28.10.2019

Characteristics of German aircraft of World War II. Comparison of WWII fighters. heavy and rare

World War II was a war in which the air force played a key role in combat. Prior to this, aircraft could affect the results of one battle, but not the course of the entire war. A huge breakthrough in the field of aerospace engineering has led to the fact that air front became an important part of the war effort. Since this was of great importance, the opposing nations constantly sought to develop new aircraft in order to defeat the enemy. Today we will talk about a dozen unusual aircraft from the Second World War, which you may not have even heard of.

1. Kokusai Ki-105

In 1942, during the fighting in the Pacific, Japan realized that it needed large aircraft that could deliver the provisions and ammunition needed to wage war of maneuver against the allied forces. At the request of the government, the Japanese company Kokusai developed the Ku-7 aircraft. This huge twin-boom glider was large enough to carry light tanks. The Ku-7 was considered one of the heaviest gliders developed during World War II. When it became clear that fighting in the Pacific dragged on, the Japanese military leaders decided to focus on the production of fighters and bombers instead of transport aircraft. Work on the improvement of the Ku-7 continued, but at a slow pace.

In 1944, the Japanese war effort began to fail. Not only did they quickly lose ground to the rapidly advancing Allied forces, but they also faced a fuel crisis. Most of the Japanese oil industry facilities were either captured or were short of materials, so the military was forced to start looking for alternatives. At first, they planned to use pine nuts to produce a substitute for petroleum feedstock. Unfortunately, the process dragged on and led to massive deforestation. When this plan failed miserably, the Japanese decided to supply fuel from Sumatra. The only way to do this was to use the long forgotten Ku-7 aircraft. Kokusai fitted the airframe with two engines, expansion tanks, essentially creating the Ki-105's flying fuel tank.

The plan initially had a lot of flaws. First, to get to Sumatra, the Ki-105 had to use up all of its fuel. Secondly, the Ki-105 aircraft could not carry crude oil, so the fuel had to be extracted and processed at the oilfield first. (The Ki-105 only ran on refined fuel.) Thirdly, the Ki-105 would use up 80% of its fuel on its return flight, leaving nothing for the military. Fourth, the Ki-105 was slow and unmaneuverable, making it easy prey for Allied fighters. Fortunately for the Japanese pilots, the war ended and the Ki-105 program was cancelled.

2. Henschel Hs-132

At the start of World War II, Allied forces were terrorized by the infamous Ju-87 Stuka dive bomber. The Ju-87 Stuka dropped bombs with incredible accuracy, resulting in huge casualties. However, as Allied aircraft reached higher performance standards, the Ju-87 Stuka proved unable to compete with the enemy's fast and agile fighters. Not wanting to abandon the idea of picketing bombers, the German air command ordered the creation of a new jet aircraft.

The design of the bomber proposed by Henschel was quite simple. Henschel's engineers managed to create an aircraft that was incredibly fast, especially when diving. Due to the emphasis on speed and dive performance, the Hs-132 had a number of unusual features. The jet engine was located on top of the aircraft. This, along with the narrow fuselage, required the pilot to take a rather odd position while flying the bomber. The Hs-132 pilots had to lie on their stomachs and look out the small glassed-in nose to see where to fly.

The prone position helped the pilot counteract the force that created the g-force, especially when he quickly climbed to avoid hitting the ground. Unlike most of the German experimental aircraft produced at the end of the war, the Hs-132 could have caused a lot of problems for the Allies if produced in large numbers. Fortunately for ground forces allies, Soviet soldiers seized the Henschel factory before construction was completed prototypes.

3. Blohm & Voss Bv 40

Efforts played a key role in the Allied victory Air force United States and British Bomber Command. The air forces of these two countries carried out countless raids on German troops, in fact, depriving them of the ability to wage war. By 1944, Allied aircraft were bombing German factories and cities almost unhindered. Faced with a significant decrease in the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe (the air force of Nazi Germany), German aircraft manufacturers began to come up with ways to counter enemy air attacks. One of them was the creation of the Bv 40 aircraft (the creation of the mind of the famous engineer Richard Vogt). The Bv 40 is the only known fighter glider.

Given the decline in the technical and material capabilities of the German aircraft industry, Vogt designed the glider as simply as possible. It was made of metal (cabin) and wood (the rest). Even though the Bv 40 could be built even by a person without special skills and education, Vogt wanted to make sure that the glider would not be so easily shot down. Since it did not need an engine, its fuselage was very narrow. at the expense lying position pilot, the front of the glider was significantly cut. Vogt hoped that the high speed and small size of the glider would make it invulnerable.

