Page 314 - (DK) Smithsinian - Military History: The Definitive Visual Guide to the Objects of Warfare

312 BOMBER AIRCRAFT 1943–45

1914–1945 Strategic bombers evolved during the course of World Rearward-facing

machine-gun
War II, their capacities enhanced by the development of more
powerful engines, and their capabilities improved by the

effective predictive bombsights. By 1944, the best of these
ARS introduction of radar-based guidance systems and the first Plane carried a single 551lb Fixed
could deliver heavy bomb loads with great accuracy onto
targets thousands of miles from their home bases, but they
were still sustaining major losses—the British Royal Air
ORLD W Force (RAF) Bomber Command alone lost over 12,000 ▲ JUNKERS JU 87D STUKA Perhaps the most recognizable of
(250kg) bomb externally
undercarriage
aircraft during the course of the war.
all German aircraft of the period,
Date 1941 Origin Germany
the Ju 87 Sturzkampfflugzeug first saw
1
Wingspan 45 ⁄2ft (13.8m)
THE W Length 36ft (11m) combat in Spain, in 1937. It was still
operational—armed with twin 3.7cm
cannon—in the last days of World
Top speed 240mph (390kph)
War II, by which time around 6,500
Engine 1,400hp (1,044kW)
had been built in six main variants.
Tall tail fin and Junkers Jumo 211J V-12
rudder gave stability
Bomber versions could carry a
4,000lb (1,800kg) bomb load

▲ DE HAVILLAND MOSQUITO B.16 The Mosquito was an anomaly: a modern
Date 1942 Origin UK aircraft built largely from wood. Its first
flight was in November 1940. It was to
Wingspan 54ft (16.5m) become one of the most successful aircraft
1
Length 41 ⁄2ft (12.6m) the British RAF operated during World
Top speed 415mph (670kph) War II, serving in bomber, day- and
night-fighter, and reconnaissance roles.
Engine Two 1,710hp (1,275kW)
Two .5in machine-guns
in remote-controlled turret Rolls-Royce Merlin 76 V-12s
◀ MARTIN B-26 MARAUDER
Date 1942 Origin US
Wingspan 71ft (21.65m)
Length 58¼ft (17.8m)
Top speed 290mph (460kph)
Engine Two 1,900hp (1,417kW)
Pratt & Whitney R-2800-43
Rear turret housed two Plane carried a 4,000lb Double Wasp radials
manned .5in machine-guns
(1,800kg) bomb load The Marauder was designed and
operated as a medium bomber. It saw
▼ HEINKEL HE 177 GRIEF The Grief (Griffin) was the only specially built service in the Pacific Theater, Europe,
Date 1942 Origin Germany long-range heavy bomber operated by the and the Mediterranean. Despite being
Luftwaffe during World War II. An inspired difficult to fly and having stability
Wingspan 103ft (31.45m) design that was flawed in execution, many problems early on, due to a poorly
1
Length 72 ⁄4ft (22m) of its shortcomings could be traced to its designed fin, it ended the war with
Top speed 350mph (565kph) over-complicated engine and to the requirement the lowest loss rate of any US Army
that it function as a precision dive bomber. Air Force aircraft.
Engine Two 2,600hp (1,939kW)
Daimler-Benz DB 610 W-24s
Two .5in machine-guns

Remote-controlled ventral gondola housed a
single cannon and a single machine-gun