Because of the need to replace both the Nakajima B6N Tenzan torpedo plane and the Yokosuka D4Y Suisei dive bomber, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) decided in 1941 to design and produce the Aichi B7A Ryusei. Nicknamed as “Grace” by the Allied Forces, this WW2 Japanese aircraft was a large and powerful … Read more
In order to achieve perfection, it is necessary to make adjustments. This is exactly what was done to achieve the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. The design of the Liberator came from the tweaking of another flying boat model which has a proven airframe. The previous B-17 Flying Fortress design has been successful enough … Read more
Even though it wasn’t a revolutionary aircraft such as the B-29, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is probably the most famous American bomber of World War 2 (compared to the B-29, it was twice as “light”, so to speak). At first lacking sufficient anti-fighter defence, this heavy bomber was enhanced and become … Read more
Considered Britains’s greatest bomber of World War 2, the Avro Lancaster was the main aircraft used for night assault on Germany. With four engines allowing the plane to fly at 462 km/h (287 mph), this heavy bomber delivered a bigger bombload than any other plane in Europe – 6350kg (14,000lbs). The Lancaster … Read more
The Armstrong Whitley was the first allied military aircraft to fly over Berlin. Flying at 367 km/h (230 mph), it was a rather slow plane that would become an easy target for German fighters. This may be one of the reasons why it soon would be used as a night bomber. The … Read more
The Arado Ar 232 Tausendfussler was a special beast. World War 2 was a time of rapid advances and development in technology. These technological advances, especially in the areas of weaponry, played a crucial role in determining the outcome of the war. One example of this technological advance was in the area … Read more
