Warbird Information Exchange

What aircraft saw more service, in more theaters, with more countries than any other aircraft. My guess is the P-40.

PS .... thanks to the Chino pilots. It mean't a lot.

Mark

My guess would be the C-47.

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Make that 2 votes for the "Goon"

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Bob

That is going to be close I think.Dang near every country used the p-40 with some using them up to the 50s.Brazil I think.

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Hang The Expense

the 47 WINS...hands down....all though other countries and us used many P-40s, the C-47s(DC-3's) started production in 1935 and went until 45 i believe, but could be wrong with the stop production date.

10,655 built at Santa Monica, and Long Beach, California
Not to mention all the Ok city ones that were made, a small number of 5,354 plus the 2000+ the Russians made under the name LI-2 and about 500 in japan as L2D's.

over 400 DC-3's C47s remain in commercial service today.

both sides of the war produced them also as an interesting fact!

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As far as combat aircraft I'd think the Spitfire family would give the P-40 a run for its money. It served in Britain, Europe, the Mediterranean, North Africa, South East Asia, Australia, the Pacific on carriers, the Atlantic on carriers, etc...

Plus it was fighting from day one in the war through till the end. The P-40 never got into combat at the beginning of WWII and was almost obsolete by the end.

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I'm going with the Gooney ...but Chennault probably would like to
have a few words with you Dave...

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DBF

Eh? You men the American Volunteer Group (Flying Tiger) guys?

That group that was formed two years into WWII?

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True, Suh..."Whose WW2 are we talking about?" The Gooney still wins!!

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He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF

It probably depends which planet you're living on.

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Same planet....Some were there at the beginning, then some came running with help...

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He bowls overhand...He is the most interesting man in the world.
"In Peace Japan Breeds War", Eckstein, Harper and Bros., 3rd ed. 1943(1927, 1928,1942)
"Leave it to ol' Slim. I got ideas...and they're all vile, baby." South Dakota Slim
"Ahh..."The Deuce", 28,000 pounds of motherly love." quote from some Mojave Grunt
DBF

Interesting one....

Definate candidates as mentioned the C-47 and P-40 and indeed the Spitfire.

What about the B-25....???
Used by USAAF, USN etc as well as RAF and Commonwealth AF's and Soviet, Dutch, Free French etc., etc., in ETO, MTO and PTO.

C-47 would be my guess but the Hurricane before the Spitfire.
Rick

Concur with Firebird, the B-25 was used in every theater of Operations of WWII....from Training through Combat

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Kind Regards,
Gary Lewis
J.A.F.O.

I think you guys are being very narrow minded in your choice, mostly US types with just a Spit as they only non-US, and relatively young.

The DC-2 was already well established when WW2 started, and being replaced by the DC-3, many where passed on to other countries. At least 1 DC-2 (and I think DC-1) was used in the Spanish Civil War as a combat aircraft (OK, a US build, but quite old)

Then consider the venerable Ju-52. It too was old when WW2 started, and it too was pressed into service everywhere, used both officially and unofficially.

Then you ignore trainers that trained those pilots:

Buckmister Junmann, a well loved German trainer common to find.

DeHaviland TigerMoth, hundreds still around today.


The question is broad, so too are the answers.

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