Most beautiful WW2 fighter plane.

[Pedronicus]

after reading a snippet from curly sharing his views, Juan asked a very good question. What was the best looking ww2 plane (and I'm going to limit it to fighters / fighterbombers.

I'm going to post some pictures for you to consider. Please add anything else you feel should be added and once we have a feel for things, then I'll add a poll.

First up we have the Supermarine Spitfire (I'm not going to add the hurricane because the spitfire is much more graceful looking.) and this image shows one of the earlier models with the rounded wingtips (they chopped the ends off and ruined the aesthetics later on in the war)


Then we'll have the P51 Mustang


One you probably aren't aware of. the Hawker Sea Fury (this is faster than a mustang btw)


They make motorbikes, but in 1945 - if wanted to be in a Kawasaki, you wanted to be in a Kawasaki ki-100 (No photos of one in the air)


Next up a plane that annihilated the spitfire of the day and made the RAF pilots very unhappy... the Focke-Wulf Fw 190


De Havilland Mosquito. They made it out of made out of wood due to a lack of aluminum !!! (powered by 2 merlin engines and weighing next to nothing - this bomber was as fast as a fighter)


Lockheed P-38 Lightning


and finally, old whistling death... the Goodyear Corsair

[Gregrios]

It would have to be the famous " Russian Fauker".

[Pedronicus]

The P-47



The Grunman F6F Hellcat (another gorgeous looking bit of kit)

[Juan_Bottom]

How does the Zero not make the list? It's a very pretty plane.

This is a good site to quickly get acquainted with all the fighters that saw action, save for the experimental craft.
http://www.warbirdalley.com/p47.htm

I'm very glad though that we agree that no Yaks or jets make the list!


I'll be honest though, everytime that I think I have my mind made up I see those pics again and I just can't choose. I don't think I can bring myself to vote.
This is a gorgeous thread, good catch Pedronicus...

[Neoteny]

What's wrong with jets?

[Juan_Bottom]

With the exception of the "dragonfly" they all looked like eggs with wings to me. At least during the war they did.

You know, It's embarrassing, but I didn't even know that the Mosquito was used as a fighter. But desperate times.... was it used as a nightfighter or bomber/bomber escort???

[Nikolai]

I also would like to know why the Me-262 is being excluded here... see thecurl's views thread for more info.



Couldn't find anything in color and flight.

[Pedronicus]

If you want to find some pictures of zeros and jets that you think should make the list, then feel free to add them. this is a public thread. not a personal pedro thread

[Juan_Bottom]

I also would like to know why the Me-262 is being excluded here... see thecurl's views thread for more info.



Couldn't find anything in color and flight.

Perhaps it's lack of combat use? It's not aplane associated with the war. Htere were some pretty planes that just didn't see enough combat to be remembered by the masses.

If you want to find some pictures of zeros and jets that you think should make the list, then feel free to add them. this is a public thread. not a personal pedro thread

Thank-you!

[OnlyAmbrose]

The corsair is gorgeous (I like my planes with curves ), with the spitfire and mustang in a close second.

[Pedronicus]

Merlin Engine noise
633 squadron soundtrack

[Sackett58]

She probably couldn't turn with the best of them or not as fast, but the P41 looked ready for a fight with those teeth.

[The1exile]

I think the mosquito, impractical though it is compared to the others, is one damn fine looking piece of kit for a pilot.

[TheProwler]

She probably couldn't turn with the best of them or not as fast, but the P41 looked ready for a fight with those teeth.

Are you sure that isn't a P-40?

Looks like a Flying Tigers airplane.

But I'm no expert...just wondering.

[Juan_Bottom]

The Flying Tigers flew both the P-40s and P-41s I believe.

And yes, clearly a Flying Tigers paint job.

[Optimus Prime]

I've always been a fan of the Spitfire, and the Corsair, but I'll have to give the edge to the Spitfire this time around.

[Sackett58]

She probably couldn't turn with the best of them or not as fast, but the P41 looked ready for a fight with those teeth.

Are you sure that isn't a P-40?

Looks like a Flying Tigers airplane.

But I'm no expert...just wondering.

I stand corrected. The goggle image states it as a P 41. But it was comonly known as a P 40. Forgive me John Wayne.

[TheProwler]

Yeah, the P-41 Thunderbolt was a totally different plane. Not used by The Flying Tigers.