The Worst Aircraft of WW2

[Treetop64]

Originally Posted by JtD

I just realized that the Curtiss Seamew is classified as "bad but useful" - what was it useful at? Does anyone know? I've read a lot about the bad qualities, but nothing about the "useful" ones.

The Seamew turned out to be quite useful as a radio controlled target. No kidding.

Curtis tried to rescue the situation with the SO3C by building a lighter version with a more powerful engine, and it had a limited production run, but no one was interested.

Poor Curtiss. They started off brilliantly with the Hawk and P-40 series, then it all went downhill from there. At least they continued to build very good propeller and hub systems for a long time, used by many other aircraft, and they could be proud of that.

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by Treetop64

The Seamew turned out to be quite useful as a radio controlled target. No kidding.

Curtis tried to rescue the situation with the SO3C by building a lighter version with a more powerful engine, and it had a limited production run, but no one was interested.

Poor Curtiss. They started off brilliantly with the Hawk and P-40 series, then it all went downhill from there. At least they continued to build very good propeller and hub systems for a long time, used by many other aircraft, and they could be proud of that.

From what I've read, Curtiss ended up with severe management problems that stifled the potential of their engineers. Like a lot of companies but worse I suppose

Another Curtiss aircraft ..the SB2C Helldiver is lambasted in some of the short histories of aircraft... it seems that any more in depth reading suggests that after some modifications and changes that it ended the war with a good reputation and a solid combat record (more shipping sunk than any other USN type). I'm sure the Hispano cannons and HVAR rocket attachments on later models were very appreciated.

[MaxGunz]

I worked with an engineer who had worked for Curtiss until he joined the Navy in 1943. He's still alive btw. He worked on the X-55 and the X-75 mockup. When the X-55 was determined to have no significant speed increase over the P-51 it was dropped. The X-75 was a twin with a 75mm gun made to shoot proximity shells at Japanese bombers. I think that they would have run out of Japanese bombers before it could get operational.

[MiloMorai]

Something not right with those designations MaxG

Lockheed Martin X-55 Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft

Fisher XP-75 Eagle
Armament

6x .50 caliber (12.7 mm) wing mounted machine guns
4x .50 caliber (12.7 mm) fuselage mounted machine guns
2x 500 lb (227 kg) bombs

Powerplant: 1 × Allison V-3420-23 liquid-cooled 24-cylinder double-Vee, 2,885 hp (2,150 kW)

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by MiloMorai

Something not right with those designations MaxG

Lockheed Martin X-55 Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft

Fisher XP-75 Eagle
Armament

6x .50 caliber (12.7 mm) wing mounted machine guns
4x .50 caliber (12.7 mm) fuselage mounted machine guns
2x 500 lb (227 kg) bombs

Powerplant: 1 × Allison V-3420-23 liquid-cooled 24-cylinder double-Vee, 2,885 hp (2,150 kW)

It's actually XP-55 Ascender: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss...XP-55_Ascender

[MaxGunz]

Sorry, XP-55 Ascender.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss...XP-55_Ascender

The 75 never made it past the no-wing mockup stage and Lou joined the Navy a month after someone fired the gun just as he crossed under it. For all I know, the designation was provisional. Lou worked there in 1943.
He has probably heard and seen things you won't find in books so obviously all that never happened.

I worked with him 79-83 and did PC tech work for him later up to 1999. He was old then, almost 60. He's also in the Delaware Aviation Hall of Fame, he had a long career in aviation in both fixed-wing and blimps. Don't diss the blimps, the stuff he flew makes the ones we see look like toys.

[IceFire]

I think this is your aircraft. Curtiss XP-71

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_XP-71

Designed as a very heavy fighter (larger than a B-25!) designed to operate over Europe if England was ever conquered. Has one 75mm and two 37mm cannons.

Not sure how this would ever be useful. An aircraft of that size during WWII wouldn't have the agility to defend bombers. It'd be one hell of an attack aircraft mind you... over 400mph speed.

[MaxGunz]

When Lou talked about it, it was supposed to attack Japanese bombers. The 75mm was supposed to fire proximity shells from long range. I might have got the number wrong, he might have, it's been a while.

I'll just be happy the Germans didn't have 88mm proximity shell firing jet interceptors... working.