At school we had a talk from a Swordfish pilot, who had flown several mission, including the Channel Dash. I am still struck by how energetic, cheerful, matter-of-fact and how seriously he took our (rather naive) questions. He had known Commander Esmonde and asking about him was the only question that saddened him. My Dad knew Norman Jackson. Let's not forget the extraordinary crews who flw these aircraft.
My great grandfathers best friend was a swordfish pilot. After he got injured and had to go home he decided to move to the US to be closer to my grandfather. I got to hear so many stories about the Swordfish and it made me fall in love with that beautiful plane and the P51 Mustang. They were the reason I fell in love with aircraft and not just US and British but even some of the Russian planes as well(MiG-15 and 24). The Eurofighter Typhoon and French Mirage are also among some of my most favorite planes.
The B-52 Airman interviewed is extremely engaging and speaks so articulately. He would make a fantastic instructor, if he isn't already. Seeing those two veterans reminiscing and enjoying that B-17 flight brought tears to my eyes. The memories that would have flooded back of great camaraderie, 'skin of the teeth' survival, and of course memories of good men lost, some them having been close mates. Naturally the same would apply to any veteran of any nation. There's nothing more heartening than to see military servicepersons both active and veteran forging genuine friendships with, and having respect for servicepersons formerly deemed 'the enemy'. It just reinforces how pointless and destructive war campaigns really are, there are never any winners in war, only incredible irreplaceable loss-causing lifelong heartache. Just hearing the numbers of airmen lost in the specific fleets featured being in the tens of thousands is mind boggling such a deplorable waste of good human life on all sides fought. Imagine a large field filled with young to middle-aged people to represent those numbers, it is deeply chilling. What a fantastic service it would be for former aviators to occasionally enjoy a flight in the flightworthy birds they served so courageously on. Prohibitively expensive I'm certain, but a fantastic concept none-the-less.It's important to remember the thousands of women who flew certification flights and ferry flights of new aircraft from factory to airfields of operation. While contemporary active service now includes female pilots in the West, Russian/Soviet female aviators have always seen active combat all throughout history.
I was in Toronto a few years ago. One day we went out walking by Lake Ontario. For once I had left my camera back at the hotel. I heard the noise of propellers overhead so I looked up and my heart sank in my shoes. A Lancaster in formation with a B-29 and me without my camera. I could have cried.
Not having the Mosquito bomber in this list totally invalidates it. The Mosquito changed the way a bombers role was imagined. delivering ordinance quickly while using that speed to keep its crew safe. All modern bombers use that philosophy. Also, for me it was the most beautiful aircraft of WW 2. this beauty was a result of form meeting function. innovation by which DeHavilland managed to use non-strategic materials to create the most effective strike aircraft of the second world war. Also, where is the B 25?
Indeed.....the Mosquito was involved in one of the most daring raids of the war....Operation Jericho. Every bit as daring and cunning as the Dambusters, yet not nearly as well known. Mosquitos were also used to knock out V1 sites, as their low level bombing precision was so good. They also had one of the lowest loss rates of any plane in the war...largely due to being able to outrun any other plane of the time.
@@peterstanbury3833 The Beaufighter should also have got a mention. The Mosquito was also the chosen aircraft of the elite of the elite, the Pathfinders. They'd go in ahead of the main raids, dropping incendiaries to mark the targets at night.
I totally agree Henry! The list features planes that have very little by way of operational impact, and few are as iconic as the Mosquito! The Mosquito took on every possible challenge and not only met them, but exceeded most of them! It ended the war with the lowest loss rate of any bomber used during WWII, despite having no defensive armament. As to versatility, no other aircraft could match it. One plane did approach this (Ju88), but was not quite up to the mark of the Mossie! A Top Ten bomber list without a Mosquito in at least the top 3, is like a Top Ten fighter list without a Spitfire or a Mustang! Unthinkable! Note: One salient feature of the Mosquito was the manner of its introduction. The plane was conceived as a private venture by Geoffrey de Havilland, and the concept sold to the RAF with a flying prototype, self-funded. More importantly, it would be built largely from wood so as to not divert scarce metals and resources from other conventional production. This meant it was introduced in parallel to other production not instead of! A crucial advantage at that particular time. Also, introduced as a bomber, it was the fastest plane in the sky (even fighters!) for a considerable time thereafter. When, on Hitler's personal orders, German aircraft producers tried to copy it, they failed dismally. A 2 man crew Mosquito could carry more than half the bomb load of a B-17 and do the same mission with infinitely greater accuracy, and be back at base before the B-17 even dropped its bombs, and do it at night! Sorry, this list lacks any credibility.
@@dennisleighton2812 The Mosquito project hid the skids early on too, because of Merlin production being 100% focused on Spitfire's, Hurricanes and Lancaster's....DH pretty much had to 'steal' Merlin's to put in the prototype Mossie's. They then coaxed RAF big wigs over to their plant to look at a different model of aircraft and by 'chance', there just happened to be a Mosquito in the air at the same time....According to legend :)
I haven’t seen this episode in years. I’m glad I found it. One interesting fun fact I learned about the Stuka is that it greatly influenced the design of the Japanese Aichi D3A carrier-based dive bomber. One of the planes used in the Pearl Harbor attack.
One bomber which changed the perception that bombers by default had to be slow and ponderous - The de Havilland Mosquito . Well , the plywood contraption deserves to be in the list .
two stand out for me. 1) The Tornado, my uncle was in the Gulf in 91, Tanks, i discovered the Tornado then and its been a favourite ever since. And 2) The Lancaster, i live about a mile from an old Avro factory where they built the parts for Lancasters. so both aircraft have always been special to me.
After being a military aircraft enthusiast for years I doubted that I could learn something new and interesting from these kind of "Top 10" videos. But I apologize to the author of the video.. I never knew that US could track TU-95 Bear through SOSUS. Incredible.
