[BroJoeK]

The 12 Best Planes in the World

according to the Sunday Times London, September 20, 1942:

#1 Single-seater fighter -- British Spitfire:

#2 Long-range night fighter -- British Beaufighter:

#3 Medium Bomber -- Germany's Dornier DO-17

#4 Heavy Bomber -- British Lancaster

#5 Land-based torpedo bomber -- Italy's Savola-Marchetti 84

#6 Army cooperation scout -- United States North American Mustang

#7 Long-range patrol boat -- United States Consolidated Coronado

#8 Transport land plane -- United States Douglas DC-4

#9 Transport seaplane -- United States Boeing Clipper

#10 Naval Fighter -- United States Vought-Sikorsky Corsair

#11 Naval torpedo bomber -- United States Grumman Avenger

#12 Naval dive bomber -- United States Curtis Helldiver

Does anyone agree with this 1942 British list?

[central_va]

Helldiver = POS. Worse than the plan it replaced, Douglas Dauntless.

[henkster]

They dissed the Japanese. I’d put the Betty as a better land based torpedo bomber than the Savoia-Marchetti; Bettys and Nells sank HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse.

The Avenger was not as good as the Nakajima B5N Kate, and I’d say it’s a toss up between the Curtis Helldiver and the Yokosuke D4Y Judy, both of which entered service in 1942.