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64� �August 2020
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DH.82 TIGER MOTH
MANUFACTURER: de HAVILLAND AIRCRAFT CO.
CATEGORY: TRAINER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Designer Geo�rey de Havilland built his first airplane
in 1909 and started his professional aviation career the following year. A decade
later, he founded his own company that produced a series of successful designs.
The DH.82 Tiger Moth was developed from the popular DH.60 series and first flew
in October 1931. The DH.82 was built in huge numbers from 1931 to 1944 and served
as the primary trainer for the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force. The type was built
under license by multiple manufacturers. The Canadian variant, distinguished by its
enclosed canopy, was the backbone of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan,
an extraordinary e�ort that produced more than 130,000 trained Allied air crew in
Canada alone.
MODEL 75/PT-13/PT-17/ N2S STEARMAN
MANUFACTURER: STEARMAN AIRCRAFT/BOEING
CATEGORY: TRAINER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
The Stearman Aircraft Corp. was founded in 1927
by designer Lloyd Stearman after he left Travel Air, his partnership with fellow
household aviation names Walter Beech and Clyde Cessna. The Model 75 Kaydet was
used as a primary trainer for all branches of the U.S. armed forces before and during
WWII. More than 10,000 of the sturdy radial-engine biplanes were built, largely by
Boeing after the company acquired Stearman in 1934. The airplane was known by
many names but, to many people, it will always simply be a Stearman.
ONE OF THE CENTRAL THEMES OF EAA AIRVENTURE OSHKOSH ���� was slated to be a commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. AirVenture may have been canceled this year in light of unprecedented world events, but that doesn’t mean we won’t pause and reflect on the valor and the sacrifice of those veterans who saved the free world three-quarters of a century ago. To that end, here, in order of the year of their introduction, are 20 aircraft that played vital roles in that conflict. These are types that you might have seen at Oshkosh this year had things gone as we’d originally planned.
�� AIRPLANES THAT WERE KEY TO THE
ALLIES’ SUCCESS IN WORLD WAR II
BY HAL BRYAN
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERIN BRUEGGEN
CLICK HERE TO SEE A VIDEO ABOUT
WARBIRDS THAT WON WWII
www.eaa.org�65
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HURRICANE
MANUFACTURER: HAWKER AIRCRAFT LTD.
CATEGORY: FIGHTER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Often overshadowed by its younger brother, the Supermarine Spitfire, the Hawker Hurricane was a British fighter that first flew in 1935. Hawker had built a series of successful biplane fighters in the interwar period, but the Hurricane was the company’s — and the RAF’s — first modern monoplane fighter (after the Bristol M.1 used in World War I). During the storied and pivotal Battle of Britain, the Hurricane made up the bulk of the RAF Fighter Command and accounted for a majority of the enemy aircraft shot down. There were nearly 15,000 Hurricanes built from 1937 to 1944. Only a handful remain in flying condition.
T-6 TEXAN/SNJ/HARVARD
MANUFACTURER: NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION
CATEGORY: TRAINER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
If you were an Allied pilot during WWII, whether you started in a Tiger Moth or a Stearman or another primary trainer, the odds were that you did your advanced training in the T-6. Known to the U.S. Navy as the SNJ, and in Great Britain, Canada, and other Commonwealth countries as the Harvard, the prototype first flew in April 1935. Powered by a 650-hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp radial, the T-6 served to introduce pilots to increased speeds, improved maneuverability, and more complex aircraft systems like retractable landing gear. More than 15,000 were built. The type remains extremely popular with warbird enthusiasts and air show performers to this day.
B-17 FLYING FORTRESS
MANUFACTURER: BOEING
CATEGORY: BOMBER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
The prototype for what would become the B-17, Boeing’s Model 299, first flew in July 1935. A reporter from the Seattle Times dubbed the bomber, which was massive for its time, a “Flying Fortress.” Boeing trademarked the name immediately. The 299 crashed and was destroyed on its second test flight, rendering the design ineligible for the Army Air Corps proposal it was competing for. Despite this setback, the Air Corps ordered 13 prototypes for testing, and it was impressed. Ultimately, more than 12,000 B-17s were produced and the type served with great distinction as a strategic bomber, particularly in the European theater.
