The Z.1007 was one of the most unknown aircraft of the Second World War. The Cantieri Riuniti dell’ Adriatico (CRDA or CANT as it was known) was a company that specialized in the development of flying boats such as the venerable Z.506B. The Z. 1007 was company’s first successful incursion in land-based … Read more
In the spring of 1940, the Imperial Japanese Navy placed a requirement for a low flight, fast medium bomber platform with the ability to deploy torpedoes at low altitudes. The result was the Yokosuka P1-Y1 Ginga (Milky Way) Bomber. The first Ginga took to the air in August 1943. After an initial … Read more
One of the more successful aircraft designs during the World War 2 was the B-24 Liberator which was designed for the US Army Air Corps. However, the US Navy had a requirement for a dedicated maritime patrol plane and decided to use the USAAF’s B-24 Liberator’s design as the foundation for the … Read more
The idea for Northrop XP-79 originated in 1942. John K. Northrop created this aircraft which was intended to be a near-sonic-speed flying wing fighter aircraft powered by a rocket engine. In January 1943, a contract for three prototypes designation XP-79 was issued by the USAAF. Glider prototypes were built in order to … Read more
The Nakajima G8N Renzan (Mountain Range) was a heavy bomber designed by the Nakajima Aircraft Company in the concluding stages of World War II. The G5N Shinzan had been termed a disastrous failure. So the Japanese navy decided to take a shot again to build a four-engine strategic bomber. Unfortunately, the prototype … Read more
Internally designated Type K by Nakajima, the Nakajima B5N was designed to meet a Japanese Imperial Navy requirement to replace the Yokosuka B4Y in the year 1935. It was ordered into production as the Navy Type 97 Carrier Attack Bomber. It remained as a standard torpedo bomber for much of World War … Read more
Mitsubishi Ki-21, where Ki comes from a Japanese word “Kitai” meaning airframe, was a Japanese bomber used during Second World War. Mitsubishi won a production order in November 1937 from Nakajima’s Ki-19 prototype to meet an Imperial Japanese Army requirement for a four-seat bomber that would have a maximum speed of at … Read more
The Mitsubishi G4M was a Japanese two-engine long-range bomber of the Second World War. Initially Mitsubishi had planned to equip the machine with four engines, but the Japanese Navy opted for a twin engine version. In 1937, the Navy issued a specification to Mitsubishi for a replacement to the Mitsubishi G3M bomber. … Read more
The Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstorer (Destroyer) was a twin-engine aircraft initially designed by the Germans to meet their requirement of a high speed bomber. It was designed in the year 1939 in Germany. It became a dominant force in the invasion of Poland and also throughout the year 1939. The Bf 110 … Read more
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a result of the requirement of the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) for a long-range light-to-medium bomber having capability to mount at least 2,000lbs. The Martin B-26 Marauder had the lowest attrition rate of any front line World War II aircraft. It was one of the … Read more
The Ki-45 KAIc was a night fighter in the Ki-45 KAIc model series which has obliquely-mounted 37mm cannon and advanced search radar which was used by the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. It was designated as “Type 2 two-seat fighter” and was also given the Allied codename as Nick. It … Read more
The Kawanishi E7E, codenamed “Alf” by the Allies, was a three seat reconnaissance floatplane. In the spring of 1932, the Japanese Imperial Navy asked the Kawanishi Aircraft Corporation to develop a replacement for the company’s vaunted E5K reconnaissance platform. The proposed replacement, the E7K-1was conceived as an equal span, biplane configuration which … Read more
Originally used by British in Europe, Grumman F4F Wildcat remained one of the most useful US aircraft in the pacific region in World War 2. It was built by General Motors as a biplane-only design, which would explain the visual appearance of the stout fuselage (originally designed to carry two sets of … Read more
An iconic Italian bomber of the late 1930s and early 40s, the Fiat Br 20 Cicogna was created not only as a military instrument but also as an instrument of propaganda for Benito Mussolini’s fascist regime. The Br 20 bomber was meant to be symbolic of fascist rearmament. After the 1935 invasion of Ethiopia … Read more