The Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen (“Zero”) was a long range fighter aircraft made my the Mitsubishi Aircraft Company for the Imperial Navy. The aircraft was referred to by its pilots as Reisen (Zero Fighter) after the last digit of the imperial year 2600 (1940) which is when it entered service with the Imperial Navy.
An A6M at the National Museum of the USAF
Captured Mitsubishi A6M2 (left) and A6M5 Zero naval fighters (known to the Allies as ‘Zeke’) flying in formation during their evaluation by the RAF (Royal Air-force)
Start of Service Prototypes
The A5M fighter was one of japans first mono wings fighters to enter service. Being the predecessor to the A6M zero many of the design choices were chosen from Japaneses experiences flying the A5M in china.
The Requirements for the the A6M which were put out in October 1937 were that the aircraft must have a speed of 270 kn (310 mph, 500 km/h) and be able to climb to 3000 m in 9.5 mins. As for firepower it was to be equipped with 2x 20mm cannons and 2x 7.7mm machine guns. The maneuverability of the aircraft must be at least on par with the A5M and must have a wingspan short enough for Carrier usage.
Statistics
A6M2 (Type 0 Model 21)
Power Plant
1 × Nakajima NK1C Sakae-12 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engine, 700 kW (940 hp) for take-off 710 kW (950 hp) at 4,200 m (13,800 ft)
Top Speed
533 km/h (331 mph, 288 kn) at 4,550 m (14,930 ft)
Crusing Speed
Cruise speed: 333 km/h (207 mph, 180 kn)
Max Altitude
10,000 m (33,000 ft)
Range
1,870 km (1,160 mi, 1,010 nmi)
Climb Rate
15.7 m/s (3,090 ft/min)
Guns
2× 7.7 mm (0.303 in) Type 97 aircraft machine guns in the engine cowling, with 500 rounds per gun. 2× 20 mm (0.787 in) Type 99-1 Mk.3 cannon in the wings, with 60 rounds per gun.
The Il-2 is a Soviet Union built ground attack aircraft produced during World War 2. The Il-2 is the most produced military aircraft in aviation history, as well as one of the most produced piloted aircraft, with 36,183 aircraft built. Combined with it’s successor the Il-10, making a total of 42,300 aircraft built.
To soldiers on the ground, the Il-2 was known as the “Hunchback”, “Flying Tank” or the “Flying Infantryman”
Start of Service Prototypes
The Idea of a Soviet armored ground attack aircraft dated back to the 1930s with the designs of the TSh-1 and the TSh-2, but engines at the time lacked the power needed for this type of heavy aircraft. The Il-2 prototype, the TsKB-55, was designed by the CDB (Central Design Bureau) in 1938 and standing loaded weighed more than 4,700 kg (10,300 lb) with the armored shell making about 15% of that weight.
On the 2nd October 1939, the prototype TsKB-55 made its first flight winning the contract over the Sukhoi Su-6 and received the designation of BSh-2 (Bronirovani Shturmovik). The main problems with the BSh-2 was that it was overweight and under-powered, as its Mikulin AM-35 engine was built for high altitude performance and produced 1,370 hp.
With the under-performance of the BSh-2 the aircraft was redesigned as the TsKB-57, which was a lighter single-seat design and coupled with a Mikulin AM-38 engine producing 1,680 hp which was designed for low altitude performance. The aircraft flew on 12 October 1940 and passed the State Acceptance trials in 1941 and designated the IL-2 in April that year.
Usage and Variants
The Il-2 was used for a variety of roles but its main use was Ground Attack. All but one of the main Il-2 variants was used in this way, which was the Il-2T, the torpedo variant. This had its main guns removed to save weight and added the capability of carrying one 45cm torpedo.
Operation History
The first use of the Il-2 was by the 4th ShAP (Ground Attack Regiment), days after the german invasions began. The aircraft entered service so quickly that the pilots had little to no training and the training received to only takeoff and land. The result was none of the pilots learning tactic or even firing their guns before their first combat sortie. In the first 3 days of service out of the 294 aircraft available in June 1941, 10 Il-2 were lost to enemy action and another 19 to other causes.
