Hawker Typhoon
We pay tribute to the hero’s who fought during the second world war to help save our world from Nazi oppression with these 10 amazing classic aircraft!
We pay tribute to the hero’s who fought during the second world war to help save our world from Nazi oppression with these 10 amazing classic aircraft!
Spitfire
The Spitfire was designed as a single seat high performance interceptor aircraft and was the only British fighter continually made throughout the second world war. In the summer of 1940 Spitfires and Hurricanes fought against the Nazi Luftwaffe the win the “Battle of Britain” stopping Hitler’s invasion of Britain plans. At the start of the war to Spitfire has a 1030 hp engine, by the end of the war this was increased to the monster powered 2340 hp Rolls-Royce Griffon engine which would give the plane a top speed in dive of 606 mph. The Spitfires slim line Elliptical wing design gave it the ability to out perform and out-turn other fighter aircraft. To many people this is the most beautiful design of any propeller driven aircraft.
The Spitfire was designed as a single seat high performance interceptor aircraft and was the only British fighter continually made throughout the second world war. In the summer of 1940 Spitfires and Hurricanes fought against the Nazi Luftwaffe the win the “Battle of Britain” stopping Hitler’s invasion of Britain plans. At the start of the war to Spitfire has a 1030 hp engine, by the end of the war this was increased to the monster powered 2340 hp Rolls-Royce Griffon engine which would give the plane a top speed in dive of 606 mph. The Spitfires slim line Elliptical wing design gave it the ability to out perform and out-turn other fighter aircraft. To many people this is the most beautiful design of any propeller driven aircraft.
P-40 Warhawk
This mean looking shark mouth ground attack and fighter aircraft first flew in 1938 and was produced until 1944. Nearly 14,000 were produced and they were used by every member of the allied forces, even Russia during the war. Although early version were said to be unimpressive in performance and not able to keep up with enemy aircraft, later versions were fitted with the much more powerful 1,400 hp Packard Merlin engines which made them very capable machines.
This mean looking shark mouth ground attack and fighter aircraft first flew in 1938 and was produced until 1944. Nearly 14,000 were produced and they were used by every member of the allied forces, even Russia during the war. Although early version were said to be unimpressive in performance and not able to keep up with enemy aircraft, later versions were fitted with the much more powerful 1,400 hp Packard Merlin engines which made them very capable machines.
Hurricane
The Hurricane was Britain’s most numerous fight aircraft by far and actually accounted for 60% of British air victories thought the first few years of the war. Nearly 15,000 were built until production stopped in 1944. During 11 days of furious fighting over France and Dunkirk on 10—21 May 1940, Hurricane pilots shot down 499 Luftwaffe aircraft.
The Hurricane was Britain’s most numerous fight aircraft by far and actually accounted for 60% of British air victories thought the first few years of the war. Nearly 15,000 were built until production stopped in 1944. During 11 days of furious fighting over France and Dunkirk on 10—21 May 1940, Hurricane pilots shot down 499 Luftwaffe aircraft.
P-38 Lightning
Nicknamed the “fork-tailed devil” by the Luftwaffe, this versatile and powerful aircraft had many tasks put before it including dive bombing, level bombing, ground-attack, night fighting, photo reconnaissance missions, and extensively as a long-range escort fighter when equipped with drop tanks under its wings. It could cruise at 360 mph and in combat configuration it was fitted with four M2 Browning machine guns, and one Hispano 20-mm Autocannon with 150 rounds so if an enemy found itself in front of one of these it was pretty much game over.
Nicknamed the “fork-tailed devil” by the Luftwaffe, this versatile and powerful aircraft had many tasks put before it including dive bombing, level bombing, ground-attack, night fighting, photo reconnaissance missions, and extensively as a long-range escort fighter when equipped with drop tanks under its wings. It could cruise at 360 mph and in combat configuration it was fitted with four M2 Browning machine guns, and one Hispano 20-mm Autocannon with 150 rounds so if an enemy found itself in front of one of these it was pretty much game over.
F4U Corsair
The Corsair was in production from 1940 to 1953 making it the longest production run of any piston-engined fighter in U.S. history. In the Pacific Japanese pilots regarded it as the most formidable American fighter of the War and official US Navy figures show an 11-1 kill ratio. Powered by a supercharged 2000 hp engine and fitted with a massive three-blade propeller of 13 feet 4 inches which gave the plane a top speed of 417 mph.
