The first planes of WWII. Soviet aircraft of World War II

This section of the site is dedicated to combat aircraft that took part in the war and were built in the pre-war period and during the war. If the production of aircraft continues in the post-war period, data on their number from total number releases were excluded. The total number of production of a particular aircraft does not mean that all aircraft built took part in combat operations. When describing the tactical and technical characteristics, the data of the latest modification were given, unless otherwise indicated in the text. Civil aircraft, which were used for military needs, but did not undergo re-equipment, were not considered in this section. Aircraft transferred or received from one country to another (including under Lend-Lease agreements) were not taken into account, just as captured aircraft were not taken into account.

Military aviation- view armed forces, whose main weapons are combat aircraft. The first aircraft suitable for military purposes appeared shortly after the birth of aviation itself. The first country to use aircraft for military purposes was Bulgaria - its aircraft attacked and conducted reconnaissance of Ottoman positions during the First Balkan War of 1912-1913. The first war in which aircraft played an important role in offensive, defensive and reconnaissance was the First World War. Both the Entente and the Central States actively used aircraft in this war. By the end of the war, the armies of the main warring states already had about 11 thousand aircraft, including over a thousand in the Russian one. During the First World War, the first types of military aviation were created: bomber, fighter, reconnaissance. The speed of the aircraft used gradually increased from 100-120 to 200-220 km/h, the highest flight altitude (ceiling) - from 2-3 to 6-7 km, the combat load reached 2-3.5 tons.

During the interwar period, military aviation, among all types of weapons, went through longest path, having changed dramatically, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Thus, in the design of aircraft they moved from biplanes to a monoplane design, careful aerodynamic “fine-tuning” of gliders, the introduction of laminated wing profiles and pressurized cabins into practice, increasing the load on the wing and complicating the landing mechanization, the use of a three-wheeled landing gear with a nose support, the device of teardrop-shaped cockpit canopies, armoring and protection of fuel tanks, the use of ejection systems for leaving the aircraft, replacing wood and fabric with aluminum.

Piston engines were brought to practical perfection. They began to use two-stage centrifugal superchargers and turbochargers to increase the altitude of engines, forced engine operating modes were introduced to briefly increase the power of the aircraft during takeoff and in combat, and the two-blade propeller was replaced by a propeller with a large number of blades. Gasoline engines with water cooling were replaced by rotary and radial ones air cooled. They tried to use experimental jet engines and rocket take-off boosters.

The aircraft's weapons system has also undergone significant changes. Rifle caliber machine gun armament has been replaced heavy machine guns and guns. Turret-mounted rifle installations were replaced by turret-type installations, sometimes with remote control. Mechanical sights have been replaced with gyroscopic ones. Rockets began to be used.

The use of airborne radar stations (radars) on aircraft was the main qualitative change in the technical revolution of aircraft construction. The aircraft were able to fly at any time of the day, in any weather conditions, and detect the enemy in advance in the air, at sea and under water.

Specialized aircraft appeared - aviation was divided into land and sea. By the beginning of the war, a clear classification of combat aircraft had developed: fighters, bombers, attack aircraft, coastal sea-based aircraft and carrier-based aircraft, float planes, flying boats and amphibious boats, training aircraft, military transport and auxiliary aircraft. Some countries used military gliders and airships.

During the war years, contrary to a widely held point of view, there was no qualitative leap in the development of aviation technology. Moreover, there were fewer fundamental innovations in aircraft design during the war than in the previous six years. This is explained by the fact that in most cases the leadership of the countries involved in intense struggle had little interest in developments aimed at the long term; the main task was to satisfy the immediate demands of the front. In Germany, they even introduced a ban on the proactive development of new aircraft by design departments of companies. In all countries, the number of prototypes and experimental models has sharply decreased, and the development of civil aircraft has completely stopped. However, driven by the demands of combat, the best aircraft were built during the war.

The main impact of the war on aviation was not the acceleration of technological progress, but the increase in the production of aircraft. During the war, the number of aircraft in individual countries increased 10-20 times compared to its beginning.

As a result, aviation has become most powerful look weapons capable, in some cases, of exerting a decisive influence on the course of military operations. As you know, fighter planes saved Great Britain from the planned invasion of Germany in 1940. Another example of the decisive role of air power can be seen in the defeat of Japan, which capitulated under the onslaught of American air attacks before US troops landed on its territory.

