Your favorite year of WW2 (aircraft wise)?

[Redwo1f]

I know many of you like late war (I am guessing), but it's going to be 1943 for me - a really interesting mix of aircraft, the infancy (or relative) of some of the legends, and fairly even, in general, between allies and axis in terms of balance.

 

What's yours?

Edited June 18, 2018 by Redwo1f

[Gambit21]

41 - 42

 

Zeke, Wildcat, Oscar, 109E, Rata

[Trooper117]

1941, Western Desert, great aircraft and good camo schemes... can't beat it for my money.

[Gambit21]

Nothing like early war

[pilotpierre]

In the game IL2, LaGG3 und der Emil.

[=362nd_FS=Hiromachi]

1943, followed by 1944. 

During 1943 a fair number of iconic aircraft appeared either for the first time or in a new form. For the Pacific you get to enjoy F4U-1, P-38F, P-40K, A6M3 and A6M5, Ki-61, Ki-43-II, B6N1, P-47D, F6F-3 and of course one of my favorites - Boomerang. In terms of tactics, combat and strategic situation its a period of turning tides and new approaches. A mix of new and old. 

 

[-TBC-AeroAce]

Op's question is like asking me to eat only one chocolate from a selection box. It ain't gonna happen!! Anyone that is truly into this genre could surly never pick one year.

Edited June 17, 2018 by AeroAce

[dkoor]

1 hour ago, =362nd_FS=Hiromachi said:

1943, followed by 1944. 

During 1943 a fair number of iconic aircraft appeared either for the first time or in a new form. For the Pacific you get to enjoy F4U-1, P-38F, P-40K, A6M3 and A6M5, Ki-61, Ki-43-II, B6N1, P-47D, F6F-3 and of course one of my favorites - Boomerang. In terms of tactics, combat and strategic situation its a period of turning tides and new approaches. A mix of new and old. 

 

I'm rowing this boat too...

[Rjel]

I think a "year" is difficult to base a preference on. Timeframe wise, mine would be Summer 1940 for the BoB and mid 1943 to June 1944 for the expansion of U.S. airpower, particularly in the ETO doing the escorted bomber campaign.

[sevenless]

1944!

 

Yak 3, P51-D, Fw 190-D9, Spit XIV and Me 262 to name a few. 

[BRADYS555]

I cant pick one, I have favorites that span and predate the war

 

[PatrickAWlson]

German:

1942 for fighters. Me109F4 and FW190 A3.

1940 for bombers: all of the classics and the Ju87B.

 

American: 1944: Bubble tops.  B17G.

 

British: 1940: Early spit and Hurri.  Funky early war bombers like the Wellington.

 

Russian: 1941: Rata, I153, early IL2 .. everything has a Crimson Skies feel.

 

Japanese: 1941: Early Zero, Val.

 

[Bilbo_Baggins]

1940

 

Before the Americans decide to rear their heads.

 

Hurricanes, Spitfires and Bf109 E, with the Dornier 17z, Heinkels and Junkers machines.

 

 

Edited June 18, 2018 by Mcdaddy

[TRRA15]

1944.

 

Ki-84

Improved versions of the Ki-61

The Fw-190D

P-47 D-40

[keeno]

I'm with Mcdaddy. early war, no Americans, nothing too fancy.

[SARFlytitus]

4 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

41 - 42

 

Zeke, Wildcat, Oscar, 109E, Rata

Definately on the Same boat Here!

[Finkeren]

1941 for me, with 1943 as a close second.

[Legioneod]

Mid war 43-44

We get to see most of the major iterations of the P-47 and we get to see the P-51C and P-38.

We'd get to see the struggle between the P-47,P-38 and the luftwaffe in 43 and see the landings on D-Day or do some tour in Italy and Sicily.

Most interesting time in the war imo, when the Luftwaffe still had good pilots and aircraft weren't overall superior to each other but each had it's own advantages.

[ShamrockOneFive]

For me its 1944 Normandy and 1945 North Western Europe are my favs (Bodenplatte has me so excited).

 

That said, I'm up for almost anything.

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

Not an easy question to answer. 

 

I like the early period because combatants fielded many strange, unproven, or obsolete designs with varying degrees of success. The refined models and early jets of 44-45 are also very interesting. 

 

However, if I had to restrict all my gaming to a one-year period, I would have to choose some time in 42-43. The war was in full swing on all fronts, but forces hadn't been severely depleted yet. Furthermore, there was a nice mix of earlier and later designs in the air.

[Feathered_IV]

12 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

41 - 42

 

Zeke, Wildcat, Oscar, 109E, Rata

 

And Malta Spitfires.

