10 Deadliest Planes Of WW2
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10. Junkers Ju 87 Stuka
This jet struck terror into Poland, symbolizing the devastation of the Blitzkrieg. Its ability to bomb at deadly accuracy along with the sirens dubbed as Jericho trumpets made it even more terrifying.
Although the Stuka was eventually deemed obsolete and withdrawn from combat midway through the war, it still served its purpose and is one of the most recognizable WWII planes in history.
9. Republic P-47D Thunderbolt
Flown by the Allies during the war, the P-47D was used either as a bomber escort or for its excellent ground fighter capabilities. It was heavily armed with eight 50-caliber machine guns or 2,500 lbs of rockets or bombs.
Unfortunately, it had issues with its range, resulting in the P-51 Mustang taking over its previous bomber escort duties on long-range missions.
8. P-51 Mustang
This American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter bomber was used in conflicts like WWII and the Korean War. Its armament included six .50 caliber machine guns, ten five-inch rockets or 2,000 lbs of bombs per plane.
7. Lockheed P-38 Lighting
The P-38’s reputation earned it the nickname of the Forktail Devil. Equipped with four .50 caliber machine guns and a single 20 mm cannon, it was a fearsome force to be reckoned with.
It was also extremely versatile – performing admirably as a long-range escort fighter, dive bomber, level bomber, ground strafer, and photo reconnaissance plane.
6. Messerschmitt Bf-109
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Britain was lucky that it already had the Spitfire since this was the only plane that could match and eventually surpass the Bf-109 in combat. The Luftwaffe used this plane throughout the war and was so successful that it went on to be used in Spain and Israel post-war.
5. Supermarine Spitfire
The Spitfire was instrumental in helping Great Britain win the war against Nazi Germany. It fought Germany’s V1 rockets boarding and destroying more than 300 of them before they could hit their targets.
4. Vought F4U Corsair
Claiming an 11:1 kill ratio, the Corsair is widely considered as WWII’s most successful fighter. It was even coined by the Japanese as the Whistling Death because of its distinct engine noise.
Its inverted gull wing design accommodated the massive propeller and the short stout landing gear that was key to its design.
3. Nakajima B5N
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The B5N was one of the Japanese planes that took part in the attack on Pearl Harbor, playing a key role in every Japanese victory. It consisted of a single rear-firing 7.7 mm machine gun at capacity for either 1,764 pounds of bombs or a single 1,764-pound torpedo, it claimed a 90% hit rate against enemy targets.
2. Mitsubishi A6M Zero
The Zero’s armament included a 7.7 mm machine gun, two 20 mm cannons, and two 132-pound bombs. Apart from being a long-range fighter with maneuverability, speed, and range that outclassed most Allied fighters at the beginning of the war, this was a plane that Japanese kamikaze pilots flew during suicide missions.
1. B-29 Superfortress
The most famous B-29 that flew was Enola Gay which dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. A second B-29 called Bockscar dropped the second on Nagasaki three days later. Roughly a thousand Superfortresses flew at the Pacific theater and were armed with 12 .50 caliber machine guns one 20 mm. cannon and a 2,000-bomb load.