Describing military aviation as a weapon of the Second World War in the air, it should be noted that airplanes were the main striking force both on land and on water. Military aircraft were used both as offensive and defensive weapons. Military aviation performed both independent tasks and took part in combat operations of other branches of the military.

It should be noted that the military doctrines developed by different countries before the start of World War II turned out to be untenable, and the unfolding military operations introduced fundamental changes to them. However, not all countries managed to make timely and complete adjustments to the development of military aviation.

The fight for air supremacy, the destruction of enemy industrial centers, the support of ground troops, the destruction of enemy ships and submarines- all these tasks served as an incentive to improve aircraft and increase the scale of their production. The development of aviation was also influenced by changing views on the use of the Air Force during the war, the expansion of the geography of the theater of operations, the improvement of air defense systems, the problems of limited industrial and human resources and a number of other circumstances. Thus, the evolution of aviation technology during the war years was closely related to a whole range of external factors.

The advent of jet aircraft, of course, was a technical breakthrough, which no country was able to put into practice during the war years. The number of aircraft was scanty, the technical quality was imperfect, there were no experienced pilots, and tactics were just emerging. All this prevented the new type of weapon from having any influence on the course of the war.

Approximate number of aircraft by country and type, built in pre-war times and during the war (excluding transferred/received)

Countries	Types of aircraft
		Sturmov. 2	Bombard. 3	M/P aircraft 4	Hydrosam. and years. boats 5	Scouts
Australia		757	—	—	—
Argentina		—	14	—
Belgium		—	—	—	—
Bulgaria		—	—	—	—
Brazil		—	—	—	—
United Kingdom		942	51814	21517	2051
Hungary		—	—	—	—
Germany		878	38785	85	1887
Spain		—	236	—	—
Italy		261	4820	1746	1446
Canada		—	—	—	932
Lithuania		—	14	—	—
Netherlands		—	16	—	75
Norway		—	—	—	29
Poland		—	442	—	—
Romania		—	193	—	8
USSR		43341	33276	331	1955
USA		2044	62026	71621	10718
Finland		—	—	—	—
France		386	10292	99	374
Czechoslovakia		—	19	—	—
Switzerland		152	—	—
Sweden		—	391	—	56
Yugoslavia		—	—	—	109
Japan		3700	11327	21244	5137
TOTAL		52461	213665	116643	24777

Continuation of the table

Countries	Types of aircraft
	Transport. aircraft	Military gliders	Academic/training airplanes 6	Rec. planes 7
Australia		14	200	—
Argentina		—	267	—
Belgium		—	—	66
Bulgaria		—	12	—
Brazil		—	28	—
United Kingdom		5192	23830	7409
Hungary		—	10	—
Germany		2719	17793	1500
Spain		—	40	—
Italy		—	3087	—
Canada		—	601	—
Lithuania		—	19	—
Netherlands		—	257	—
Norway		—	—	—
Poland		—	1045	—
Romania		—	200	—
USSR		1068	23915	—
USA		15709	58351	7232
Finland		—	40	—
France		—	246	589
Czechoslovakia		—	130	—
Switzerland		—	—	—
Sweden		—	—	—
Yugoslavia		—	81	—
Japan		886	15610	23
TOTAL		25588	145762	16819

Note

1 Fighters

2 Stormtroopers

3 Bombers

4 Sea and carrier-based aircraft

5 Seaplanes and flying boats

6 Training aircraft

7 Auxiliary aircraft

In the pre-war period and during the war, 25 countries built 974.9 thousand aircraft and military gliders, incl. in years about 800 thousand. At the same time, the five leading countries (Great Britain, Germany, USSR, USA and Japan) produced 95% of the total number of aircraft. In the total production of aircraft, fighters accounted for 32%, bombers - 22%, sea and carrier-based aircraft - 12%. Of all aircraft built, 15% was used for pilot training.

By the beginning of the war, there were significantly more MiG-3 fighters in service than other aircraft. However, the “third” MiG was not yet sufficiently mastered by combat pilots, and the retraining of most of them was not completed.

Two MiG-3 regiments were quickly formed with a large percentage of testers familiar with them. This partly helped in eliminating piloting deficiencies. But still, the MiG-3 lost even to the I-6 fighters, common at the beginning of the war. Superior in speed at altitudes above 5000 m, at low and medium altitudes it was inferior to other fighters.