Due to the lack of training, Il-2 pilots struggled with the aircraft, but as they gained combat experiences their tactics improved. Unlike when they first flew the aircraft where they used a low horizontal straight approach at 50m altitude, they adopted a technique of keeping the target to the pilots’ left and using a left turn with a shallow 30 degree dive in an echelon approach of four to twelve aircraft each time.
The capabilities of the aircraft are hard to determine as all evidence comes from existing documentary work. One piece mentions an engagement in the Battle of Kursk on the 7th of July 1943 where 70 tanks from the German 9th Panzer Division were claimed to be killed by the Il-2s in 20 mins.
Other studies found that at Kursk, very little German armoured losses were by Il-2 or other air attack. During the Battle of Kursk VVS Il-2s claimed the destruction of no less than 270 tanks in 2 hours aginst the 3rd Panzer Division. However sources say the 3rd Panzer Division only had 90 tanks total which is 120 less than the amount claimed to be killed.
Through all the details and claims, one thing is true, the Il-2 wasn’t named the Flying Tank for nothing. Due to Heavy Armour and large firepower the aircraft was a formidable opponent. A tactic used during the Battle of Kursk was the circle of death where up to 8 Il-2 created a moving circle so that each trailing aircraft could cover the one in-front with its weapons creating a defensive circle. Every now and then an aircraft would leave the circle to make a strafing run with its guns, then return to the circle allowing the next aircraft to make his run.
4,525 m (14,846 ft) (service ceiling), 6,360 m (20,870 ft) (absolute ceiling)
Range
765 km (475 mi, 413 nmi) at 1,000 m (3,300 ft)
Time to Altitude
15 min to 5,000 m (16,000 ft)
Bombs
8× RS-82 rockets 4× RS-132 rockets 6× 100 kg (220 lb) bombs in wing bomb-bays and underwing or 4× dispensers for 48 2.5 kg (5.5 lb) PTAB anti-armour bombs (192 total) in wing bays
The North American is a long-range, single seat fighter, fighter bomber and interceptor designed and produced in response to the British Purchasing Commission who approached North American Aviation (NAA). The original plan was to build the old P-40 Kitty Hawk design licensed under the RAF (Royal Air Force) but the NAA decided to propose and new more modern design instead. This the NA-73X air-frame was rolled out on September 9th 1940 and flew on 26th October.
The 116th Fighter Squadron in Formation
Start of Service Prototypes
The first designs the XP-51 and the NA-73X were very similer to the P-40 but with lots of new improvements. One of these was the new laminar flow airfoils which produced less drag, increasing speed.
As seen in the Images below the two aircraft resemble each other.
Curtis P-40 Kittyhawk
XP-51 Prototype
The NA-73X was rolled out in September 1940 only 102 days after the order was placed and flew on October 26th 1940.
Operation History
Royal Air Force (RAF)
The RAF was the first user of the Mustang design, however these first variants were built to British requirements. These used the factory numbers NA-73 and NA-83 and we designated as the North American Mustang Mk 1 by the RAF.
The first P-51 flown by the RAF was part of the lend-lease system and were designated as the Mk 1A, which was followed by the P-51A used under Mustang Mk II.
Entering service in 1942 the Mustang Mk 1 was used by Army Co-Op Command as the aircraft had poor high altitude performance and was used for reconnaissance and fighter bomber duties. The Mk 1 and Mk2 lasted till 1945.
Late 1943 to early 1944 the first were converted to the P-51B and C which were know to the RAF by the Mustang Mk 3. These variants were used till the end of World War 2, though many units were already converted to the Mustang Mk4 or better know as the P-51D.
The Last RAF Mustangs were retired in 1947
North American Mustang Mk4 (P-51D)
US Air Force (USAAF)
During World War 2 the P-51 was introduced into the US service as a much needed effective bomber escort. Fitted with external fuel tanks it could escort bombers from England to Germany and back.
