a 75mm gun in the nose Attached File |
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Not much love here for the Douglas A-20 I have liked the gun nose version for a long time. Single seat attack bomber - no copilot sitting beside you in those tiny cockpits. But that also means no possible to stretch the legs if even a little on long missions over the ocean. Skip bombing and strafing jap freighters in the Bismarck Sea (B-25s did this too) https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3415/4634250301_4c34dfa342_b.jpg http://3rdstories.yolasite.com/resources/Mark_Harbour/Salome%20%2040-144%20%20Kila%20(%203%20Mile%20)%204.jpg View Quote |
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View Quote But damn, if it's isn't my absolute favorite piston engine warbird! Attached File So symmetrical. |
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with respect. In the Battle of Britain, the German Bombers DO-17, HE-111, JU-88 never really worked out the whole defensive fire plan thing. The Germans used single, hand held 8mm machineguns with a 50 round drum... Contrast that Vs. 8 belt fed .303 brownings off a Hurricane or Spitfire... The Me-110 (German twin engined "fighter" was manhandled so badly by the RAF, that the Luftwaffe had to assign Fighers Escorts (BF-109) to their "fighter" ME-110s You are correct that the size & mass of a twin engine fighter works against it being as maneuverable as most single engined fighters. The P-38 had trouble in the E.T.O. against the German Bf-109 & FW-190s for that reason. In the Pacific, the P-38 couldn't maneuver with the super Nimble Zero or Oscars either, but the US pilots shot down a LOT of them by using their range, speed & heavy punch to Boom & Zoom. The P-38 was to top USAAF fighter in the P.T.O. I would not take a Mosquito as first pick to go FW-190 hunting, but the speed and heavy firepower of the Mosquito were really unique in WWII. German Fighters who messed with a swarm of Mosquitos could find the Hunter becoming the Hunted. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Quoted: We all have our opinion, but I'd give the Blue ribbon to the Mosquito. High Altitude Long Range Night Bomber (able to fly to Berlin & Back with the Payload of a B-17 or B-24) Medium Altitude tactical bomber Pathfinder (to designate & mark targets for attack by night bomber main force) Surgical Attack Aircraft (used in some of the most daring & pinpoint bombing raids of the war) Long Range Strategic Reconnaissance (the workhorse of the Allies) Night Fighter (intercept and shoot down enemy aircraft in your airspace) Intruder (fly at night into enemy airspace to hunt his night fighters or attack his airfields) Anti-shipping strike aircraft (Rockets + 57mm cannon "Molins gun on the "Tsetse Fly" version) Long Range Heavy Fighter to hunt enemy anti-shipping aircraft High Priority Fast Transport (BOAC) And as a Fighter Bomber... Just an Amazing Aircraft that excelled in so many roles. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Mosquito Put a JU-88 in the air around Spitfires, P-47 or P-51s and you'd have an easy kill Put a Mosquito in the air around Bf-109 or FW-190 and most often the Mosquito returns home to base. (& Maybe the enemy does not....) FROM THE WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE : "The FB Mk VI proved capable of holding its own against fighter aircraft, in addition to strike/bombing roles. For example, on 15 January 1945 Mosquito FB Mk VIs of 143 Squadron were engaged by 30 Focke-Wulf Fw 190s from Jagdgeschwader 5: the Mosquitos sank an armed trawler and two merchant ships, but five Mosquitos were lost (two reportedly to flak),[177] while shooting down five Fw 190s" In the Battle of Britain, the German Bombers DO-17, HE-111, JU-88 never really worked out the whole defensive fire plan thing. The Germans used single, hand held 8mm machineguns with a 50 round drum... Contrast that Vs. 8 belt fed .303 brownings off a Hurricane or Spitfire... The Me-110 (German twin engined "fighter" was manhandled so badly by the RAF, that the Luftwaffe had to assign Fighers Escorts (BF-109) to their "fighter" ME-110s You are correct that the size & mass of a twin engine fighter works against it being as maneuverable as most single engined fighters. The P-38 had trouble in the E.T.O. against the German Bf-109 & FW-190s for that reason. In the Pacific, the P-38 couldn't maneuver with the super Nimble Zero or Oscars either, but the US pilots shot down a LOT of them by using their range, speed & heavy punch to Boom & Zoom. The P-38 was to top USAAF fighter in the P.T.O. I would not take a Mosquito as first pick to go FW-190 hunting, but the speed and heavy firepower of the Mosquito were really unique in WWII. German Fighters who messed with a swarm of Mosquitos could find the Hunter becoming the Hunted. |
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A-20s were very maneuverable - many pilots said it flew like a fighter. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted:
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Not much love here for the Douglas A-20 I have liked the gun nose version for a long time. Single seat attack bomber - no copilot sitting beside you in those tiny cockpits. But that also means no possible to stretch the legs if even a little on long missions over the ocean. Skip bombing and strafing jap freighters in the Bismarck Sea (B-25s did this too) https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3415/4634250301_4c34dfa342_b.jpg http://3rdstories.yolasite.com/resources/Mark_Harbour/Salome%20%2040-144%20%20Kila%20(%203%20Mile%20)%204.jpg |
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PV2 Harpoon and it's brother the B34 Lexington bring the sexy. Sleak, fast, bringing the 50 cal hate. Like a B25 but better. https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/361372/81948_1490411252_jpg-933734.JPG View Quote But anything with a P&W R-2800 is a winner for me (I work on 2800s most days.) |
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https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/46283/D0F59A18-1E55-4117-8965-B0281AF4E088_jpeg-934527.JPGhttps://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/46283/0E4D8B5E-8DD3-4525-98C8-4DF1B91A6620_jpeg-934528.JPGhttps://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/46283/48B76F7B-3E4B-4ABC-8080-59A9BB7087BF_jpeg-934530.JPG View Quote Two pop up to mind being the He-162 (Peoples Jet) and the Vertical Launched Rocket armed Interceptor Nater (Viper) |
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American twins were amazing at the time. The b-26 gets my vote.
Fun little story from my Grandfather. He was stationed at an airbase in west Texas for training during WW2. One day one of the B-25 pilots asked if he wanted a free ride in the front/lower area and he took it. Little did Grandpa know that the B-25 pilots used windmills as navigating aids and targets. The pilots had a game to see how close they could come to the windmills and often clipped them. Grandpas pilot for that ride was one of the craziest and took out more than one windmill, apparently feeding off the fear and screams, after that Grandpa never got into another B-25 no matter what. |
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I am surprised to the people in overwhelming agreement. dehavilland mosquito
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https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/0de85043-d9bc-4c0d-9bcb-fb1c82af17ba_1.1327ae659ef7168eeb32bc53d54cf415.jpeg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=FFFFFF The fuselages were steel tubing,made by Schwinn. View Quote |
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IIR
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A couple that are less remembered: Martin Baltimore https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/187062/300px-Martin_A-30A_jpg-933648.JPG Martin Maryland https://www.AR15.Com/media/mediaFiles/187062/300px-Martin_Maryland_RAF_North_Africa_jpg-933653.JPG View Quote |
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