The what-if:s

[Grendel]

Prior to the 1941 German invasion and violation of that pact the Russians were in no way part of WWII. At this time Sweden was more of a German ally than what the Russians were.

Except the tiny bit of invading Poland. Hence, Soviet Union had already joined the active World War II participants by the time they invaded Finland. Of course, the invasion of the Baltic nations was also part of the grand scheme of WW2 and Ribbentrop pact. And Ribbentrop pact itself is definitely a major part of the World War II history. The Winter War itself was also quite close to flaming up and bringing Britain and other western nations directly against Soviet Union.
Therefore: Soviet Union was very much in WW2 prior German invasion. Both militarily and politically.

[WaffenVW]

Any war that did not include the major colonial powers of France and Britain was not a world war. It is only when the globe-spanning empires of France and Britain get involved that it becomes a world war. The Soviet invasion of Poland did not provoke the French and British to declare war on Russia. Thus it is not part of any world war, just a regional European conflict. Same with the Baltic invasions and the Winter War of 1939.

[Oldman731]

Any war that did not include the major colonial powers of France and Britain was not a world war. It is only when the globe-spanning empires of France and Britain get involved that it becomes a world war. The Soviet invasion of Poland did not provoke the French and British to declare war on Russia. Thus it is not part of any world war, just a regional European conflict. Same with the Baltic invasions and the Winter War of 1939.

This is a nice thought, but, so far as I know, you're about the only one who views the war this way.

- olmdan

[WaffenVW]

Really? Can you quote a published historian who considers the Winter War between Russia and Finland part of WWII?

[Oldman731]

Really? Can you quote a published historian who considers the Winter War between Russia and Finland part of WWII?

...well...OK.

I suppose we could start with Encyclopedia Brittanica:

Russo-Finnish War, also called Winter War, (Nov. 30, 1939–March 12, 1940), war waged by the Soviet Union against Finland at the beginning of World War II, following the conclusion of the German-Soviet Nonaggression Pact (Aug. 23, 1939).
http://www.britannica.com/event/Russo-Finnish-War

You could go on to Dupuy and Dupuy, "Military Heritage of America," McGraw-Hill, New York, 1956, which lists "The Soviet-Finnish War, 1939 to 1940" among the "Early Campaigns of World War II.  See pages 431-433.

Similarly, the West Point Atlas of American Wars, Volume II, Praeger 1959, lists the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-40 as among the "Early Campaigns" of WWII.  See maps 8-10.

Liddell Hart, in his "History of the Second World War," G.P. Putnam's Sons, New York, 1970, places his Chapter 5 ("The Finnish War") after the overrunning of Poland and the Phony War, at pages 43-48.  The title of the book says something about his views on which war included the Winter War.
 
We could probably spend quite a bit more time tracking down similar historians.  On the other hand, can you quote a published historian who doesn't think that the Winter War was part of WWII?

- oldman

[WaffenVW]

Well done. I stand corrected. <S>

[streakeagle]

The Swedish plane the only prop to jet conversion to see service?
What about the Yak-15... a Yak fighter with the Me262 engine pasted onto the nose.
I think that gets rid of the "only" tag originally posted.

[streakeagle]

A quote from wiki that proves I am not crazy (or at least others are as insane as me):

Along with the Swedish Saab 21R, it was one of only two jets to be successfully converted from a piston-powered aircraft and enter production.

[Zimme83]

Oooh. Havent seen that one before. You are of course correct.

[save]

Do not forget the LA7-R !
you get both Rocket engine AND Prop plane , and you pay for one
80kph faster but sucked in everything except exploding.



ENY 30 in AH 

[jimbo71]

How do you bail out of the XB-35 without being shredded by the props?

The bail out procedure was somewhat lengthy.   You had to unlock your seat and rotate it 180 degrees.  Then use a manual seat jack to lower your seat 4 feet, walk aft to a hatch (put on your parachute there) open hatch & bail.

The price for this research = 10 Minute training session in 88 AA gun 

[WaffenVW]

Bachem Ba 349 Natter - Rocket interceptor.




Miles M.39B Libellula - Fast bomber.




Hafner Rotabuggy - A Willys combined with a rotor kite.

[FLOOB]

66 Ryan Fireballs were built before the end of the war. The USN's first jet.

[DaveBB]

High altitude medium bomber.  372mph at 25k.  Speed saves lives.  Also armed with 6 50cals and a 2000 mile range.

[WaffenVW]

Its name?