W I N N I N G
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN DIBBS, CONNOR MADISON, SCOTT SLOCUM 66� �August 2020
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SPITFIRE
MANUFACTURER: SUPERMARINE AVIATION WORKS
CATEGORY: FIGHTER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful
airplanes ever built, the Supermarine Spitfire is a
British icon. Supermarine Aviation Works was a subsidiary of Vickers-Armstrongs
when R.J. Mitchell began designing the Type 300, the airplane that would become
the Spitfire. Before that, the company, as is evident from the name, was best known
for flying boats and race-winning seaplanes. The Spitfire was flown by the air forces
of Great Britain, Canada, and the United States, among dozens of other friendly
nations. It spawned multiple marks and variants, including the carrier-based
Seafire. More than 20,000 of the sleek and capable fighters were built, and the
design has come to symbolize the RAF.
P-40 WARHAWK
MANUFACTURER: CURTISS�WRIGHT
CATEGORY: FIGHTER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Perhaps best known as the iconic shark-mouthed
mount of the American Volunteer Group, better known
as the Flying Tigers, the Curtiss P-40 first flew in 1938. Early variants of the fighter
used by Soviet and British Commonwealth forces were known as the Tomahawk.
Later versions were dubbed Kittyhawk. P-40s were produced from 1939 to 1944 and
used by Allied air forces in multiple theaters of the war. Even the Japanese army
reportedly used as many as 10 captured Warhawks operationally in Burma. More
than 13,000 were built, making the P-40 the third-most produced U.S. fighter after
the P-51 and P-47.
SBD DAUNTLESS
MANUFACTURER: DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT
CATEGORY: BOMBER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
The Dauntless naval dive bomber traces its roots to
the Northrop BT-1, a project started in 1935 by an early
incarnation of the Northrop Corp., which was dissolved and absorbed into Douglas
Aircraft in 1937. While a version of the Dauntless, the A-24 Banshee, was built and
used by the U.S. Army Air Forces, the type is best known for its service with the U.S.
Navy and Marine Corps. Dauntlesses served with distinction in the Battle of Midway,
sinking or disabling all four aircraft carriers that the Japanese had brought to the
fight. Of the nearly 6,000 Dauntlesses built, only about six are still flying.
W A R B I R D S
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM KOEPNICK, CONNOR MADISON, SCOTT SLOCUM www.eaa.org�67
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F4F WILDCAT
MANUFACTURER: GRUMMAN
CATEGORY: FIGHTER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Somewhat like the British Hawker Hurricane,
Grumman’s F4F Wildcat was developed from a successful series of biplane fighters.
The Grumman FF, which was followed by the F2F and F3F, was the first U.S. naval
fighter with retractable landing gear, a distinctive hand-cranked mechanism whose
design carried forward to the F4F. In addition to the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps,
Wildcats also served with the navies of Great Britain and Canada. While inferior
to the Japanese Zero on paper, Wildcats were tough, and pilots quickly developed
tactics that led to a solid combat record throughout the war. More than 7,800 were
built, and more than a dozen remain airworthy.
P-38 LIGHTNING
MANUFACTURER: LOCKHEED
CATEGORY: FIGHTER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Before his groundbreaking work on the U-2 and
the SR-71 Blackbird, legendary Lockheed designer
Kelly Johnson led the team that designed the P-38 Lightning. Powered by a pair of
counter-rotating Allison V-12 engines, the Lightning was fast, as its name implied.
P-38s served in multiple theaters of the war, but they are best known for their e�orts
in the Pacific. America’s highest-scoring ace of the war, Richard Bong, scored his 40
victories flying a P-38. More than 10,000 Lightnings were built, and it’s the only
American fighter that was in full production from Pearl Harbor to V-J Day. Several
airworthy examples remain today, including the beloved Glacier Girl.
