American Fighter Aircraft in the World War II: Weapons and Air Forces of the World

In the third part of the book, we will look at combat fighters from companies such as Bell and Lockheed.

In this book, we review the basic models of US Air Force fighters who took part in the Second World War and learn their tactical and technical characteristics. We will also focus on the description of some fights with their participation.

Military aviation in America developed in several different ways than in Europe. The geographical position contributed to the development of the carrier fleet and deck aircraft. From a technical point of view, American aircraft also stood out against the European: they had an unusual fuselage layout (P-38, P-39), powerful radial engines and the prevalence of machine-gun armament. In general, speed and range prevailed over maneuverability and lightness. This was due to their main task - escort long-range bombers.

For American military aircraft, the war began with an attack on Pearl Harbor, when dozens of USAAF fighters were destroyed before they left the runway. Further developments were also not inspiring. Meeting with Japanese A6M was often the last for American pilots. Parity was established only with the appearance of highly mobile P-38 and F4U. The end of World War II put American B-29 dropped atomic bombs on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Content:

Seversky P-35 fighter
Republic P-35A fighter
Curtiss-Wright P-36 HAWK fighter
Curtiss-Wright P-37 fighter
Lockheed P-38D Lightning fighter
P-38E / F Lightning fighter-bomber
P-38G / H Lightning fighter-bomber
Lockheed P-49 fighter
P-58 Chain Lightning long range escort fighter
P-80 Shooting Star multipurpose fighter
Bell XP-39 Air Cobra experienced fighter
Bell P-39C Air Cobra fighter