5 Underrated Planes Early In WW2
YouTube / Great History Series
Here’s a list of the five underrated early American fighter planes of WWII:
5. Brewster F2F Buffalo
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The Buffalo was a single-engine, single-seat monoplane fighter aircraft mainly used during the early years of WWII. At the time, it was considered a leading-edge naval fighter plane.
When fighting against Japan’s Nakajima Ka-27, the Buffalos, to some extent, held their ground especially when given sufficient time to reach higher altitudes.
Eventually, F2as were relegated to escorting ground attack planes and fulfilling reconnaissance missions. The Americans then released the Buffalos from active duty in the later part of 1942.
4. Curtiss P-36 Hawk
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It featured a clean all-metal, monoplane design, retractable landing gear, and an enclosed cockpit. With its Pratt & Whitney R-1838 Twin Wasp engine and sleek design, the P-36 Hawk represented a shift in fighter aircraft technology.
While it saw combat in France and other countries, the only combat by US-operated P-36s took place during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Five P-36s were able to take off during the attack and were credited with shooting down two Japanese Zeros for the loss of one P-36.
3. Bell P-39 Airacobra
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While pilots and many air forces did not favor this aircraft, Soviet pilots were incredibly fond of the P-39 during WWII.
It was an all-metal, single-seat engine, single-seat monoplane airplane that featured an unconventional mid-engine configuration, a 37 mm cannon as its main armament, and a tricycle landing gear.
Following the attack in Pearl Harbor, a few P-39s saw action in the Southwest Pacific and later in the crucial battle of Guadalcanal.
Later, the US and the UK dispatched 4,719 P-39s to the Soviet Union. 5 of the 10 highest-scoring aces logged the majority of their kills in p-39s.
2. Grumman F4F Wildcat
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The Wildcat demonstrated remarkable resilience and adaptability, emerging as a formidable counterpart against robust adversaries of WWII. The first Wildcats were completed in February 1940.
During the early part of the war in the Pacific, the Wildcat was the only effective carrier-based fighter available to the US Navy and Marine Corps.
From 1943 until the war’s end, Wildcats were mostly assigned to escorting convoys and secondary missions.
1. Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
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The P-40 was a single-engine, single-all-seat metal fighter bomber and the third most-produced American fighter during WWII. It was a key element for the Allies across three major theaters of the war.
While it could outmaneuver many of its opponents in North Africa and the Russian front, in the Pacific theater, it struggled against the likes of the more lightweight Ki-43. However, American pilots soon adapted, avoiding prolonged dogfights with Japanese pilots.
The P-40 was roughly equal or marginally superior to the German Bf-109 at low altitudes.