Bv 40 was lifted into the air by two Bf 109 fighters. Once at the appropriate height, the towing aircraft "released" the glider. After that, the Bf 109 pilots began their attack, to which the Bv 40 later joined. To develop the speed necessary for an effective attack, the glider pilot had to dive at an angle of 20 degrees. Given this, the pilot had only a few seconds to open fire on the target. The Bv 40 was equipped with two 30mm guns. Despite successful tests, for some reason the glider was not accepted into service. The German command decided to focus its efforts on creating interceptors with a turbojet engine.

4. Rotabuggy by Raoul Hafner

One of the problems that military commanders faced during World War II was the delivery of military equipment to the front lines. To address this issue, countries have experimented with different ideas. British aerospace engineer Raoul Hafner had the crazy idea to equip all vehicles with helicopter propellers.

Hafner had many ideas on how to increase the mobility of British troops. One of his first projects was the Rotachute, a small autogyro that could be dropped from a transport plane with one soldier inside. This was an attempt to replace parachutes during an airborne landing. When Hafner's idea didn't catch on, he took on two other projects, Rotabuggy and Rotatank. The Rotabuggy was eventually built and tested.

Before attaching the rotor to the jeep, Hafner first decided to check what would be left of the car after the fall. To this end, he loaded the jeep with concrete objects and dropped it from a height of 2.4 meters. The test car (it was a Bentley) was successful, after which Hafner designed the rotor and tail to make it look like a gyroplane.

The British Air Force became interested in the Hafner project and conducted the first test flight of the Rotabuggy, which ended in failure. Theoretically, the autogyro could fly, but it was extremely difficult to control them. Hafner's project failed.

5 Boeing YB-40

When the German bombing campaigns began, the Allied bomber crews faced a fairly strong and well-trained enemy in the face of Luftwaffe pilots. The problem was further aggravated by the fact that neither the British nor the Americans had effective long-range escort fighters. Under such conditions, their bombers suffered defeat after defeat. The British Bomber Command ordered night bombing while the Americans continued their daytime raids and suffered heavy losses. Finally, a way out of the situation was found. It was the creation of the YB-40 escort fighter, which was a modified model of the B-17, equipped with an incredible number of machine guns.

To create the YB-40, the US Air Force signed a contract with the Vega Corporation. The modified B-17 aircraft had two additional turrets and twin machine guns, which allowed the YB-40 to defend itself against frontal attacks.

Unfortunately, all these changes significantly increased the weight of the aircraft, which caused problems during the first test flights. In combat, the YB-40 was much slower than the rest of the bombers in the B-17 series. Because of these significant shortcomings further work on the YB-40 project was completely abandoned.

6.Interstate TDR

The use of drones aircraft for various purposes, sometimes extremely contradictory, is hallmark military conflicts of the XXI century. While drones are generally considered a new invention, they have been in use since World War II. While the Luftwaffe command invested in the creation of unmanned guided missiles, the United States of America was the first to put into service remotely piloted aircraft. The US Navy has invested in two unmanned aerial vehicle projects. The second ended with the successful birth of the "flying torpedo" TDR.

The idea to create unmanned aerial vehicles arose as early as 1936, but was not realized until the Second World War began. The engineers of the American television company RCA have developed a compact device for receiving and transmitting information, which made it possible to control the TDR using a television transmitter. The leadership of the US Navy believed that accurate weapons would be crucial in stopping Japanese shipping, so they ordered the development of an unmanned aerial vehicle. In order to reduce the use of strategic materials in the manufacture of the flying bomb, the TDR was built primarily from wood and had a simple design.

Initially, the TDR was launched from the ground by the control crew. When he reached the required height, he was taken under control by a specially modified TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bomber, which, keeping a certain distance from the TDR, directed him to the target. One Avenger squadron flew 50 TDR missions, flying 30 successful strikes on the opponent. The Japanese troops were shocked by the actions of the Americans, as they turned out to have resorted to kamikaze tactics.

Despite the success of the strikes, the US Navy became disillusioned with the idea of unmanned aerial vehicles. By 1944, the allied forces had almost complete air superiority in the Pacific theater of operations, and the need to use complex experimental weapons disappeared.

7. Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster

At the height of the Second World War, the famous American aircraft manufacturer "Douglas" decided to start developing a revolutionary bomber aircraft in order to bridge the gap between light and high-altitude heavy bombers. Douglas focused its efforts on building the XB-42 high-speed bomber capable of outrunning Luftwaffe interceptors. If the Douglas engineers had managed to make the aircraft fast enough, they could have given most of the fuselage to the bomb load, reducing the significant number of defensive machine guns that were present on almost all heavy bombers.

