P-35
Seversky
United
States – Unlock XP: 0
Stat OK Damaged
Airframe 0-2 3-5
Performance 5 4
Horsepower 1 1
Bursts 0 0
Special None None
Wingman Attack 1 1
Wingman Defense 1 1
Real
World Data
Name P-35
Nation
Manufacturer Republic
Aviation Corp.
Type Fighter
Number of Engines 1
Horsepower 950
Weight 6,295
lbs.
Max Speed 281
mph
Number of Guns 2
Crew 1
Year Introduced 1937
While not the best-known aircraft used by the
The background of the P-35 is rather colorful. While the P-35
was on its way to trails to gain a contract from the USAAC, its designer
Major Seversky, learned that the other two aircraft in the trail both
had retractable landing gear and multiple guns. The P-35 had only one
.50 caliber gun and its gear did not retract. By some misfortune the
P-35 “was damaged” on the way to the trial and had to be taken back
to the factory for repairs. When it left the factory it had a .50 caliber
gun and a .30 caliber gun, retractable landing gear of a sort. The
gear “retracted” into large fairings under the wings.
The Army specifications called for a minimum of 300mph in
level flight. The P-35 could only attain 289mph. One of the other competing
planes then crashed into the sea and Seversky convinced the Army to
allow him to use the time to “refine” his design. He replaced the engine
and tail, but the new design topped out at 277mph.
Although the P-35 never met the trial selection criteria,
mishaps to the competitors eventually led the Army to judge the P-35
the best available aircraft and an order was placed. Once the Army
took possession of the P-35 they found it to be unstable in most flight
situations, outright dangerous in several others, and its lack of self-sealing
fuel tanks and armor protection for the pilot did not help the situation.
The P-35’s service career ended close to the start of WWII.
P-40B
Tomahawk
United
States – Unlock XP: 18
Stat OK Damaged
Airframe 0-2 3-4
Performance 5 4
Horsepower 2 1
Bursts 1 1
Special None None
Wingman Attack 1 1
Wingman Defense 2 1
Real
World Data
Name P-40B
Nation
Manufacturer Curtiss
Wright Corp
Type Fighter
Number of Engines 1
Horsepower 1,040
Weight 7,600
lbs.
Max Speed 352
mph
Number of Guns 4
Crew 1
Year Introduced 1941
The first P-40 took to the air in 1938 and, in 1939, became
the first American fighter to be mass-produced. P-40s continued to
be produced almost through the end of the war, serving with air units
of
However, the most famous air unit flying the P-40 was, of course, the American
Volunteer Group in China known as the ‘Flying Tigers.’ Late in 1941, General
Claire Chennault began recruiting volunteers. 100 P-40s were ordered by
The Flying Tigers quickly learned not to go nose to nose with
the Zero and to use the Tomahawk’s superior dive capability, heavier
armament and armor to win the day. The AVG later became part of the
USAAF, credited with nearly 300 Japanese kills and losing fewer than
10 pilots in combat.
One of The ‘Flying Tigers’ alumni, Gregory Boyington, went
on to lead VMF-214, ‘The Black Sheep.’ P-40s continued to be widely
used throughout the Pacific until the end of the war.
P-40N
Warhawk
United
States – Unlock XP: 48
Stat OK Damaged
Airframe 0-3 4-6
Performance 6 4
Horsepower 2 1
Bursts 1 1
Special None None
Wingman Attack 2 1
Wingman Defense 2 2
Real
World Data
Name P-40N
Nation
Manufacturer Curtiss
Wright Corp
Type Fighter
Number of Engines 1
Horsepower 1,360
Weight 8,850
lbs.
Max Speed 378
mph
Number of Guns 6
Crew 1
Year Introduced 1943
By 1943, the original P-40s were out-dated by the P-47s, P-38s,
and P-51s that were coming into service. It was decided to try to update
the old warhorse to extend its life. To do so, a new lightweight structure
was introduced, two of the six wing-mounted guns were removed, smaller
and lighter undercarriage wheels were installed, head armor was reintroduced,
and aluminum radiators and oil coolers were installed. The resulting
reduction in the weight, along with the use of the same V-1710-81 engine
as used in the P-40M, made the P-40N the fastest of the P-40 series,
reaching a speed of 378 mph at 10,500 feet.