I think the Mossie should have been in here somewhere, especially ahead of the Swordfish... Typhoons and P-47s could also be grouped together since they had similar roles and were both exquisite at their tasks, except maybe that P-47s were very good fighters as well!
Mosquito definitely should have been in there, along with B-25, B-26, B-24. Maybe a separate vid for ground attack aircraft such as Typhoon, P-47, Beaufighter, and A-26 Invader, Avenger and ground attack version of the B-25.
No Mosquito? The forerunner of all modern twin engined multi-role aircraft, one of the most successful aircraft of WW2, nearly impossible to shoot down for much of the war, 8000 built and no mention? Not only should it be on the list, it should be number 1 on it.
@@gaberobinson8210 or perhaps is ex-RN flight crew or worked with Buccaneers groundside. Just because person X likes object Y doesn't necessarily mean they play game Z. That said, the Buccaneer could use a bit of work in WT. Always feels a bit sluggish to me.
Wot ?....no Mosquito ? During WW2 it was the fastest plane in the skies....and it was a bomber. Sure, it was also adapted for other uses but its primary design function was as a bomber and it served that role very well.
@@montys420- I would find that claim unbelievable since there were only 7,700 mosquitoes made with a 4000 lb bomb load capacity, versus 12,700 B-17 bombers made with an 8000 lb bomb capacity. And to compare actual bombing numbers, the mosquito dropped 35,000 tons of bombs versus the B-17 that dropped 640,000 tons of bombs.
@@montys420- No, I don't think that's right. A Mosquito carried around half the bomb load of a B-17, and a third as much as a Lancaster. In total the "heavies" dropped far more tons than the Mosquito, but as 90%+ of them fell in farm fields and forests, that might be an argument, as bombs dropped by Mosquitos generally hit their targets. The Mosquito did however carry out more different and varied roles/missions than any other aircraft, but I am open to correction on this point.
What about the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber? Perhaps the best attack plane in the Pacific in WWII? Not to mention the Mosquito and the B-29 Superfortress. These planes definitely made more of difference than the Fairley Swordfish.
You missed two planes I worked on, both bombers - the B-47, the grandmother of delta wing jet bombers, and the A-4 Skyhawk, which is still in use in some countries. Without that A-4, a lot more people would have died in Vietnam, and elsewhere.
The B-52 pilot they show just kills me, in a good way. He talks about the plane like it's a good friend, even though it's so old his grandfather was probably in diapers when it rolled off the line.
It's cannon has one of the worst ammo/kill ratio ever for a CAS in a test conducted by the USAF 9/10 of every tank hit with the gun can be repaired and running again within a day
@Callum Ingham I can tell you from personal experience on the ground that this isn't the case. It's extremely accurate, because I'm still breathing. It can also carry twice the payload of a traditional ground strike airframe. Which can in turn be guided by laser on the ground, or by its own targeting system.
@@joelcurtis3363 I suppose there's no way I can rebut your testimony, with missiles and rockets it's a good plane but unfortunately the gun doesn't live up to the hype.
Flown in war: I love that you start this with the Swordfish. A completely obsolescent plane with no business being anywhere near a modern battlefield. Yet it achieved great things. Because of its pilots, their training, and their dogged pursuit of success. It was the crews that made it great. No better place to start. Flown in war: Very correct. The Stuka - the A-10 of its time. Flown in war - kinda: The Compronie(sp?) series has influenced Anime to this day. Flown in war: Ah, the Tornado. In the run-up to Desert Storm, the MOD was training their crews aggressively. I lived in Thurso and commuted by motorcycle to Wick in Scotland. One morning, going through a particularly fun dell, I popped out of the top of the dell and had an aircraft buzz overhead at a decidedly low level of altitude. I thought, "Wow, that's cool!" then went about my business. Next day, the EXACT same thing happens. So I did an experiment. I had been taking the "low road" to Wick. Next morning I took the high road along the coast. It's a great ride, but I prefer the low road as the high takes you by a farmer's hedge FULL of birds. A half dozen bird strikes minimum (not advisable on an air cooled motorcycle engine). So I navigate past the hedge barrier and continue on my way. What happens? I get buzzed by a Tornado at a VERY LOW altitude. Now I knew, it wasn't a coincidence - I was a training target. I always mourned the loss of the brave Tornado crews during Desert Storm. I've always prayed that the guy buzzing me every morning made it. Flow in War - sorta: Don't see how the Vulcan makes top 10. Great aircraft, no question. But not top 10 bomber. The Falklands raid was a stunt and a demonstration of power, but not a great tactical accomplishment. Never flow in war: The Bear? Really? Never saw combat and could NEVER have staved off defensive fire. Given weapons free, they're toast. As at far away as you can detect them. A guy threatening you with a knife when you're carrying a sub-machine gun Flown in war: B-2, really just an exercise to prove that it could do something. The ECM systems are not discussed, but that's also what makes it effective. Flown in war: THE LANCASTER! Talk about a GREAT bomber. The dam buster and Tirpitiz raids, on their own, make this a legendary aircraft. Not counting the thousands of sorties to do long range bombing missions against the enemy. Truly GREAT bomber. But not as great as the men who crewed them. Flown in war: The B-17 has earned its spot on this list - the hard way. Anyone that doesn't consider it legendary is ignorant of history. Flown in war: The BUFF! Need I say more. Mostly agree with this list. But to leave out light/middle weight bombers makes it an easier list. Start including Mosquitoes and Mitchells and the list gets a little harder.
The Fairey Swordfish was the most successful Allied torpedo bomber in the first two-thirds of the 2nd World War it even had functioning torpedoes as opposed to the American Navy.
Only watched about half the video, and intend to finish it. The one thing I can see wrong with it is the subject matter. You would have to split it up into different videos for each type. One for torpedo bombers, one for dive bombers and one each for medium and heavy bombers. Loving the video just not the all inclusive format.