The XB-42 was equipped with two engines, which were located inside the fuselage, and not on the wings, and a pair of propellers rotating in different directions. Given the fact that speed was a priority, the XB-42 bomber accommodated a crew of three. The pilot and his assistant were inside separate "bubble" lights located next to each other. The scorer was located in the bow of the XB-42. Defensive weapons were reduced to a minimum. The XB-42 had two remote-controlled defensive turrets. All innovation paid off. The XB-42 was capable of speeds up to 660 kilometers per hour and contained bombs with a total weight of 3600 kilograms.

The XB-42 turned out to be an excellent front-line bomber, but by the time it was ready for mass production, the war was already over. The XB-42 project fell victim to the changing desires of the US Air Force command; he was rejected, after which the Douglas company began to create a jet-powered bomber. The XB-43 Jetmaster was successful, but did not attract the attention of the United States Air Force. Nevertheless, it became the first American jet bomber, paving the way for other aircraft of its kind.

The original XB-42 bomber is stored at the National Air and Space Museum and in this moment awaiting its turn for restoration. During transport, his wings mysteriously disappeared and were never seen again.

8 General Aircraft G.A.L. 38 Fleet Shadower

Before the advent of electronics and high-precision weapons, aircraft were developed in accordance with a specific combat mission. During World War II, this need led to a number of absurd specialized aircraft, including the General Aircraft G.A.L. 38 Fleet Shadower.

At the start of World War II, Great Britain faced the threat of a huge navy Germany (Kriegsmarine). German ships blocked the British waterways and hindered the logistics. Since the ocean is large, it was extremely difficult to scout the positions of enemy ships, especially before the advent of radar. In order to be able to track the position of the Kriegsmarine vessels, the Admiralty needed surveillance aircraft that could fly at night at low speed and high altitude, scouting the positions of the enemy fleet and reporting them by radio. Two companies - "Airspeed" and "General Aircraft" - simultaneously invented two almost identical aircraft. However, the "General Aircraft" model turned out to be more strange.

Aircraft G.A.L. 38 was technically a biplane, despite the fact that it had four wings, and the length of the bottom pair was three times less than the top. The crew of the G.A.L. 38 consisted of three people - a pilot, an observer, who was in the glazed nose, and a radio operator, located in the rear fuselage. Since planes move much faster than battleships, G.A.L. 38 was designed to fly slowly.

Like most specialized aircraft, the G.A.L. 38 eventually became unnecessary. With the invention of radar, the Admiralty decided to focus on patrol bombers (such as the Liberator and Sunderland).

9. Messerschmitt Me-328

The Me-328 aircraft was never accepted into service because the Luftwaffe and Messerschmitt could not decide on the functions that it was supposed to perform. The Me-328 was a conventional small sized fighter. Messerschmitt presented three Me-328 models at once. The first was a small non-powered fighter glider, the second was powered by pulse jet engines, and the third was powered by conventional jet engines. All of them had a similar fuselage and a simple wooden structure.

However, as Germany was desperate to find a way to turn the tide of the air war, Messerschmitt offered several Me-328 models. Hitler approved the Me-328 bomber, which had four pulse jet engines, but it was never put into production.

Caproni Campini N.1 looks and sounds very similar to a jet aircraft, but in fact it is not. This experimental aircraft was designed to bring Italy one step closer to the jet age. By 1940, Germany had already developed the world's first jet aircraft, but kept this project a closely guarded secret. For this reason, Italy was mistakenly considered the country that developed the world's first jet turbine engine.

While the Germans and the British were experimenting with the gas turbine engine that helped create the first true jet aircraft, the Italian engineer Secondo Campini decided to create a "motorjet engine" (English motorjet), which was installed in the forward fuselage. According to the principle of operation, it was very different from a real gas turbine engine.

It is curious that the Caproni Campini N.1 aircraft had a small space at the end of the engine (something like an afterburner) where the fuel combustion process took place. The N.1 engine was similar to the jet front and rear, but otherwise fundamentally different from it.

And although the design of the engine of the Caproni Campini N.1 aircraft was innovative, its performance was not particularly impressive. The N.1 was huge, bulky and unmaneuverable. Big size"motor-compressor air-jet engine" proved to be a deterrent for combat aircraft.

Due to its massiveness and the shortcomings of the “motor-compressor air-jet engine”, the N.1 aircraft developed a speed of no more than 375 kilometers per hour, much less than modern fighters and bombers. During the first long-range test flight, the N.1 afterburner "ate" too much fuel. For this reason, the project was closed.

All these failures did not inspire confidence in the Italian commanders, who by 1942 had more serious problems (for example, the need to defend their homeland) than wasted investments in dubious concepts. With the outbreak of World War II, testing of the Caproni Campini N.1 was completely stopped, and the aircraft was put into storage.

Soviet Union also experimented with a similar concept, but air-jet powered aircraft were never put into mass production.

One way or another, the N.1 prototype survived the Second world war and is now a museum exhibit showing an interesting technology that, unfortunately, turned out to be a dead end.

