Which WWII warbird has the highest percentage of survivors, particularly in airworthy trim?
Many thousands of Spitfires and P-51’s were built and both survive in considerable numbers, but which aircraft survives in the greatest proportion in terms of original numbers built?
For example, say 20,000 Spitfires were built, and 200 survived. That would be a 1% survival rate. So which aircraft is the greatest survivor?
One to think about. There could be some surprises here.
Regards
Wombat
By: Moggy C - 10th March 2004 at 16:05
Thanks for leaving us to do the sums Mark.
But that wraps up the question I should think. The Mars at 33% still extant, with the Firefly (3.2%) in second place (But not if we are counting ‘flyable’)
Any figures for the PBY5?
Moggy
By: DazDaMan - 10th March 2004 at 16:02
Mark – does your number of Messerschmitt survivors include the Buchon?
By: Corsair166b - 10th March 2004 at 15:57
Looks like it’s time to consult Dennis Bergstrom’s most recent edition of ‘Gallant Warriors’ for some numbers……
Of 13,733 P-40 Warhawks built (all models), 103 survive.
Of 12,731 B-17’s produced, 49 survive.
Of 12,681 Corsairs built, 93 survive.
Of 9939 TBM/TBF’s built, 96 survive.
Of 5562 Bristol Beaufighters built, 11 survive.
Of 658 Fireflies built, 21 survive.
Of 14,233 Hawker Hurricanes built, 76 survive
Of 22,440 Spitfires of all marks built, an even 200 survive
Of 35,000 Messerschmitt BF109’s built, 55 survive
Of 10,449 Japanese Zeros built, 41 survive
Of 30,000 Yak 1,3,7 and 9 models built, 35 survive.
And, of 15,686 P-51 Mustangs built, 312 survive…there is one plane where 100 percent of the types still fly…the JRM Mars flying boats, 6 were built, 2 still exist and both fly.
Anyone got any requests for a certain type as far as numbers built and numbers that still exist? This edition did’nt cover the T-6, but I would say it is the most plentiful ‘warbird’ to still exist from WWII.
Mark
By: DazDaMan - 10th March 2004 at 15:50
Two by my reckoning.
By: Moggy C - 10th March 2004 at 15:49
Originally posted by paulmcmillan
As fighters go with bits of over 21 Survivors left (out of total production which was not much!) I would reckon the Commonwealth Boomerang has a good chance.
How many airworthy?
Moggy
Good lord! 650 Gladiators built? I’d never have guessed that many.
By: paulmcmillan - 10th March 2004 at 15:38
As fighters go with bits of over 21 Survivors left (out of total production which was not much!) I would reckon the Commonwealth Boomerang has a good chance.
By: Eric Mc - 10th March 2004 at 15:35
Read the original question too quickly and missed the nuance.
It would be quite a difficult exercise to carry out – how many airworthy DC-3s are currently flying (200? 300?) out of the (possible) 13,000 built? Say 200 out of 13,000 are still flying- that equates to 1.5%
Looking at Gladiator production which seems to have totalled arounf 650 aircraft – 1 airworthy example equals 0.15% and 2 airwothy would obviously by 0.3%
By: Moggy C - 10th March 2004 at 15:18
Originally posted by Eric Mc
I would hazard a guess that the most numerical airworthy surviving World War 2 types are the DC-3 and T-6/Harvard followed by the P-51 Mustang.
Which is interesting, but goes no way to addressing the question.
Or don’t we do that any more?
I’d guess the Gladiator, which was produced in small, pre-war numbers, but will shortly have two flying examples, could rank quite high.
Moggy
By: Eric Mc - 10th March 2004 at 09:52
I would hazard a guess that the most numerical airworthy surviving World War 2 types are the DC-3 and T-6/Harvard followed by the P-51 Mustang.
By: JDK - 10th March 2004 at 09:27
The Airliner listing ‘Survivors 2002’ does exactly that, from DC-3 to Fokker F-50s and Catalinas, Martin Mars etc. As you say, proportionatly, it’s surprising.
For my money, against Nos in service, rather than built, the Heinkel 162 must be the worst. Chuck a brick and you hit one, but they never flew in anger!
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March 10, 2004 at 9:20 am