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American Aircraft |
The B-29 Superfortress was the first pressurized bomber airplane to enter the American Air Force. Being pressurized allowed it to fly higher then any previous plane (over 40, 000 feet, 12192 meters). So high, in fact, that the defending planes could not get up to it. The plane was made famous on August 6, 1945, when a B-29 commanded by Colonel Paul Tibet, dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, even though it was originally designed to reach Germany from the United States. After the war it served a part in the Korean War. After the Korean War it was used to take experimental planes up to high altitude thanks to its high ceiling.
Type: |
High-Altitude Heavy Bomber |
Crew: |
10 to 14 |
Power plant : |
Four Wright R-3350-23 Duplex Cyclone |
Max speed: |
357 mph (575 km/h) |
Ceiling: |
36,000 ft. (10,973 m) |
Range: |
3,250 miles (5230 km) (With 10,000 lb. bomb load): |
Weight (empty): |
74,500 lb. (33,795 kg.) |
Weight (loaded): |
135,000 lb. (61,240 kg.) |
Wingspan: |
141 ft. 3 in. (43.05m) |
Length: |
99 ft. (30.2m) |
Height: |
27 ft. 9 in. (8.46m) |
Armament: |
Four GE Twin 0.50 in. in turrets above and below.
Sighted from nose or three waist sighting stations. Bell tail turret with one 20mm cannon and two 0.50 machine guns.
Internal load of 20,000 lb. (9072 kg.) |
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The P-40 series was flown in 1938. It was the first single-seat American Fight to be produced on a large scale. When America joined World War 2, almost half of the USAAF airplanes were P-40s. Even though it was slower and less maneuverable then most aircraft in it’s time, P-40s were very tough and dependable. Besides, American pilots just loved the way it looked. Thanks to upgrades, it was used through out the war. In all 16,802 P-40s where made.
Type: |
Single-seat fighter and desert fighter-bomber |
Powerplant: |
1,040 hp Allison V-1710-33, V12 liquid-cooled |
Max speed: |
345mph (555km/h) |
Ceiling: |
13,106 m. (43,200 ft) |
Range: |
1,080km (675 miles) |
Weight (empty): |
2,636kg (5,812lb) |
Weight (loaded): |
3,424kg (7,549lb) |
Wingspan: |
11.37m (37'3.5") |
Length: |
9.66m (31'8.5") |
Height: |
3.75 m (12 ft. 5 in.) |
Armament: |
6x 0.50" machine guns, provision for up to 1000lbs bombs |
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The P-47 Thunderbolt was the tallest and heaviest single-seat Allied fighter. It was the most numerous (over 15,700 made) US fighter. It didn’t start that way though. It was originally created as a light weight inline engine fighter. Experiences in World War 1, however, indicated that planes had to be better armored and armed. The designer redesigned the P-47 with this in mind. He completely redesigned the plane, he put in the most powerful engine available. It was now big and heavy, but it was also very fast (over 400 mph, 643.7376 kilometers) with an astounding 3,000 ft per minute climbing rate, all with a take-off weight of over 5 tons. It had eight machine guns which gave it lots of firepower. It even had a high payload capacity, which was great for taking out ground forces.
Type: |
Fighter |
Powerplant: |
One Pratt & Whitney R-2800-77 |
Max speed: |
467 mph (762 km/ hr) |
Ceiling: |
43,000 ft (13,105 m) |
Range: |
800 miles (1297 km) |
Weight (empty): |
11,000 lbs (4990 kg) |
Weight (loaded): |
20,700 lbs (9389 kg) |
Wingspan: |
42' 7" (12.98 m) |
Length: |
36' 1" (11.0 m) |
Height: |
14' 7" (4.44 m) |
Armament: |
Eight .50 cal machine guns |
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British Aircraft |
Supermarine Spitfires were the most famous airplanes of World War 2 and the only aircraft that could really rival the German fighters. The prototype first took off on March 5, 1936, piloted by Mutt Summers. Thanks to its remarkable handling and graceful lines, British officers were very impressed. During the war many different versions of the aircraft where made. In particular, the Merlin engine upgrade gave the spitfire a 42% increase in horsepower. The plane was flown though out the war by pilots from many different countries including France, Poland, Canada, and Australia. During the height of the Battle of Britain a frustrated German ace turned to his Commander-in-Chief and demanded a squadron of Spitfires.