The Allsion engine in the first P-51A used by the USAAF had a single stage supercharger which caused power to drop of drastically above 15,000 ft making it unsuitable for where the USAAF bombers planed to fly.
The aircraft ended up with the Packard version of the Merlin engine that was in the Spitfire Mk IX. This lead to the production of the P-51B which started to become available in 1934 – 1944. The supercharged Merlin engine was slightly heavier than the previous engine which moved the center of gravity forward which the engineers took advantage off adding a extra large fuel tank in the rear of the aircraft increasing range.
The P-51 became so superior to previous designs that by the end of 1944 15 groups were already swapped to P-51 Mustangs from the P-47 Lightning or the P-38.
Other Air Forces
The P-51 and variants were used by many other air-forces around the world.
1 × Packard (Rolls Royce) V-1650-7 Merlin 12-cylinder liquid cooled engine, 1,490 hp (1,110 kW) at 3,000 rpm 1,720 hp (1,280 kW) at War Emergency Power
Top Speed
440 mph (708 km/h; 382 kn)
Crusing Speed
362 mph (583 km/h; 315 kn)
Max Altitude
41,900 ft (12,800 m)
Range
1,650 mi (1,434 nmi; 2,655 km) with external tanks
Climb Rate
3,200 ft/min (16 m/s)
Bombs
1,000 pounds (450 kg) total on two wing hard-points
The Messerschmitt BF-109 was the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) main single engine fighter of World War 2. Its development continued during the whole of WWII and was contentiously updated and improved.
The 109 was piloted by a single pilot who did everything from navigation to bombardier. The 109 could be fitted into many roles including a fighter bomber but its primary role was that of a Fighter, Interceptor and Escort.
The BF-109 was often refereed to by its operators and opponents as Messer which is not only an abbreviation but also the German word for “Knife”.
Two Bf-109 flying over North Africa
Start of Service Prototypes
The Bf-109 was designed in 1934 with a primary role of a high-speed, short range interceptor.
There were 3 prototypes for the 109, the V1, V2 and V3. The V1, the first of the three, was completed in May 1935 and was powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel VI engine. The V2 was powered by the more powerful Jumo 210A engine and was flying before the end of 1935. Last of the three was the V3. This was the first variant to be mounted with weapons but its first flight was delayed till 1936 due to a delay in procuring another Jumo 210 engine
Messerschmitt Bf 109E
Usage and Vairents
Bf-109 A, B, C, D series
This series was the first iteration of the Bf-109, all in testing and production pre World War 2. These were powered by the relative low powered Jumo 210 engines apart from the D series which was testing the DB 600A and DB601A engines.
The first to see service was the Bf-109 D being powered by the Jumo 210 engine and armed with two wing-mounted and two nose-mounted 7.92 mm MG 17s.
Bf-109 E (Emil) series
The E series was the first major redesign of the 109. It was made more structurally sound to accommodate the heavier and powerful 1085 hp Daimler-Benz DB 601 engine. Later variants of the E series were modified to replace the wing-mounted 7.92 mm MG 17s with 20 mm MG FF cannons
Bf-109 F (Friedrich) series
The F series was the second major redesign with new wings, better cooling system and aerodynamics with again a more powerful power plant. This series was all about the aerodynamic profile of the aircraft ditching the two wing-mounted cannons in favour of the same two 7.92mm MG in the nose and a single 15 or 20 mm engine mounted cannon
Bf-109 G (Gustav) series
This series holds the most produced 109 during WWII the Bf-109 G6. The early G series (G1 – G4) doesn’t differ much from the F series but again had small improvements mainly a more powerful engine. Some variants were converted to high-altitude fighters by adding a pressurized cabins, and others were converted to un-pressurized, air-superiority fighters and fighter bombers. The later models (G-5 through G-14) was made in multiple variants with uprated armaments.