The Corsair was in production from 1940 to 1953 making it the longest production run of any piston-engined fighter in U.S. history. In the Pacific Japanese pilots regarded it as the most formidable American fighter of the War and official US Navy figures show an 11-1 kill ratio. Powered by a supercharged 2000 hp engine and fitted with a massive three-blade propeller of 13 feet 4 inches which gave the plane a top speed of 417 mph.
De Havilland Mosquito
This British multi-role combat aircraft had a two-man and was the only attack aircraft in the second world war made mostly of wood giving it the nickname “The Wooden Wonder”. For much of the war it was used as a high altitude, high speed bomber dropping 4000 pound “Blockbuster” bombs and escaping at such high speed that the Nazi’s had no way to defend against it. When first produced the Mosquito was the “fastest bomber in the world”, powered by two 1,280 hp Rolls-Royce RM3SM Merlin 21 engines with a top speed of 397 miles per hour at 23,700 feet, a cruising speed of 327 miles per hour at 26,600 feet and a range of 1,480 miles with a maximum ceiling of 32,100 feet making it quicker than the early fighter aircraft of the war.
This British multi-role combat aircraft had a two-man and was the only attack aircraft in the second world war made mostly of wood giving it the nickname “The Wooden Wonder”. For much of the war it was used as a high altitude, high speed bomber dropping 4000 pound “Blockbuster” bombs and escaping at such high speed that the Nazi’s had no way to defend against it. When first produced the Mosquito was the “fastest bomber in the world”, powered by two 1,280 hp Rolls-Royce RM3SM Merlin 21 engines with a top speed of 397 miles per hour at 23,700 feet, a cruising speed of 327 miles per hour at 26,600 feet and a range of 1,480 miles with a maximum ceiling of 32,100 feet making it quicker than the early fighter aircraft of the war.
P-51 Mustang
The P-51 was a long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber which first entered service in late 1940 the original models being fitted with Allison V-1710 engine, gave it a limited high-altitude performance however soon after is was fitted with Rolls-Royce Merlin supercharged engines transforming the Mustang’s performance and bettering that of the Luftwaffe’s fighters. It was armed with six .50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns and was credited with shooting down nearly 5000 enemy aircraft during the second world war.
The P-51 was a long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber which first entered service in late 1940 the original models being fitted with Allison V-1710 engine, gave it a limited high-altitude performance however soon after is was fitted with Rolls-Royce Merlin supercharged engines transforming the Mustang’s performance and bettering that of the Luftwaffe’s fighters. It was armed with six .50 caliber M2 Browning machine guns and was credited with shooting down nearly 5000 enemy aircraft during the second world war.
Avro Lancaster
The Lancaster was the workhorse bomber of the war flying 156,000 sorties over enemy territories and was powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines and was capable of carrying 22,000 pound Grand Slam earthquake bombs. The plane had a crew of 7, Length: 69 ft 4 in, Wingspan: 102 ft 0 in, Height: 20 ft 6 in with a cruising speed of 200 mph when fully loaded and a top speed of 300mph.
The Lancaster was the workhorse bomber of the war flying 156,000 sorties over enemy territories and was powered by four Rolls-Royce Merlin engines and was capable of carrying 22,000 pound Grand Slam earthquake bombs. The plane had a crew of 7, Length: 69 ft 4 in, Wingspan: 102 ft 0 in, Height: 20 ft 6 in with a cruising speed of 200 mph when fully loaded and a top speed of 300mph.
B-17 Flying Fortress
First produced in the 1930’s before the start of the war the B-17 was a four engine heavy bomber which exceeded all the US Air Corps expectations. It was mainly used by the US Army Air Forces (USAAF) for daylight precision strategic bombing against German industrial and military targets. This robust aircraft could absorb heavy battle damage, many returning home with extensive shrapnel damage and cannon strikes and was also very well defended against attack with thirteen 0.50 in machine guns, many German fighter pilots were scared to attack it and nicknamed it the “flying porcupine” (fliegendes Stachelschwein). It has a crew of 10, Length: 74 ft 4 in, Wingspan: 103 ft 9 in, Height: 19 ft 1 in with a cruising speed of 182 mph when fully loaded and a top speed of 287 mph.