Type: |
Single-seat fighter / interceptor |
Engine: |
1 Rolls-Royce Merlin 45, dev. 1440 - 2050 hp |
Max speed: |
594 km/h (370 mph) @ 6 000 m (13,000 ft.) |
Ceiling: |
11 000 m (37,000 ft.) |
Range: |
1 800 km (1,135 mi.) |
Weight (empty): |
2 260 kg (5,000 lb.) |
Weight(loaded): |
2 911 kg (6,400 lb.) |
Wingspan: |
11,23 m (36 ft. 10 in.) |
Length: |
9,12 m (29 ft. 11 in.) |
Height: |
3,02 m (11 ft. 5 in.) |
Armament: |
Eight 7.7 mm (.303 cal.) Browning machine guns with 350 rounds per gun and up to 227 kg (500 lb.) of bombs. |
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Often called the greatest bomber of World War 2, the Avro Lancaster delivered a bigger bomb load (14,000lbs) than any other plane at its time in Europe. Its four engines allowed it to fly at 462 km/h (287 mph.). This was important because the Lancaster was the main aircraft used during night bombings. It was so well designed that only minor changes were made through out the war.
| Type: |
Seven-seat heavy bomber |
| Engine: |
4x 1,390hp (1,460hp with max boost) Merlin 20 or 22 |
| Max speed: |
287mph (462km/h) |
| Ceiling: |
7467m (24,492ft) |
| Range: |
4075km (2530 miles) with 3175kg (7000lbs) bombs; 2700 km (1660 miles) with full load (6350kg/14,000lbs of bombs) |
| Wingspan: |
31.09 m (102 ft.) |
| Length: |
21.18 m (69 ft.) |
| Height: |
6.25 m (20 ft.) |
| Armament: |
nine 7.7mm (.303 cal.) Browning machine guns |
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The Hawker Tempest was another aircraft before its time. Starting in 1944 it was one of the best British propeller fighters of World War 2. It even shot down twenty German Me 262 (The German Jet fighter). It was often used to destroy trains, tanks, as well as artillery positions. It was outstanding at intercepting German V-1 Missiles.
Type: |
Fighter-bomber |
Engine: |
Napier Sabre II dev. 2,420 hp |
Max speed: |
686 km/h (425 mph) @ 5 182 m (18,500 ft.) |
Ceiling: |
11,125 m (36,500 ft.) |
Range: |
2,462 km (740 mi.) |
Weight (empty): |
4,082 kg (8,980 lb.) |
Weight (loaded): |
6,142 kg (13,512 lb.) |
Wingspan: |
12.50 m (41 ft.) |
Length: |
10.30 m (34 ft.) |
Height: |
4.9 m (16 ft.) |
Armament: |
Four Hispano 20 mm cannons, two 1000lb bombs or 8 rockets |
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German Aircraft  |
Bf 109 is one of the more emblematic airplanes of World War II; as much as England’s Spitfire. It was fast and light, but also tough. Bf 109 is remembered as one of the greatest prop interceptor ever built. The prototype took off in September of 1935. Because World War I treaties would not allow the Germans to have an air force, German pilots bypassed them by enrolling in the Condo Legion during the Civil War in Spain. This allowed the plane to be tested so they could be prepared for the outbreak of the Second World War. During the 1940, Bf 109s were used to escort German bombers. While Bf 109s were more agile then the British Hurricane, they were less agile then the Spitfire; thus British aviation prevailed. 35,000 different versions were built in Germany of other countries.
