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Dec 10, 2021 · Learn about the history and features of 10 American bombers that played a crucial role in WW2, from the B-17 Flying Fortress to the A-26 Invader. See photos, specifications, and fun facts of each aircraft and its missions.
- B-17 Flying Fortress. The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress four-engine heavy bomber is one of the most famous, and successful, airplanes ever built. The B-17 received the name "Flying Fortress" from a Seattle news reporter who commented on its defensive firepower, and said "It's a Flying Fortress".
- B-24 Liberator. Rolling out a newly built B-24 Liberator at the Ford Willow Run Plant. The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was a 4-engine, twin-tail heavy bomber designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego.
- B-25 Mitchell. Early production model of the B-25. The B-25 Mitchell was a twin-engined medium bomber used in World War II, and manufactured by North American Aviation.
- B-26 Marauder. Martin B-26 Marauder in flight. The Martin B-26 Marauder was an American twin-engined medium bomber that was designed and built by the Glenn L. Martin Company.
- B-17 Flying Fortress (US) During the first half of the 20th Century, the US didn’t have a dedicated Airforce arm, instead the air force was part of the US Army Air Forces.
- Lancaster (UK) The Lancaster was the most popular night-time bomber used by the Royal Air Force for its air raids. The 4-engine bomber was introduced in March 1942 and since then was a favorite within the British High Command.
- B-29 Super Fortress (US) This was the largest bomber to enter the war. It was mostly used in the Pacific region but soon developed a reputation all over the world for dropping the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
- Handley Page Halifax (UK) The Handley Page Halifax was a heavy bomber introduced in 1940 by the RAF. In addition to the RAF, the quad-engined bomber was used by the Canadian, Australian and French Air Forces at the time.
I. World War II Italian bombers (15 P) J. World War II Japanese bombers (4 C, 3 P) L. World War II light bombers (3 C) M. World War II medium bombers (4 C, 4 P) P. World War II Polish bombers (2 C) S. World War II Soviet bombers (2 C, 3 P) T. World War II torpedo bombers (3 C, 4 P)
- Heinkel He 111. Developed in the 1930s, the He 111 was one of the principle medium bombers employed by the Luftwaffe during the war. The He 111 was used extensively during the Battle of Britain (1940).
- Tupolev Tu-2. One of the Soviet Union's most important twin-engine bombers, the Tu-2 was designed at a sharaga (scientific prison) by Andrei Tupolev. Nation: Soviet Union.
- Vickers Wellington. Heavily used by the RAF's Bomber Command in the first two years of the war, the Wellington was replaced in many theaters by larger, four-engined bombers such as the Avro Lancaster.
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. One of the backbones of the American strategic bombing campaign in Europe, the B-17 became a symbol of US airpower. B-17s served in all theaters of the war and were renowned for their ruggedness and crew survivability.
Strategic bombing during World War II, the mass bombing of military targets and population centers during the Second World War. Large multi-engine bombers operated in formations (sometimes numbering 1,000 or more) that were intended not to evade enemy defenses but to beat them back or overwhelm them.
Aug 8, 2018 · Learn about the four-engined heavy bombers that were central to the strategic bombing campaigns of 1939-45. Compare the features, performance and missions of the Heinkel He 177, Vickers Wellington, Short Stirling, Handley Page Halifax, Avro Lancaster, Boeing B-17 and Consolidated B-24.