Although out-dated by 1943 standards, even with these changes, over 5220 were
built to this new spec. There were several production blocks of the P-40N,
which differed from each other as follows:
The first production block was the P-40N-1-CU. It appeared in March of 1943,
still powered by the Allison V-1710-81 engine, but with 122 gallons of internal
fuel and a generally lighter structure than its predecessors. With weight reduced
to 6000 pounds empty, 7400 pounds gross, and 8850 pounds maximum, the N-1 was
the fastest P-40 service variant and was intended for high altitude combat.
Maximum speed was 378 mph at 10,500 feet and service ceiling was 38,000 feet.
An altitude of 15,000 feet could be attained in 6.7 minutes. Armament consisted
of four 0.50-inch machine guns in the wings. Four hundred P-40N-1-CUs were
built.
The P-40N-5-CU variant introduced a modified cockpit canopy with a frameless
sliding hood and a deeper, squared-off rectangular aft transparent section
to improve the rearward view. This cockpit canopy was retained for all the
rest of the production blocks of the N version. The N-5 version restored the
full six-gun wing armament, since pilots had complained that four guns were
insufficient. Underwing racks were fitted for bombs or drop tanks, increasing
external stores capacity to 1500 pounds. The new heavier gross weight of 8350
pounds limited top speed to 350 mph at 16,400 feet and service ceiling to 31,000
feet. An altitude of 14,000 feet could be attained in 7.3 minutes. Range was
340 miles with a 500-pound bomb underneath the fuselage. Three drop tanks promised
a ferry range of up to 3100 miles at 198 mph.
F4U1B
Corsair
United
States – Unlock XP: 152
Stat OK Damaged
Airframe 0-3 4-6
Performance 7 5
Horsepower 3 2
Bursts 1 1
Special None None
Wingman Attack 2 2
Wingman Defense 3 2
Real
World Data
Name F4U1B
Nation
Manufacturer United
Aircraft Corp.
Type Fighter
Number of Engines 1
Horsepower 200
Weight 13,120
lbs.
Max Speed 417
mph
Number of Guns 6
Crew 1
Year Introduced 1943
The first flight of the distinctive gull-winged XF4U-1 was
on
Amongst the many nicknames the F4U had are "Bent Wing Bird", "Hog" and "Ensign
Eliminator", thanks to its unforgiving stall and landing characteristics.
The Japanese ground troops called it "Whistling Death" due to the
wing-mounted air intakes causing its signature whistling in a dive.
Because of the difficulty in landing, the Navy thought the Corsair to be unsuitable
for carrier duty. It was given to the U.S. Marines for land-based operations
where it achieved an outstanding combat record. The most famous unit flying
the Corsair was VMF-214, the "Black Sheep", commanded by ex-Flying
Tiger Major Gregory Boyington.
P-38L
Lightning
United
States – Unlock XP: 317
Stat OK Damaged
Airframe 0-4 5-7
Performance 7 5
Horsepower 3 2
Bursts 1 1
Special Turbocharger Turbocharger
Wingman Attack 2 2
Wingman Defense 3 2
Real
World Data
Name P-38L
Nation USA
Manufacturer Lockheed
Aircraft Corp.
Type Fighter
Number of Engines 2
Horsepower 2x1,425
each
Weight 21,600
lbs.
Max Speed 414
mph
Number of Guns 5
Crew 1
Year Introduced 1943
The P-38 had its Birth in 1937 when the Army requested a High
Performance Fighter. It needed to go faster, farther and climb faster
than any plane then available. The only problem was that one engine
couldn’t deliver all that, so Lockheed used a twin-engine format. The
cockpit was mounted on a center mid-wing connector. The P-38 had twin
booms extending behind it from the cockpit, all of it being linked
by the Elevator assembly. The first versions used a 37-mm cannon but
this was found to be impracticable and was switched to a 20-mm cannon
with the E version of which 210 were built.