First produced in the 1930’s before the start of the war the B-17 was a four engine heavy bomber which exceeded all the US Air Corps expectations. It was mainly used by the US Army Air Forces (USAAF) for daylight precision strategic bombing against German industrial and military targets. This robust aircraft could absorb heavy battle damage, many returning home with extensive shrapnel damage and cannon strikes and was also very well defended against attack with thirteen 0.50 in machine guns, many German fighter pilots were scared to attack it and nicknamed it the “flying porcupine” (fliegendes Stachelschwein). It has a crew of 10, Length: 74 ft 4 in, Wingspan: 103 ft 9 in, Height: 19 ft 1 in with a cruising speed of 182 mph when fully loaded and a top speed of 287 mph.
Featured aircraft the Hawker Typhoon
What was so special about this plane?… It might look like and ordinary fighter but it was bigger, stronger and faster. Think modern A-10 Tankbuster with F-22 speed and you’ll get some idea of what the Typhoon was all about.
This plane was very unique and was THE plane to get into the thick of it in any combat situation. Powered by a mighty supercharged engine developing over 2000 hp and originally fitted with twelve 500 round machine guns, this was the first aircraft in the war that could take on the formidable Focke-Wulf Fw 190 introduced by the Luftwaffe in 1941 which out-performed every other allied fighter at that time.
The Typhoon had an enormously strong airframe and in 1942 it was equipped with bombs and from late 1943 RP-3 ground attack rockets were included in its armory. By 1943, the RAF needed a ground attack fighter more than a “pure” fighter, the Typhoon was perfect for this role. The powerful engine allowed the aircraft to carry two 1,000 lb bombs nicknamed “Bombphoons”. In September that year some Typhoons were also fitted with four “60 lb” RP-3 rockets under each wing. “The sheer firepower of just one Typhoon was equivalent to a destroyer’s broadside”.Flight Lieutenant Ken Trott flew Typhoons with 197 Squadron:
“Rather a large aircraft shall we say, for a single-engine fighter. Terrific power. Quite something to control. I liked it from the point of view of speed and being a very stable gun platform. You could come in on a target at 400 mph and the thing was as steady as a rock”.
Maximum speed: 412 mph, Range: 510 mph, Service ceiling: 35,200 ft
Armament
Guns: 4 × 20 mm Hispano Mk II cannon
Rockets: 8 × RP-3 unguided air-to-ground rockets.
Bombs: 2 × 500 pounds or 2 × 1,000 pounds bombs
What was so special about this plane?… It might look like and ordinary fighter but it was bigger, stronger and faster. Think modern A-10 Tankbuster with F-22 speed and you’ll get some idea of what the Typhoon was all about.
This plane was very unique and was THE plane to get into the thick of it in any combat situation. Powered by a mighty supercharged engine developing over 2000 hp and originally fitted with twelve 500 round machine guns, this was the first aircraft in the war that could take on the formidable Focke-Wulf Fw 190 introduced by the Luftwaffe in 1941 which out-performed every other allied fighter at that time.
The Typhoon had an enormously strong airframe and in 1942 it was equipped with bombs and from late 1943 RP-3 ground attack rockets were included in its armory. By 1943, the RAF needed a ground attack fighter more than a “pure” fighter, the Typhoon was perfect for this role. The powerful engine allowed the aircraft to carry two 1,000 lb bombs nicknamed “Bombphoons”. In September that year some Typhoons were also fitted with four “60 lb” RP-3 rockets under each wing. “The sheer firepower of just one Typhoon was equivalent to a destroyer’s broadside”.Flight Lieutenant Ken Trott flew Typhoons with 197 Squadron:
“Rather a large aircraft shall we say, for a single-engine fighter. Terrific power. Quite something to control. I liked it from the point of view of speed and being a very stable gun platform. You could come in on a target at 400 mph and the thing was as steady as a rock”.
Maximum speed: 412 mph, Range: 510 mph, Service ceiling: 35,200 ft
Armament
Guns: 4 × 20 mm Hispano Mk II cannon
Rockets: 8 × RP-3 unguided air-to-ground rockets.
Bombs: 2 × 500 pounds or 2 × 1,000 pounds bombs