As young teens energetic with no brains, us lads in settle. n. yorkshire would climb the settle flagpole and when at the top could see and hear tornado planes flying close to the hills on the moors and many a time would. be terryfied as they flew just above head during practice sorties and on there way back to land, it's horrible when you are already fifty foot above rooftops and you feel the heat from these engines on the tornados.
How is the b-29 not on here? It was literally the world's first nuclear strategic bomber. That's more than a small oversight. Maybe get rid of the Vulcan who had one combat mission or the tornado perhaps and throw the b-29 in there at number one, two or three. It was the aircraft that literally did the most important mission of the 20th century. It started the nuclear arms race. Which influenced 60 years of global politics
In my view the biggest error of this video was excluding the F-111 and including the British Tornado. The F-111 came sooner and was superior in almost every way as a bomber/strike/ground support aircraft. The high loss rate of the Tornado during the gulf war should give anyone pause when compiling a greatest bomber list. Plus, the Americans were never tempted into trying to make it into a second rate fighter/inceptor aircraft like the British did with the Tornado F3.
Errm, you do realise, the F111 is a failed fighter? Hence the "F" designation. Added to that, the war record of the F111, isn't at all stellar. We lost a lot of Tornadoes because it was doing a difficult job (Runway denial) that no other plane was capable of. Just like the 105 in Vietnam, excellent plane, doing a difficult job.
@@THE-BUNKEN-DRUM Yes, I forgot about McNamara's original boondoggle of demanding an all in one navel and AF fighter, and the F-111 did have issues in Viet Nam before the bugs got worked out. But by the time of the Gulf war it was at a whole different level. No other plane in history has had the ability to do both deep strike AND tactical battlefield ground support using its excellent standoff weapons targeting suite. The Brits did not learn from America's mistake and built F-3 when they could have purchased the excellent off-the-shelf F-14 to protect the north sea.
Technical progress between 1 and 2 world war was huge! Seeing first plane in 1.WW and just 15 years later there is introduction of B - 17, seeing these planes next to each other seems to be there not 15 years gap but 150 years!
The old Fairey Swordfish was perhaps the greatest torpedo bomber of WW 2 because when they attacked Taranto 21 aircraft took of from aircraft carriers without any fighter escort and out of 21 aircraft that took off 19 returned with 2 planes lost one being taken prisoner but 1 crew unfortunately didn’t survive ,but the damage they caused to the Italian Fleet was colossal, there is a video on you tube about the raid and it’s well worth watching because you can’t believe that a plane that was obsolete before the war even started could achieve what it did
Another mistake here, where is the TU-160? That is the greatest bomber ever. There are quite a few bombers and fighter bombers from Soviet union/Russia that deserve mention here but were conveniently left out. TU 22, Su-24 are just two of the excellent examples.
This is obviously far from a comprehensive list, and they did include the Bear. However, saying that, the Tu-160 is far from the the greatest bomber... and the Tu-22 was almost a complete failure until it was upgraded and even then it was limited next to the F-111.. The Su-24 probably belongs on this list but the myth of Russian hardware being "rugged" and "practical" has been proven untrue time and time again in actual combat worldwide
@@doubleugly1594 Tu-22 being a failure is a complete crap propaganda. We see it all the time. Tu-22 did and perform just what and how it was supposed to. Tu-160 is among the best bombers in the world. As for the russian tech, it is rugged and practical, and the fact that it was on the losing side most of the time is only the result of the USA and NATO attacking significantly weaker adversaries time after time. Everyone with right mind knows that.
Funny thing is - that story about subs hearing the Bear with sonar, lol, even the sub commanders admitted it was a joke, but people keep on repeating it. Just like Goebels said...
Swordfish characteristics reminds me of how the empire wasn't prepared for a small one man fighter blowing up the death star! And the germans weren't prepared for slow moving torpedo bi wing torpedo bomber
Many, many people forget that the "Raid On Taranto" was what gave the Japanese the idea for their attack on Pearl Harbor. Go to the enemy's port, destroy their battleship[s and get out. The only difference was that the British attacked at night, (when their slow Swordfish torpedo bombers couldn't be seen), and the Japanese attacking in the morning, (before their convoy was spotted). I'm always amazed when I remember that Avro designed and built the Lancaster during WWII, and then, TEN years later, designed and built the Vulcan. Only ONE DECADE separated these two iconic bombers. Actually, when the narrator said that the Boeing B-17 had a belly turret from DAY ONE, he is mistaken. The earliest designs, (in 1935), did not have one. It was only after flight tests and military trials that a need was found for one. Films of WWII bombing raids over Europe always show the newer models of the Boeing Bomber, from Model E to Model G, (The one with the "chin" turret). It wasn't until the "E" model, that the B-17 even had a tail gunner!
You are WRONG.....Just one the Thunderscreech it was a test fighter plane Not a bomber and this was back in the 1950's, Not stealthy at all....Thanks from Lt.Shoe🇺🇸
@@steveshoemaker6347 You should have remained quiet. Now everyone will Google it and know you're a fool. Eight props are producing sonic booms before it even leaves the ground. Ground crews have become ill from the sound.
@@steveshoemaker6347 Since you're not smart enough, I did it for you: "The aircraft has four Kuznetsov NK-12 engines with contra-rotating propellers. It is the only propeller-powered strategic bomber still in operational use today. The Tu-95 is one of the loudest military aircraft, particularly because the tips of the propeller blades move faster than the speed of sound."
Staggers Belief . Not one B-17 dropped the Dam Buster , the tall Boy or the Grand slam . Its all about the White Star emblem . The Italian Bomber is only in the list cause some Americans flew in it
@@Rusty_Gold85 you now that I had a bigger bomb bay is only one of many aspects. And it gets pulled out every time ignoring everything else about the two aircraft, just like me saying the B-17 has more guns, or a bigger crew so that must make it better, nope thats just one aspect. You need more data points, then you need to ask what the mission was, and how will THIS bomber fulfill THIS mission, it has a bigger bomb doesn’t cut it, especially as that seems to be the only argument that ever comes up. I personally think they both rock.
spark is like that rich kid that buys a team of hueys and than the most powerful speaker . stick it on the huey and than play fortunate son over america i mean everybody is gonna get PTSD
Hey where's the B29.... I mean come on. It's the first with an enclosed and pressurized canopy and the only bomber in history to drop atomic bombs in anger on an actual target.... I mean I kinda figured that a majority of the aircraft on this list would be British (British show) but seriously?!?!
