8 Military Aircraft That Became Symbols of WWII Air Combat

  • Feb 14, 2022
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8 Military Aircraft That Became Symbols of WWII Air Combat

Any historical period is characterized by significant technologies and machines for various purposes. The years of the Second World War were no exception, which gave impetus to the development of military equipment, in particular, aviation. Therefore, it is not surprising that some of these developed aircraft have earned fame as a symbol of the difficult era of sky duels or bombardments. Your attention is the "eight" of military aircraft, which have become symbols of the air battles of the Second World War.

1. Messerschmitt Bf.109

The most famous German aircraft in the USSR. Photo: wikipedia.org
The most famous German aircraft in the USSR. / Photo: wikipedia.org
The most famous German aircraft in the USSR. / Photo: wikipedia.org

This German aircraft, known to the Soviet people as the "Messer", was one of the most massive aircraft of the Second World War. And all because the designers revealed its potential to the maximum: it was used and how fighter, and fighter-bomber, and as a fighter-interceptor, and even as reconnaissance aircraft. The total number of produced aircraft of this family is more than 33 thousand units. At the initial stage of the Great Patriotic War, the Red Army suffered many losses precisely from this German machine.

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2. Heinkel-111

The famous German bomber. /Photo: thoughtco.com
The famous German bomber. /Photo: thoughtco.com

It is difficult to find a more recognizable Luftwaffe bomber than the Heinkel-111. This is not surprising, because it was developed back in the early 1930s, and supposedly as a civilian transport aircraft, so as not to violate the terms of the Versailles Treaty. However, the most massive Luftwaffe bomber already at the beginning of World War II demonstrated itself as an obsolete machine. However, this did not prevent the Germans from producing and operating it until 1944.

3. Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

An American bomber that was hard to shoot down. /Photo: timetoast.com
An American bomber that was hard to shoot down. /Photo: timetoast.com

The legendary American “flying fortress” was named so not in vain: during the war, it repeatedly demonstrated its unique survivability, which reinforced by special tactics of use: Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress walked over enemy territory in a checkerboard pattern, which allowed them to protect each other cross fire. These features made it possible, unlike other similar machines, to use them during daylight hours without fear of losing all the aircraft.

4. Supermarine Spitfire

The most famous flying machine of warring Britain. /Photo: greelane.com
The most famous flying machine of warring Britain. /Photo: greelane.com

In the British Air Force, the main and mass fighter was the Supermarine Spitfire, which was rightfully called one of the best fighters of the Second World War. The height and speed indicators allowed him to face the German Messerschmitt Bf.109 on equal terms, and the skill of the pilots played a decisive role in such a fight. Moreover, unlike many other machines of the war, the Supermarine Spitfire showed itself in the very first years, both in covering the retreat during the blitzkrieg and during the Battle of Britain.

5. Mitsubishi A6M Raisen

By the beginning of the war, the Japanese had the best fighter in the world. /Photo: aerocorner.com
By the beginning of the war, the Japanese had the best fighter in the world. /Photo: aerocorner.com

In the oceanic theater of operations against the US Air Force, the Japanese A6M Raisen carrier-based fighter, which was considered the best in the world in its class, shone for more than one year. In particular, its undoubted advantage was a very long flight range - that is why it was used in the United States, and not just in the ocean. Thus, the Mitsubishi A6M Raisen took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor, and only by 1943 did the Americans manage to put up a worthy enemy against this aircraft.

6. Pe-2

Soviet aircraft that went through the entire war. /Photo: armedman.ru
Soviet aircraft that went through the entire war. /Photo: armedman.ru

It goes without saying that in the Soviet Union there were many cars that went down in the history of the Second World War. So, the most massive dive bomber of the USSR was the Pe-2, which began to be produced back in 1940, and it fought until the Victory. The presence of a pressurized cabin and electric remote control made the car advanced in a number of ways. In addition, he was distinguished by the fact that he usually bombed areas from level flight or from a gentle, rather than deep dive.

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7. IL-2

Legendary Soviet bomber. /Photo: kubnews.ru
Legendary Soviet bomber. /Photo: kubnews.ru

Another Soviet aircraft became a real record holder as the most massive combat aircraft in history: according to Novate.ru, a total of 36,000 units were produced. True, his story was ambiguous, because due to the need to work at low altitudes, he quite often became a target for ground-based anti-aircraft weapons and German fighters. However, this did not prevent him from being effectively used to cover ground forces or destroy enemy armored vehicles.

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8. La-7

A machine that entered the war not immediately, but very on time. /Photo: topwar.ru
A machine that entered the war not immediately, but very on time. /Photo: topwar.ru

Unlike previous Soviet aircraft, the La-7 fighter was a modernization of the LaGG-3, which fought from the very beginning, so it entered the war only in 1944. He managed to keep the advantages of his "predecessor" - high survivability and maximum use in the construction of wood instead of scarce metal, as well as new with a powerful engine, improved aerodynamics, and reinforced weapons in subsequent modifications, the La-7 even began to surpass the all-metal "messers" in a number of ways. indicators.

In addition to the topic:
The phenomenon of the "Hunters" family, or why the German fighter turned out to be indispensable during the war
A source:
https://novate.ru/blogs/301021/61038/