The United States built approximately 300,000 military aircraft prior to and during World War II. Within this number were large quantities of fighters and attack aircraft.
A variety of designs were deployed from various manufacturers. Popular military fighters used by the Army Air Corps and U.S. Navy included the F4F Wildcat, F4U Corsair, F6F Hellcat, F8F Bearcat, P-38 Lightning and P-61 Black Widow.
Other US AAF fighters included the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, P-47 Thunderbolt and the P-51 Mustang, highlighted below.
When judging the top Fighter planes of WWII, a number of criteria should be considered.
What was the aircraft’s top speed?
How does the aircraft maneuver at low and high altitudes?
How durable is the plane?
What is the visibility out the cockpit windows?
How safe is the aircraft?
What armament does it carry?
What is the range of the aircraft?
What is its overall flying performance?
One of Most Well-Known Fighters is the North American P-51D Mustang
The P-51D Mustang is considered by many to be the top fighter aircraft of WWII. With internal fuel tanks, the plane had a range of 950 miles.
The range increased to 2,200 miles with the addition of external tanks. This aircraft was known for its speed and maneuverability. Its visibility was also considered excellent. The P-51D Mustang could reach a top speed of 437 mph. Armament included 6 – .50cal machine guns.
The North American P-51 Mustang was among the best ranked fighters used by the U.S. Army Air Forces during the Second World War. The P-51 operated primarily as a long-range escort fighter and also as a ground attack fighter-bomber. The Mustang would go on to serve in nearly every combat zone during WWII (including the Pacific Theater) - and later fought in the Korean War.
Between 1941 and 1945, the AAF ordered 14,855 Mustangs (including A-36A dive bomber and F-6 photo recon versions), of which 7,956 were P-51Ds.
One of the fighters feared most by the Germans was the Lockheed P-38J Lightning
This large aircraft was known for its dogfighting skills. The P-38J had a top speed of 414 mph. Armament for this plane included 1 – 20 mm cannon and 4 – 50cal guns.
Easily one of the most recognizable fighters of its time due to its distinctive twin-boom design, the Lockheed P-38 Lightning was one of America’s most famous warplanes and the mount of America's two top aces—Dick Bong, who scored 40 aerial victories, and Tommy McGuire, who was credited with 38 kills.
Production of the speediest variant of the P-38 aircraft, the P-38J high-altitude interceptor, began in 1943. The P-38J was primarily used as a long-range escort fighter and performed many roles and tasks like dive-bombing, level bombing, ground strafing and photoreconnaissance missions. Production ended in 1945 after 3,000 P-38J models had been built.
The P-38 broke several records during its time in service. It was the first fighter with speeds over 400 mph, the first fighter with a three-wheel landing gear, the first airplane to employ
power-boosted flight controls, the first turbo-supercharged fighter to enter squadron service, the first American plane to use butt-jointed, flush-riveted, all-metal external surfaces and the first twin-engine interceptor to enter service in the Air Corps.
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