The single greatest and powerful bomber was the Enola Gay (/əˈnoʊlə/), a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, named after Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets. On 6 August 1945, piloted by Tibbets and Robert A. Lewis during the final stages of World War II, it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb in warfare. When the second bomb was dropped, American became the first country to win a nuclear war.
Seriously! No B-29, mosquito or F-111... and no honorable mention for B-58 hustler, the sexiest mfer bomber ever. Highly dodgy for the crew, nevertheless still sexy.
Aichi D3A Val dive bombers sank more shipping than Stukas did. In fact Vals sank more Allied shipping than any other Axis aircraft did. That list is confirmed. A26s had more combat time in 3 wars and CIA operations than some of the entrees. Parafrag and skip bombing Imperial Japanese Army transports were part of A26 history as well as that of RAAF Beaufighters, USAAF A20s and B25s. B25s were the Doolittle mission bomber. B29s have a mixed legacy as a hurriedly developed bomber but the negative side was primarily the credit to Curtis Wright's mismanagement with the early operational version of the oil leaky hot running Magnesium cased R-3350 firetrap of a radial. The B29 upside was the part it played in actually and ironically saving countless millions of Japanese lives that the ruling junta running Japan had accessed that they were willing to sacrifice as well as the very likely hundreds of thousands of US military estimated to be lost in the invasion of the Japanese home islands. The 8th AAF bombing campaign was initially an incompetently commanded disaster of little consequence to Axis war production until it was used as bait for the destruction of the Luftwaffe under the command of Jimmy Doolittle.. It's about goddamned time we called that like it was. P47s could have had drop tanks by the summer of '43 and when they were finally ordered and fitted it was the 56th fighter group of P47s escorting inside Germany that refined the tactics that became the 8th AAF directive in fighter tactics for escorting the bombing missions to complete Doolittle's change of mission priority to that of destroying the Luftwaffe. And largely before D Day. The P51 was a classic green pilot friendly versatile weapon of necessity but it wasn't alone in destroying the Luftwaffe. Nor were we for that matter..
At school we had a talk from a Swordfish pilot, who had flown several mission, including the Channel Dash. I am still struck by how energetic, cheerful, matter-of-fact and how seriously he took our (rather naive) questions. He had known Commander Esmonde and asking about him was the only question that saddened him. My Dad knew Norman Jackson. Let's not forget the extraordinary crews who flw these aircraft.
My great grandfathers best friend was a swordfish pilot. After he got injured and had to go home he decided to move to the US to be closer to my grandfather. I got to hear so many stories about the Swordfish and it made me fall in love with that beautiful plane and the P51 Mustang. They were the reason I fell in love with aircraft and not just US and British but even some of the Russian planes as well(MiG-15 and 24). The Eurofighter Typhoon and French Mirage are also among some of my most favorite planes.
The B-52 Airman interviewed is extremely engaging and speaks so articulately. He would make a fantastic instructor, if he isn't already.
Seeing those two veterans reminiscing and enjoying that B-17 flight brought tears to my eyes. The memories that would have flooded back of great camaraderie, 'skin of the teeth' survival, and of course memories of good men lost, some them having been close mates. Naturally the same would apply to any veteran of any nation.
There's nothing more heartening than to see military servicepersons both active and veteran forging genuine friendships with, and having respect for servicepersons formerly deemed 'the enemy'.
It just reinforces how pointless and destructive war campaigns really are, there are never any winners in war, only incredible irreplaceable loss-causing lifelong heartache.
Just hearing the numbers of airmen lost in the specific fleets featured being in the tens of thousands is mind boggling such a deplorable waste of good human life on all sides fought.
Imagine a large field filled with young to middle-aged people to represent those numbers, it is deeply chilling.
What a fantastic service it would be for former aviators to occasionally enjoy a flight in the flightworthy birds they served so courageously on. Prohibitively expensive I'm certain, but a fantastic concept none-the-less.It's important to remember the thousands of women who flew certification flights and ferry flights of new aircraft from factory to airfields of operation. While contemporary active service now includes female pilots in the West, Russian/Soviet female aviators have always seen active combat all throughout history.
B52 is just an awesome sight. We had to stop class in school when a group of them went over.
Always loved the tornado. Beautiful aircraft. Looks like it's moving at light speed even when just parked with engines off.
The tornado is my favourite of the raf planes. Followed closely by the American f14.
I was in Toronto a few years ago. One day we went out walking by Lake Ontario. For once I had left my camera back at the hotel. I heard the noise of propellers overhead so I looked up and my heart sank in my shoes. A Lancaster in formation with a B-29 and me without my camera. I could have cried.
i remember watching shows exactly like this on the Military Channel when i was a kid...miss those days...
yay
Not having the Mosquito bomber in this list totally invalidates it. The Mosquito changed the way a bombers role was imagined. delivering ordinance quickly while using that speed to keep its crew safe. All modern bombers use that philosophy. Also, for me it was the most beautiful aircraft of WW 2. this beauty was a result of form meeting function. innovation by which DeHavilland managed to use non-strategic materials to create the most effective strike aircraft of the second world war.
Also, where is the B 25?
Agreed, it should have at least been mentioned in its spiritual successor entry - the Tornado.
Indeed.....the Mosquito was involved in one of the most daring raids of the war....Operation Jericho. Every bit as daring and cunning as the Dambusters, yet not nearly as well known. Mosquitos were also used to knock out V1 sites, as their low level bombing precision was so good. They also had one of the lowest loss rates of any plane in the war...largely due to being able to outrun any other plane of the time.
