5 Worst Experimental Planes Of WW2

Here is a list of five of the worst planes of World War II- experimental edition: 

5. Brewster XA-32

This American attack plane is a bit underwhelming. Even the development was a nightmare- Brewster was having management issues internally with a lot of these issues compounding the project. 

Upon testing, the plane can also only reach 279 mph which at that point in the war was nearly acceptable. Only two prototypes were ever constructed, and both winding up scrapped. 

4. Nakajima G5N Shinzan

This very large jet is a four-engined, long-range, heavy bomber that was designed for the Imperial Japanese Navy. 

The first prototype would fly on April 1941 but the performance wasn’t good primarily because the jet was too heavy. There were engine problems and reliability issues, and the design itself was complex. Development was eventually halted, although the Japanese wound up using the prototypes- four were used as Navy transports.

3. Kawanishi E15K Shiun

The Japanese Imperial Navy asked Kawanishi to develop a two-seat, high-speed reconnaissance float plane that was needed to have sufficient performance to escape interception by land-based fighters and an 800-nautical mile range, and the E15K was born. 

Prototypes were developed but were halted because of the advanced features they were trying to place. By the time they got in service, Allied fighters had a much higher performance. Eventually, production was canceled in February 1944.

2. Bell YFM-1 Aracuda

The Barracuda was an American heavy fighter and was the first military plane produced by Bell. While looking sleek and futuristic, it was plagued with design problems from the start. It was very heavy and wound up slower than most bombers, and it was supposed to be a fighter. It wasn’t maneuverable as well- so it was unable to do a dogfight. The engines would also overheat. 

Pilots didn’t even want to fly them as they’re a nightmare, and generally flown for photo opportunities. They eventually stopped being used entirely by 1942. 

1. McDonnell XP-67 Bat

This plane first flew in January 1944, but McDonnell found issues with the engine cooling airflow and were never really fully resolved. 

When it did make its first flight, it only lasted for six minutes because of engine problems. Despite modifications, the plane was extremely underpowered. It also had a poor rate of climb, slow acceleration, and very long takeoff. When the second prototype was being developed, the Army leaders re-evaluated the entire program and decided to cancel the program.