The Hanriot HD.1 was a World War I single-seat fighter aircraft, combining clean lines with a light wing loading. Manufactured in France, the HD.1 was supplied to the Belgian and the Italian air forces, and it proved highly successful. It was flown by a number of the famous aces, such as Belgian Willy Coppens and…
The Nakajima Ki-84 “Hayate” was a single-seat fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force during World War II. Nicknamed “Frank” by the Allies, the Ki-84 had excellent performance and high maneuverability, and was considered to be the best Japanese fighter to see large scale operations during World War II. It was able to…
The French fighter-scout Morane-Saulnier Type N was the first French aircraft to be developed specifically as a fighter. It had an advanced and aerodynamic design, but was not easy to fly due to its stiff controls and high landing speed. Introduced in 1915, the Morane-Saulnier N was adopted by French Aéronautique Militaire, GB Royal Flying…
The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy’s Regia Aeronautica before and during World War II. The aircraft entered service in smaller numbers with the air forces of Belgium, Sweden and Hungary. The Fiat CR.42 was the last of the Fiat biplane fighters to enter front line service as…
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engine World War II heavy bomber, designed and built by Avro for the Royal Air Force (RAF). It first saw active service with RAF Bomber Command in 1942 and, as the strategic bombing offensive over Europe gathered momentum, it became the main heavy bomber used by the RAF. The…
The Bristol F.2B Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft that was able to hold its own against opposing single-seat fighters. It was flown by a number of famous…
The Bristol Beaufighter was a British long-range heavy fighter derivative of the Bristol’s earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design. The Beaufighter had a long career and served in almost all theatres of war in the Second World War, first as a night fighter, then as a fighter bomber and eventually replacing the Beaufort as a torpedo…
The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (“flying swallow”) was a Japanese World War II fighter aircraft. Over 2.500 Ki-61s were produced, first seeing action around New Guinea in 1943, and continuing to fly combat missions throughout the war. From 1944, Ki-61 were also employed effectively in aerial ramming attacks against B-29 Superfortresses. Designed to be used with…
The Nakajima Ki-84 “Hayate” was a single-seat fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force during World War II. Nicknamed “Frank” by the Allies, the Ki-84 had excellent performance and high maneuverability, and was considered to be the best Japanese fighter to see large scale operations during World War II. It was able to…
The Spitfire Mk.IX was designed and developed to compete with the Focke Wulf FW-190 which in some regards could out-perform and out-climb previous Spitfire versions. The Mark IX was based on the Mark V airframe with the addition of the new generation of Merlin engines allowed this aircraft to duel with the deadly German enemy….
The Gloster Gladiator Mk.I was a British-built biplane fighter, used by the RAF and the Royal Navy (as the Sea Gladiator variant). It fought against stronger foes during the early days of the WW2, but it acquitted itself reasonably well in combat. The Gladiator saw action in almost all theatres during the WW2 with a…
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II. The P-51s were used by the USAAF’s Eighth Air Force to escort bombers in raids over Germany. The RAF’s 2 TAF and the USAAF’s Ninth Air Force used them as fighter-bombers, roles in which the Mustang…
The Boeing B-17 “Flying Fortress” is a four-engine heavy bomber aircraft developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). The B-17 was primarily employed in the daylight precision strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial and military targets. From its introduction in 1938, the B-17 Flying Fortress evolved…
The Reggiane Re.2001 Falco II was an Italian fighter aircraft. With its flexible design, it proved to be able to undertake a number of roles, from convoy escort to night fighter. Thanks to its maneuverability, it could dogfight with more powerful opponents like the British Supermarine Spitfire. Designed to be used with the popular air…
The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (“flying swallow”) was a Japanese World War II fighter aircraft. Over 2.500 Ki-61s were produced, first seeing action around New Guinea in 1943, and continuing to fly combat missions throughout the war. From 1944, Ki-61 were also employed effectively in aerial ramming attacks against B-29 Superfortresses. Designed to be used with…
The Halberstadt CL.II was a German two seat escort fighter ground attack aircraft of World War I. It served in large numbers with the German Luftstreitkräfte in 1917-18. The CL.II proved extremely successful, with its excellent maneuverability, rate of climb and good armament, allowing it to match opposing single-seat fighters. It was flown by German…