10 top bombers of all time

Top Bombers of All Time

Bdpopeye said:

If anyone wants to argue these selection please feel free To start a thread on this subject of top bombers of all time. Thanks!

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I'll take up that offer.

I'd say the B-29 is the top one, followed by the B-52.

Other than that this is a good list from military.com:

1. B-52
2. B-2
3. B-29
4. De Havilland Mosquito
5. Arvo Lancaster
6. B-47 Stratojet
7. Tupelov Tu-95 "Bear"
8. Junkers Ju-88
9. Handley Page 0/100
10. B-17

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So possible topics here are your personal list what makes a a bomber successful and most importantly is the strategc bomber still relevant and necessary?

I would say no, other than the B-2.

Re: Top Bombers of All Time

Finn McCool said:

I'll take up that offer.

I'd say the B-29 is the top one, followed by the B-52.

Other than that this is a good list from military.com:



So possible topics here are your personal list what makes a a bomber successful and most importantly is the strategc bomber still relevant and necessary?

I would say no, other than the B-2.

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I agree that stratigic bombers are no longer necessary. LACM Cruise missiles, SSBN's, BM's are stratigic weapons.

I like military.com list...but I would have the Lancaster 2nd and everything else moved down a notch.

What makes a bomber sucessful? Longetivty of service. Payload. Adaptablity and versatlity..

Re: Top Bombers of All Time

I agread comrad, the B-52 stratofortress is a good bomber and it is #1 of all
times.It has one of the longest sirvice in history and still will be in active sirvice,but comrad we are just going to have to sit back and watch to see if the bomber is still reliable.Time will tell.:coffee:

Re: Top Bombers of All Time

And with a range of 12500 Statue miles, it is one of the few bombers that can fly independently on long range missions and drop its payload (The 20 LACMs, all else are carried under fighter wings anyway. As for stealth, not needed when all you drop are CMs.)

Re: Top Bombers of All Time

bd popeye said:

I agree that stratigic bombers are no longer necessary. LACM Cruise missiles, SSBN's, BM's are stratigic weapons.

I like military.com list...but I would have the Lancaster 2nd and everything else moved down a notch.

What makes a bomber sucessful? Longetivty of service. Payload. Adaptablity and versatlity..

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Bombers are still very useful for today's conflicts. USAF B-52's and B-1 fly close air support for ground troops in Afghanistan by carrying large amounts of precision guided munitions which can be lobbed one at a time at targets. The large payloads and endurance still makes them useful.

For me, the winner is the De Havilland Mosquito. Fast, could carry the load of the B-17, and damn near impossible to intercept. The ultimate predecessor of today's bombers in that it validated the concept that bombers did not need their own defensive armament as they could fly higher, and faster. It was also flexible, capable of being used as a very effective night fighter, photo reconnaissance and fighter-bomber.

Re: Top Bombers of All Time

Does Il-2 Sturmovik count as a bomber? Or is CAS counted as a different class?

Re: Top Bombers of All Time

Bombers are still very useful for today's conflicts. USAF B-52's and B-1 fly close air support for ground troops in Afghanistan by carrying large amounts of precision guided munitions which can be lobbed one at a time at targets. The large payloads and endurance still makes them useful.

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True enough..But I did post;

I agree that stratigic bombers are no longer necessary. LACM Cruise missiles, SSBN's, BM's are stratigic weapons.

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I did post Stratigic..True enough B-52's & B-2 are great at what they do..Landscaping....Awesome weapons no doubt!

I don't think any bomber has flown as many actual combat missions as a B-52.

Re: Top Bombers of All Time

bd popeye said:

I don't think any bomber has flown as many actual combat missions as a B-52.

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The longevity in active service of the B-52 Stratofortress demonstrates just what a superb bomber it is. I would rate it as easily the most successful bomber of all time.

If we look at their impact on the course of a conflict I believe that the Avro Lancaster, the B-29 Superfortress, the B-17 Fortress and the B-24 Liberator (often forgotten although it outnumbered the B-17) all warrant inclusion high up on any list.

Tas

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Maybe in another 30 years, B-2 will be on the top of the list. I honestly don't see another country developing something that lethal in the next 30 years. Unless of course, US goes forward with B-3.

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For my mind the B-52 is the best because of it's longevity, there are some current B-52 pilot's whose grandfathers flew them in the 1950's and then their fathers flew them in the 70's and 80's, it's versatility and it's sheer capacity. The Blackjack is an awesome aircraft which has not been used to it's full potential but that may now change as Russia's foreign policy hardens. Another of my favourite aircraft, probably a favourite of all British military fans, (and the subject of my avatar!) is the Avro Vulcan. The World's first 4 jet delta bomber and a design which would still be radical today. It's probably best remembered today as the plane that was saved from an appointment with the scrapman to fly almost a quarter of the way around the world to bomb the Falklands, the military effectiveness of those raids is debatable but it was a superb achievement and a powerful statement of intent.

On the general issue, strategic bombers do have an important role as they can be deployed to crisis zones far more rapidly than carriers or amphib groups. A squadron of B-52's or B-1's armed with ALCMs sitting near your enEmy can act as a powerful deterrent. They still have a role of conventional war as the B-1 has shown in Afghanistan by being able to carry out pin point attacks on enemy forces while retaining the ability to carpet bomb large concentrations of troops as the B-52's did in the Battle for Kabul in 2001.