World War II was neither fought, nor won, entirely by aircraft. But the introduction of advanced aerial technology that began in the late 1930s came of age during the landmark conflict, transforming the landscape of war forever. By the end of WWII, the United States alone had amassed a fleet of 300,000 planes—from fighters to scouts to bombers—spread across the Air Force, Navy, and Marines. This book includes 30 historic examples. Understanding the stories behind each of these planes is to appreciate how history’s most examined war was won.
THE TECHNOLOGY THAT TRANSFORMED WARFARE
THE AIRCRAFT • The introduction of advanced aerial technology that began in the late 1930s came of age during World War II, transforming the landscape of war forever.
EASTERN DIVISION FM-1 (GRUMMAN F4F-4) WILDCAT
DOUGLAS SBD-6 DAUNTLESS
CURTISS P-40E WARHAWK
BOEING B - 29 SUPERFORTRESS “ENOLA GAY”
MARTIN B-26B-25-MA MARAUDER “FLAK-BAIT”
ERICH HARTMANN
BATTLE OF BRITAIN
VOUGHT F4U-1D CORSAIR
BOEING-STEARMAN N2S-5 KAYDET
LOCKHEED P - 38 J - 10 - LO LIGHTNING
VOUGHT OS2U-3 KINGFISHER
CURTISSS B 2 C - 5 HELLDIVER
LOCKHEED XP-80 “LULU BELLE”
CONSTANTIN CANTACUZINO
THE DIEPPE RAID
SI KORSKY JRS - 1
North American B-25J-20-NC (TB-25N) MITCHELL
BELL P-59 AIRACOMET
BELL P - 39 Q - 15 - BE AIRACOBRA “GALLOPING GERTIE”
CONSOLIDATED PBY-5 CATALINA
NORTH AMERICAN SNJ-4 (AT-6)
GEORGE BEURLING
THE BATTLE OF KURSK
VULTEE BT-13A VALIANT
PIPER J-3 CUB
GRUMMAN TARPON I (TBF-1 AVENGER)
CURTISS XP-55-CS ASCENDER
GRUMMAN F6F-3K HELLCAT
REPUBLIC P-47D-30-RA THUNDERBOLT
RICHARD BONG
THE AIR BATTLE OVER NIŠ
RYAN PT-22A RECRUIT
NORTHROP XP-56 BLACK BULLET
FAIRCHILD PT-19A CORNELL
NOORDUYN YC-64 NORSEMAN IV
NAVAL AIRCRAFT FACTORY N3N-3
SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE HF. MK. VIIC
MARMADUKE “PAT” PATTLE
BIG WEEK
Military Planes of World War II
PHOTO CREDITS