World War II Tanks and Planes

Great Britain's Hawker Hurricane fighter

2012-05-28T10:09:00.002-07:00

Though you wouldn't know it by many of the movies and TV series, but the Hawker Hurricane was instrumental in the winning of the Battle of Britain. The Spitfire may get all the glory but there were actually 26 squadrons outfitted with Hurricanes and on 19 with Spitfires. During the Battle of Britain almost 700 Hurricanes were lost.

Great Britain's Fairey Fulmar fighter

2012-05-28T07:03:00.001-07:00

The Fairey Fulmar was first used with the convoy escorts going to Malta. Though not a high performance fighter aircraft in the traditional sense it was felt that the aircraft would need a navigator to make sure that the aircraft got back to its carrier.

Memorial Day

2012-05-28T06:37:00.002-07:00

What is Memorial Day to the average person? A day off? Having friends over for a BBQ?
Growing up we never did anything special on this day as a family. My dad may have, in his own private way, remembered his comrades in arms that he fought with and those that died. But I'll never know as he didn't share any of that on this day.
As I got older and off to college and then into the working world of adults, it became a day off. The last one before school was out or before summer began. I knew what the day stood for but never really recognized it in any significant way.
Having this web site since 1999 has helped me to remember why this day is here. Mainly for our past veterans who died in the course of battle. To remember the sacrifices that they've made for the rest of use who haven't been in the military.
But I also think that in general it is a time to Memorialize those friends and family too that may no longer be with us. My brother passed away in a car accident when I was little so I never got to know him. My only grandparent that was still alive while I was growing up passed away, also when I was little. Though I got to know her more as she lived a house away from us so I visited her often. Even went to the hospital to cheer her up right before she passed away. My father died more recently, and he was one of those that this day is specifically for, a Vet. He was proud of his service with the Marines in World War II. He didn't like to talk much about it but he was deeply proud of it.
So stop, and take pause, remember those in your family, that are no longer be with you. Veteran or not. Remember. That is what they have left us, a legacy of memories that should never be forgotten.

Great Britain's Fairey Battle bomber

2012-05-27T08:56:00.001-07:00

Based on their heavy losses in the Battle of France, the Fairey Battle bombers were relegated to being trainers.

Great Britain's Boulton Paul Defiant fighter

2012-05-27T08:14:00.002-07:00

Another of the "odd ducks" of World War II, the Boulton Paul Defiant had a rear turret that contained four machine guns. It too was quickly found to be a poor design as a day fighter but did perform a little better as a night fighter.

Great Britain's Blackburn Skua dive bomber

2012-05-27T07:48:00.000-07:00

The Blackburn Skua was a dive bomber in the Fleet Air Arm at the start of the war but by August 1941 it was relegated to secondary roles.

Great Britain's Blackburn Roc fighter

2012-05-27T07:34:00.003-07:00

One of the oddest fighter designs of World War II, the Blackburn Roc was used by the Fleet Air Arm. However, once in combat, it was quickly found to be a design failure with the guns concentrated in the rear turret.

United States' Vultee P-66 Vanguard fighter

2012-05-27T07:03:00.003-07:00

Apparently the Vultee P-66 Vanguard was originally ordered by Sweden, but the shipment was confiscated by the United States and many of the aircraft eventually ended up in China.

United States' Vultee Valiant trainer

2012-05-27T06:36:00.001-07:00

Used by the Army and Navy as a basic trainer, the Vultee Valiant had over 11,000 manufactured.

United States' Vought SB2U Vindicator dive bomber

2012-05-27T06:09:00.004-07:00

The Vought SB2U Vindicator was a dive bomber designed in the mid-1930s. It wasn't produced in great numbers and about the only battle it was involved in was the Battle of Midway. It was replaced by the Dauntless and relegated to training roles.

United States' Vought F4U-1 Corsair fighter

2012-05-26T08:48:00.004-07:00

OK, I admit it, as a kid I watched Baa Baa Black Sheep on TV back in the middle 70s. To me it was a great World War II series that showed lots of the Corsair and some fights with Zeros mixed into the plot here and there!
The Vought F4U-1 Corsair was a beast of a fighter with a huge engine and equally huge propeller. Intended for carrier work the US Navy, initially, gave it to the Marines to use from land bases. Eventually the Royal Navy used them on carriers so the US Navy was finally convinced they could be used off the deck of carriers.

