What WWII planes had a tail gunner?
The B-17 (left) had hand-operated tail guns with a limited field of fire while the B-24 (right) had a powered tail turret that covered a wide area. In May 1943, enemy flak and fighters set ball turret gunner SSgt Maynard Smith’s B-17 afire over Brest, France. The B-17 ball turret operator occupied one of the most dangerous and confined positions on the aircraft during World War II.
What was the best plane of all time in ww2?
The Focke-Wulf FW-190 was widely believed to be the best fighter aircraft of World War II. As the war went on the FW-190 was manufactured in no fewer than 40 different models. The appearance of the new aircraft over France in 1941 was a rude surprise to the Allied air forces. The only surviving Ho 229 airframe, the V3—and the only surviving Second World War-era German jet prototype still in existence—is on display in the main hall of the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM) alongside other WWII-era German aircraft.Despite its advanced design, the Horten Ho 229 never saw combat during World War II, as only prototypes were completed before the end of the war. However, the aircraft underwent testing and evaluation by the Luftwaffe, demonstrating impressive performance characteristics, including high speed and agility.Despite its advanced design, the Horten Ho 229 never saw combat during World War II, as only prototypes were completed before the end of the war. However, the aircraft underwent testing and evaluation by the Luftwaffe, demonstrating impressive performance characteristics, including high speed and agility.