@@peterstanbury3833 The Beaufighter should also have got a mention. The Mosquito was also the chosen aircraft of the elite of the elite, the Pathfinders. They'd go in ahead of the main raids, dropping incendiaries to mark the targets at night.
I totally agree Henry! The list features planes that have very little by way of operational impact, and few are as iconic as the Mosquito! The Mosquito took on every possible challenge and not only met them, but exceeded most of them! It ended the war with the lowest loss rate of any bomber used during WWII, despite having no defensive armament. As to versatility, no other aircraft could match it. One plane did approach this (Ju88), but was not quite up to the mark of the Mossie! A Top Ten bomber list without a Mosquito in at least the top 3, is like a Top Ten fighter list without a Spitfire or a Mustang! Unthinkable! Note: One salient feature of the Mosquito was the manner of its introduction. The plane was conceived as a private venture by Geoffrey de Havilland, and the concept sold to the RAF with a flying prototype, self-funded. More importantly, it would be built largely from wood so as to not divert scarce metals and resources from other conventional production. This meant it was introduced in parallel to other production not instead of! A crucial advantage at that particular time. Also, introduced as a bomber, it was the fastest plane in the sky (even fighters!) for a considerable time thereafter. When, on Hitler's personal orders, German aircraft producers tried to copy it, they failed dismally. A 2 man crew Mosquito could carry more than half the bomb load of a B-17 and do the same mission with infinitely greater accuracy, and be back at base before the B-17 even dropped its bombs, and do it at night! Sorry, this list lacks any credibility.
@@dennisleighton2812 The Mosquito project hid the skids early on too, because of Merlin production being 100% focused on Spitfire's, Hurricanes and Lancaster's....DH pretty much had to 'steal' Merlin's to put in the prototype Mossie's. They then coaxed RAF big wigs over to their plant to look at a different model of aircraft and by 'chance', there just happened to be a Mosquito in the air at the same time....According to legend :)
the Discover channel failed to include the bomber that first dropped a nuke in anger - the B-29...
I could swear I remember watching this on either the History channel or the Military channel back in the early 00s.
Glory days of the history channel
I haven’t seen this episode in years. I’m glad I found it. One interesting fun fact I learned about the Stuka is that it greatly influenced the design of the Japanese Aichi D3A carrier-based dive bomber. One of the planes used in the Pearl Harbor attack.
One bomber which changed the perception that bombers by default had to be slow and ponderous - The de Havilland Mosquito . Well , the plywood contraption deserves to be in the list .
The Tornado is STILL gorgeous.
Very bad Azz looking
I've read that it was a bit of a pig to fly but you are right, still gorgeous!
F22 too
Who CD ucj you. I'm off toruuhbkw
two stand out for me. 1) The Tornado, my uncle was in the Gulf in 91, Tanks, i discovered the Tornado then and its been a favourite ever since. And 2) The Lancaster, i live about a mile from an old Avro factory where they built the parts for Lancasters. so both aircraft have always been special to me.
The B-52 : The mightiest Bomber of all time. It has stood the test and still leads in Aviation History!
I really love the Greatest Ever series. High quality work. Keep it up guys!
They put stuff on a dart board. They aren't even close to reality.
This is absolute proof.
Some of those planes did nothing. As in Zero.
Need two honorable mentions - The Douglas SDB and the A6 Intruder.
Disappointed that the B1 was not on the list. It would at least make number 2 here.
After being a military aircraft enthusiast for years I doubted that I could learn something new and interesting from these kind of "Top 10" videos. But I apologize to the author of the video.. I never knew that US could track TU-95 Bear through SOSUS. Incredible.
I think the Mossie should have been in here somewhere, especially ahead of the Swordfish...
Typhoons and P-47s could also be grouped together since they had similar roles and were both exquisite at their tasks, except maybe that P-47s were very good fighters as well!
Mosquito definitely should have been in there, along with B-25, B-26, B-24. Maybe a separate vid for ground attack aircraft such as Typhoon, P-47, Beaufighter, and A-26 Invader, Avenger and ground attack version of the B-25.
They did my boy F-111 aardvark dirty
The Tornado is just like the Phantom, they both look the way combat aircraft should. Plus they can take any sort of abuse and still get the job done.
No Mosquito? The forerunner of all modern twin engined multi-role aircraft, one of the most successful aircraft of WW2, nearly impossible to shoot down for much of the war, 8000 built and no mention?
Not only should it be on the list, it should be number 1 on it.
Both the Mosquito and the Canberra deserve a place on this list, more than the Vulcan at least, which is only on there for its movie-star looks.
Surely the Buccaneer should be in this list.
Agreed!
Well I can tell you’re a war thunder player
@@gaberobinson8210 or perhaps is ex-RN flight crew or worked with Buccaneers groundside. Just because person X likes object Y doesn't necessarily mean they play game Z.
That said, the Buccaneer could use a bit of work in WT. Always feels a bit sluggish to me.
@@MrAldurVale It was literally a joke why are you throwing a fit about it
@@MrAldurVale I never said it was a bad thing they plays war thunder I play it to
Wot ?....no Mosquito ? During WW2 it was the fastest plane in the skies....and it was a bomber. Sure, it was also adapted for other uses but its primary design function was as a bomber and it served that role very well.
you tell em pete ! 👏
The Mosquito also dropped more ordnance then any other bomber during ww2 if memory served me correct.
@@montys420- I would find that claim unbelievable since there were only 7,700 mosquitoes made with a 4000 lb bomb load capacity, versus 12,700 B-17 bombers made with an 8000 lb bomb capacity. And to compare actual bombing numbers, the mosquito dropped 35,000 tons of bombs versus the B-17 that dropped 640,000 tons of bombs.
@@karaDee2363 link?
@@montys420- No, I don't think that's right. A Mosquito carried around half the bomb load of a B-17, and a third as much as a Lancaster. In total the "heavies" dropped far more tons than the Mosquito, but as 90%+ of them fell in farm fields and forests, that might be an argument, as bombs dropped by Mosquitos generally hit their targets. The Mosquito did however carry out more different and varied roles/missions than any other aircraft, but I am open to correction on this point.
