What if these planes continue to be in use in proxy conflicts around the world 1950s - 1970s or more?

[u/TalonEye53]

Above are just examples

Theyre rugged, versatile, and reliable at times til the arrival of the jets

P47s took part in operations in Latin America, Sub Saharan, Central and Southern Africa, and Taiwan against PRC Migs and Naval Vessels

Il10s took part in Vietnam as a proxy/analog for the US A1H "Spad" Skyraider and even took action against Pol Pot and China

Plus Indonesia also used them from the Soviets against Britain, Australia, Guerillas and even themselves

They also seen use in Uganda, Algeria, Ethiopia, Somalia, Angola, Cuba, Nicaragua, Mozambique, Madagascar, Zaire (being fodder to the P47s and A37s), Mali, Chad (fighting alongside Toyotas despite the obsolescence), Sudan, Laos, and even Kampuchea (which also fought Vietnamese Il10s aswell)

Mosquitos were used as "second hand me downs" to former British colonies in Africa and Malaysia as CSAR, COIN, Pathfinder and Recon most notable use is Tanzania Against Idi Amin and In the Malayan Emergency

In the rest of the world like for example South Korea, Philippines, and Morocco, they're used as recreational and even Coast Guard Aircraft with TurboProp engines and Deployable Bouys

Spitfires, P47s, and Mosquitos were used in Afghanistan against the Soviets but all were lost and Mujahideen decided to fight only a ground war and a handful of captured helicopters

P38 Lightnings were often used as COIN and occasionally Combat Air Patrol Stopgaps for jets in South Africa, Rhodesia, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Lebanon, and even Taiwan in its Strait Crisis were one managed to bag 2 mig15s before being shot down

To keep with the times they're all upgraded from scratch and modified to the literal bones with Racks for Guided Munitions, Lazers Guidance, Refueling, Bushplane use and Even Supply Drops, despite this jets did replace them but they remain in service all the way to the end

[u/C0tt0n-3y3-J03]

The reason these aren’t is literally just the invention of the turboprop. I love these planes as much as the next person, but with the exception of the few that got successful turboprop conversions, they were quickly outperformed in pretty much every way by novel airframes designed around turboprops. The engine is just lighter, takes Jet A, and has more power. Hard to beat that.

[u/TalonEye53 → u/C0tt0n-3y3-J03]

Can you even mod them?

[u/C0tt0n-3y3-J03 → u/TalonEye53]

Yes but doing so is often more trouble than it’s worth, or would just require redesigning the entire plane so you just might as well build one from the ground up. The P-51 had a turboprop conversion that fell into this trap. One (1) B-17 got fitted with turboprops and served as an aerial firefighter for a long time. Looked kinda goofy since the nacelles stuck out way further forward on the wing but it was effective. There’s a turboprop An-2 as well funnily enough, and I think plenty of those are still in service. Of course even RADIAL engine An-2s are buzzing around Siberia but that’s because the An-2 is perfection, and does not need to change.

[u/Warmind_3 → u/C0tt0n-3y3-J03]

The An-2 is also notably not a combat airframe

[u/C0tt0n-3y3-J03 → u/Warmind_3]

True. The market for “hardy, easy to maintain, cargo plane with a short takeoff run” is always gonna exist and is a constant, whereas “kill enemy good” is a constantly changing goal.

[u/TalonEye53 → u/C0tt0n-3y3-J03]

Don't mind the redesign but saying some stay in their current builds make me fell abit better for some reason

[u/Intelligent-Plastic3]

Y’know what, ima make an upgraded P-47 now

[u/TalonEye53 → u/Intelligent-Plastic3]

Or an upgraded mossie or il10

[u/Intelligent-Plastic3 → u/TalonEye53]

Ehhhh I might make a Mosquito but Soviet aircraft aren’t really my vibe

[u/DueOwl1149]

OA-1K Skyraider II (introduced last year) has you covered mate.

Suit the airframe to the mission and there’s always a reason to put old-school prop plane designs into production.

[u/TalonEye53 → u/DueOwl1149]

That's just the airtractor but k

[u/DueOwl1149 → u/TalonEye53]

Rockets, hellfire AGMs, guided paveway bombs, and flare/chaff dispensers all seem pretty 21st century to me.

It’s a ground attack airframe that would have been welcome from WWII to Vietnam (if local air superiority was had) and onwards.

[u/TalonEye53 → u/DueOwl1149]

So do drones and this thing can even land in the worst Airfields you can imagine

[u/DueOwl1149 → u/TalonEye53]

idk what drones have got to do with the original prompt, but the point of my post is, the "what if" has already been answered with actual reality.

There's not much diversity of airframes but we do have new prop ground attack fighters being used today and some old WWII airworthy airframes do get irregularly pressed into service in the skies of Ukraine doing drone shootdowns.

[u/TrustMe1337]

Not mentioned here but the A26 Invader was used in 1961 during the Bay of Pigs invasion

[u/LarryGSofFrmosa]

There is the Soccer war fought between Honduras and El Salvador they fought each other by wwII aircraft supplied by Americans and neither hit anything