Engine: One 1,695-hp Packard Merlin V-1650-7 piston V-12 engine
Weight: Empty 7,125 lbs., Max Takeoff 12,100 lbs.
Wing Span: 37ft. 0.5in.
Length: 32ft. 9.5in.
Height: 13ft. 8in.
Max Speed: 437 mph
Ceiling: 41,900 ft.
Range: 1300 miles
Number Airworthy: Approximately 150
Armament: Six 12.7-mm (0.5 inch) wing-mounted machine guns,
plus up to two 1,000-lb bombs or six 127-mm (5 inch) rockets.
One of the most effective, fighters of WWII, the P-51 became famous for their long range and potent high-altitude escort capability. After the war, it became one of the first fighters to see combat in the Korean War.
In the last 40 years, surplus Mustangs have been modified and used extensively as civilian air racers. War-surplus P-51s, that once auctioned for less than $2000, are now usually valued at three-quarters of a million dollars or more.
Engine: 2535hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59W Double Wasp
radial piston engine
Weight: Empty 9,950 lbs., Maximum Takeoff 17,500 lbs.
Wing Span: 40ft. 9.25in.
Length: 36ft. 1.75in.
Height: 14ft. 8in.
Max Speed: 433 mph
Ceiling: 41,000 ft.
Range: 1900 miles with drop tanks
Number Airworthy: 9
Armament: Eight 12.7mm (0.5 in.) wing-mounted machine guns,
Up to 2500 lbs. of externally-mounted bombs, rockets, or other
free-fall ordinance
The P-47 Thunderbolt, or "Jug," as it was affectionately called, was designed as a large, high-performance fighter/bomber. It gained a reputation as a reliable and extremely tough airplane, able to take incredible amounts of damage and still return its pilot home safely.
P-47s logged almost 2 million flight hours during the war, during which they were responsible for the destruction of over 7,000 enemy aircraft in the air and on the ground in the European Theater alone.
Engine: 2,000hp Pratt and Whitney R-2800-8 radial piston engine
Weight: Empty 8,980 lbs, Maximum Takeoff 14,000 lbs.
Wing Span: 41ft. 0in.
Length: 33ft. 4in.
Height: 16ft. 1in.
Max Speed: 420 mph
Cruising Speed: 185 mph
Service Ceiling: 37,000 ft.
Initial Climb Rate: 3,100 feet/min.
Number Airworthy: 28
Armament: Six 12.7mm (0.50 in) machine guns, wing-mounted.
The Corsair was the most capable carrier-based fighter/bomber of WWII. The bent wing design of the aircraft, was necessitated by the huge propeller required to propel the plane to the desired high speeds.
Engine: Two 1475hp Allison V-1710-111/113 V-12 piston engines
Weight: Empty 12,800 lbs., Max Takeoff 21,600 lbs.
Wing Span: 52ft. 0in.
Length: 37ft. 10in.
Height: 9ft. 10in.
Max Speed: 414 mph
Service Ceiling: 44,000 ft
Normal Range: 450 miles
Number Airworthy: 7
Armament: One 20-mm cannon in nose
Four 12.7mm (0.5 inch)
machine guns
Two 1600 lb. bombs
Upon its unveiling the Lightning was the fastest fighter in the American inventory. It was known for its maneuverability, high-altitude capabilities and long flight endurance, which could reach almost 12 hours with a full external fuel load.
The Lightning was the preferred aircraft of Maj. Richard Bong, the highest-scoring American ace of the war. The downing of Japanese Admiral Yamamoto was at the hands of P-38 pilots.
Engine: 1360hp Allison V-1710-81 inline piston engine
Weight: Empty 6,000 lbs., Max Takeoff 11,400 lbs
Wing Span: 37ft. 4in.
Length: 33ft. 4in.
Height: 12ft. 4in.
