Matrix Games Forums

listverse.com/2011/04/04/top-10-worst-aircraft-of-world-war-2/

Found this kind of interesting and funny.

Kind of hard to come up with such a list. Some of the planes on the list were known to be obsolete at the beginning of the war and were pressed into service because their replacements weren't ready yet. Others were new concept aircraft that had a lot of bugs that were never worked out before the war ended.

Interesting list though. I would agree that everything on the list had serious problems.

Bill

Interesting list.

I certainly could have guessed at a number of them being on the list, some others not... but interesting. Thanks. Hal

Comments about the Blackburn Botha

One test pilot noted “that thing is bloody lethal, but not to the Germans, I never want to see it again”. Another famous quote “access to this aircraft is difficult. It should be made impossible” is also frequently attributed

[:D]

I disagree with Devastator. I would say that for example Bulton Paul Defiant had a place in that list also in Italians which i know more the SM-85 dive bomber which could not dive...

Did a TBD ever hit an enemy warship in anger (not counting falling airplane parts)?

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Did a TBD ever hit an enemy warship in anger (not counting falling airplane parts)?

If kamikazes count then falling parts have to count.

I have trouble with some of the aircraft on the list; mainly on those that were old/ obsolete by WW2 (TBD for example) or non-aircraft (Okha "smart" missile)

I do believe that TBDs did hit the Shoho in the opening stages of the Coral Sea. Granted it was after the SBDs had wrecked her.

Well to be fair, it was probably more the lousy torpedo than the plane. The TBD was designed in 35 and went into service in 37. At the time it was probably the most advanced plane of it's type. But war brings about change a lot faster than peace. What was excellent in 37 was often obsolete in 41.

ORIGINAL: Norm3

I do believe that TBDs did hit the Shoho in the opening stages of the Coral Sea. Granted it was after the SBDs had wrecked her.

TBD torpedoes dit hit SHOHO. The following is an excerpt of a forthcoming TROM's revision:

"At 0855, SHOHO is attacked by the US airstrike. Turning hard to port, the carrier dodges the first three bombs. The next three attacking SBDs are engaged by 2 A5M4 and abort their attack. One SBD is shot down. At 0917, 3 A6M2 take off and head to the next US attacking planes: 15 VB-2 SBDs. One 1,000-lb bomb hit the carrier just in front of the aft elevator. A second bomb hits SHOHO near the same location. Next to attack are VT-2 TBDs: a torpedo hits the carrier’s stern at starboard destroying the steering gear; a second one hits amidships port side; then a third one, near the bow. In quick succession SHOHO is hit by another two torpedoes. She goes dead in the water and is devastated by several fires. US aircraft losses account for one “Dauntless” from YORKTOWN and two from LEXINGTON. SHOHO’s six CAP fighters lose three aircraft including 1 A6M2, the other three make ditch landings off Deboyne Island’s seaplane base. In total, the light carrier is overwhelmed, and struck by a reported total of seven torpedoes and thirteen bombs in the space of twenty-three minutes...

Gilbert

Edit: spelling !

The list is far from accurate, there were a lot of aircraft worse than these, maybe less publicity about them (No Amiot's made the list, the 410 was a failure but amongst the 10 worst??, Wirraway as a combat aircraft, YB40 & YB41????)

We need a poll, or get Warspite1 to run one.

The TBD attack on the Shoho was considered to be one of the best "in combat" examples of the classic torpedo squadron anvil attack tactics. They performed quite well that time - even if she was already damaged.

What about the F5F Chickenhawk, built to replace the F4F in 1943?

F5F-

I always wondered what the nickname was for the F5F! [:D]

ORIGINAL: DivePac88

What about the F5F Chickenhawk, built to replace the F4F in 1943?

F5F-

Or the SBRD (Silent But Really Deadly) dive bomber?

I never knew about this late-war Japanese aircraft....scroll down to the "KAKAKA "SHIRLEY" AMPHIBIOUS PEDAL-BOMBER" in the link

http://discaircraft.greyfalcon.us/Major ... 0Bixby.htm

If Devastator was obsolete what to say about Swordfish? Besides we should not forget that WW2 started in 1939 not in late 1941...

Swordfish was also obsolete... but it had a working torpedo