Thank you for getting the legendary mentalist Allan Partridge to narrate.
What about the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber? Perhaps the best attack plane in the Pacific in WWII? Not to mention the Mosquito and the B-29 Superfortress. These planes definitely made more of difference than the Fairley Swordfish.
The Swordfish crippled the Bismark and most importantly their raid on Taranto essentially took the Italian fleet out of the war.
The Swordfish sank a greater tonnage of Axis shipping than any other Allied aircraft during WW2.
46:40 Gotta love that wink 😉 “fella” …. Yeeeeeaaaaaahright.
I never was able to see a live Tornado BUT I did see an operational “Vulcan” at an RCAF base in the 90’s. 🇨🇦 Vet
You missed two planes I worked on, both bombers - the B-47, the grandmother of delta wing jet bombers, and the A-4 Skyhawk, which is still in use in some countries. Without that A-4, a lot more people would have died in Vietnam, and elsewhere.
Thinking #1 would be the B-52 Stratofortress. And it was.
The B-52 pilot they show just kills me, in a good way. He talks about the plane like it's a good friend, even though it's so old his grandfather was probably in diapers when it rolled off the line.
The A-10 Warthog isn't considered a bomber, but it is the greatest close ground attack aircraft ever conceived.
It's cannon has one of the worst ammo/kill ratio ever for a CAS in a test conducted by the USAF 9/10 of every tank hit with the gun can be repaired and running again within a day
@Callum Ingham I can tell you from personal experience on the ground that this isn't the case. It's extremely accurate, because I'm still breathing. It can also carry twice the payload of a traditional ground strike airframe. Which can in turn be guided by laser on the ground, or by its own targeting system.
@@joelcurtis3363 I suppose there's no way I can rebut your testimony, with missiles and rockets it's a good plane but unfortunately the gun doesn't live up to the hype.
Flown in war: I love that you start this with the Swordfish. A completely obsolescent plane with no business being anywhere near a modern battlefield. Yet it achieved great things. Because of its pilots, their training, and their dogged pursuit of success. It was the crews that made it great. No better place to start.
Flown in war: Very correct. The Stuka - the A-10 of its time.
Flown in war - kinda: The Compronie(sp?) series has influenced Anime to this day.
Flown in war: Ah, the Tornado. In the run-up to Desert Storm, the MOD was training their crews aggressively. I lived in Thurso and commuted by motorcycle to Wick in Scotland. One morning, going through a particularly fun dell, I popped out of the top of the dell and had an aircraft buzz overhead at a decidedly low level of altitude. I thought, "Wow, that's cool!" then went about my business. Next day, the EXACT same thing happens. So I did an experiment. I had been taking the "low road" to Wick. Next morning I took the high road along the coast. It's a great ride, but I prefer the low road as the high takes you by a farmer's hedge FULL of birds. A half dozen bird strikes minimum (not advisable on an air cooled motorcycle engine). So I navigate past the hedge barrier and continue on my way. What happens? I get buzzed by a Tornado at a VERY LOW altitude. Now I knew, it wasn't a coincidence - I was a training target. I always mourned the loss of the brave Tornado crews during Desert Storm. I've always prayed that the guy buzzing me every morning made it.
Flow in War - sorta: Don't see how the Vulcan makes top 10. Great aircraft, no question. But not top 10 bomber. The Falklands raid was a stunt and a demonstration of power, but not a great tactical accomplishment.
Never flow in war: The Bear? Really? Never saw combat and could NEVER have staved off defensive fire. Given weapons free, they're toast. As at far away as you can detect them. A guy threatening you with a knife when you're carrying a sub-machine gun
Flown in war: B-2, really just an exercise to prove that it could do something. The ECM systems are not discussed, but that's also what makes it effective.
Flown in war: THE LANCASTER! Talk about a GREAT bomber. The dam buster and Tirpitiz raids, on their own, make this a legendary aircraft. Not counting the thousands of sorties to do long range bombing missions against the enemy. Truly GREAT bomber. But not as great as the men who crewed them.
Flown in war: The B-17 has earned its spot on this list - the hard way. Anyone that doesn't consider it legendary is ignorant of history.
Flown in war: The BUFF! Need I say more.
Mostly agree with this list. But to leave out light/middle weight bombers makes it an easier list. Start including Mosquitoes and Mitchells and the list gets a little harder.
The Fairey Swordfish was the most successful Allied torpedo bomber in the first two-thirds of the 2nd World War it even had functioning torpedoes as opposed to the American Navy.
Not to mention, radar....
@@piotrd.4850 ⁷l
Only a Brit would refer to the sound of an aircraft engine as "an educated snarl!" 🤣
Only watched about half the video, and intend to finish it. The one thing I can see wrong with it is the subject matter. You would have to split it up into different videos for each type. One for torpedo bombers, one for dive bombers and one each for medium and heavy bombers. Loving the video just not the all inclusive format.
As young teens energetic with no brains, us lads in settle. n. yorkshire would climb the settle flagpole and when at the top could see and hear tornado planes flying close to the hills on the moors and many a time would. be terryfied as they flew just above head during practice sorties and on there way back to land, it's horrible when you are already fifty foot above rooftops and you feel the heat from these engines on the tornados.
How is the b-29 not on here? It was literally the world's first nuclear strategic bomber. That's more than a small oversight. Maybe get rid of the Vulcan who had one combat mission or the tornado perhaps and throw the b-29 in there at number one, two or three. It was the aircraft that literally did the most important mission of the 20th century. It started the nuclear arms race. Which influenced 60 years of global politics
I remember this on the Discovery channel.
Came here for the Stuka. And the greatest Ace of them all, Hans Ulrich Rudel.
*Amazing video, Interesting channel!!*
4:56 Tom Clancy was in the interview. It shows how old this program is.