Max Speed: 378mph
Ceiling: 38,000ft
Range: 840 miles (with no external tanks)
Number Airworthy: 29
Armament: Six 12.7mm (0.5-inch) wing-mounted machine guns
Up to 1,500lbs of bombs on three wing hard-points
The P-40 Warhawk was the third-most numerous US fighter of World War II. The aircraft had numerous performance issues, not fully ironed out until the P-40E variant. The fighter was made famous by General Claire Chenault's ‘Flying Tigers’ in China.
Engine: One 1,478-hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 45 V-12 piston engine
Weight: Empty 4,998 lbs., Max Takeoff 6,417 lbs.
Wing Span: 36ft. 10in.
Length: 29ft. 11in.
Height: 9ft. 11in.
Max Speed: 369 mph
Ceiling: 36,500 ft.
Range: 1,135 miles
Number Airworthy: 50
Armament: Eight 7.7-mm (0.303-inch) Browning machine guns.
If the P-51 Mustang was the most famous plane of America, the Spitfire was the equivalent for the British. It was one of the most versatile and most-modified aircraft in existence. The various wing designs, armament changes, and engine changes, created many variants of this fighter, suiting it for multiple duties .
Engine: One 2,480-hp Bristol Centaurus 18, 18-cylinder
radial piston engine.
Weight: Empty 9,240 lbs., Max Takeoff 12,500 lbs.
Wing Span: 38ft. 4.75in.
Length: 34ft. 8in.
Height: 15ft. 10.5in.
Max Speed: 435 mph
Ceiling: 34,300 ft.
Range: 680 miles
Number Airworthy: 15
Armament: Four 20-mm cannon in wings
Underwing racks for eight
60-pound rockets or two bombs
By the time the Hawker Sea Fury was ready for the Navy in 1947 the War had come to a close.
It did however, operate very successfully in the Korean war in a ground attack role. Today, the few remaining Sea Furies are highly prized, with at least ten having been modified for air racing.
Engine: One 1130-hp Nakajima NK1C Sakae 21 radial
piston engine
Weight: Empty 4175 lbs., Max Takeoff 6504 lbs.
Wing Span: 36ft. 1in.
Length: 29ft. 9in.
Height: 11ft. 5.75in.
Max Speed: 346 mph
Ceiling: 35,100 ft.
Range: 1118 miles
Number Airworthy: 2
Armament: Two 20-mm cannon and two 7.7-mm machine guns
When it was first introduced, the Mitsubishi Zero was the best carrier based fighter in the world. It had excellent maneuverability and very long range, but only at the expense of armor and safety systems. It could fly circles around other aircraft but wouldn’t withstand a beating.
Japan’s pilots were excellently trained, and easily dominated the pacific theater until the Allies developed better planes, and the appropriate tactics to down them
Engine: 1200hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-36 Twin Wasp,
14-cylinder radial piston engine
Weight: Empty 5760 lbs, Maximum Takeoff 7950 lbs.
Wing Span: 38ft. 0 in.
Length: 28ft. 9in.
Height: 9ft. 2.5in.
Max Speed: 318mph
Ceiling: 39,500ft
Range: 770 miles
Number Airworthy: 18
Armament: Six 12.7-mm (0.50 in) Browning machine guns
and two 100-lb bombs
(FM-2 had four guns and could carry two 250-lb bombs).
In December 1940, two F4F Wildcats made history by becoming the first American-made aircraft to down a German plane in WWII. It saw action throughout both the Pacific and North African Theater, though became eclipsed by newer planes by the end of the war.
Engine: One 550-hp Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1
radial piston engine
Weight: Empty 4,158 lbs., Max Takeoff 5,300 lbs.
Wing Span: 42ft. 0.25in.
Length: 29ft. 6in.
Height: 11ft. 9in.
Max Speed: 205 mph
Ceiling: 21,500 ft.
Range: 750 miles
Number Airworthy: 350
Armament: None
The North American T-6 Texan was known as "the pilot maker" for good reason. American trainees had to log 75 hours in it before graduating.
