Question for non-'Aeroplane' readers only !

[lefty]

Interesting statistics published in this month's issue. A for the correct answer to the following -

Which were nos 1,2 and 3 in the list of aircraft types produced in greatest numbers since powered flight began ?

Second and third you might guess, but the leader with over 33000 produced (over 10000 ahead of no 2) might surprise you !

I rely on readers of the magazine to play the game here.

[Flyin Bull]

1 - Cessna 172
2 - Polikarpov Po-2
3 - Ilyushin IL-2

Steve

[sandar]

I won't give the game away (I subscribe to The Aeroplane), but there is one very notable ommision to the list, that being the aeroplane that should be 4th with somewhere between 18,000 and 19,000 units being built. I won't mention it just yet as it will be interesting to see what others think.

Oh, by the way, ol' big'ead knew the top three before reading it.

[lefty]

Steve's got one type right, but in the wrong place.

Sandar is showing off. (What is his mysterious #4 ???)

I will concede, however, that according to some sources, the Cessna 172 family totalled 43500 units, so maybe we have to go back to 'Aeroplane' to explain themselves !

I can see this costing me a lot of beer..........................

[Hurricane]

1-Messerschmitt 109
2-Cessna 172
3-Piper PA-28
4-DC-3/C-47/Dakota

I'm pretty sure Steve was right with the Cessna. I'd imagine that Piper are pretty high up too.The Messerschmitt is a complete guess,they made lots of 'em but can't remember how many. Dakota has to be fairly high up the list (at least top 20?).

edit: The Cessna 172 figure could be misleading as its still in production so going up all the time.

[sandar]

John Fricker does say the figures come from his archives, so how old are his archives? He does mention, "the vast and ever fascinating global aviation" which does suggest the entire aviation production, but I did get the impression that the figures he was refering to were wartime production numbers.

The aeroplane I thought should be number 4 is the Consolidated B24 Liberator with 18,475 units built. If you include PB4Y Liberators, the number climbs to around 19,000

Another mistake in the January 2009 issue. Alan W. Hall's obituary, he was born 1918 and died 2008 aged 80, err not according to maths.

[sandar]

Another problem arises with aeroplanes such as the DC3, how do you count them? Do you include Lisunov and Showa licence built ones?

I think you have stepped into a minefield Lefty, or is it a can of worms?

[lefty]

Can of worms it is, and I'm not sure I want to get into a punch-up with an aviation journalist as distinguished as John Fricker !

He does mention the DC-3 and its various imitators/copies, the toal being over 17000, but the B-24 omission is surprising, let alone the Cessna.

With sinking heart, I looked up another popular light aircraft and found that Piper Cub production totals 40000 as well !

Think we'll bring it to a halt - here are John Fricker's figures

Il-2 36163

Bf109 33675

Spitfire 20334

followed by Yak-9, P-47 and P-51.

I'll buy ANYONE a beer that can get to the pub in the next half-hour !

[sandar]

Dangerous statement Lefty, you didn't sat WHICH pub. I'm off to The Cricketers, about 400 yards away:friday:

[lefty]

My local, where free beer is provided for anyone who can recite 'Tam O' Shanter' word-perfect.

In Gaelic.

[sandar]

That's me out then, I'm only fluent in Anglo Saxon (rustic version) and gibberish, especially after a pint or two.

[Flyin Bull]

Pulled all my info from wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...duced_aircraft

Not sure how accurate though.

Steve

[lefty]

Fascinating list, Steve - confirms what I thought about the Mig-15 being up there somewhere too.

Liberator numbers amazing considering how few are left. I reckon about half the P-51's produced are still gadding around the States somewhere !

I dropped a note to the Editor of Aeroplane, and he told me he is forwarding it to John Fricker. I shall feel like a schoolboy in the headmaster's study.

[Kofschip]

And which arcraft has the longest production run???????

[Dynasaurus]

And which arcraft has the longest production run???????

I always thought that it was the Antonov An-2 , but apparently it's now the C130 (according to Wikipedia)

Alan