We explain to you what were the German and American airplanes of World War II. In addition, the production figures of the allies and the axis powers.
What were the aircraft of World War II?
Aviation had a prominent role in World War II (1939-1945). Bombers, fighters and aircraft, recognition, training or patrol aircraft were used by both the allies and the axis powers. Some of the most important battles in Europe and the Pacific were air fighting or aeronavals (such as the battle of England and the battle of Midway) or had the participation of aircraft (such as the German invasion of Poland and France or the allied landing in Normandy).
The greatest production of airplanes during World War II corresponded to the main powers of both sides and was mainly oriented to their air forces, but also their marinas of war:
- USA: United States and Navy Army Air Forces.
- United Kingdom: Real Air Force and Air Weapon of the British Fleet.
- Soviet Union (USSR): Soviet Air Force, Air Defense Forces and Soviet Naval Aviation.
- Germany: Luftwaffe (“Air Weapon”) and Kriegsmarine (“Navy”).
- Japan: Japanese imperial and imperial imperial army air service.
Some outstanding planes were:
- Germany: Messerschmitt BF 109, Focke-Wulf FW 190, Heinkel He 111 and Junkers Ju 87 Stuka.
- USA: P-47 Thunderbolt, P-51 Mustang, Boeing B-17, Boeing B-29 and Corsair F4U.
- United Kingdom: Hurricane, Spitfire, Avro Lancaster and Havilland Mosquito.
- Japan: Mitsubishi A6m Zero and Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien.
- Soviet Union: Yakovlev Yak-3, Tupolev Tu-2 and Ilyushin Il-2.
See also: stages of World War II
German aircraft in World War II
When Adolf Hitler was appointed German chancellor in 1933, he began a rearme process that transgressed the limitations imposed by the Versailles treaty (1919). This process included The financing of companies dedicated to the production of airplanes For military use, such as Junkers, Heinkel, Focke-Wulf and Messerschmitt.
When World War II began in 1939, Germany had the most advanced aeronautical industry in the world and its air force (the Luftwaffe) was especially powerful, used in both aerial battles and in the context of the Blitzkrieg or “lightning war” (the combined use of airplanes, tanks and artillery to guarantee rapid advance on enemy territory).
Some companies specialized in the manufacture of bombers (Junkers, Dornier) and others in the manufacture of fighters (Messerschmitt, Focke-Wulf). Some of the most used German aircraft in World War II were:
- Messerschmitt BF 109a fighter hunting or plane that was first used in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939) and became the main German hunt during World War II.
- Focke-Wulf FW 190a hunt introduced in 1941 that could meet multiple tasks.
- Heinkel He 111a very effective medium bomber to attack objectives on land.
- Junkers Ju 87 Stukaa bomber in a chopped (light and with the ability to bombard by means of a chopped approach to its target) that was introduced during the Spanish civil war and had a lead Blitzkrieg (“Lightning war”) of the first years of World War II, so it became a symbol of the Luftwaffe.
US aircraft in World War II
Before the beginning of World War II, the American industry began providing airplanes to the United Kingdom and France to the growing German threat. When the war broke out in 1939 and, especially, when the United States entered the conflict in 1941, American aeronautical production grew significantly.
American planes were used not only by the United States armed forces but also by other allied countries, mainly the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union. Among the US companies that specialized in the manufacture of bombers were Boeing, Martin and Douglas. Curtiss, Grumman, Lockheed and North American Aviation stood out in the manufacture of fighters.
Some of the most used American aircraft in World War II were:
- Republic P-47 Thunderbolta hunting of the most used by the United States but also by the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and even for the 201 Squadron of Mexico that made missions with the allies at the end of the war.
- North American P-51 Mustanga hunting and hunting much higher than the previous allied models and the German fighters, which since 1943 was widely used by the United States Army Air Forces and the Royal British Air Force.
- Boeing B-17 Flying Fortressa heavy bomber nicknamed “Flamor strength” that was deployed both in Europe and the Pacific.
- Boeing B-29 Superfortressa bomber derived from B-17, introduced in 1944. Inola gay which launched the first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima (August 6, 1945) and the Bockscar which launched the second on Nagasaki (August 9, 1945) belonged to this group of bombers.
- Vought Corsair F4Ua hunting mainly used by the United States Navy in the Pacific, deployed from aircraft carrier, which was very important to deal with Japanese Zero fighters.
The production of airplanes during World War II
Germany
When World War II began, the German aeronautical industry was much superior to that of the allies. Anyway, shortly before the start of the conflict, the United States industry began providing airplanes to the United Kingdom and France, which stimulated its industrial production.
The German aircraft production was increasing throughout the war but, when the United States entered the conflict after the Japanese attack to Pearl Harbor in 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt promoted an increase in the manufacture of airplanes. Towards the end of the war, the United States had surpassed the German industry in technology and quantity.
The United Kingdom
The United Kingdom increased its aeronautical production from the beginning of the war and devoted to crew in the countries of British Commonwealth (such as Australia and Canada). The Royal British Air Force succeeded in defense against the Luftwaffe In the battle of England of 1940 and, from this fact, the British production of airplanes increased.
The Soviet Union
The Soviet Union produced on a large scale because it had a large army and the Iosif Stalin regime had encouraged an accelerated industrialization process. However, once he entered the war in 1941, The Soviet Air Force had high loss rates Due to the inexperience of some of its pilots since it faced a much more modern Air Force (the Luftwaffe).
Thanks to the Loan and Lease Law of the United States government, it received US aircraft and fuel and also manufactured its own fighters and bombers.
Japan
For its part, The Empire of Japan emphasized the production of aircraft carriers and fighterswhich led in 1940 to the introduction of Mitsubishi A6m Zero, which was very effective in the Pacific front.
However, at the end of the war, The growing fuel supply problems of the Japanese imperial navy They combined with the greatest American industrial capacity to give an advantage to the allies.
Production of Power Aircraft (1939-1945)
The table indicates the amount of aircraft manufactured by each power in each year of World War II and the total side of the allies and the powers of the axis, respectively.
| 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | [1945 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USA | 5,856 | 12,804 | 26,277 | 47,836 | 85,898 | 96,318 | 49,761 |
| USSR | 10,382 | 10,565 | 15,735 | 25,436 | 34,900 | 40,300 | 20,900 |
| United Kingdom | 7,940 | 15,049 | 20,094 | 23,672 | 26,263 | 26,461 | 12,070 |
| Total Allies | 24,178 | 38,418 | 62.106 | 96,944 | 147,061 | 163,079 | 82,731 |
| Germany | 8,295 | 10,247 | 11,776 | 15,409 | 24,807 | 39,807 | 7,540 |
| Japan | 4,467 | 4,768 | 5,088 | 8,861 | 16,693 | 28,180 | 11,066 |
| Italy | 1,750 | 3,257 | 3.503 | 2,821 | 2,024 | – | – |
| Total axis | 14,512 | 18,272 | 20,367 | 27.091 | 43,524 | 67,987 | 18,606 |
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References
- Amir, Ar & Weiss, yes (2023). Aerospace Industry. Britannica Encyclopedia. https://www.britannica.com/
- Overy, RJ (2011). The Air War 1939-1945. Potomac Books.
- OVERY, RJ (2016). The Oxford History of the Second World War. Taylor & Francis.
- Stone, N. (2013). Brief history of World War II. Ariel.