Type: |
Fighter |
Engine: |
Daimler-Benz 604 A1 dev. 1 475 hp |
Max speed: |
553 Km/h (342 mph) |
Ceiling: |
10 500 m (34,450 ft.) |
Range: |
660 Km (410 mi.) |
Weight (empty): |
2 600 kg ( 5,900 lb.) |
Weight (loaded): |
3 400 Kg (7,500 lb.) |
Wingspan: |
9,86 m (32'4") |
Length: |
8,64 m (28'4") |
Height: |
2,50 m (8’3”) |
Armament: |
One engine mounted 20-mm cannon and four 7 ,7-mm machine guns. |
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The Me 262 was the first jet fighter ever made, but it didn’t start off as a fighter. Hitler wanted it to be a bomber, so it was. Because of its limited load capacity it had little impact on the Allies. Had it been used as a fighter from the start, it would have swept Allied bombers from the skies. There was no equal airplane on the Allies side so Germany had a big advantage. Because of its jet engines and airframe the Me 262 was years ahead of the Allies. And that was Allied engineers talking. When the war ended and the Me 264 were brought back to the home countries of Allied engineers. They started to study Me 264’s airframe and engines. This helped the Allied experts in breaking the sound barrier over the next few years. Around 1,433 Me 262s were produced from March 1944 to April 1945.
Type: |
Fighter and bomber |
Engine: |
2 Junkers Jumo 004B jet engines |
Max speed: |
870 Km/h (540 mph) |
Rate of climb: |
1 200 m/min (3940 ft ./min.) |
Ceiling: |
11 450 m (37,500 ft.) |
Range: |
1 050 Km (650 mi.) at 9 000 m (30,000 ft.) |
Weight (empty): |
3 800 Kg (8,738 lb.) |
Weight (loaded): |
6 400 Kg (14,110 lb.) |
Wingspan: |
12 ,5 m (40 ft. 11 in.) |
Length: |
10 ,6 m (34 ft. 9 in.) |
Height: |
3 ,83 m (12 ft. 7in.) |
Armament: |
Four 30-mm Rheinmetall-Borsig MK 108 cannon mounted in nose; twelve R4M air-to-air rockets; two 226-kg (500-lb.) bombs or one 452-kg (1,000-lb) bomb |
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The He 111 prototype was officially classified as a passenger/mail plane. Its actual role had to remain hidden since Germany could not have an air force after the First World War. It wasn’t until February, 1935 that it secretly flew the first time as a bomber. Like many other German planes it entered service in the Condor Legion in Spain. It was then tested on its performance during combat; it proved to be very effective. This would later turn out to be quit costly for the Luftwaffe. They later learned that the plane was quite vulnerable, like most of the German bombers. The Allied fighters were far more effective at intercepting them than the Republican fighters in Spain. The Luftwaffe didn’t give up though. They kept adding defensive weapon as well as crew members. In then end the changes were beginning to affect negatively on the He 111’s performance. Despite all of this it was the number one medium bomber during the Battle of Britain. It operated extensively around the world for more then two decades, especially when the Spanish built a version with the Merlin Engine, which flew until 1956.
Type: |
Medium bomber |
Engine: |
Two 1,350-hp Jumo 211F-2 inverted V-12 piston engines |
Max speed: |
260mph (435 km/h) |
Ceiling: |
7,000m (22,970ft) |
Range: |
1 950km (1,212 miles) |
Weight (empty): |
6,818 kg (15,031 lb) to 8,000kg (17,640 lb) |
Weight (loaded): |
9,600kg (21,165 lb) to 13,500kg (29,762 lb) |
Wingspan: |
22.6m (74'1.75") |
Length: |
17.5m (57'5") |
Height: |
4 m. (12 ft.) |
Armament: |
1x 7.92mm MG15 machine gun in nose, ventral dustbin and dorsal positions, bomb load up to 2,000 kg (4,410 lb) |
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