The material was prepared by Rosemarina - based on an article from listverse.com

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Are you looking for this? Perhaps this is what you could not find for so long?

On May 28, 1935, the first flight of the German Messerschmitt Bf.109 fighter took place, the most massive machine of this class in the last war. But in other countries in those years, wonderful aircraft were also created to defend their own skies. Some of them fought on equal terms with the Messerschmitt Bf.109. Some surpassed it in a number of tactical and technical characteristics.

The Free Press decided to compare the German aircraft masterpiece with the best fighters of Berlin's opponents and allies in that war - the USSR, Great Britain, the USA and Japan.

1. Illegitimate German

Willy Messerschmitt was at odds with General Erhard Milch, State Secretary of the German Aviation Ministry. Therefore, the designer was not admitted to the competition for the development of a promising fighter, which was supposed to replace Henkel's outdated He-51 biplane.

Messerschmitt, in order to prevent the bankruptcy of his company, in 1934 concluded an agreement with Romania on the creation new car. For which he was immediately accused of treason. The Gestapo got down to business. After the intervention of Rudolf Hess, Messerschmitt was nevertheless allowed to participate in the competition.

The designer decided to act, not paying attention to the terms of reference of the military for the fighter. He reasoned that otherwise it would turn out to be an average fighter. And, given the biased attitude towards the aircraft designer of the powerful Milch, the competition will not be won.

Willy Messerschmitt's calculation turned out to be correct. Bf.109 on all fronts of World War II was one of the best. By May 1945, Germany had produced 33,984 of these fighters. However, briefly describe them performance characteristics very difficult.

Firstly, almost 30 significantly different modifications of the Bf.109 were produced. Secondly, the characteristics of the aircraft have been constantly improved. And the Bf.109 at the end of the war was significantly better than the 1937 model fighter. But still, there were "generic features" of all these combat vehicles, which determined the style of their air combat.

Advantages:

- powerful Daimler-Benz engines made it possible to develop high speed;

- a significant mass of the aircraft and the strength of the nodes made it possible to develop dive speeds unattainable for other fighters;

- a large payload made it possible to achieve increased armament;

- high armor protection increased the safety of the pilot.

Flaws:

- the large mass of the aircraft reduced its maneuverability;

- the location of the guns in the pylons of the wings slowed down the execution of turns;

- the aircraft was ineffective in supporting bombers, since in this capacity it could not use the speed advantages;

- to control the aircraft, high training of pilots was required.

2. "I am a fighter Yak"

Before the war, Alexander Yakovlev's design bureau made a fantastic breakthrough. Until the end of the 30s, it produced light aircraft, intended mainly for sporting purposes. And in 1940, the Yak-1 fighter was put into production, in the design of which, along with aluminum, there was wood and canvas. He had excellent flying qualities. At the beginning of the war, the Yak-1 successfully repulsed the Fokers, while losing to the Messers.

But in 1942, the Yak-9 began to enter service with our Air Force, which fought the Messers on an equal footing. Moreover, the Soviet machine had a clear advantage in close combat at low altitudes. Yielding, however, in battles on high altitudes.

It is not surprising that it was the Yak-9 that turned out to be the most massive Soviet fighter. Until 1948, 16,769 Yak-9s were built in 18 modifications.

In fairness, it is necessary to note three more of our excellent aircraft - the Yak-3, La-5 and La-7. At low and medium altitudes, they outperformed the Yak-9 and beat the Bf.109. But this "trinity" was released in smaller quantities, and therefore the main burden in the fight against fascist fighters fell on the Yak-9.

Advantages:

- high aerodynamic qualities, allowing you to conduct a dynamic battle in close proximity to the enemy at low and medium altitudes. High maneuverability.

Flaws:

- low armament, largely due to insufficient engine power;

- low engine life.

3. Armed to the teeth and very dangerous

Englishman Reginald Mitchell (1895 - 1937) was a self-taught designer. He completed his first independent project, the Supermarine Type 221 fighter, in 1934. During the first flight, the car accelerated to a speed of 562 km / h and rose to a height of 9145 meters in 17 minutes. None of the fighters that existed at that time in the world could do this. No one had comparable firepower: Mitchell placed eight machine guns at once in the wing console.

In 1938, mass production of the Supermarine Spitfire (Spitfire - "spitting fire") for the British Royal Air Force began. But chief designer I did not see this happy moment. He died of cancer at the age of 42.

Further modernization of the fighter was already carried out by the designers of Supermarine. The first production model was called the Spitfire MkI. It was equipped with a 1300-horsepower engine. There were two armament options: eight machine guns or four machine guns and two cannons.

It was the most massive British fighter, produced in the amount of 20,351 copies in various modifications. Throughout the war, the performance of the Spitfire was constantly improved.