United States' Ryan PT-22, ST-3 Recruit trainer

2012-05-26T08:19:00.002-07:00

The Ryan PT-22/ST-3 Recruit trainer was used by the United States Army Air Corps and the Navy. It was of an all metal construction.

United States' Ryan PT-25 trainer

2012-05-26T07:57:00.001-07:00

The Ryan PT-25 was a trainer that was primarily made from plywood.

United States' Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter

2012-05-26T07:02:00.003-07:00

The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt fighter was the most produced American fighter of World War II. When loaded it could weigh as much as a medium bomber. Used by several nations they were generally well liked by pilots for its sturdiness and ability to get them home even with damage.

United States' Republic P-43 Lancer fighter

2012-05-26T06:34:00.004-07:00

Ordered by the Army Air Corps in late 1939 the Republic P-43 Lancer ended up only have close to 300 manufactured. Some were used by China and Australia.

United States' Northrop N-3PB Nomad floatplane

2012-05-26T06:12:00.001-07:00

The Northrop N-3PB was ordered by the Norwegian government but the delivery happened after the fall of Norway. They were used for patrolling out of Canada, Iceland, and Great Britain.

United States' Northrop A-17 attack

2012-05-25T08:59:00.004-07:00

The Northrop A-17 attack bomber was first delivered in 1935 and less than 100 were manufactured.

United States' North American P-51 Mustang, Apache fighter

2012-05-25T08:21:00.002-07:00

What more can be said about the North American P-51 Mustang that hasn't already been said before?
It started out as an attack plane as it didn't perform well at high altitudes. The British thought to install the Rolls Royce Merlin engine which ended up making it into one of the top fighter planes of World War II. Thank goodness for Allies that could work together!

United States' North American P-64 fighter

2012-05-25T06:09:00.004-07:00

Once it became clear that Siam (present day Thailand) was going to side with the Japanese an order they had for North American NA-50s was confiscated by the United States before it was shipped and they were designated the North American P-64. Very few had been made and they were eventually used as advanced trainers.

The Battle of the Tanks: Kursk, 1943 book review

2012-05-24T20:09:00.001-07:00

The Battle of the Tanks Kursk 1943 by Lloyd Clark was an excellent book about the events that lead up to the Battle of Kursk and the battle itself.
Clark starts in 1918 and works his way up to the invasion in 1941, Operation Barbarossa.
You'll read about the triumphs and mistakes made during those early periods and also briefly about the battles in 1942 that lead up to the great defeat at Stalingrad.
After you get to almost half way in Clark's book do you finally get to Operation Zitadelle, the operation at Kursk.
I've read several books over the years on Kursk, and this one seems to give more first hand accounts by the soldiers and airmen, from both sides, that were there.
Now, granted, this book isn't 100% about Kursk, which some of the ones I've read have been. I guess I was expecting maybe a chapter or two about events leading up to the battle, just not 1/2 way through the book. That's probably my only nitpick about The Battle of the Tanks Kursk 1943.
Most definitely the biggest plus is the first hand accounts which I relished reading and only wished there could have been much more.

United States' North American AT-6 trainer

2012-05-20T10:51:00.003-07:00

The most produced trainer for the United States was the North American AT-6 Harvard. Over 15,00 were produced.

United States' Fairchild PT-26 trainer

2012-05-20T08:57:00.002-07:00

The Fairchild PT-26 trainer was manufactured in the United States and Canada. Many of the Allied countries used them.

United States' Douglas TBD Devastator

2012-05-20T08:26:00.004-07:00

After the heavy losses at Midway, the Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bomber was removed from service and replaced by the Avenger.

United States' Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber

2012-05-20T07:55:00.004-07:00

The Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber delivered the killing blows at Midway that crippled the Imperial Japanese Navy for the rest of the war.

United States' Curtiss-Wright SNC-1 Falcon trainer

2012-05-20T06:40:00.003-07:00

The United States Navy used the Curtiss-Wright SNC-1 Falcon as an advanced trainer which included navigation and bombing.