Great Planes

The Douglas Skyraider was a propeller-driven bomber and ground attack weapons system, unglamorous but almost perfectly suited to its various roles. In the closing years of World War II it was realized that fighter airplanes had become so advanced, so speedy, that the great weight of the rear gunner, his turret, and his equipment in torpedo and dive bombers were redundant. Douglas was given a contract to construct a single-engined, single seat bomber and attack airplane for use aboard Navy carriers, and they came up with a winner. It was a big airplane with a radial engine, and it could carry a huge load of ordinance -- a better bomb load than a B-17, or a nuclear weapon. First flown in 1945, it was finally retired after service in Korea and Vietnam, sometime in the 1960s.

The B-25, nicknamed "the sweetheart of the forces," was one of the stars of World War II. Known for its adaptability, this bomber was flown by the Air Force, the Navy and the Marines.

The F4U was arguably the finest propeller-driven fighter on the Allied side. It was the first single-engine American fighter to break 400 miles per hour in level flight. It was first driven by a Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp engine of 1800 horsepower, about as powerful as they could get at the time. Vought simply built the smallest airframe they could around the huge radial engine. To maximize performance, a 13-foot Hamilton Standard Propeller was used. It was originally designed to be operated from an aircraft carrier but the US Navy decided it was unsuitable for precise landings and take offs, so they handed it over to the Marines for land-based use. It proved highly successful both as a fighter and in the ground attack role. It continued in use as an attack airplane through the Korean war, and the last Corsair was produced in 1953.

The A-26 Invader was introduced in October, 1944, and was involved in every conflict that followed until finally retired in 1969. There was no other airplane quite like it. It was a twin-engine medium bomber or ground attack aircraft that excelled at both tasks. The famous B-17 heavy bomber could carry about 8,000 pounds of bombs and could make a top speed of about 270 miles per hour. The A-26 carried half that load at 350 miles per hour and, with emergency boosters, up to more than 370. The ground attack version carried eight .50 caliber machine guns in the nose. The top turret carried two more and could be aimed ahead to supplement the eight fixed guns. With cheek packs added, the total came to eighteen heavy machine guns.