The British fire-breathing Spitfire fully demonstrated its belonging to the elite of the world's fighters, breaking the so-called Battle of Britain in September 1940. The Luftwaffe launched a powerful air attack on London, in which 114 Dornier 17 and Heinkel 111 bombers took part, escorted by 450 Me 109 and several Me 110. They were opposed by 310 British fighters: 218 Hurricane and 92 Spitfire Mk.I. 85 enemy planes were destroyed, the vast majority in air combat. The RAF lost eight Spitfires and 21 Hurricanes.

Advantages:

— excellent aerodynamic qualities;

- high speed;

- long flight range;

- excellent maneuverability at medium and high altitudes.

- great firepower;

— optional high training of pilots;

- some modifications have a high rate of climb.

Flaws:

- focused on only concrete runways.

4. Comfortable "mustang"

Created by an American company North American commissioned by the British government in 1942, the P-51 Mustang fighter is significantly different from the three fighters we have already considered. First of all, the fact that completely different tasks were set before him. It was an escort aircraft for long-range bombers. Based on this, the Mustangs had huge fuel tanks. Their practical range exceeded 1500 kilometers. And the ferry station is 3700 kilometers.

The flight range was ensured by the fact that the Mustang was the first to use a laminar wing, due to which the airflow flows around without turbulence. The Mustang, paradoxically, was a comfortable fighter. It is no coincidence that it was called the “flying Cadillac”. This was necessary so that the pilot, staying at the helm of the aircraft for several hours, did not waste his energy unnecessarily.

By the end of the war, the Mustang began to be used not only as an escort aircraft, but also as an attack aircraft, equipping it with missiles and strengthening firepower.

Advantages:

— good aerodynamics;

- high speed;

- long flight range;

- high ergonomics.

Flaws:

- high qualification of pilots is required;

- low survivability against fire anti-aircraft artillery;

- Vulnerability of the water cooling radiator

5. Japanese "overdo"

Paradoxically, the most massive Japanese fighter was the carrier-based Mitsubishi A6M Reisen. He was nicknamed "Zero" ("zero" - Eng.). The Japanese produced 10939 of these "zeros".

So big love to carrier-based fighters is explained by two circumstances. Firstly, the Japanese had a huge aircraft carrier fleet - ten floating airfields. Secondly, at the end of the war, "Zero" began to be used en masse for "kamikaze" In connection with which the number of these aircraft was rapidly declining.

The terms of reference for the A6M Reisen carrier-based fighter were transferred to Mitsubishi at the end of 1937. For its time, the aircraft was supposed to be one of the best in the world. The designers were offered to create a fighter that had a speed of 500 km / h at an altitude of 4000 meters, armed with two cannons and two machine guns. Flight duration - up to 6-8 hours. Takeoff distance - 70 meters.

At the beginning of the war, the Zero dominated the Asia-Pacific region, surpassing US and British fighters in maneuverability and speed at low and medium altitudes.

On December 7, 1941, during the attack of the Japanese Navy on the American base at Pearl Harbor, the Zero fully proved their worth. Six aircraft carriers took part in the attack, on which 440 fighters, torpedo bombers, dive bombers and fighter-bombers were based. The result of the attack was disastrous for the United States.

The difference in losses in the air is most eloquent. The United States destroyed 188 aircraft, disabled - 159. The Japanese lost 29 aircraft: 15 dive bombers, five torpedo bombers and a total of nine fighters.

But by 1943, the Allies still created competitive fighters.

Advantages:

- long flight range;

— good maneuverability;

H disadvantages:

- low engine power;

— low rate of climb and flight speed.

Feature Comparison

Before comparing the same-name parameters of the considered fighters, it should be noted that this is not a completely correct matter. First of all, because different countries, who participated in the Second World War, set various strategic tasks for their fighter aircraft. Soviet Yaks were primarily occupied with air support ground forces. In this connection, they usually flew at low altitudes.

The American Mustang was designed to escort long-range bombers. Approximately the same goals were set for the Japanese "Zero". The British Spitfire was versatile. Equally, he acted effectively both at low altitudes and at high altitudes.

The word "fighter" is most suitable for the German "Messers", which, first of all, were supposed to destroy enemy aircraft near the front.

We present the parameters as they decrease. That is - in the first place in this "nomination" - the best aircraft. If two aircraft have approximately the same parameter, then they are separated by commas.

- maximum ground speed: Yak-9, Mustang, Me.109 - Spitfire - Zero

- -maximum speed at altitude: Me.109, Mustang, Spitfire - Yak-9 - Zero

- engine power: Me.109 - Spitfire - Yak-9, Mustang - Zero

- rate of climb: Me.109, Mustang - Spitfire, Yak-9 - Zero

- practical ceiling: Spitfire - Mustang, Me.109 - Zero - Yak-9

- practical range: Zero - Mustang - Spitfire - Me.109, Yak-9

- weapons: Spitfire, Mustang - Me.109 - Zero - Yak-9.