This is both a disadvantage and at the same time an advantage of the “third” MiG. The MiG-3 is a high-altitude aircraft, all the best qualities of which were manifested at an altitude of over 4500 meters. It found use as a high-altitude night fighter in the air defense system, where its high ceiling of up to 12,000 meters and speed at altitude were decisive. Thus, the MiG-3 was mainly used until the end of the war, in particular, guarding Moscow.

In the very first battle over the capital, on July 22, 1941, Mark Gallay, a pilot of the 2nd Separate Air Defense Fighter Squadron of Moscow, shot down an enemy plane in a MiG-3. At the beginning of the war, one of the ace pilots, Alexander Pokryshkin, flew on the same plane and won his first victory.

Yak-9: the “king” of modifications

Until the end of the 30s, the design bureau of Alexander Yakovlev produced light, mainly sports aircraft. In 1940, the Yak-1 fighter, which has excellent flight qualities, was launched into production. At the beginning of the war, the Yak-1 successfully repelled German pilots.

Already in 1942, the Yak-9 began to enter service with our Air Force. The new Soviet vehicle had high maneuverability, allowing for dynamic combat close to the enemy at low and medium altitudes.

It was the Yak-9 that turned out to be the most popular Soviet fighter of the Great Patriotic War. It was produced from 1942 to 1948, in total almost 17 thousand aircraft were built.

The Yak-9's design used duralumin instead of heavy wood, making the aircraft lighter and leaving room for modifications. It was the Yak-9’s ability to upgrade that became its main advantage. It had 22 main modifications, of which 15 were mass-produced. This includes a front-line fighter, fighter-bomber, interceptor, escort, reconnaissance aircraft, special purpose passenger aircraft and training aircraft.

The most successful modification is considered to be the Yak-9U fighter, which appeared in the fall of 1944. Suffice it to say that his pilots called him “the killer.”

La-5: disciplined soldier

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, German aviation had an advantage in the skies of the USSR. But in 1942, a Soviet fighter appeared that could fight on equal terms with German aircraft - this is the La-5, developed at the Lavochkin Design Bureau.

Despite its simplicity - the La-5 cockpit did not have even the most basic instruments like an attitude indicator - the pilots immediately liked the plane.

Lavochkin's new plane had a strong design and did not fall apart even after dozens of direct hits. At the same time, the La-5 had impressive maneuverability and speed: turn time was 16.5-19 seconds, speed was above 600 km/h.

Another advantage of the La-5 is that, as a disciplined soldier, it did not perform the “spin” aerobatics without a direct order from the pilot, and if it got into a spin, it came out of it on the first command.

La-5 fought in the skies over Stalingrad and the Kursk Bulge, ace pilot Ivan Kozhedub fought on it, and the famous Alexey Maresyev flew on it.

Po-2: night bomber

The Po-2 (U-2) aircraft is considered the most popular biplane in the history of world aviation. When creating a training aircraft in the 1920s, Nikolai Polikarpov did not imagine that there would be another, serious application for his unpretentious machine.

During World War II, the U-2 developed into an effective night bomber. Aviation regiments armed exclusively with U-2s appeared in the Soviet Air Force. It was these biplanes that carried out more than half of all Soviet bomber missions during the war.

“Sewing machines” – that’s what the Germans called the U-2s that bombed their units at night. One biplane could make several sorties per night, and given the maximum bomb load of 100-350 kg, the aircraft could drop more ammunition than a heavy bomber.

It was on Polikarpov’s biplanes that the famous 46th Guards Taman Aviation Regiment fought. Four squadrons of 80 pilots, 23 of whom received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. For their courage and aviation skill, the Germans nicknamed the girls Nachthexen - “night witches.” During the war years, the women's air regiment flew 23,672 combat missions.

In total, 11 thousand U-2 biplanes were produced during the war. They were produced at aircraft factory No. 387 in Kazan. Cabins for airplanes and skis for them were mass-produced at the plant in Ryazan. Today it is the State Ryazan Instrument Plant (GRPZ), part of KRET.

Only in 1959 did the U-2, renamed Po-2 in 1944 in honor of its creator, end its impeccable thirty-year service.