By early 1944, the 109 G were added with water injection boost and high-powered superchargers pushing engine output to 1775-1973 hp.
Bf-109 K (Kurfürst) series
The Bf-109 K series was the last of the 109s to be made housing the DB 605D 1973 hp engine giving it amazing performance. Its armament also contained two 13mm MG in the nose and one engine mounted 30 mm cannon. Some also had 20 mm guns in under-wing tubs but this reduced its mobility so was hated by most pilots.
The BF-109 K4 was the fastest 109 of WWII reaching speeds of 440 mph (710 km/h ) @ 24,600 ft (7500m) with a climb rate of 2,790 ft/m (850 m)
The de Havilland Mosquito is a British twin-engine which first saw service during the Second World War. Throughout its service, it was used in a variety of roles making it an extremely versatile aircraft.
The crew on the Mosquito was made up of a two man crew, the pilot and the navigator who also doubled as bombardier or camera operator depending on the variant of the aircraft.
Because of its Wooden Construction it was given the nickname “The Wooden Wonder”
The prototype made its first flight on November 25, 1940. This was only ten months and twenty-six days after detailed design work had commenced.
Start of Service Prototypes
The Mosquito was made to fill the call of the fast twin-engine Medium Bomber that could deliver 3000lb of bombs with a speed of 275 mph at a height of 15000 feet.
On the 25th Nov 1940, the prototype made its first flight which went smoothly with minor problems that were adjusted in later iterations. During these flights, it manged to reach a speed of 220 mph, and on Feb 19th 1941 the official trials began.
Performance
The Mosquito had incredible performance for that time with a top speed 415 mph (668km/h; 361kn) which allowed it to outrun most fighters it came across during its service World War 2. German fighters, in contrast, like the BF-109G-6 capping out at around 323mph(520km/h; 281kn).
The mosquito was powered by 2 Rolls-Royce Merlin V-12 liquid-cooled piston engines which helped it reach its effective top speed and also helped with control and acceleration.
Comparing to the German Messerschmitt Bf 110 which had a top speed of 295 mph ( 525 km/h; 283 kn) it had a extremely high speed advantage over the German twin engine aircraft.
Reconnaissance Variant
Usage And Variants
Throughout the Mosquito’s service it had many roles including but not limited to Photo Reconnaissance, Night Fighter and Medium Bomber
Photo Reconnaissance
The Mosquito created a reliable platform for photo reconnaissance as it was fast and stable it could enter enemy airspace to take photos of strategic target and return before anyone could intercept. During its first operational sortie on the 17th of September 1941 using its powerful engines and high top speed it was able to evade 3 Messerchmitt Bf109s and out run them. Being unarmed in this variant, speed is its only form of defence.
Night Fighter
Fitted with Radar the mosquito excelled in the night fighter role. Using its high top speed to be able to catch invading air target and combined with the radar to find them, it became an effective hunter at night. The mosquito also was able to carry a large forward facing armament which included four 20mm Hispano cannons in the fuselage belly and four 7.7 mm Browning machine-guns in the nose allowing it to deal with any target it came across from Bombers, other Night Fighter and even the German V1 Flying Bomb.
Fighter Bomber ( Normal / Torpedo )
The Fighter Bomber variant of the Mosquito had reinforced wings to allow the addition of wing mounts allowing the mounting of bombs, torpedoes and rockets. Also when needed extra fuel tanks to increase range. Even though these aircraft where more armored meaning heavier and slower they were still able to hold their own against other fighter aircraft in addition to their strike and bombing roles. On 15th of January 1945 the 143 Squadron of Mosquito FB Mk VI were jumped by 30 German FW 109, only loosing five aircraft to the attack. In the process were able to down five FW 190 and were also able to sink an armored trawler and two merchant ships with their rockets and bombs, showing how capable the aircraft could be.
Statistics
DH.98 Mosquito B Mk XVI
Power Plant
2x Rolls-Royce Merlin Liquid-Cooled V12 Engines giving 1,710hp each
Aircraft That Shaped the World 