Worst Aircraft to Fly in World War II Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. One of the worst fighters to fly in RAF service was the Defiant. Who designed this unique aircraft?

Answer: Boulton Paul

The Boulton Paul Defiant was known as a turret fighter. All of the armament for the aircraft was located in a four gun turret positioned to the rear. Apparently, the designers believed that this configuration would be better for the aircraft. It could pick off fighters attacking to the rear of the aircraft. For some reason the designers counted on enemy aircraft being on their fighters tail ....

2. One of Germany's most unusual aircraft was the BV-141, designed by Blohm und Voss. What was unusual about this aircraft?

Answer: Its asymetric layout

The BV-141 was designed with the crew in a heavily glazed nacelle offset from the boom carrying a single prop engine. The aircraft was cancelled because the BMW 801 engines were needed for the FW-190. The aircraft had dismal flying capabilities, a problem which was never really addressed.

3. One of the worst US aircraft to enter squadron service was the P-39 designed by Bell. What country actually used the aircraft to much success?

Answer: Russia

The P-39 was one of the most revolutionary aircraft of its time. It had a tricycle landing gear, a car door type canopy, and the engine located behind the pilot. It ended up being too revolutionary for the period and was extremely tricky to fly. However it was used with success as a tank buster on the Russian front.

It has been said that the only people who loved the aircraft was the designers and the Russians. How ironic that the Russians loved one of the most hated aircraft in the West!

4. Me-323 was one of the largest, slowest, and most vulnerable aircraft of World War II. How many aircraft survived in service past 1944?

Answer: None

The Me-323 was a powered variant of the Me-321 combat glider. It was the biggest aircraft of the war, and as such, one of the slowest. The aircraft was a virtual sitting duck in the air and could only be used with comprehensive air superiority. Even though the aircraft was known as the "Elastoplast Bomber" it was highly resiliant. Still, none of the 213 production aircraft survived past the summer of 1944. Multiple incidents of large formations of Me-323s being downed have been reported.

In one incident 14 of the transports were destroyed resulting in 120 deaths.

The loss of all 213 aircraft is one of the most complete destructions of one type of aircraft in history.

5. Definately the oddest transport prototype was the Antonov A-40. What was this aircraft?

Answer: A tank with wings attached

The A-40 was also known as the KT. It was a T-60 tank with biplane wings attached that would be trailed from a TB-3 and be ready to fight when dropped. The aircraft was extremely heavy and the tank had to be stripped of armament, ammunition, headlights, and fuel.

The tank was still to heavy to carry. Even if it had worked, one has to wonder if the tank would have been fit for frontline action in its "reduced" form with no armament, fuel, headlights ...

6. One of the worst Italian aircraft of the war was the Breda Ba.88. What was this plane's proposed role?

Answer: Ground attack

The Ba.88 was a highly advanced two seat, two engined ground attack warplane. It was extremely advanced for the time, but proved to be a disappoinment when it entered service. It was a great plane in prototype form but suffered greatly when military equipment was added. It ended up being used as a decoy.

7. As the war progressed in Japan, the aircraft enginers become more and more creative (or desperate). One of their final designs was the MXY-7 Ohka piloted missile. What did the Americans call this plane?

Answer: Baka

The MXY-7 Ohka was a small rocket plane fitted with an explosive charge and carried under a medium bomber. The pilot was expected to fly his airplane right into an enemy ship, making him a kamikaze. This was part of the Japanese "Warrior Spirit" which meant that a soldier was expected to die and not surrender.

When the Ohka worked, it was devastating. On most missions, the heavily loaded bombers were easy targets for American fighters, and were easily destroyed.

8. Another piloted missile was attempted by Germany. The Fi-103R was a piloted version of the V-1. What was the pilot expected to do once locked on target?

Answer: Bail out and make his way back to German lines

The Fi-103R was an attempt to provide accurate destruction of high priority targets. About 100 pilots of KG 200 where chosen but no missions where flown. The pilot was expected to bail out of the aircraft right before collision. This would have been very hard because of the cramped cockpit and the pulse-jet engine located right above the cockpit.

9. The Fairey Battle was the primary light attack aircraft of the RAF at the beginning of World War II. What battle was the combat debut for this aircraft?

Answer: Battle of France

The Battles were used with the BEF in France. The pilots fought gallantly, but their aircraft where drastically outclassed by the contemporary fighters. The Bf-109 flew 100 mph faster than the bomber. The Battle was destroyed by enemy fighters and suffered heavy losses. On the biggest Battle sortie of the war, 40 of the 71 attacking aircraft where destroyed. Battles were eventually replaced by the Vickers Wellington.

Although it was an inadequet bomber, a Battle gunner did score the first RAF kill of World War II, against a Bf-109.

10. The A-24 was a dive bomber for the USAAC. What enemy type directly influenced the design of this aircraft?

Answer: Ju-87 Stuka

The A-24 was designed in response to an USAAC request for a dive-bomber after hearing reports of the Ju-87 Stuka's success in Europe. After studying the Stuka from reports, Douglas decided that the best aircraft to offer was a land-based version of the SBD Dauntless. The A-24 performed miserably in combat and was soon relegated to non-combat roles.

Source: Author barisax14

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bloomsby before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

Sometimes war time urgency yields amazing aircraft. Sometimes it does not. This is a quiz on the aircraft that were some of the worst in World War II. These aircraft should never have been allowed to fly.

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