IL-2: winged tank

Il-2 is the most produced combat aircraft in history; in total, more than 36 thousand aircraft were produced. Il-2 attacks brought huge losses to the enemy, for which the Germans nicknamed the attack aircraft “Black Death”, and among our pilots they called this bomber “humpbacked”, “winged tank”, “concrete plane”.

The IL-2 entered production just before the war - in December 1940. The first flight on it was made by the famous test pilot Vladimir Kokkinaki. These serial armored attack aircraft entered service at the beginning of the war.

The Il-2 attack aircraft became the main strike force Soviet aviation. The key to excellent combat performance was a powerful aircraft engine, armored glass necessary to protect the crew, as well as rapid-fire aircraft guns and rockets.

The best enterprises in the country, including those that are part of Rostec today, worked on the creation of components for the most mass-produced attack aircraft in history. The leading enterprise for the production of ammunition for aircraft was the famous Tula Instrument Design Bureau. Transparent armored glass for glazing the Il-2 canopy was produced at the Lytkarino optical glass plant. The assembly of engines for attack aircraft was carried out in the workshops of plant No. 24, today known as the Kuznetsov enterprise. The propellers for the attack aircraft were produced in Kuibyshev at the Aviaagregat plant.

Thanks to modern technologies at that time, the IL-2 became a real legend. There was a case when an attack aircraft returned from a mission and was hit more than 600 times. After quick repairs, the “winged tanks” were sent into battle again.

In World War II, aviation turned out to be one of the main striking forces. The combat effectiveness of aircraft was the key to successful military operations. Fighters fought for air supremacy.

Soviet high-altitude fighter MiG-3

The MiG-3 is a Soviet high-altitude fighter of the Great Patriotic War, developed on the basis of the Polikarpov I-200 fighter by a design team headed by A. I. Mikoyan and M. I. Gurevich. At high altitudes, the MiG-3 was more maneuverable than other fighters. The fighter played a major role in the first months of the war, and then during the Battle of Moscow in 1941, when it was effectively used in repelling German air raids on the capital. The fighter's relatively weak machine-gun armament was recognized as a disadvantage. The need for mass production of engines for the Il-2 led to the discontinuation of the high-altitude fighter, given that a significant part of the fighting took place at medium and low altitudes, where the MiG-3 did not have significant advantages. The famous test pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union Stepan Suprun, fought on the Mig-3 and died on July 4, 1941 in a battle with a group of enemy aircraft. A total of 3,178 MiG-3s were produced.

German fighter Messerschmitt Bf.109

The Bf.109 fighter became one of the most famous and popular German aircraft of the Second World War. The first combat use took place during civil war in Spain. Depending on the modification, it could be used as a fighter, high-altitude fighter, fighter-interceptor, fighter-bomber or reconnaissance aircraft. Early modifications were armed with four 7.92 mm machine guns; on later ones, in addition to machine gun armament, two 20 mm or one 30 mm cannons were installed. Throughout World War II it was Germany's main fighter. Until the end of the war, as of April 1945, 33,984 Bf.109 fighters of all modifications were produced. It became one of the most popular fighters in history, and in terms of the number of World War II aircraft produced, it was second only to the Soviet Il-2 attack aircraft.

American fighter-bomber P-38 Lightning

An American fighter-bomber that performed well during World War II. The design of the aircraft consisted of two tail booms and a gondola with a cockpit. In addition to powerful small arms Consisting of a 20 mm cannon and four 12.7 mm machine guns, the Lighting could carry two 726 kg bombs or ten rockets. The aircraft was actively used both to escort heavy bombers and to attack ground targets. By the end of the war, two-seat “flagship” fighters also appeared, the crews of which coordinated the assault operations of single-seat aircraft. The plane was simple and reliable to fly. The P-38 was the only fighter aircraft produced in the United States throughout the war. In total, about 10 thousand units were produced.

Japanese fighter "Zero"

The Japanese carrier-based fighter was produced from 1940 until the end of World War II. The aircraft carried powerful armament for the start of World War II, consisting of two 20 mm cannons and two 7.7 mm machine guns. Until 1942, the Zero had a clear advantage over most Allied aircraft, and the presence large number well-trained pilots made it possible to make full use of best properties machines - high maneuverability and long (up to 2600 kilometers) flight range. The Battle of Midway Atoll was a turning point not only in the struggle for Pacific Ocean, but also in the fate of “Zero”, which gradually began to lose its dominance in the air. At the end of the war, Zeros were also used by kamikaze pilots. Thus, during the battle in Leyte Gulf on October 25, 1944, the escort aircraft carrier Saint-Lo was sunk. A total of 10,939 fighters were launched and it became the most popular Japanese fighter World War II.

