Thunderbolt and Lightning: U.S. WW2 Fighters Pair Heavy Firepower with 660+ kmh Speed

Keypoints

There were few World War 2 fighter aircraft that could match the speed and firepower of America's top fighters
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and Lockheed P-38 Lightning were some of the best fighter aircraft the US had to offer
These fighters, among many others, defined American air superiority
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There were few World War 2 fighter aircraft that could match the speed and firepower of America's top fighters. The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and Lockheed P-38 Lightning were some of the best fighters of this era clocking speeds over 660 kmh and armed to the teeth with machine guns and rockets. These fighters defined American air superiority. From strafing runs over France to escort missions in the Pacific, these fighters were integral to Allied victory. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a look at US fighter aircraft from World War 2.

To identify the fighter aircraft used by the US military in World War 2, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalogue of aircraft from World War 2 Database, an online archive of WW2 history, facts, and more. We ordered these aircraft alphabetically. We included supplemental information about each aircraft regarding the top speed, engine, armament, and more. We only included aircraft that have a fighter designation.

Here is a look at the US fighter aircraft of World War 2:

Why Are We Covering This?

Understanding World War 2 is important to appreciate how the modern world's current political and military order was shaped. As the most catastrophic conflict in human history, World War 2 reshaped borders, redefined global alliances, and hit the gas pedal on technological innovation. This conflict bore witness to the rapid advances in small arms, aircraft, armored vehicles, and naval warfare. Military doctrine evolved hand-in-hand with technology during this time as well, shaping much of modern military strategies. World War 2 would set the stage for the world we know today, in more ways than we could possibly comprehend.

BF2C Goshawk

Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Type: Biplane Fighter
Year: 1934
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 1,509 kg
Engine: Wright R-1820-04 Cyclone air-cooled radial engine rated at 770hp
Top speed: 362 kmh
Service ceiling: 8,230 m
Range: 1,167 km
Armament: 2×7.62mm Browning machine guns, 1x215kg bomb under fuselage or 2x53kg bombs under wings

CW-21

Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1939
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 1,534 kg
Engine: Wright R-1820-G5 nine-cyl air-cooled radial engine rated at 850hp
Top speed: 505 kmh
Service ceiling: 10,500 m
Range: 1,014 km
Armament: 2×12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns, 2×7.62mm M1919 Browning machine guns

F2A Buffalo

Manufacturer: Brewster Aeronautical Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1939
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,220 kg
Engine: Wright R-1820-40 radial engine rated at 1,200hp
Top speed: 515 kmh
Service ceiling: 10,120 m
Range: 1,553 km
Armament: 4×0.50 caliber machine guns

F4F Wildcat

Manufacturer: Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1940
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,610 kg
Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1830-86 double-row radial engine rated at 1,200 hp
Top speed: 515 kmh
Service ceiling: 12,000 m
Range: 1,240 km
Armament: 6×0.5in Browning machine guns, 2x100lb bombs

F4U Corsair

Manufacturer: Chance Vought Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1942
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 4,175 kg
Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W Double Wasp 18-cyl radial engine rated at 2,450hp
Top speed: 717 kmh
Service ceiling: 12,649 m
Range: 2,510 km
Armament: 6×0.50in Browning M2 machine guns, optional 8x127mm rockets or optional 2x454kg bombs

F6F Hellcat

Manufacturer: Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1943
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 4,101 kg
Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10W Double Wasp 18-cylinder two-row radial engine rated at 2,000hp
Top speed: 605 kmh
Service ceiling: 11,430 m
Range: 1,755 km
Armament: 6×0.5in Browning M2 machine guns, optional six rockets under wings, optional 2,000lb of bombs

FR Fireball

Manufacturer: Ryan Aeronautical Company
Type: Jet Fighter
Year: 1945
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 3,488 kg
Engine: One General Electric J31-GE-3 turbojet rated at 1,600 lbf; one Wright R-1820-72W Cyclone radial engine rated at 1,350 hp
Top speed: 650 kmh
Service ceiling: 13,137 m
Range: 2,610 km
Armament: 4×12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns, 2x454kg bombs, 8x127mm rockets

P-26 Peashooter

Manufacturer: The Boeing Company
Type: Fighter
Year: 1934
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 996 kg
Engine: One Pratt & Whitney R-1340-7 Wasp radial engine rated at 600hp
Top speed: 337 kmh
Service ceiling: 8,350 m
Range: 1,020 km
Armament: 2×7.62mm M1919 Browning machine guns or 1x .30cal and 1x .50cal machine guns, 2x45kg general purpose bombs or 5x14kg anti-personnel bombs

P-36 Hawk

Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1938
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,116 kg
Engine: One Pratt & Whitney R-1830-13 Twin Wasp air-cooled radial piston engine rated at 1,050hp
Top speed: 518 kmh
Service ceiling: 9,860 m
Range: 1,046 km
Armament: 1×0.30in machine gun, 1×0.50in machine gun