B-25 MITCHELL
MANUFACTURER: NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION
CATEGORY: BOMBER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Named for the late Gen. Billy Mitchell, the man
generally seen as the father of the U.S. Air Force,
the North American B-25 medium bomber first
flew in 1940. It was used in every theater of the war by the U.S. Army Air Forces and
Marine Corps and multiple Allied air forces as well. EAA’s example, Berlin Express,
had a starring role in the 1970 film Catch-22, but the type is best remembered for the
historic Doolittle Raid, in which 16 B-25s were flown o� the deck of the USS Hornet
and bombed Japan for the first time in April 1942. Nearly 10,000 B-25s were built.
More than 40 are believed to be flyable today.
W I N N I N G
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM KOEPNICK, CONNOR MADISON68� �August 2020
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B-24 LIBERATOR
MANUFACTURER: CONSOLIDATED AIRCRAFT
CATEGORY: BOMBER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
The sturdy B-24 Liberator served alongside
the B-17 as the backbone of America’s
strategic bombing campaigns in the European theater of the war. B-24s served in
every major theater of the war and spawned variants like the C-87 Liberator Express
transport and PB4Y-2 Privateer naval patrol bomber. The B-24 was known as a heavy
lifter and could carry as much as 8,000 pounds of bombs on short-range missions.
The B-24 is said to be the most produced military aircraft in United States history.
However, of the more than 18,000 built, just two airworthy examples remain.
O-59/L-4 GRASSHOPPER
MANUFACTURER: PIPER AIRCRAFT
CATEGORY: LIAISON
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Based on the legendary J-3, Piper added a greenhouse cockpit and transformed
the ubiquitous Cub into a versatile liaison aircraft that was used for VIP transport,
artillery spotting, and other reconnaissance, light supply, and air ambulance work.
Thanks to some ingenious field modifications, L-4s even saw duty as ground-attack
aircraft, made famous by Maj. “Bazooka Charlie” Carpenter, who used his bazooka-
equipped Grasshopper, Rosie the Rocketer, to destroy six enemy tanks and multiple
other ground vehicles during the war. More than 5,000 L-4s were built. Those that
survive are popular and a�ordable warbirds.
DH.98 MOSQUITO
MANUFACTURER: de HAVILLAND AIRCRAFT CO.
CATEGORY: FIGHTER�BOMBER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Building on the success of its prewar Comet racer,
de Havilland built the Mosquito as a high-speed
unarmed bomber out of nonstrategic materials — in other words, wood. The RAF
didn’t want the airplane at first, but Air Chief Marshal Sir Wilfrid Freeman liked the
idea and lent his support. Powered by two Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, the Mosquito
could fly high and fast, with a maximum speed exceeding 400 mph and a service
ceiling of 37,000 feet. It is probably best known for its low-level strike missions
against the Axis. More than 7,500 Mosquitos were built in the United Kingdom,
Canada, and Australia, with just a few airworthy examples remaining, though that
number will increase as restorations continue.
W A R B I R D S
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CONNOR MADISON, CHRIS MILLER, JASON TONEY www.eaa.org�69
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C-47 SKYTRAIN
MANUFACTURER: DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT
CATEGORY: TRANSPORT
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Developed from the iconic DC-3 airliner,
Douglas built the C-47 with a cargo door and
other modifications to make it suitable for use as a military transport. C-47s, and
their subsequent variants, served the U.S. Army Air Forces and Navy and several
Allied nations. C-47s hauled anything and everything, including more than 50,000
paratroopers in support of the D-Day landings. C-47s were used to tow gliders, and,
unlike many other aircraft of the era, C-47s remained in service in the United States
long after the war. More than 10,000 C-47s were built, many of which, along with
their civilian cousins, are still flying — and even working — today.