Soviet fighter La-5FN

One of the most successful modifications of the La-5 fighter was the La-5FN, which received a new engine with a power of 1850 l/s. Maximum speed fighter reached 635 km/h. The aircraft carried weapons similar to the La-5, consisting of two 20 mm. automatic guns. The La-5FN fighter rightfully became one of the best aircraft in the world in the second half of the war. In terms of maneuverability and speed at low and medium altitudes, it surpassed german fighter FW 190A. The first mass use of the La-5FN was associated with battles on Kursk Bulge. Heroes of the Soviet Union Alexey Maresyev and Alexander Gorovets performed their feats on the La-5FN at the Kursk Bulge. Ivan Kozhedub, the most successful Soviet pilot, with 62 aerial victories, also began his combat journey on the La-5FN.

Stalin case in Samara

World War II was a war in which the air force played a key role in the fighting. Before this, aircraft could influence 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. Because this was of great importance, opposing nations constantly sought to develop new aircraft to defeat the enemy. Today we will talk about ten unusual aircraft from the Second World War that 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 carry the provisions and ammunition needed to wage maneuver warfare against the Allied forces. At the request of the government, the Japanese company Kokusai developed the Ku-7 aircraft. This huge double-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 As the war in the Pacific dragged on, Japanese military leaders decided to focus their efforts on the production of fighters and bombers instead of transport aircraft. Work on improving the Ku-7 continued, but progressed at a slow pace.

In 1944, the Japanese war effort began to collapse. Not only were they quickly losing ground to the rapidly advancing Allied forces, but they were also faced with a fuel crisis. Most of Japan's oil production facilities were either captured or were experiencing material shortages, so the military was forced to start looking for alternatives. At first they planned to use pine nuts to produce a petroleum substitute. Unfortunately, the process dragged on and led to mass felling forests 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 installed two engines and expansion tanks on the airframe, essentially creating a flying fuel tank for the Ki-105.

The plan initially had a lot of flaws. Firstly, to get to Sumatra, the Ki-105 needed to use up all its fuel reserves. Secondly, the Ki-105 aircraft could not transport unrefined crude oil, so the fuel had to first be extracted and processed at an oil field. (The Ki-105 only ran on purified fuel.) Thirdly, the Ki-105 would have used up 80% of its fuel during the return flight, leaving nothing left for military needs. Fourth, the Ki-105 was slow and unmaneuverable, making it easy prey for Allied fighters. Fortunately for Japanese pilots, the war ended and the program to use the Ki-105 aircraft was closed.

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 its bombs with incredible accuracy, causing huge losses. However, as Allied aircraft reached higher standards of performance, the Ju-87 Stuka proved unable to compete with the fast and maneuverable enemy fighters. Unwilling to abandon the idea of ​​picket 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 engineers managed to create an aircraft that was incredibly fast, especially when diving. Due to its 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 strange position when flying the bomber. Hs-132 pilots had to lie on their stomachs and look into the small glass nose to see where to fly.

The prone position helped the pilot counteract the forces that created g-forces, especially when he was rapidly climbing 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 it had been produced in large numbers. Fortunately for ground forces allies, Soviet soldiers captured the Henschel plant before the construction of prototypes was completed.

3. Blohm & Voss Bv 40

Efforts played a key role in the Allied victory Air Force USA and UK Bomber Command. The air forces of these two countries carried out countless raids on German troops, essentially rendering them unable to wage war. By 1944, Allied planes were bombing German factories and cities almost unopposed. Faced with a significant decline in the effectiveness of the Luftwaffe (Hitler's air force), manufacturers German planes began to propose 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 glider fighter.

Given the declining technical and material capabilities of the German aircraft industry, Vogt designed the airframe as simple as possible. It was made of metal (cabin) and wood (rest). Despite the fact that the Bv 40 could be built even by a person without special skills or education, Vogt wanted to make sure that the glider would not be so easy to shoot down. Since it did not need an engine, its fuselage was very narrow. Due to the recumbent position of the pilot, the front part of the glider was significantly trimmed. Vogt hoped that the high speed and small size of the glider would make it invulnerable.

