The what-if:s

[Zimme83]

A bit interesting to see all those planes that didn't make it to the front lines for various reasons. Aside from planes like Bearcat and the Spiteful, that were operational, only a bit too late there was a lot of more unconventional designs that i would have loved to see in the air.
XF-5U is one:

Do-335 Another:

Horten Ho-229 a third:


I wonder how post war Aircraft designing would have looked like if these more unconventional designs would have been successful in combat.

[WaffenVW]

Northrop XB-35

[DaveBB]

Do335 would have been the only successful plane.  Flying wings had some strange accidents until the advent of fly-by-wire. 

[715]

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

[Karnak]

J7W1 Shinden:

[Zimme83]

A few Do335 were flying and it proved itself capable of outrunning the Tempest on the deck.
XF-5U was not a flying wing since it had a tail with elevators.
The flight test of the Ho-229 wasnt that bad at all, it flew very well:

The H.IX V2 reportedly displayed very good handling qualities, with only moderate lateral instability (a typical deficiency of tailless aircraft). While the second flight was equally successful, the undercarriage was damaged by a heavy landing caused by Ziller deploying the brake parachute too early during his landing approach. There are reports that during one of these test flights, the H.IX V2 undertook a simulated "dog-fight" with a Messerschmitt Me 262, the first operational jet fighter, and that the H.IX V2 outperformed the Me 262.

So with more time and Resources it might have been a factor to reccon with.

[Zimme83]

SAAB had the J-21:

Had a DB 605B Engine, ejection seats and was the only prop-to-jet conversion of an operational Aircraft in the World.

[WaffenVW]

Northrop XP-56








Vultee XP-54






Curtiss-Wright XP-55

[WaffenVW]

SAAB had the J-21: (Image removed from quote.)

Had a DB 605B Engine, ejection seats and was the only prop-to-jet conversion of an operational Aircraft in the World.
(Image removed from quote.)

If it was operational, what is it doing in this thread? Breaking your own rules eh?

[MiloMorai]

If it was operational, what is it doing in this thread? Breaking your own rules eh?

WW2 was over by Dec 1945 when the first SAAB 21s were delivered

[WaffenVW]

WW2 was over by Dec 1945 when the first SAAB 21s were delivered

Wouldn't have seen action no matter when they became operational. Sweden wasn't directly involved in the war.

[Zimme83]

My thread - my rules 

[WaffenVW]

Sure, but what are they? 

[morfiend]

Sure, but what are they? 

  Seems it's a what if.... so about anything goes.... like what if those tomcats showed up on the coast of Japan in 45!!


     

[Wiley]

Sure, but what are they? 

Clearly you've never played Calvinball.

I too would love to play a game with the freak flyers.  It'd take a little bit of work, but I'm sure they could knock them out in a weekend, right?  *flees in abject terror*

Wiley.