7 Pictures Of Famous WWII Fighter Planes As Prototypes-Wow, What A Difference
NASA Langley Research Center / Public Domain
Definitely Not What You Expected.
Every plane ever made has gone through stages. From drawings to designs to the final product, every plane had to be tested and improved upon. Sometimes, the end result doesn’t even look close to what the prototype looked like.
Here, we’ve compiled a series of pictures of World War II warbirds as prototypes. Some of them were hard to find, but we managed to get at least 7.
Check ’em out.
^Let’s lead off with the XF4U-1. Notice the birdcage canopy and the position of the cockpit.
And the finished version below.
^This is the prototype of the Fw 190. Close to its final form, the spinner was much fatter and the cowling was streamlined.
And the finished version below.
^Heading over to the U.K., this is what the prototype of the Hawker Hurricane looked like.
And the finished version below.
^Another warbird from the U.K., this is the prototype version of the Hawker Tempest. The earlier versions had “car-door” canopies.
And the finished version below.
^XP-40. This was the initial prototype of the Warhawk. Notice the smaller intake which was later enlarged and became the identifying mark of the aircraft. That and the shark teeth of course.
And the finished version below.
^This is XP-47J. Although not the original prototype for what became the Thunderbolt, this was Republic trying to improve it in 1942. The goal was to make it faster, so it was made with lighter materials and a more powerful engine.
And the finished version below.
^Here we have the XP-51, one of two test planes of the Mustang. Notice the short intake scoop and birdcage canopy.
And the finished version below.
^Not a fighter, but we figured we’d give you a bonus prototype. Â This is the Y1B-17, an early version of the Flying Fortress.
We’re not going to show you what a B-17 looks like. You all probably know every variant of this famous bomber.