The P-38 is also famous for shooting down the plane that carried Admiral Isoroku
Yamamoto around 500 miles from Guadalcanal. Major Richard I. Bong got all
of his 40 kills while flying P-38s in the Pacific. Sadly, after the war
most of the unfilled orders for additional P-38s were canceled, thus ending
a long and winding road. A few P-38s remained in military service into
1949 but these were the late version models.
The P-38L was the Final Production version using two 1,475-hp Allison V-1710-111/-113
Engines. It was very similar otherwise to the J version, 3,810 of this
particular version were built (L) of the J version 2,970 were built.
P-47D
Thunderbolt
United
States – Unlock XP: 390
Stat OK Damaged
Airframe 0-4 5-7
Performance 6 4
Horsepower 3 2
Bursts 2 2
Special Turbocharger Turbocharger
Wingman Attack 3 2
Wingman Defense 3 2
Real
World Data
Name P-47D
Nation USA
Manufacturer Republic
Aviation Corp.
Type Fighter
Number of Engines 1
Horsepower 2,535
Weight 19,400
lbs.
Max Speed 428
mph
Number of Guns 8
Crew 1
Year Introduced 1943
No fighter in World War II could match the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
for ruggedness and dependability. This juggernaut of the air mounted
an impressive eight .50-caliber machine guns and provided all-around
armor plating to protect the pilot. This made the “Jug” weigh in at
more than 10,000 lbs, nearly 2 tons heavier than any other single engine
fighter. Getting airborne was accomplished using the largest and most
powerful aircraft engine ever developed in the United States.
The P-47 was initially tasked with high-altitude escort duties and fighter
sweeps. Even though the Thunderbolt could out dive any Luftwaffe fighter, the
P-47's range was not really good enough for escort duties and its maneuverability
was poor. However, it found another role as a ground attack aircraft, mounting
ten 5” rockets in addition to its machine guns.
The XP-47B took its first test flight on May 6, 1941. Its staggering speed
of 412 miles per hour exceeded the designer’s expectations. Even this speed
was humbled in 1944 when, the P47N reached a speed of 504 miles per hour. Before
the war was over, more than 15,000 Thunderbolts were built and served in all
theatres.
P-51D
Mustang
United
States – Unlock XP: 445
Stat OK Damaged
Airframe 0-3 4-6
Performance 8 6
Horsepower 3 2
Bursts 1 1
Special Turbocharger Turbocharger
Wingman Attack 3 2
Wingman Defense 3 2
Real
World Data
Name P-51D
Nation USA
Manufacturer North
American Aviation
Type Fighter
Number of Engines 1
Horsepower 1,510
Weight 11,600
lbs.
Max Speed 437
mph
Number of Guns 6
Crew 1
Year Introduced 1944
The P-51 is one of the best-known fighters of WWII and certainly
one of the most effective. During its career, Mustangs scored almost
5,000 kills.
The P-51 is best known for its role as a long-range bomber
escort over Germany. Daily bomber raids over Europe were key to the
Allied strategy of maintaining pressure on Germany both before and
after the D-Day invasion. Even though the B-17s and B-24s were very
heavily armed, they we still suffering high loses from the Luftwaffe
fighters. Before the Mustang, other Allied fighters could only provide
limited escort over France, but none could provide a constant escort
all the way to distant target and back to base.
A two stage, two-speed turbocharger provided the Mustang with
the performance it needed for high altitude escort missions.
SBD-6
Dauntless
United
States
Stat OK Damaged
Airframe 0-3 4-6
Turret
Defense 1 1
Turret
Support 2 0
Name Dauntless
Nation USA
Manufacturer Douglas
Aircraft
Type Light
Bomber
Number of Engines 1
Horsepower 1,000
Weight 10,400
lbs.
Max Speed 250 mph
Number of Guns 4
Crew 2
Year Introduced 1941
The Douglas SBD-6 Dauntless was perhaps the premier dive-bomber for the
United States in the Pacific Theatre. By the end of its production run
in 1944, approximately 6,000 SBDs would have taken to the air. Their
performance in both the Battle of Coral Sea and at the Battle of Midway
proved this combat worthy design. By the end of the war, Dauntless aircraft
were pressed into service in Anti-Submarine and Attack roles.
