Author Topic: World War II’s Worst Airplane  (Read 3612 times)

Offline Frodo

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Offline Vraciu

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Offline Frodo

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Re: World War II’s Worst Airplane
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2019, 11:27:08 PM »
Even better info.  :cheers:


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Offline Vraciu

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Re: World War II’s Worst Airplane
« Reply #3 on: November 09, 2019, 09:34:38 AM »
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Offline Lusche

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Re: World War II’s Worst Airplane
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2019, 11:13:49 AM »
I think the combat glider concept of the BV-40 was a close second place  :old:
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Offline Greebo

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Re: World War II’s Worst Airplane
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2019, 01:31:45 PM »
From the warped perspective of the Nazis at the end of the war I don't think the Natter was a totally stupid idea and made more sense tactically as a point interceptor than the Me 163 had. The 163 needed a valuable and extensively trained pilot to fly and land the thing and had to operate from a fixed base that could be attacked or avoided. It was just as dangerous to that pilot as the Natter would have been, not just from that plane's fuel volatility but from Allied fighters as it glided back to base.

The Natter was essentially a manned SAM that could be cheaply built from mostly non-strategic materials using unskilled (i.e. slave) labour and fired from anywhere. It just needed someone with enough training to point it at a bomber, press a button to release its load of rockets or shells and bail out. If the pilot got killed by Allied fighters while in his chute then there were plenty more Hitler Youth to take his place. Not an option for any sane government sure, but the Nazis...why not?

If they had managed to sort out the bugs then the Natter would have probably also worked better than the other un-manned SAM systems being developed by the Nazis at the end of the war because unlike modern SAMs none of those included a viable proximity fuse and so would have needed a direct hit.

Offline Flavel

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Re: World War II’s Worst Airplane
« Reply #6 on: December 19, 2019, 02:55:23 PM »
There was an attack/bomber aircraft that I always considered a deathtrap.

Literally.  A deathtrap.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yokosuka_MXY-7_Ohka

Offline Arlo

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Re: World War II’s Worst Airplane
« Reply #7 on: December 19, 2019, 05:42:54 PM »

Offline pembquist

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Re: World War II’s Worst Airplane
« Reply #8 on: December 19, 2019, 07:28:58 PM »
Hey! I had never seen that 328 before. Kudos!
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Offline Arlo

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Re: World War II’s Worst Airplane
« Reply #9 on: December 19, 2019, 09:35:26 PM »
It never made it past the drawing board. Cool mock-up, though.

Offline Mister Fork

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Re: World War II’s Worst Airplane
« Reply #10 on: December 20, 2019, 10:05:28 AM »
It never made it past the drawing board. Cool mock-up, though.
...I think that might be one of the 9 prototypes built. Pulse engines were definitely ahead of its time. Right up there with 'worst airplane.' 

Here's a question, what aircraft was the biggest disappointment in WWII with respect to expectations and performance?
« Last Edit: December 20, 2019, 10:07:07 AM by Mister Fork »
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Offline Arlo

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Re: World War II’s Worst Airplane
« Reply #11 on: December 20, 2019, 10:26:20 AM »
...I think that might be one of the 9 prototypes built. Pulse engines were definitely ahead of its time. Right up there with 'worst airplane.' 

Here's a question, what aircraft was the biggest disappointment in WWII with respect to expectations and performance?

I'm torn between the Blackburn Botha and the Heinkel 177.

Offline Mister Fork

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Re: World War II’s Worst Airplane
« Reply #12 on: December 20, 2019, 10:47:58 AM »
I'm torn between the Blackburn Botha and the Heinkel 177.

Yeah, the 177 was a disaster and I'll also add that any four-engined bomber from Germany proved to be useless operationally.

Another disappointing aircraft was the Bf-110.  On paper was to be superior to any early WWII aircraft but in operation and in air to air combat against the Hurricane and Spitfire was a dismal failure. Perhaps if they removed the entire rear gunner and support systems, and shortened the cockpit glass it would have performed better?

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Offline Vraciu

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Re: World War II’s Worst Airplane
« Reply #13 on: December 20, 2019, 03:43:12 PM »
Yeah, the 177 was a disaster and I'll also add that any four-engined bomber from Germany proved to be useless operationally.

Another disappointing aircraft was the Bf-110.  On paper was to be superior to any early WWII aircraft but in operation and in air to air combat against the Hurricane and Spitfire was a dismal failure. Perhaps if they removed the entire rear gunner and support systems, and shortened the cockpit glass it would have performed better?

Wound up pretty potent as a stopgap night fighter.
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Online Devil 505

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Re: World War II’s Worst Airplane
« Reply #14 on: December 20, 2019, 03:46:29 PM »
Yeah, the 177 was a disaster and I'll also add that any four-engined bomber from Germany proved to be useless operationally.

Another disappointing aircraft was the Bf-110.  On paper was to be superior to any early WWII aircraft but in operation and in air to air combat against the Hurricane and Spitfire was a dismal failure. Perhaps if they removed the entire rear gunner and support systems, and shortened the cockpit glass it would have performed better?

I'd say the Me 210 even more so. It was so bad that the Luftwaffe ordered more 110's.
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