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(#1) Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
- Strategic bomber
This is an American bomber that flew in waves over Europe.
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(#2) Messerschmitt Bf 109
- Fighter aircraft
The Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a mass-produced German fighter plane that was the most modern of its time.
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(#3) Supermarine Spitfire
- Fighter aircraft
This plane was a frontline British fighter that served during the entire conflict.
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(#4) Mitsubishi A6M Zero
- Fighter aircraft, Kamikaze
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was an iconic Japanese air superiority fighter.
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(#5) Boeing B-29 Superfortress
- Strategic bomber
This was the US heavy bomber responsible for dropping atomic detonation devices on Japan.
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(#7) Messerschmitt Me 262
- Fighter aircraft
This powerful German jet fighter was produced in small numbers, which meant it couldn't be used to change the outcome of WWII.
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(#8) North American P-51 Mustang
- Fighter aircraft
The North American P-51 Mustang was an American fighter that dominated the skies in 1944 and 1945.
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(#9) Focke-Wulf Fw 190
- Torpedo bomber, Fighter aircraft
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was used in both day and night strategic flights.
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(#10) Vought F4U Corsair
- Fighter aircraft, Naval aviation fighter aircraft
This US Navy fighter was nicknamed "whistling death" by Japanese pilots.
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(#11) Consolidated B-24 Liberator
- Heavy bomber, Strategic bomber
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was a massive and powerful American bomber.
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(#12) Avro Lancaster
- Heavy bomber
The Avro Lancaster was a British heavy bomber used primarily in night missions.
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(#13) Hawker Hurricane
- Fighter aircraft
The Hawker Hurricane was a British heavy fighter instrumental in the Battle of Britain.
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(#14) North American B-25 Mitchell
- Medium bomber
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American medium bomber.
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(#15) de Havilland Mosquito
- Fast bomber, Fighter-bomber, And night fighter
This was a speedy British bomber built entirely of wood.
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(#16) Lockheed P-38 Lightning
- Heavy fighter
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a US fighter nicknamed "fork-tailed devil" by German pilots.
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(#17) Grumman F6F Hellcat
- Fighter aircraft
This US carrier-based fighter was used well into the '50s.
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(#18) Ilyushin Il-2
- Torpedo bomber, Ground attack aircraft
The Ilyushin Il-2 was a terrifying bomber that was the most heavily-produced warplane in history.
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(#19) Junkers Ju 88
- Night fighter, Torpedo bomber, Dive bomber, Tactical bomber
This German multi-role bomber was used in night flights.
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(#20) Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
- Fighter aircraft
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American fighter flown in the early days of the conflict.
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(#22) Consolidated PBY Catalina
- Patrol bomber, Maritime patrol aircraft
This was the most commonly-used seaplane of WWII. It performed invaluable patrol, anti-submarine, and search-and-rescue missions in the Atlantic and Pacific. It was responsible for rescuing thousands of pilots.
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(#23) Douglas SBD Dauntless
- Dive bomber
This plane served as an American dive bomber for much of WWII.
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(#24) Douglas C-47 Skytrain
- Military transport aircraft
This transport and cargo plane was used by paratroopers on D-Day.
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(#26) Horten Ho 229
- Fighter aircraft
One of the most advanced aircrafts of the conflict, it was known for being stealthy, fast, and manueverable.
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(#27) Messerschmitt Bf 110
- Fighter-bomber, Night Fighter, Ground attack aircraft
This German heavy fighter was slow and packed a punch.
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(#28) Grumman TBF Avenger
- Torpedo bomber
The Grumman TBF Avenger was the main US torpedo bomber for most of WWII.
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(#29) Nakajima B5N
- Torpedo bomber
This Japanese torpedo bomber took part in the raid on Pearl Harbor.
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(#30) Yakovlev Yak-3
- Fighter aircraft
This Soviet fighter aircraft was constructed with wooden wings, making them light and maneuverable.
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(#31) Tupolev Tu-2
- Torpedo bomber, Medium Bomber
The Tu-2, a twin-engine Soviet bomber aircraft, became one of the more important bombers of World War II.
