Favourite plane and why?

Dear all

We have had favourite ace, now for the unsung heros the aircraft designers!

I would say that my favourite plane would be the DR 1 as it was a pilots plane that once mastered was one hell of a machine.

A close second would be the SE5a, after all you only have to look at how many aces were made by the SE5a.

Although i think i would want a late production of both seeing as falling out of the sky would not be my idea of fun!!!!!

Mark

[Billy_Bishop]

My favorite aeroplane (to put it in WWI vernacular) is the SE-5a. And a close 2nd to that is the Sopwith Dolphin.

Now, some are going to say I prefer the SE-5a because Billy Bishop flew it, and got a good number of his victories in it. WRONG!!! I like the way it looks. It has good speed, and with the Lewis gun, you can have fun sneaking up under someone and giving them a .303 enema.

But, I also like the SPAD 7 and 13, almost all of the Nieuport series, the Pfalz DIII/DIIIa, and the Bristol F2B.

But my favorite is still the SE-5a.

VBR,

Al Lowe

I like the SPAD XIII, It was without a doubt the fastest pursuit plane on the front, and in the hands of a master (like Frank Luke or EVR) outclassed anything the Germans could put up. With it's 2 Vickers and 37mm Balloon Buster canon, it was the plane which carried the 27th, and 94th to immortality in the annals of AEF history.
On the German side I like the Fokker DVII, it was built for speed and agility. The DR1 was a good dogfighter, but it was underpowered and slow.
Regards,
Jim

First, I disagree that the "SPAD XIII, in the hands of a master, could outclass anything the Germans could put up". The SPAD XIII is a perfectly reasonable choice for favorite aircraft, but saying it was better than the Fokker D.VII (or Siemens Schuckert, or Fokker D.VIII) is a lot more contentious, and I would have to disagree. In the hands of a master the SPAD XIII would outclass most German machines, unless they were also flown by a master --- I'd bet on Udet in a Siemens D.IV over Luke in a S.XIII.

Now to the point ... my favorite planes are the Sopwith Triplane (odd and elegant), and the Bristol F2.b (a capable fighter with a nasty surprise waiting in the back seat for any would-be attacker).

Graham

[Vin]

Graham

You have got to be joking !!

On their records, you would back Udet in anything over Luke in a S XIII. According to the records posted at this site, Udet scored his first victory on 18 March 1916, survived the war and is credited with 62 victories. Luke lasted less than 2 months at the front and less than 3 weeks from his first victory, 4 of which were aircraft.

If you want to compare Udet with a Spad pilot, then at least dignify him with an opponent of standing, say Fonck or Guynemer.


Vin

Favorite planes:

British: DH2 Why? I like the way it looked.

German: Fokker Dr1. Why? I liked the way it looked

French: Nieuport 17. Why? I like the way it looked

Depending on when they first arrived at the front they were all real terrors in the sky. No, I wouldn't want to be in a DH2 with a Fok D VII on my tail but at the same time I wouldn't want to be in a Fok E III with a DH2 on my tail.

[center] <table> <tr> <td> </td> <td> Tobias Gibson, OTFM
tgibson@ruhsu.rush.edu
48 Kills
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British: SE-5a Why? It was a manly machine and also was the mount of most of the aces

German: Pfalz DIII. I like the way it looks.

French: Nieuport 17. Used by almost all the Allies, a good aircraft

And finally:

Russia's Il'ya Muromets because it was (1) the first four-engined aircraft and bomber ever and (2) it was an amazing aircraft that did an awesome job.

nieuport 17;
albatros d.iii;
just like the way they look.

leon

Vin,

Didn't say it was an even-odds bet ... just trying to point out that Luke in a S.XIII wouldn't "outclass" anything the Germans could put in the skies.

Graham

[Vin]

Graham,

The Luke groupies trot out comparisons between him and the truly greats from time to time to boost his reputation by association, a reputation which was not earned by performance.

If you have to compare Luke with anyone, then the closest is Karl Schlegel.


Vin