View Single Post
Old 02-20-13, 01:57 AM   #1
Stealhead
Navy Seal
 
Stealhead's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 5,421
Downloads: 85
Uploads: 0
Default Your favorite WWII Aircraft

Some recent threads related to aircraft and military equipment got me thinking about this...What is your favorite WWII era aircraft(specific model or series) and why?

My favorite would be the FW-190 family.(and it is very difficult for me to choose one favorite)

I have always been fascinated by the FW-190 line myself mainly because it was such a versatile design it took on many roles very effectively and was also very popular with most pilots who flew them.(not so with every aircraft design) I also just happen to like the way they look.

Another aspect that the FW-190 introduced was its ease of maintenance/construction it was designed to be easily produced in components(a great benefit to Germany late war) and the designers put much thought into making the 190 easy to keep flying the wing(port and starboard) for example was one complete unit so if damage to the wings occurred the entire wing section was simply removed and replaced with a new one the damaged one if possible was repaired if possible.

The radial BMW 801's used in the A,F,and G series 190s was a respectable engine(it did have its teething troubles early on)later war A-8's could reach 400mph depending on how they where set up.Some people mistakenly think that the BMW 801 was an 18 cylinder it was actually a 14 cylinder engine.

Even towards the end of the war the "Dora" with the Jumo 213A1 inverted V-12 pushing out 1,600HP @ 18,000ft was a force to reckoned with and was more than a match for any allied fighter.Adolf Galland wanted RLM to procure only Doras as the only prop powered fighter after he flew one.

Last of the breed the insane Ta152H its Jumo 213E could produce 1700HP at 41,000ft with Nitrous oxide boost t that rate its top speed was 472mph the fastest piston powered aircraft to ever see combat during WWII.

For those who have wondered why some German WWII aircraft have the exhaust so low on the fuselage it is because the engine is an inverted "V" and the exhaust ports are naturally near the bottom of the engine unlike a standard "V" type where the ports are near the top of the engine.

I assume many of you know the aircraft I speak of for those who do not here are some profiles(not to scale)

Fw190A8(could be an A6)


Fw190D9


Ta152H

Last edited by Stealhead; 02-20-13 at 02:08 AM.
Stealhead is offline   Reply With Quote