In my view the biggest error of this video was excluding the F-111 and including the British Tornado. The F-111 came sooner and was superior in almost every way as a bomber/strike/ground support aircraft. The high loss rate of the Tornado during the gulf war should give anyone pause when compiling a greatest bomber list. Plus, the Americans were never tempted into trying to make it into a second rate fighter/inceptor aircraft like the British did with the Tornado F3.
Errm, you do realise, the F111 is a failed fighter? Hence the "F" designation. Added to that, the war record of the F111, isn't at all stellar.
We lost a lot of Tornadoes because it was doing a difficult job (Runway denial) that no other plane was capable of. Just like the 105 in Vietnam, excellent plane, doing a difficult job.
@@THE-BUNKEN-DRUM Yes, I forgot about McNamara's original boondoggle of demanding an all in one navel and AF fighter, and the F-111 did have issues in Viet Nam before the bugs got worked out. But by the time of the Gulf war it was at a whole different level. No other plane in history has had the ability to do both deep strike AND tactical battlefield ground support using its excellent standoff weapons targeting suite. The Brits did not learn from America's mistake and built F-3 when they could have purchased the excellent off-the-shelf F-14 to protect the north sea.
100%!!!! The F-111 gets so little credit for its amazing service life. Justice for mah boii!! lol
F-111B was tried as Naval Fighter xD
Don’t diss the Tornado GR.1 fr. The high loss rate was due to the job they were doing. They eventually changed tactics decreasing the loss rate.
Technical progress between 1 and 2 world war was huge! Seeing first plane in 1.WW and just 15 years later there is introduction of B - 17, seeing these planes next to each other seems to be there not 15 years gap but 150 years!
The old Fairey Swordfish was perhaps the greatest torpedo bomber of WW 2 because when they attacked Taranto 21 aircraft took of from aircraft carriers without any fighter escort and out of 21 aircraft that took off 19 returned with 2 planes lost one being taken prisoner but 1 crew unfortunately didn’t survive ,but the damage they caused to the Italian Fleet was colossal, there is a video on you tube about the raid and it’s well worth watching because you can’t believe that a plane that was obsolete before the war even started could achieve what it did
F117. Just amazing.
Fighting without fighting is nothing
Can’t believe how small the bomb bay is on the B17, the ball turret is definitely a limitation on its payload.
That is not what a B-52 pilot told me that BUFF stood for! 🤣😅
B-2 is still the No 1on the prettiest death spreading machine though :p
The list has nothing to do with the greatest accomplishment, production or effectiveness. Someone put the plane names on a dart board.
nice doc to start the new year thanks much>
A perfect new year gift
Canberra bomber & F111's could be honorable mentions.
Nice...
The Russian White Swan TU 160 M is simply the best 😂😂
I agree
Old but good to see thumbs up.
Good job fair
Curious how and why the DeHavilland Mosquito isn't on this list 🤔
the stringback never ran for any cover, it crawled!
Thanks....From old Col.Shoe🇺🇸
B1bomber Lancet,buff,b2stealth bomber.the power of u.s strategic bombers.
The old Handley Page Victor could carry nearly as much of a payload as the B-52 and it was a good bit faster as well, lower range though.
The Victor maximum payload was 35,000 lbs, the B-52 maximum is 70,000 lbs.
The Victor had maximum speed of 627 mph, the B-52 has a maximum speed of 650 mph.
Another mistake here, where is the TU-160? That is the greatest bomber ever. There are quite a few bombers and fighter bombers from Soviet union/Russia that deserve mention here but were conveniently left out. TU 22, Su-24 are just two of the excellent examples.
This is obviously far from a comprehensive list, and they did include the Bear. However, saying that, the Tu-160 is far from the the greatest bomber... and the Tu-22 was almost a complete failure until it was upgraded and even then it was limited next to the F-111.. The Su-24 probably belongs on this list but the myth of Russian hardware being "rugged" and "practical" has been proven untrue time and time again in actual combat worldwide
@@doubleugly1594 Tu-22 being a failure is a complete crap propaganda. We see it all the time. Tu-22 did and perform just what and how it was supposed to. Tu-160 is among the best bombers in the world. As for the russian tech, it is rugged and practical, and the fact that it was on the losing side most of the time is only the result of the USA and NATO attacking significantly weaker adversaries time after time. Everyone with right mind knows that.
@@slobodanmitic1354 LOL!
@@doubleugly1594 وت
@@slobodanmitic1354 Does he mean Tu-22? Or Tu-22M? One is trash and one is a legendary cold war soviet bomber.
The term " bomber planes" immediately throws credible out the window
Lancaster Bomber should of been #1
Or the Vulcan.
The stuka siren was for the pilot to know his speed afaik
No B-29 Superfortress? Are you serious!?
Funny thing is - that story about subs hearing the Bear with sonar, lol, even the sub commanders admitted it was a joke, but people keep on repeating it. Just like Goebels said...
Not via the sonar, but through the hydrophones, yes.
Swordfish characteristics reminds me of how the empire wasn't prepared for a small one man fighter blowing up the death star! And the germans weren't prepared for slow moving torpedo bi wing torpedo bomber
Many, many people forget that the "Raid On Taranto" was what gave the Japanese the idea for their attack on Pearl Harbor. Go to the enemy's port, destroy their battleship[s and get out. The only difference was that the British attacked at night, (when their slow Swordfish torpedo bombers couldn't be seen), and the Japanese attacking in the morning, (before their convoy was spotted).
I'm always amazed when I remember that Avro designed and built the Lancaster during WWII, and then, TEN years later, designed and built the Vulcan. Only ONE DECADE separated these two iconic bombers.
Actually, when the narrator said that the Boeing B-17 had a belly turret from DAY ONE, he is mistaken. The earliest designs, (in 1935), did not have one. It was only after flight tests and military trials that a need was found for one. Films of WWII bombing raids over Europe always show the newer models of the Boeing Bomber, from Model E to Model G, (The one with the "chin" turret). It wasn't until the "E" model, that the B-17 even had a tail gunner!
