The Worst Fighter Aircraft of All Time

War is Boring ^ | September 21, 2016 | Robert Farley

[C19fan]

Over the last century of military aviation, several fighters have earned the nickname “flying coffin.” Military aviation inherently pushes up against the limits of technology and human endurance, particularly where fighter and pursuit aviation are concerned. Flying a fighter is remarkably dangerous, even when no one is trying to shoot you down. Engineering a capable fighter plane is also a struggle. Relatively small changes in engine, armament and airframe design can transform a clunker into an elite fighting machine. Many of the best fighters in history were initially viewed askance by their pilots.

[Jimmy Valentine]

“Baron was seriously injured, and on another mission died in the Tri-plane” Von Richtofen was a badly over used and tired pilot toward the end. He made a classic mistake he never would have earlier by chasing after a target and got too low and was shot down by ground fire.

[Osage Orange]

The P-38 was a very good platform and did it’s job very well..............

[Snickering Hound]

“Baron was seriously injured, and on another mission died in the Tri-plane” Von Richtofen was a badly over used and tired pilot toward the end. He made a classic mistake he never would have earlier by chasing after a target and got too low and was shot down by ground fire.

Fokker Triplane was an ace eliminator for the Germans.

Manfred Richtofen, Werner Voss, Kurt Wolfe, Heinrich Gontermann, almost Lothar Richtofen all were drawn to its maneuverability but its lack of speed and fragility killed them.

[Oatka]

I think you mean the Avia S-199, the Czech built Me-109 clone.

Could be, but the book has yet to mention that aircraft. Maybe the author didn't dig deep enough.

BTW, the book's jaw-breaking full title I Am My Brother's Keeper: American Volunteers in Israels War for Independence 1947-1949

[Bulwyf]

Don’t forget the F-104 starfighter, aka the lawn dart. A missile with a man in it heh.

[tophat9000]

Yeah I think of any American built airframe it was a Brewster Buffalo in service with the Finns that has the highest number of kills for one give airframe

It may be a Finn Brewster Buffalo that has the highest number of kills, period ...for anyone given aircraft..( think about 60 kills) from two different Finn aces using because there was only a limited number available

Verses some Germans with higher number of kills but they flew multiple different aircraft in their career to accumulate those

[Theophilus]

It was dangerous but ahead of it’s time. The much beloved A10 used the same concept of a plane built around a gun.

[Oztrich Boy]

2d worst jet fighter Vought F7U-2 Cutlass

Worst: F7U-1 Cutlass (which despite similarity of name only shared the same shape)

[minnesota_bound]

Housewives may have ended up with new cookware made from F-84’s......