P-51 MUSTANG
MANUFACTURER: NORTH AMERICAN AVIATION
CATEGORY: FIGHTER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Arguably the most iconic American fighter of the
war, the P-51 Mustang went from contract to rollout
of the prototype in just 102 days, and first flew about
six weeks later. Early versions were powered by Allison engines, but the airplane
really hit its stride once it was fitted with the more powerful Merlin. The Mustang’s
impressive range enabled pilots to escort U.S. strategic bombers deep into German
territory, providing far greater protection than was previously possible. P-51s were
found in multiple theaters of the war, flown by U.S. and Allied forces as fighters and
in the ground-attack role. More than 15,000 Mustangs were built, and the type is a
mainstay of the warbird community today.
P-47 THUNDERBOLT
MANUFACTURER: REPUBLIC AVIATION
CATEGORY: FIGHTER�BOMBER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
The rugged P-47 Thunderbolt was designed by Georgian
immigrant Alexander Kartveli for Republic Aviation and
first flew in May 1941. Early models sported a “razorback” framed canopy, while
later variants adopted a full bubble canopy for greater visibility, just as was done
with the P-51. P-47s were fast and could carry a heavy and versatile armament load
depending on the mission, but they were best known for the ability to continue
flying after absorbing almost unbelievable amounts of damage. Like the Mustang,
more than 15,000 were built, but, unlike the Mustang, fewer than 20 still fly.
W I N N I N G
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PHIL HIGH, SCOTT SLOCUM,70� �August 2020
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F4U CORSAIR
MANUFACTURER: CHANCE VOUGHT
CATEGORY: FIGHTER�BOMBER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Though it first flew in 1940, the Corsair didn’t enter
service until late in 1942, about a year after the
attack on Pearl Harbor. Designed and built by Chance Vought, the type was also
manufactured under license by Goodyear and Brewster. The distinctive inverted gull
wing came about to accommodate shorter landing gear while still providing ground
clearance for the airplane’s massive propeller. Best known in popular culture as the
type made famous by Pappy Boyington’s Black Sheep squadron, the Corsair served
in the Pacific theater as a fighter-bomber, though it didn’t arrive in large numbers
until later in the war. More than 12,000 Corsairs were built, and there are several
airworthy examples around the world.
F6F HELLCAT
MANUFACTURER: GRUMMAN
CATEGORY: FIGHTER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Developed with lessons learned from the F4F Wildcat,
Grumman’s Hellcat was considered by many to be the U.S. Navy’s preeminent fighter
during the war. It was first flown in 1942 and entered service in June of the following
year. The Hellcat was a sturdy and solid airplane powered by a massive 18-cylinder
Pratt & Whitney radial engine. The Hellcat was faster and could outclimb its primary
adversary, the Japanese Zero, at high altitudes. F6Fs were responsible for some 75
percent of all U.S. Navy aerial victories, including many at the famed “Great Marianas
Turkey Shoot.” More than 12,000 Hellcats were built between 1942 and 1945, but
only about six are still flyable. Several more are under active restoration.
B-29 SUPERFORTRESS
MANUFACTURER: BOEING
CATEGORY: BOMBER
YEAR INTRODUCED: ����
Designed to supersede the B-17, Boeing’s B-29 represented the
height of strategic bombing technology of the day. It was fast and boasted impressive range
and endurance at high altitudes, all while carrying thousands of pounds of ordnance. B-29s
arrived late in the war, entering service in May 1944 and used exclusively in the Pacific theater.
B-29s can be considered the airplanes that ended the war, as first Enola Gay and then
Bockscar dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leading directly to the Japanese
surrender. Nearly 4,000 were built, but only two are in flyable condition today.
Hal Bryan, EAA Lifetime 638979, is senior editor for EAA digital and print content and publi-
cations, co-author of multiple books, and a lifelong pilot and aviation geek. Find him on
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at halbryan or email him at [email protected].
W A R B I R D S
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JIM KOEPNICK, SCOTT SLOCUM www.eaa.org�71