Photo by ITAR-TASS/ Marina Lystseva/ archive photo.

For the first time, the Messerschmitt Bf.109 took off into the sky on May 28, 1935. It was he who was destined to become not only the most massive winged machine of the Second World War, but also to acquire the status of a legend. And although the countries - opponents of Germany, of course, had their own planes, not every one of them could at least fight on equal terms with the "German". Most often, their tactical and technical characteristics could not be compared with the Messerschmitt Bf.109.

Before the start of the war, the design bureau of Alexander Yakovlev produced, basically, only sports winged cars. Only in 1940 did the Yak-1 fighter enter mass production. In addition to aluminum, canvas and wood were also used in its construction.

Yak-9 competed on equal terms with the "Messers"

When the war broke out, the Yak-1 showed its best side. He could not compete only with the Messerschmitt Bf.109. Therefore, the question of modernization arose. And in 1942 in Soviet army the Yak-9 appeared, which could already adequately resist the "Messers". It is curious that in close combat at low altitudes the Soviet fighter was better. But at high altitudes Bf.109 "recouped".

Yak-9 became the most massive Soviet fighter. Until 1948, about 17 thousand of these winged machines were produced in 18 different variations.

Willy Messerschmitt's starting position was far from ideal. He was in a strained relationship with the Secretary of State of the German Air Ministry, General Erhard Milch. Therefore, when a competition was announced for the creation of a promising fighter, Messerschmitt had no false illusions. He understood that he needed to create an ingenious winged machine so that even the biased attitude of the commission could not affect the result.

Willie was expectedly not allowed to compete. Perhaps another person would have given up, but not him. Messerschmitt signed a contract with one of the Romanian enterprises to create an aircraft. When they found out about this, a terrible scandal erupted. The designer was accused of treason, and the Gestapo became interested in him. Only the personal intervention of Rudolf Hess allowed Willy to take part in the competition.

Messerschmitt created best fighter to the start of World War II

It is interesting that in the conditions of the competition they prescribed a technical task, which the new fighter had to comply with. But Messerschmitt decided not to pay attention to him, because he considered that Germany did not need such an aircraft. And he created the fighter exactly the way he wanted to see it himself.

The designer is wrong. His Bf.109 turned out to be the best, especially at the beginning of the Second World War. At the time of the defeat of Germany, a little less than 34 thousand fighters in thirty different modifications were produced. Therefore, the 1945 model aircraft was significantly superior to its 1937 counterpart.

Of course, the British also succeeded in flying. And although Reginald Mitchell was a self-taught designer, this did not stop him from creating a decent aircraft.

His first brainchild - Supermarine Type 221 - appeared in 1934. During the test flight, the aircraft managed to accelerate to 562 km / h and climb 9145 meters in just 17 minutes. None of the winged machines of that time could boast of such outstanding results. The "Englishman" had no competitors in terms of firepower either.

In 1938, another ingenious "child" of Mitchell, the Supermarine Spitfire, was put into mass production for the British Royal Air Force. But the designer himself did not live up to this moment. He died in 1937 from cancer.

Supermarine was constantly worried, so to speak, "restyling". Work on improving the fighter was carried out by the company's designers.

So, the most massive fighter in Britain was a variation of the Supermarine Spitfire MkI. IN total over 20 thousand of these winged machines were created. This aircraft showed all its power in the Battle of Britain.

There was something to brag about and the Japanese. But unlike other countries participating in the war, their carrier-based fighter has become the most massive fighter. And it was called Mitsubishi A6M Reisen, nicknamed "Zero". At the end of the Second World War, the Japanese managed to release about 11 thousand "zeros".

The mass character of the carrier-based fighter is simply explained - Japan had an impressive aviation fleet. There is also a second reason. It was "Zero" that began to be used as a kamikaze aircraft. Naturally, their "population" is constantly declining.

The most massive fighter jet in Japan was created by Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi A6M Reisen could accelerate to 500 km / h at an altitude of 4000 meters. The duration of his flight approached the mark of 8 hours, and the takeoff was 70 meters.

By the way, it was Zero on December 7, 1941, that took part in the attack on the American base at Pearl Harbor.

The Americans were not far behind. In 1942, by order of the British government, North American created the P-51 Mustang fighter. Only his purpose was somewhat different. Unlike other winged vehicles, the Mustang was entrusted with escorting long-range bombers. Accordingly, the designers thoroughly worked on the practical range of the aircraft, increasing it to 1,500 kilometers. But the distillation was as much as 3,700 kilometers.