[ST_ami7b5]

1941

[=27=Davesteu]

I hardly can point out a specific year. For me it's mostly about the historical background set by the campaign depicted and how interested I am in it.

Looking at it the other way around I'm likely least interested in the 1945 timeframe, especially so gamewise.

[Finkeren]

6 hours ago, Legioneod said:

Mid war 43-44

We get to see most of the major iterations of the P-47 and we get to see the P-51C and P-38.

We'd get to see the struggle between the P-47,P-38 and the luftwaffe in 43 and see the landings on D-Day or do some tour in Italy and Sicily.

Most interesting time in the war imo, when the Luftwaffe still had good pilots and aircraft weren't overall superior to each other but each had it's own advantages.

 

43-44 I wouldn’t call mid-war.

 

depending on theater of operations 1941-42 or 1942-43 could be termed mid-war.

 

To me 1944 is decidedly late war, especially in a Western European context. 

 

By fall 44 Germany was defeated for all practical purposes and all that remained was a protracted and incredibly bloody clean-up. 

[Legioneod]

20 minutes ago, Finkeren said:

 

43-44 I wouldn’t call mid-war.

 

depending on theater of operations 1941-42 or 1942-43 could be termed mid-war.

 

To me 1944 is decidedly late war, especially in a Western European context. 

 

By fall 44 Germany was defeated for all practical purposes and all that remained was a protracted and incredibly bloody clean-up. 

From an American standpoint I consider it mid-war. 43 to about July of 44.

[fufubear]

1943 first and then 1944.

 

1943 is first because I get to see the Ki-61 in action.

[bubo942]

42-43  

[JonRedcorn]

Late war, basically bodenplatte. Cannot wait for it. Was never a big fan of the pacific.

[RAY-EU]

1945 HORTEN Ho-229 V2

 

Edited June 17, 2018 by RAY-EU

[Gambit21]

3 hours ago, Legioneod said:

From an American standpoint I consider it mid-war. 43 to about July of 44.

 

On what basis?

Whether ETO or PTO I agree with Fink.

42-43 mid war. 

44 is late war no matter what your measuring stick...be it progression of the war in general or the aircraft.

[Trooper117]

Why would you put in a 1945 year with a Horten?

Unless you are living in Oleg's fantasy war of course...

[Ehret]

1942 and 1943 for Mustang MkI and A-36 in battles like the Dieppe Raid and Mediterranean campaign.

 

1950 for the F-82 in the Korean War would very interesting, too.

Edited June 17, 2018 by Ehret

[sop]

2 hours ago, Gambit21 said:

 

On what basis?

Whether ETO or PTO I agree with Fink.

42-43 mid war. 

44 is late war no matter what your measuring stick...be it progression of the war in general or the aircraft.

He gave the dates, I agree with him but then opnions are like a**h***s most of the time 

[RAY-EU]

Atomic bomb , strategic bombers :

 

Edited June 18, 2018 by RAY-EU

[DD_fruitbat]

1942.

 

Really interesting and balanced plane sets, theatres and before it becomes historically unbalanced regrading pilot numbers and quality later on on the war.

Edited June 17, 2018 by DD_fruitbat

[-TBC-AeroAce]

12 hours ago, DD_fruitbat said:

1942.

 

Really interesting and balanced plane sets, theatres and before it becomes historically unbalanced regrading pilot numbers and quality later on on the war.

 

No such thing as an imbalance, just need to climb higher.

[xvii-Dietrich]

1939.

 

A myriad of different types, rather than a few refined designs and a plethora of obsolete types, which is what you get later in the war.

 

In 1939 all the classics are already in place: Ju 87 Stuka, Hurricane, Do 17, Bf 109, Wellingtom, Bf 110, Fairey Swordfish, Ar 68, Belnheim, Sturgeon, Blackburn Roc, Blackburn Skua, He 115, Fairey Firefly, Skua, Shackleton, Do 24, He 59, FW 200, Ju 52/3m, Bü 133, Short Stirling, FW 58, Ju 86, Defiant, Ju 88, He 111, Hawker Fury, Do 22 (yeah!), Ar 95, Ar 196, ... you get the idea.

 

And, if you start early, then every subsequent year is an upgrade

 

 

PS: This should have been a poll.

[jeanba]

1940 and 1943

[Cpt_Cool]

I like the early war best. Before the war definitively sorted the good ideas from the bad ideas. I am a big fan of 1930's aviation in general.

[DD_fruitbat]

4 hours ago, AeroAce said:

 

No such thing as an imbalance, just need to climb higher.

 

Climbing higher is irrelevant. Flying 8 109's vs 400 p51's is an imbalance. I'm not talking about dogfight servers, which is why i used the phrase 'historical imbalance'......