The Bv 40 was lifted into the air by two Bf 109 fighters. Once at the appropriate altitude, the towing aircraft “released” the glider. After this, the Bf 109 pilots began their attack, which was later joined by the Bv 40. To achieve the speed necessary to carry out an effective attack, the glider 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 thirty-millimeter cannons. Despite successful tests, for some reason the glider was not accepted for service. The German command decided to focus its efforts on creating interceptors with a turbojet engine.

4. Rotabuggy by Raoul Hafner

One of the challenges military commanders faced during World War II was getting military equipment to the front lines. To decide this question, countries experimented with different ideas. British aerospace engineer Raoul Hafner had the crazy idea to equip everything vehicles 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 gyroplane (a type of aircraft) that could be dropped from a transport aircraft with one soldier inside. This was an attempt to replace parachutes during an airborne landing. When Hafner's idea didn't take root, he took on two other projects - Rotabuggy and Rotatank. The Rotabuggy gyroplane was eventually built and tested.

Before attaching the rotor to the Jeep, Hafner first decided to test what would be left behind when the vehicle was dropped. 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 developed a rotor and tail to make it look like a gyrocopter.

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

5. Boeing YB-40

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

To create the YB-40, the US Air Force entered into a contract with the Vega Corporation. The modified B-17s had two additional turrets and dual machine guns, which allowed the YB-40 to defend 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 B-17 series of bombers. Due to these significant shortcomings further work work on the YB-40 project was completely abandoned.

6. Interstate TDR

Use of drones aircraft for various purposes, sometimes extremely contradictory, is distinctive feature military conflicts of the 21st century. Although drones are generally considered a new invention, they have been used since World War II. While the Luftwaffe was investing in the creation of unmanned guided missiles, the United States of America was the first to field remotely piloted aircraft. The US Navy has invested in two drone projects. The second ended with the successful birth of the “flying torpedo” TDR.

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

The TDR was initially launched from the ground by the control crew. When it reached the required height, it was taken under control of a specially modified TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bomber, which, keeping a certain distance from the TDR, directed it to the target. One Avenger squadron flew 50 missions using the TDR, scoring 30 successful strikes against the enemy. Japanese troops were shocked by the actions of the Americans, as they appeared to resort to kamikaze tactics.

Despite the success of the strikes, the US Navy has become disillusioned with the idea of ​​unmanned aerial vehicles. By 1944, Allied forces had virtually complete air superiority in the Pacific theater, and the need to use complex experimental weapons was no longer necessary.

7. Douglas XB-42 Mixmaster

At the height of World War II, the famous American aircraft manufacturer Douglas decided to begin developing a revolutionary bomber aircraft to bridge the gap between light and high-altitude heavy bombers. Douglas focused its efforts on developing the XB-42, a high-speed bomber capable of outrunning Luftwaffe interceptors. If Douglas engineers had managed to make the plane fast enough, they would have been able to devote more 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 rather than on the wings, and a pair of rotating different sides propellers. Given the fact that speed was a priority, the XB-42 bomber could accommodate a crew of three people. The pilot and his assistant were inside separate "bubble" canopies located next to each other. The bombardier was located in the nose of the XB-42. Defensive weapons were reduced to a minimum. The XB-42 had two remotely controlled defensive turrets. All the innovation paid off. The XB-42 was capable of speeds of up to 660 kilometers per hour and could carry bombs weighing a total of 3,600 kilograms.

The XB-42 made an excellent advanced 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; it was rejected, after which the Douglas company began creating a jet-powered bomber. The XB-43 Jetmaster was successful, but did not attract the attention of the United States Air Force. However, it became the first American jet bomber, paving the way for other aircraft of its kind.

The original XB-42 bomber is preserved at the National Air and Space Museum and at the 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 precision weapons, aircraft were designed in accordance with a specific combat mission. During World War II, this need led to a number of absurdly specialized aircraft, including the General Aircraft G.A.L. 38 Fleet Shadower.