P-51 Mustang nicknamed "flying Cadillac"

Such a phenomenal range was achieved due to the fact that the P-51 was the first to use a laminar wing. And for the high level of comfort, the fighter was nicknamed the “flying Cadillac”.

During the Second World War, the United States used thousands of military aircraft, which largely predetermined the success of their victory over Japan. Nevertheless, the aircraft themselves, which took part on the battlefields, despite the fact that about 70 years have passed since their last global use, are worthy of attention to this day.

In total, during the Second World War, 27 models of combat aircraft were used by the Americans, each of which had its own advantages and disadvantages, but there are 5 of them that should be given special attention.

The most recognizable American aircraft of World War II is, of course, the P-51, much better known as the Mustang. For ten years, starting from 1941, 17 thousand combat aircraft were produced, which actively showed themselves in battles both over Europe and over the Pacific Ocean. An interesting fact is that the release of such a large number of aircraft was primarily associated with morally suppressing the enemy, but in reality it turned out a little differently - for about one downed enemy aircraft, there were two downed P-51 Mustangs. As for the technical characteristics of the aircraft, they were very modern for their time. The aircraft could easily accelerate to its cruising speed of 580 kilometers per hour, and, if necessary, squeeze the maximum out of the aircraft, the pilot could accelerate the combat vehicle to 700 kilometers per hour, which in some cases exceeds the speed of even modern aircraft. Since 1984, the aircraft The P-51 Mustang was officially withdrawn from service, although de facto this happened another two decades earlier. However, the US authorities did not dispose of the planes, and now they are used by private individuals, or are in museums.

The American Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter is also one of the most recognizable in the theater of operations during the Second World War. For 5 years, a little more than 10 thousand copies of this combat vehicle were produced, and it should be noted that it proved to be excellent in battles over the Pacific Ocean. Unlike others, the Lockheed P-38 Lightning were easy to operate and were very reliable, however, the flight range multirole fighter was very limited - only 750 kilometers, which is why the aircraft could only operate on its territory or as an escort aircraft (to increase the range, additional fuel tanks were attached to it). The aircraft was called multi-purpose in view of the fact that it could be used for almost any task - bombing, strikes against enemy ground forces, as its main purpose - the destruction of enemy aircraft, and even as a reconnaissance aircraft because of its quiet sound.

The heavy bomber Consolidated B-24 Liberator instilled real terror in its enemies. This is due to the fact that these carried a whole arsenal of bombs - the payload was more than 3.6 tons, which made it possible to subject huge areas to carpet bombing. The B-24 bomber was used exclusively in the hostilities of the Second World War, both in Europe and for the bombing of the Japanese military contingent in the Pacific Ocean, and during this time almost 18.5 thousand combat units were fired. However, the aircraft had a huge drawback in that its speed of only 350 kilometers per hour made it an easy target without adequate cover.

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, better known as the "Flying Fortress" is one of the most famous American military bombers of World War II. The four-engine combat vehicle was terrifying at its very appearance, moreover, the aircraft was so well designed that, with minor repairs, it can still perform its tasks. American warplanes of World War II B-17s had a good cruising speed- 400 km / h, and if necessary, it could be increased to 500 km / h. However, an important feature of this bomber was that in order to get away from enemy fighters, it was enough for him to climb to a high altitude, and for the B-17 it was almost 11 kilometers, which made it inaccessible to enemy forces.

American warplanes of World War II The Boeing B-29 Superfortress are perhaps the most famous. This is due for the most part not to their number, and not even to the technical characteristics, but these combat aircraft the fact that they dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, thereby using for the first time nuclear weapon. For its time, the speed of these heavy bombers was almost fantastic - 547 km / h, despite the fact that the aircraft were loaded with 9 tons aircraft bombs. Besides, American warplanes of World War II Boeing B-29 Superfortress were practically inaccessible to enemy fighters, as they could move at an altitude of more than 12 thousand meters. To date, out of almost 4 thousand combat aircraft produced, only one has remained airworthy, and that one makes its flights extremely rarely.

Marked American military aircraft are part of a great history, and, despite the fact that today they are not in operation, they are all the most recognizable in the world, to this day.

1. Illegitimate German

Willy Messerschmitt was at odds with General Erhard Milch, State Secretary of the German Aviation Ministry. Therefore, the designer was not admitted to the competition for the development of a promising fighter, which was supposed to replace Henkel's outdated He-51 biplane.

Messerschmitt, in order to prevent the bankruptcy of his company, in 1934 concluded an agreement with Romania to create a new machine. For which he was immediately accused of treason. The Gestapo got down to business. After the intervention of Rudolf Hess, Messerschmitt was nevertheless allowed to participate in the competition.