No 5hey call that a lightning tornado ace 👌
B52.just amazing
Did anyone mention that every prop makes a constant sonic boom, making it the loudest thing ever? That's stealthy. Who wrote this?
You are WRONG.....Just one the Thunderscreech it was a test fighter plane Not a bomber and this was back in the 1950's, Not stealthy at all....Thanks from Lt.Shoe🇺🇸
@@steveshoemaker6347 No, you are WRONG. Many propeller planes props go supersonic, not just the "Thunderscreech"
@@steveshoemaker6347 You should have remained quiet.
Now everyone will Google it and know you're a fool.
Eight props are producing sonic booms before it even leaves the ground. Ground crews have become ill from the sound.
@@steveshoemaker6347 Since you're not smart enough, I did it for you: "The aircraft has four Kuznetsov NK-12 engines with contra-rotating propellers. It is the only propeller-powered strategic bomber still in operational use today. The Tu-95 is one of the loudest military aircraft, particularly because the tips of the propeller blades move faster than the speed of sound."
@@THE-BUNKEN-DRUM Thank you.
Rails come of a refuelling fortress that reloads the pay load
How is the b-17 above the Lancaster
In reality it can't be
In the opinion of the people that wrote this thats where it goes. And weather they were right or not, is also a matter of opinion.
Staggers Belief . Not one B-17 dropped the Dam Buster , the tall Boy or the Grand slam . Its all about the White Star emblem . The Italian Bomber is only in the list cause some Americans flew in it
@@Rusty_Gold85 you now that I had a bigger bomb bay is only one of many aspects. And it gets pulled out every time ignoring everything else about the two aircraft, just like me saying the B-17 has more guns, or a bigger crew so that must make it better, nope thats just one aspect. You need more data points, then you need to ask what the mission was, and how will THIS bomber fulfill THIS mission, it has a bigger bomb doesn’t cut it, especially as that seems to be the only argument that ever comes up. I personally think they both rock.
@@massmike11 : It's not just a case of "It has a bigger bomb load l" The Lanc carried that bigger bomb load, further, faster and higher (fact).
Ju -87 many pilots took the sirens off, they didn't like it. But the plane was obsolete. The FW-190 was a kick ass plane. Especially the D models,
id say the B1-B or Bone was missing from the list
I still love Tornado from Desert Storm
spark is like that rich kid that buys a team of hueys and than the most powerful speaker . stick it on the huey and than play fortunate son over america i mean everybody is gonna get PTSD
the Panavia TORNADO GR4 multi role interdictor strike fighter should have been No 3 on this list . . .
Hey where's the B29.... I mean come on. It's the first with an enclosed and pressurized canopy and the only bomber in history to drop atomic bombs in anger on an actual target.... I mean I kinda figured that a majority of the aircraft on this list would be British (British show) but seriously?!?!
I always assumed the Vulcan was a supersonic bomber.
Where’s the Hustler? Also the last F in BUFF doesn’t stand for “Fellow” it’s something a little more…colorful.
Now how did the the B-29 andthe “Halifax”(I know) not see the list? 🇨🇦
How hard would it have been to have built an underbelly gun turret on a Lancaster ?
The single greatest and powerful bomber was the Enola Gay (/əˈnoʊlə/), a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, named after Enola Gay Tibbets, the mother of the pilot, Colonel Paul Tibbets. On 6 August 1945, piloted by Tibbets and Robert A. Lewis during the final stages of World War II, it became the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb in warfare. When the second bomb was dropped, American became the first country to win a nuclear war.
I remember a B-2 crashed on take off on Guam
OMG I like this strong fighter
Ya'll forgot how pretty the VULCAN is
The Mosquito should have definitely made this list...
"B2 an airplane with no tail... and we are livining in a time where we are able to do that now" Germany in world war2 "Hans hold my beer"
Jack Northrop - Horton, you're spilling your beer, while I'm blowing it through my nose from laughter...
Ну если забыть и не упоминать ту 160 может так и есть))
How can you beat the A10 for ground support aircraft?
Seriously! No B-29, mosquito or F-111... and no honorable mention for B-58 hustler, the sexiest mfer bomber ever. Highly dodgy for the crew, nevertheless still sexy.
Ft Lt Jim beck is now an air commodore.
Aichi D3A Val dive bombers sank more shipping than Stukas did. In fact Vals sank more Allied shipping than any other Axis aircraft did. That list is confirmed. A26s had more combat time in 3 wars and CIA operations than some of the entrees. Parafrag and skip bombing Imperial Japanese Army transports were part of A26 history as well as that of RAAF Beaufighters, USAAF A20s and B25s. B25s were the Doolittle mission bomber.
B29s have a mixed legacy as a hurriedly developed bomber but the negative side was primarily the credit to Curtis Wright's mismanagement with the early operational version of the oil leaky hot running Magnesium cased R-3350 firetrap of a radial. The B29 upside was the part it played in actually and ironically saving countless millions of Japanese lives that the ruling junta running Japan had accessed that they were willing to sacrifice as well as the very likely hundreds of thousands of US military estimated to be lost in the invasion of the Japanese home islands.
The 8th AAF bombing campaign was initially an incompetently commanded disaster of little consequence to Axis war production until it was used as bait for the destruction of the Luftwaffe under the command of Jimmy Doolittle.. It's about goddamned time we called that like it was. P47s could have had drop tanks by the summer of '43 and when they were finally ordered and fitted it was the 56th fighter group of P47s escorting inside Germany that refined the tactics that became the 8th AAF directive in fighter tactics for escorting the bombing missions to complete Doolittle's change of mission priority to that of destroying the Luftwaffe. And largely before D Day. The P51 was a classic green pilot friendly versatile weapon of necessity but it wasn't alone in destroying the Luftwaffe. Nor were we for that matter..
Did the one guy say b 51 mustang didn't know it existed. 36:39 min