At the beginning of the Second World War, Great Britain faced a threat from a huge navy Germany (Kriegsmarine). German ships blocked British waterways and interfered with logistics. Because the ocean is large, it was extremely difficult to scout out the positions of enemy ships, especially before the advent of radar. To be able to track the location of Kriegsmarine ships, the Admiralty needed observation aircraft that could fly at night at low speed and high altitude, reconnaissance of enemy fleet positions and reporting on them by radio. Two companies - Airspeed and General Aircraft - simultaneously invented two almost identical aircraft. However, the General Aircraft model turned out to be stranger.

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

Like most dedicated 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 it was supposed to perform. The Me-328 was a conventional small fighter. The Messerschmitt company presented three Me-328 models at once. The first was a small, unpowered fighter glider, the second was powered by pulse jet engines, and the third was powered by conventional jet engines. They all had a similar fuselage and a simple wooden structure.

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

The Caproni Campini N.1 looks and sounds a lot like a jet plane, but in reality it is not one. 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 British experimented with the gas turbine engine, which helped birth the first real jet plane, the Italian engineer Secondo Campini decided to create a “motor-compressor air-breathing engine” (eng. motorjet), which was installed in the forward part of the 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 a jet engine in the front and rear, but was fundamentally different in other respects.

Although the engine design of the Caproni Campini N.1 aircraft was innovative, its performance was not particularly impressive. N.1 was huge, bulky and unmaneuverable. The large size of the “motor-compressor air-breathing engine” turned out to be a limiting factor for combat aircraft.

Due to its massiveness and the shortcomings of the “motor-compressor air-breathing 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 instill confidence in the Italian commanders, who by 1942 had more serious problems(for example, the need to defend one's homeland) than useless investments in dubious concepts. With the outbreak of World War II, testing of the Caproni Campini N.1 ceased completely and the aircraft was put into storage.

Soviet Union also experimented with a similar concept, but aircraft with a motor-compressor air-breathing engine were never sent into mass production.

Either way, the N.1 prototype survived World War II and is now a museum piece showcasing 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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During World War II, the United States used thousands of military aircraft, which largely determined the success of its victory over Japan. Nevertheless, the aircraft themselves, which took part in 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, the Americans used 27 models of combat aircraft during World War II, each of which had its own advantages and disadvantages, but there are 5 of them that deserve special attention.

1. The most recognizable American aircraft of World War II is, of course, the P-51, much better known as the Mustang. Over ten years, starting in 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 production of such a large number of aircraft was primarily associated with the moral suppression of the enemy, but in reality it turned out somewhat 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 plane could easily accelerate to its cruising speed of 580 kilometers per hour, and if necessary, squeeze the maximum out of the plane; 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 plane The P-51 Mustang was officially retired, although de facto this happened 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.

1. The American Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter is also one of the most recognizable in the theater of operations that took place during the Second World War. Over the course of 5 years, just over 10 thousand copies of this combat vehicle were produced, and it should be noted that it performed excellently in battles over the Pacific Ocean. Unlike others, the Lockheed P-38 Lightning was different simple controls, and were very reliable, however, the flight range of the multi-role fighter was very limited - only 750 kilometers, which is why the aircraft could only operate on its own territory or as an escort aircraft (to increase the range, additional fuel tanks were attached to it ). The aircraft was called multi-purpose due to the fact that it could be used for almost any task - bombing, attacks on enemy ground forces, as its main purpose - the destruction of enemy aircraft, and even as a reconnaissance aircraft due to its quiet sound.

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

1. 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. Four-engine fighting machine it was terrifying at its very appearance, and the aircraft was so well constructed that with a little repair it can still perform its tasks. American military aircraft of World War II B-17s had a good cruising speed of 400 km/h, and if necessary, it could be increased to 500 km/h. Nevertheless, important feature This bomber was that in order to get away from enemy fighters, it only had to rise to a high altitude, and for the B-17 it was almost 11 kilometers, which made it inaccessible to enemy forces.

1. American military aircraft of World War II The Boeing B-29 Superfortress is perhaps the most famous. This is due, for the most part, not to their number, or even to their technical characteristics, but these combat aircraft became “famous” for dropping atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, thereby using nuclear weapons for the first time. For its time, the speed of these heavy bombers was almost fantastic - 547 km/h, despite the fact that the planes were loaded with 9 tons aircraft bombs. Besides, American military aircraft 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. Today, out of almost 4 thousand combat aircraft produced, only one remains airworthy, and that one makes its flights extremely rarely.

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