Welcome on the gallery devoted to WW II AVIATION and specially dedicated to all PILOTS of that period. The story of World War II is too big for a single gallery, so this one focuses on land-based fighter aviation. The fighter planes on display are a British Supermarine Spitfire, German Messerschmitt Bf 109, Italian Macchi C.202 Folgore, U.S. North American P-51 Mustang, and Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero.
Messerschmitt Bf-109G6
The story of WW II air combat over Europe cannot be told without great emphasis being given to the Messerschmitt Bf-109. It gained its fame as the major opponent of the Spitfire during the Battle of Britain and it is to this day Germany's best known aircraft. Its success lay in its maneuverability and its accurate and stable handling. Throughout World War II, new models were developed; the 109G6 was among the best. The first G6s were delivered to fighter units in 1942 and saw extensive service on the Eastern Front.- The one-seater could climb higher and fly faster (354 mph) than the British Spitfire, but its low fuel capacity only allowed for 90 minutes flying time. Its range of 400 miles meant, in practical terms, that it only had 20 minutes of "battle time" over England before it had to start the return trip. The Messerschmitt Bf-109 was Germany's premier fighter plane of World War II. An astounding 37,000 of them were produced during the war. This Bf-109G6 is one of the best preserved, most completely and accurately restored Messerschmitt fighters in the world today.
- Designed in 1940, the Macchi Folgore was the most famous and most effective Italian fighter used in quantity during World War II. The Folgore's performance and maneuverability were excellent. It proved that the Italians could design fighters as well as anybody else, but they were just too few, too late.
- This Italian fighter outperformed all opponents except Spitfires and P-51 Mustangs. Folgore pilots appreciated the fighter's finger-light handling and superb agility. About 1,200 Folgores were operational from late 1941 through the end of the war. This Macchi Folgore is one of only two remaining in the world.
- The Mitsubishi Zero was the most famous of Japan's fighter. This plane first saw combat in 1940, over China in the Sino-Japanese War, where it quickly outclassed all other fighter aircraft, including the Curtiss P-40s being used by the Claire Chennault's Flying Tigers. The zero was powered by a 925 horsepower engine, and had a maximum speed of 346 mph. It was used in the attack on Pearl Harbor and all theaters of World War II throughout the Pacific.
- The Mitsubishi Zero was the supreme fighter plane in the Pacific only until the Battle of Midway in June 1942. In the following years two new U.S. planes, the F4U Corsair and the F6F Hellcat, gave the Allies air superiority. At the Battle of the Philippine Sea, in what became known as the Marianas Turkey Shoot. Navy F6Fs shot down 315 Zeros and lost only 23 aircraft in exchange. By the spring of 1945, the remaining Zeros were converted into kamikaze planes and took a horrible toll on the Allied armada off Okinawa. In all, 10,500 Zeroes were built.
Supermarine Spitfire Mk. VII
- By 1940, Britain had developed the world's most sophisticated defense system. This system rested upon two fighters: the Hurricane and the Spitfire. Both were single-engine monoplane designs of the mid1930s. The Hurricane was somewhat more dated with its steel tube fabric-covered rear fuselage. The Spitfire, arguably one of the best-looking fighters ever designed, had one curve flowing gracefully into the next.
- The true jewel behind the design of Spitfire was the use of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. A milestone in British metallurgy, the block was crafted from an extremely dense alloy, which allowed the same power output as other engines, but did so in a 20 percent smaller package. The immediate advantage was a reduction of frontal area. This, in turn, produced two benefits: lower drag, contributing to higher speeds and a smaller target area for enemies to shoot at
- The Spitfire is really a legend in British air history. With the Hawker Hurricane, it successfully defended England against the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, and throughout the war it saw service on every major front. Performance and handling were superb. In all, more than 20,351 Spitfires were built.
North American P-51D Mustang
- Many people consider the P-51 the best fighter of World War II. Its combination of speed, range, maneuverability, and firepower gave it great versatility. Its use in all major theaters of the war included long-range high-altitude escort, ground attack, and photo reconnaissance.
- The P-51 had a maximum speed of 437 mph and was armed with six machine guns and up to 1,000 pounds of bombs. It was a combination of the British Merlin engine and an American frame. The plane could carry nearly three times the fuel load of a Spitfire. The P-51 was the first American fighter to overfly Berlin in May 1944, several weeks before D-day.
- The P-51's combat record was extraordinary. It is credited with 4,950 air kills, 4,131 ground kills, and 230 V-I bomb kills. In total, more than 15,000 Mustangs were built. There are fewer than 300 still in existence. Approximately half of those remain in flying condition. This P-51 is displayed in the markings of the 351st Fighter Squadron, 353rd Fighter Group, of U. S. Eighth Air Force.
