How Many WW2 Fighters Survive in 2023
YouTube / Mark Felton Productions
In this post, we’ll look at seven iconic Allied and Axis single-seat piston engine fighters that still exist today:
7. The North American P-51 Mustang
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The Mustang is the quintessential US escort fighter of WWII. The Americans built over 15,000 of them and today, a total of 306 P-51s of all marks exist with 167 still airworthy.
6. Supermarine Spitfire
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This iconic WWII British fighter served all WWII theaters and had 20,351 of all marks built. Today, around 240 still exist with 54 models airworthy.
5. Messerschmitt Bf-109
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This aircraft served the Luftwaffe between 1937 and 1945 and was an Axis favorite. 34,248 were built but today, only 68 actual WWII Bf-109s still exist with only 4 remaining airworthy.
4. Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
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15,636 of this successful high-altitude fighter and formidable ground attack plane were built, and today, only 53 units still exist with only 12 of these survivors airworthy.
3. Hawker Hurricane
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Used as a ground attack aircraft and light bomber, 14,487 of these British fighters were built between 1937 and 1944. Today, only 46 Hurricanes are surviving around the world, and 16 are airworthy.
2. Mitsubishi A6M Zero
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This Japanese long-range carrier-based aircraft outclassed almost any other aircraft during the early parts of the Pacific War. However, this outstanding dogfighter was eventually outclassed by comparable Allied aircraft. 10,939 Zeros were built, but today, only 27 real Zeroes still exist. As of 2023, only two are considered airworthy.
1. Focke-Wulf Fw-190
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The Fw-190 served as a day fighter, a fighter bomber, a ground attacker, and occasionally, a night fighter. The Germans produced over 20,000 individual aircraft. Today, only 23 still exist with only one original fighter still airworthy.