Willy Messerschmitt's calculation turned out to be correct. Bf.109 on all fronts of World War II was one of the best. By May 1945, Germany had produced 33,984 of these fighters. However, it is very difficult to talk briefly about their tactical and technical characteristics.

Advantages:

Powerful Daimler-Benz engines made it possible to develop high speed;

The significant mass of the aircraft and the strength of the nodes made it possible to develop dive speeds unattainable for other fighters;

A large payload made it possible to achieve increased armament;

High armor protection increased the safety of the pilot.

Flaws:

The large mass of the aircraft reduced its maneuverability;

The location of the guns in the pylons of the wings slowed down the execution of turns;

The aircraft was ineffective in supporting bombers, since it could not use the speed advantages in this capacity;

To control the aircraft, highly trained pilots were required.
2. "I am a fighter Yak"

It is not surprising that it was the Yak-9 that turned out to be the most massive Soviet fighter. Until 1948, 16,769 Yak-9s were built in 18 modifications.

Advantages:

High aerodynamic qualities, allowing dynamic combat in close proximity to the enemy at low and medium altitudes. High maneuverability.

Flaws:

Low armament, largely due to insufficient engine power;

Low engine resource.
3. Armed to the teeth and very dangerous

Englishman Reginald Mitchell (1895 - 1937) was a self-taught designer. He completed his first independent project - the Supermarine Type 221 fighter - in 1934. During the first flight, the car accelerated to a speed of 562 km / h and rose to a height of 9145 meters in 17 minutes. None of the fighters that existed at that time in the world could do this. No one had comparable firepower: Mitchell placed eight machine guns at once in the wing console.

In 1938, the mass production of the Supermarine Spitfire (Spitfire - "spewing fire") for the British Royal Air Force began. But the chief designer did not see this happy moment. He died of cancer at the age of 42.

It was the most massive British fighter, produced in the amount of 20,351 copies in various modifications. Throughout the war, the performance of the Spitfire was constantly improved.

Advantages:

Excellent aerodynamic qualities;

High speed;

Long flight range;

Excellent maneuverability at medium and high altitudes.

Great firepower;

Optional high training of pilots;

Some modifications have a high rate of climb.

Flaws:

Focuses only on concrete runways.
4. Comfortable "mustang"

Created by the American company North American by order of the British government in 1942, the P-51 Mustang fighter is significantly different from the three fighters we have already considered. First of all, the fact that completely different tasks were set before him. It was an escort aircraft for long-range bombers. Based on this, the Mustangs had huge fuel tanks. Their practical range exceeded 1500 kilometers. A ferry station - 3700 kilometers.

By the end of the war, the Mustang began to be used not only as an escort aircraft, but also as an attack aircraft, equipping it with missiles and increasing firepower.

Advantages:

Good aerodynamics;

High speed;

Long flight range;

High ergonomics.

Flaws:

Requires high qualification of pilots;

Low survivability against anti-aircraft artillery fire;

Vulnerability of the water cooling radiator

5. Japanese "overdo"

Paradoxically, the most massive Japanese fighter was the carrier-based Mitsubishi A6M Reisen. He was nicknamed "Zero" ("zero" - Eng.). The Japanese produced 10939 of these "zeros".

Such a great love for carrier-based fighters is due to two circumstances. Firstly, the Japanese had a huge carrier fleet - ten floating airfields. Secondly, at the end of the war, "Zero" began to be used en masse for "kamikaze" In connection with which the number of these aircraft was rapidly declining.

At the beginning of the war, the Zero dominated the Asia-Pacific region, surpassing US and British fighters in maneuverability and speed at low and medium altitudes.

But by 1943, the Allies still created competitive fighters.

Advantages:

Long flight range;

Good maneuverability;

Flaws:

Low engine power;

Low rate of climb and flight speed.

Feature Comparison

Before comparing the same-name parameters of the considered fighters, it should be noted that this is not a completely correct matter. First of all, because different countries participating in the Second World War set different strategic tasks for their fighter aircraft. Soviet Yaks were primarily engaged in air support for ground forces. In this connection, they usually flew at low altitudes.

The word "fighter" is most suitable for the German "Messers", which, first of all, were supposed to destroy enemy aircraft near the front.

So:

Maximum ground speed: Yak-9, Mustang, Me.109 - Spitfire - Zero

Maximum speed at altitude: Me.109, Mustang, Spitfire - Yak-9 - Zero

Engine power: Me.109 - Spitfire - Yak-9, Mustang - Zero

Climb: Me.109, Mustang - Spitfire, Yak-9 - Zero

Practical ceiling: Spitfire - Mustang, Me.109 - Zero - Yak-9

Practical range: Zero - Mustang - Spitfire - Me.109, Yak-9

Armament: Spitfire, Mustang - Me.109 - Zero - Yak-9.

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