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(#32) Yakovlev Yak-1
- Fighter aircraft
The initial design of this Soviet fighter aircraft was known as the "Ya-26 Krasavec," meaning "Little Beauty," and flew for the first time in March 1939.
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(#33) Short Stirling
- Heavy bomber
The Short Stirling, which formed the backbone of British RAF heavy bombers, had two engines with each powering a three-bladed propeller.
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(#34) Bristol Blenheim
- Fighter aircraft, Light bomber
The Blenheim, a British light bomber aircraft, equipped the first night fighter unit anywhere in the world.
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(#35) Bristol Beaufighter
- Torpedo bomber, Heavy fighter
The twin-engine Bristol Beaufighter fighter, known as "Beau," became a British wartime hero, especially during the Battle of Britain.
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(#36) Lavochkin La-5
- Fighter aircraft
A Soviet fighter aircraft of World War II, arriving at the frontline in February 1943.
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(#37) Nakajima Ki-84
- Fighter aircraft
The single engine Japanese fighter was code named "Frank" by Allies and "Hayate," meaning gale in Japanese, and armed with two 12.7 machine guns and two 20 mm cannons in the wings.
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(#38) Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
- Dive bomber
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, a dive bomber/reconnaissance aircraft, was the last of a line of aircraft developed for the U.S. Navy specifically for dive-bombing.
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(#39) Mitsubishi Ki-46
- Twin-engine reconnaissance aircraft
A fast and long-ranged reconnaissance plane, few Allied fighters could catch this Japanese aircraft.
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(#40) Vickers Wellington
- Maritime patrol aircraft, Bomber
As the most produced British bomber with over 11,000 made, the Vickers Wellington was used for night time bombing and maritime patrol.
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(#41) Mitsubishi G4M
- Twin-engine heavy bomber
This twin-engine medium bomber was built in greater numbers than any other Japanese bomber and became the most famous Japanese bomber of World War II.
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(#42) Douglas C-54 Skymaster
- Military transport aircraft
A four-engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Forces in World War II, C-54s flew a million miles a month over the rugged North Atlantic during the war and had a maximum load capacity of 28,000 pounds of cargo.
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(#43) Focke Wulf Fw 189
- Reconnaissance and Army Co-operation Aircraft
A German reconnaissance plane with distinctive twin-boom fuselage and long-spanning wings, the Focke Wulf Fw 189 evaded enemy fighters by out-turning them.
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(#44) Petlyakov Pe-2
- Bomber
A Soviet dive bomber and heavy fighter used extensively by the Soviets in the war against Hitler.
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(#45) Grumman F8F Bearcat
- Fighter aircraft
A piston-engine US Navy fighter designed during World War II, which arrived too late to see combat, the Grumman F8F Bearcat was built smaller and 2,000 pounds lighter than its F6F predecessor.
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(#46) Heinkel He 219
- Night fighter
The Heinkel He 219 was a German night-fighter that became the Luftwaffe's first aircraft to have a tricycle landing gear arrangement.
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(#47) Macchi C.202
- Fighter aircraft
The top Italian-designed fighter considered one of the best in the war, it was known for being a well-streamlined and maneuverable aircraft.
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(#48) Blohm & Voss BV 138
- Long Range Reconnaissance
The Blohm and Voss (also written as "Blohm und Voss" or "Blohm & Voss") Bv 138 was a German flying boat.
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(#49) Kawanishi H6K
- Patrol flying boat
With a sleek design, this Japanese long-range, multi-engined reconnaissance flying boat featured a huge parasol wing and was first flown in July 1936
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(#50) Kawanishi H8K
- Four engine long-range flying boat
The Kawanishi H8K Emily, used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service, was one of the best flying boats of the war.
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About This Tool
In World War II, an estimated 55 million people died worldwide. There is no doubt that it is the largest and most destructive war in history. This global military conflict surpassed any previous war. World War II involved the human and economic resources of the entire country, the widespread use of aircraft and tanks was the result of technological advancement. Hurricane Hawke is one of the most iconic fighter jets in World War II.
The aircraft of each World War II country has its own characteristics with the most advanced technology. Welcome to check more information about 78 of the most iconic World War II planes here.
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