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Favourite WW2 AIRCRAFT


old thumper

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How many people have a favourite World War Two aircraft and what is it?

I have a feeling that favourite aircraft do not have to be the more well known types such as Spitfires, B17s and Lancasters. Contrary to my expectations there seems to be a lot of people around that favour such lesser known types as the Defiant or Whirlwind for example.

I was once surprised to notice on an American website that the P40 was voted as the favourite and not the B17 or Mustang as I had expected.

Being spoilt for choice I find it hard to choose an overall favourite, so from Britain I name the Mosquito, from the USA the P38, from Italy the SM79 and from Germany the FW189.

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F4U Corsair. I suspect I'm not alone in that. But with a favourable mention for the far more obscure Curtiss P36. The P40's predecessor. All the others come a close third. Of the twins I like the Beaufighter with Hercules engines

It seems I have a thing for radial engines.

Edited by noelh
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One name only: Spitfire !

There's a reason why I have in my collection of built models and in my stash more Spitfires than all the other WW2 types together...

If I have to name a favourite for each of the main contendents, then may add the Re.2005 for Italy and the Fw.190D for Germany. I don't really have a favourite from the other countries, although I'm happy to build US, Japanese, French and Russian aircrafts too.

Edited by Giorgio N
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Hard to say - judge by the plane from WWII of which I have the most kits in stash it is clearly the Spitfire which certainly is a favorite of mine and maybe "the one". Not sure if the DH 103 Hornet would qualify as it was a tad late.

But I also like the P-51 Mustang and the B-26 Marauder. The Mig 3 looks cool and the look of the Breda Ba 65. From Germany my favorite is the He 219 Uhu followed by the Fw 187 Falke and Ju 188. All based purely on their look ;-)

Rene

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If it is good, it'll look good. If not initially, then it will once you get used to it. (Chin intakes on a jet fighter - nah, silly idea...) The other way around can be misleading. Not every pretty aircraft has been a success - eg the Battle has very nice lines; but people get used to and grow to like even the Lysander.

Favourites? Which day of the week is it? What book did I read last? What's the latest model release? Which one did I get out to work on next - well, actually, that's a particularly poor kit of a Yak 7, so perhaps not. Which one have I the most models of (not counting the Spitfire, oops what a giveaway.)

For an wide range of interesting modelling subjects, you can't go far wrong with the three big Hs - Hurricanes, Harvards, and Halifaxes. That's counting all NA16 derivatives as Harvards, of course.

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There is not a single British aircraft from WW2 that I find ugly (yeah I know!9 ;) ) but quite the opposite. I just cannot list them all..

..but for some reason I just ADORES the P-47s. It is such a brute! And reading about how they first operated, inexpereinced pilots struggling with them until they found out their strenghts makes my hair stand. And then how they actually becomes a very good fighter is amazing. The looks of both the Razorback and Bubbletop with all the amazing camos and pin-ups is one big factor as well of course.It is such an underrated workhorse of WW2..

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Easy picking:-)

Single engine: Typhoon and Tempest

Multi engine: Lancaster by far;-)

It's just the shape, noise and lines of these aircraft that does it for me...

US aircraft. .... maybe the P-38. Fancy more the British.

German. Have to be the HE-111.

That was my pickings. .

Cheers Ørjan

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I thought it would be simple until I started to type. I would have to say the Mustang is my little obsession, but then I started thinking about the Tempest, the MS.406, Fairey Firefly...

Ok, for now it's the Mustang.

Richard

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British, Mossie nothing comes close, before or after, poetry in wood

German, Focke Wulf FW190D

USA, Boeing B29

Japan, Kawasaki KI61 Hein.....

And if I had to pick one the Mossie...

And just to prove it, heres KA114 "making progress"

IMG_399008096431051_zpsltq74ljk.jpeg

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Agree with the comment about no Brit WW2 aircraft is ugly.

Fairey Barracuda? Should have been drowned at birth. The sort of aircraft you would never admit to flying.

Not every pretty aircraft has been a success - eg the Battle has very nice lines; but people get used to and grow to like even the Lysander.

Beauty is in the eye etc. The Lysander has always been a stunningly gorgeous aircraft to me, the Battle always looked like it had been elongated in one of those fun hall mirrors.

Some people may even like the Barracuda, I suppose in the same way some people find black pudding tasty.

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All late war US and Brit naval aircraft I'm afraid; even the Helldiver with all its problems.

But if I were to go with one only - the Spitfire and Seafire family.

If two, I would follow with the Mosquito.

If three; the Corsair.

If four; the Hellcat.

...I'll leave it at that.

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Commonweatlh Airforces - On looks it has to be the Spitfire (Merlin variants) but my actual "favourite" is a dead heat between the Whirlwind and the Defiant. I have ABSOLUTELY no idea why or what it is about them but I just love them to bits :mental:

US Airforces - On looks it has to be the P51D but I love the P40 family for their sheer persistence!

Luftwaffe - Bf 109E, I know it's all straight edges and braced tail planes when compared to the F but I reckon it is a wee stunner and it had fantastic performance for the time

Italy - Not my field of expertise at all but the Macchi 205 Veltro looks amazing while the Savoia Marchetti SM79 Sparviero really floats my boat for some completely unknown reason :confused:

Japan - Again not an area of expertise for me but the Kawanishi H6K "Mavis" and the Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien "Tony" are the two that immediately leap to mind and get my modelling mojo jumping

Re-reading this list it is completely obvious that I have very broad taste!

DC

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