P-38 Lightning

Manufacturer: Lockheed Corporation
Type: Heavy Fighter
Year: 1939
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 5,800 kg
Engine: Two Allison V-1710 liquid-cooled turbo-supercharged V12 engines rated at 1,600hp each (L-Variant)
Top speed: 667 kmh
Service ceiling: 13,410 m
Range: 1,770 km
Armament: 1xHispano M2 20mm cannon, 4xColt-Browning MG53-2 12.7mm machine guns, 4xM10 rocket launchers or 10x127mm rockets or 1,000kg of bombs (L-Variant)

P-39 Airacobra

Manufacturer: Bell Aircraft Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1941
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,425 kg
Engine: One Allison V-1710-85 liquid-cooled V-12 engine rated at 1,200hp
Top speed: 605 kmh
Service ceiling: 10,700 m
Range: 1,770 km
Armament: 1x37mm M4 cannon, 2×12.7mm M2 machine guns, 4×7.62mm M1919 machine guns, optional 230kg bombs

P-40 Warhawk

Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1939
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,880 kg
Engine: One Allison V-1710-39 liquid-cooled V-12 engine rated at 1,150hp
Top speed: 580 kmh
Service ceiling: 8,840 m
Range: 1,050 km
Armament: 6×12.7 Browning M2 machine guns, optional 680kg bombs

P-43 Lancer

Manufacturer: Republic Aviation Company
Type: Fighter
Year: 1941
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,713 kg
Engine: One Pratt & Whitney R-1830-49 14-cyl air-cooled radial piston engine rated at 1,200hp
Top speed: 573 kmh
Service ceiling: 10,970 m
Range: 1,046 km
Armament: 2×12.7mm cowl M2 Browning machine guns, 2×12.7mm wing M2 Browning machine guns

P-47 Thunderbolt

Manufacturer: Republic Aviation Company
Type: Fighter
Year: 1942
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 4,535 kg
Engine: One Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59 twin-row 18-cylinder radial engine rated at 2,535hp
Top speed: 685 kmh
Service ceiling: 13,100 m
Range: 1,290 km
Armament: 8×12.7mm Browning M2 machine guns, optional 907kg bombs or 10x127mm rockets

P-51D Mustang

Manufacturer: North American Aviation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1944
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 3,465 kg
Engine: One Packard Merlin V-1650-7 liquid-cooled supercharged V-12 engine rated at 1,695hp
Top speed: 703 kmh
Service ceiling: 12,770 m
Range: 2,655 km
Armament: 6×12.7mm machine guns, optional 907kg of bombs or optional 10x127mm rockets

P-51H Mustang

Manufacturer: North American Aviation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1945
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 3,195 kg
Engine: One Packard Merlin V-1650-9 liquid-cooled supercharged V-12 engine rated at 2,218hp
Top speed: 784 kmh
Service ceiling: 12,680 m
Range: 1,865 km
Armament: 4×12.7mm Browning machine guns or 6×12.7mm Browning machine guns

P-61 Black Widow

Manufacturer: Northrop Corporation
Type: Night Fighter
Year: 1944
Crew: 3
Empty weight: 10,637 kg
Engine: Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-65 Double Wasp radial engines with water injection, rated at 2,250hp each
Top speed: 589 kmh
Service ceiling: 10,600 m
Range: 3,060 km
Armament: 4x20mm Hispano M2 cannon in ventral fuselage, 4×12.7mm Browning M2 machine guns in upper turret, optional 2x726kg bombs, optional 6x127mm HVAR rockets

P-63 Kingcobra

Manufacturer: Bell Aircraft Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1943
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 3,100 kg
Engine: One Allison V-1710-117 liquid-cooled V-12 engine rated at 1,800hp
Top speed: 660 kmh
Service ceiling: 13,100 m
Range: 3,540 km
Armament: 1x37mm M4 cannon, 2×12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns in nose, 2×12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns in wings

P-66 Vanguard

Manufacturer: Vultee Aircraft Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1941
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,374 kg
Engine: One Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S3C4-G air-cooled 14-cylinder radial engine rated at 1,200hp
Top speed: 547 kmh
Service ceiling: 8,595 m
Range: 1,368 km
Armament: 4×0.3in machine guns, 2×0.5in machine guns

P-80 Shooting Star

Manufacturer: Lockheed Corporation
Type: Jet Fighter
Year: 1945
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 3,819 kg
Engine: One Allison J33-A-35 centrifugal compressor turbojet engine rated at 4600 lbf (20.46 kN) / 5400 lbf (24.02 kN) with water injection
Top speed: 965 kmh
Service ceiling: 14,000 m
Range: 1,930 km
Armament: 6×12.7mm AN/M3 Browning machine guns, 8x127mm unguided rockets, 2x454kg bombs