Favorite WW2 Bomber

[Guerrilla Guy]

B-17, reliable, hard to kill, good protection, good payload, and long range… couldn’t ask for anything more out of a bomber.

GG

[Obergruppenfuhrer]

The B-17 by FAR. I personally have an affection for the He-111 but in terms of the “best bomber” I love the Fortress with all my heart. I believe daylight bombing helped us win the war in a much speedier time frame and arguably, in general.

My all time fave is the B-17F (ie: The Memphis Belle). Those were to first full squadrons of heavies into Germany and other bomb targets with NO fighter escort beyond what could make it just past the channel and hopefully link up with them on their way back. These bombers took tremendous losses and the stories of some of these planes landing when it was scientfically impossible blow my mind. Marting Caidens “B-17’s, The Flying Forts” is the best book I’ve read about that planes role in every combat theater it played a part. From it’s beginning and technical aspects to many personal accounts, the book paints one of the most colorful pictures I’ve ever encountered regarding what the crews of this plane went through, what the B-17 achieved and most of all, the sacrafices their crews made, especially in situations where they didn’t have to.

[Obergruppenfuhrer]

@Guerrilla:

B-17, reliable, hard to kill, good protection, good payload, and long range… couldn’t ask for anything more out of a bomber.

GG

BTW. Well put. I couldn’t possibly sum it up any better than that.

[ABWorsham4]

I love the poll, Obergruppenfuhrer!

[Obergruppenfuhrer]

You could pick 3? DAMNIT! I only picked one and now it’s too late. Such a tough choice and SUCH a good poll. I love the stuka, he-11, Mitchell and the Condor was amazing. I like this poll because it doesn’t just spread one catagory (ie: long range, twin or double engine, ect)

Here’s the B-17G I got to spend 45 minutes in. I spent most of the time trying to teach myself the instruments.

(notice the altimeter on the back of the waist mounted 50 cal. I thought that was interesting. I’m assuming it served so they knew when to be on oxygen and probably when they needed to get out of the plane if it was going down.

[oldguard11]

B-17 is by far my favorite. My father-in-law was a radio operator on one (shot down over Germany and captured in 1944) :-(.
P.S. yes he is still kicking

[Obergruppenfuhrer]

@oldguard11:

B-17 is by far my favorite. My father-in-law was a radio operator on one (shot down over Germany and captured in 1944) :-(.
P.S. yes he is still kicking

Wow! What I wouldn’t give to have coffee with him and here his story! Those radio operators had to get on the Browning 50’s all the time when getting jumped by hundreds of 109’s and 190’s.

[a44bigdog]

B-17, considering how far above the other aircraft produced at the time it entered service.

B-25, I think if it went bang and could be shoe horned in or strapped to one it did.

Arado. Hey they just look cool.

[F6FHellcat]

No love for Russia bomber?

[Obergruppenfuhrer]

Glad to see the B-17 is still the front runner. Best all around bomber of the war if you ask me. It brought Germany to it’s knees.

[11HP20]

Although it was a dive bomber I picked the Stuka. That plane simply has that “it” factor. Since I couldn’t narrow it down to 3 I just stuck with 1 vote. My number 2 would be the B-29. I particular I like the Enola Gay and Bach’s Car.

[Obergruppenfuhrer]

@11HP20:

Although it was a dive bomber I picked the Stuka. That plane simply has that “it” factor. Since I couldn’t narrow it down to 3 I just stuck with 1 vote. My number 2 would be the B-29. I particular I like the Enola Gay and Bach’s Car.

Yes I would agree with you about the Stuka. What an amazing dive bomber that was able to work in such close proximity with friendly forces. Although not all of them were equipped with the “Siren Of Jericho”, that had a profound effect on enemy morale. Even when they were out of ammunition, the bombers would still do dry runs at opposing forces just to freak them out. It worked!!

[F6FHellcat]

I find cartoon of how B-17 take much damage and still fly.  It get weird at end but makes point of how tough B-17 were.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9UfNaTcDpM

It not accurate in name though.  Pacific Princess was the name of a B-25.  There no record of B-17 name Pacific Princess.

[Deaths Head 420]

Nice list of Choices, I like, But your Missing the US Dauntless Dive Bomber.  Now that was a Work Horse.

[frimmel]

@F6FHellcat:

No love for Russia bomber?

I think you get a lot of Yanks here and there set aside of anything Russian. Most likely due to not really being exposed to it. A lot of the aircraft in your list, even I,  as someone with more than a passing intrest would be hard pressed to identify.

[crusaderiv]

I like the of the B24
For the light bomber, I go for the JU 88.

For the dive bomber, well the choice is realy easy…JU 87!

Al.

[Cnl Cool]

Some important multi-engine bombers are missing in the poll:

Petlyakov pe-8 (most important russian 4-engine strategic bomber)
Heinkel he 177 (Germanys ONLY strategic bomber)
Piaggio p.108b (Italys 4-engine strategic bomber)
Bristol 142/149/160 Blenheim (uk standard day-bomber)
Cant z.1007bis alcione (3-engine italian heavy fast bomber)

Some of the most attractive 2-engine US designs are missing:
Martin 187 baltimore
douglas a-20 havoc
douglas b-26 invader

The complete absence of the most important french types is conspicious: Potez, Bloch, Leo, etc.

[Cnl Cool]

Favorite WW2 Bomber?
How about SAAB 18? That bomber will easily give you a penalty of 3 ipc if you dare to invade neutral Sweden.

[ABWorsham4]

Col Cool, you should make a poll question.

[RJL518]

For me…it would have to be the B-24 Liberator…my grandfather served as a gunner on one in the European Theater