In addition to its payload of bombs, the Dauntless was primarily armed with two .50 cal machine guns firing forward and a rear gunner with a pair of .30 cal machine guns. One of the interesting design facets was the belly mounted bomb carriage that swung the bomb free of the propeller when diving in on its target.
In May 1942, the US aircraft carriers USS Lexington and USS Yorktown went up against three Japanese carriers in the Battle of the Coral Sea. The battle lasted two full days and was the first naval engagement where Naval Aviation alone determined the outcome.
Then, in June of 1942, the United States Pacific Fleet engaged Japan
in the Battle of Midway. Dauntless dive-bombers destroyed an impressive
four Japanese carriers, one cruiser and over 250 enemy aircraft with
only the loss of one US carrier, one destroyer and approximately 150
aircraft. This battle decimated the Japanese Navy and swung the tide
of ware back to the Allies in the Pacific.
B-17F
Flying Fortress
United
States
Stat OK Damaged
Airframe 0-7 8-12
Turret
Defense 3 3
Turret
Support 4 0
Name B-17F
Nation USA
Manufacturer Boeing
Aircraft
Type Heavy
Bomber
Number of Engines 4
Horsepower 1,200
Weight 53,000
lbs.
Max Speed 317
mph
Number of Guns 11
Crew 10
Year Introduced 1936
The image of the B-17 “Flying Fortress” is probably what
people think about when they imagine a World War 2 Bomber. It was
flown by the United States Army Air Force throughout the War. The
first to employ daylight bombing, B-17s of the US Eighth Air Force
were based in Great Britain and flew deep into Germany and occupied
areas with the goal of crippling the German war industry. The B-17
also served in the Pacific, flying against Japan until replaced by
the next generation B-29 Superfortresses.
The prototype B-17 first flew in July of 1935 as part of a competition to design America’s new bomber. At the time of Germany’s invasion of Poland in 1939, less than 50 of the “Flying Fortresses” were fully operational. As hostilities increased, a few B-17Cs were delivered to the RAF.
Initially, the B-17’s armament proved inadequate in combat. But, in true American style, more guns and turrets were added until it achieved its fame as a nearly indestructible dreadnought of the skies. By the end of the war, the B-17Gs that were being produced sported an amazing 13 .50 cal machine guns in addition to its 3-ton payload of bombs.
The most famous of
the B-17’s was, of course, Bob Morgan’s “The Memphis Belle.” Its claim
to fame was that it was one of the first B-17's to complete
25 combat missions. It went on to go on tour across the US to promote
War Bond sales.
B-25C
Mitchell
United States
Stat OK Damaged
Airframe 0-5 6-9
Turret
Defense 3 3
Turret
Support 3 0
Name Mitchell
Nation USA
Manufacturer North
Amercian
Type Medium
Bomber
Number of Engines 2
Horsepower 1,700
Weight 56,047
lbs.
Max Speed 275 mph
Number of Guns 7
Crew 6
Year Introduced 1942
The B-25 is best known for its participation in Doolittle’s Raid on Tokyo in the spring of 1942. 16 Mitchell bombers were loaded on to the flight deck of the USS Hornet and from there they flew their legendary mission. While the raid was of small military value it was of great propaganda value and a huge morale booster for the Allies.
B-25s were used throughout both Europe and the Pacific. Many were used by the US 5th Air Force in the South Pacific under the command of General George Kenney. Kenney is reported to have said to Hap Arnold, air superiority meant, "air control so supreme that the birds have to wear Air Force insignia."
The Mitchell was a unique medium bomber in that it carried heavy bomber guns. Its nimbleness allowed it to bomb from lower altitudes than heavy bombers, and thus be able to engage smaller targets with higher precision.
The B-25s were one of the first bombers to use the “Skip Bombing” technique
against ships. Up until then, bombers attempted to sink ships in the
traditional manner, by dropping bombs at medium or high altitudes. This
was met with very little success. The skip bombing technique involved
the B-25 flying very low over the water and releasing a bomb that would
then skip across the surface of the water and strike the ship in the
side of the hull.