Military Propellor Planes

The tactical airlifter built for every mission

The rugged transport built for hot, high, and short-field operations.

The Avro Lancaster entered service during World War II as a four-engine heavy bomber. Designed for long-range strategic missions, it became the backbone of the Royal Air Force’s bombing operations. The aircraft was capable of carrying exceptionally large payloads.

Heavy bomber introduced in 1945

Maritime patrol aircraft introduced in 1951

The primary trainer built to introduce generations of military pilots to flight.

The Bell P-39 Airacobra put its V-12 behind the pilot and a 37 mm cannon in the nose. P-39Q specs, why the RAF dropped it, and why the Soviets loved it.

The Bell P-63 Kingcobra: a 410 mph mid-engine fighter the U.S. rejected, the Soviets flew in combat, and gunners shot at as the Pinball target.

The B-29 Superfortress: 3,970 built, a 141 ft 3 in wingspan, pressurized crew compartments, the atomic missions, and the 22 airframes left today.

The B-47 Stratojet was America's first mass-produced swept-wing jet bomber. How it flew, why it was hard to land, and the 203 that were lost.

The heavy fighter built for long-range strike and night operations.

The postwar strike aircraft built for light bombing and reconnaissance.

The Workhorse of the Skies — The Bomber That Won the Distance War.

The Consolidated B-32 Dominator was the B-29's backup bomber. See why only 118 were built and how its crews flew the last air combat of WWII.

The Flying Fortress of the Sea — Built for Range, Strength, and the Open Ocean.

The Flying Eye of the Pacific — The Longest-Serving Flying Boat in History.

The Torpedo Bomber That Arrived Too Late for Battle.

The Convair B-36 Peacemaker was a ten-engine Cold War bomber that never saw combat. Specs, the B-52 comparison, and the four that survive today.

The Curtiss O-52 Owl was introduced in the early 1940s as an observation aircraft. Designed for artillery spotting and reconnaissance, it featured a high-wing configuration. The aircraft saw limited combat use.

Curtiss P-36 Hawk, the Hawk 75: first flown in 1935, fought at Pearl Harbor, over France and for Finland. Specs, variants and surviving aircraft.

The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk, fighter of the Flying Tigers: 13,738 built, 361 mph top speed. Specs, Tomahawk to P-40N variants, combat record, survivors.

Dive bomber introduced in 1942

The last military biplane acquired by the United States Navy

Civil utility aircraft mainly used by China and Cuba

Douglas A-1 Skyraider specs, the 2,700 hp Wright R-3350 engine, 15 hardpoints, Korea and Vietnam Sandy rescue missions, variants and survivors.

The Douglas A-26 Invader was introduced late in World War II as a twin-engine attack aircraft. Designed for both bomber and ground-attack missions, it combined speed with substantial armament. The aircraft continued in service long after the war.

Ground attack aircraft and close air support gunship introduced in 1965

The Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber sank four Japanese carriers at Midway. Its history, variants, 5,936-aircraft production run, and six still flying.

Light utility aircraft designed for the executive transportation market

Tactical reconnaissance, liaison and light bomber introduced in 1941

The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was Germany's rugged radial-engine WWII fighter. Its history, A-8 and Dora variants, Spitfire and Bf 109 rivalry, survivors.

Developed as airliner for Lufthansa, ended up taking on many roles in WWII

Fighter-interceptor aircraft introduced during the mid-1940s

Anti-submarine aircraft introduced in 1950

Carrier onboard delivery aircraft of Grumman introduced in 1956

The Grumman F4F Wildcat entered service in the late 1930s as a carrier-based fighter. Although later replaced by more advanced types, it proved durable and reliable in early Pacific combat. The aircraft became a symbol of U.S. naval resilience.

The F6F Hellcat out-flew the Zero and scored more kills than any Allied naval fighter. Here is the history, the F6F-3 vs F6F-5 story and where Hellcats fly today.

Heavy piston powered fighter aircraft introduced in 1944

Carrier-based fighter aircraft introduced in 1945

Light attack and observation aircraft introduced in 1959

Anti-submarine warfare aircraft introduced in February 1954

The Grumman TBF Avenger was the US Navy's WWII torpedo bomber, built by Grumman and GM. Crew, guns, range, Midway debut and George H.W. Bush's TBM.

The Hawker Hurricane shot down more German aircraft in the Battle of Britain than the Spitfire. Full Mk IIC specs, the 14,487 built, and which still fly.

The turboprop trainer built for primary military pilot instruction.

Anti-submarine warfare and maritime patrol aircraft developed for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force.

Airborne early warning and control aircraft

The EC-130H Compass Call jammed enemy communications for 43 years. Specs, Baseline upgrades, combat record, 2026 retirement, and the EA-37B successor.

Lockheed P-3 Orion specs and history: a 411-knot sub hunter built from the Electra airliner, 757 made, and still flying for navies and NOAA.

The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was the twin-boom fighter of America's top two aces. See its 414 mph specs, the Yamamoto mission, and how many still fly.

The largest fixed-wing aircraft ever operated by the U.S. Navy

light bomber introduced in 1940

Light attack bomber introduced in 1941

United States attack turboprop aircraft introduced in 1948

The Martin B-10 was America's first all-metal monoplane bomber. See how it flew, who used it, and how it fared against fighters and in combat.

The Martin B-26 Marauder was a twin-engine medium bomber introduced during the early years of World War II. Designed for high-speed operations, it required careful handling but delivered strong performance. The aircraft became a key Allied bomber in Europe.

One of the best and most advanced aircraft of WWII on the German side

Heavy fighter, fighter-bomber, and ground-attack aircraft introduced in 1937

Heavy fighter and fighter-bomber introduced in 1943

Soviet fighter and interceptor aircraft introduced in 1941

The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was Japan's carrier fighter from 1940 to 1945. See why it was called Zero, how its variants differ and which still fly.

Speed, Power, and Precision in the Pacific Sky

Carrier-based medium bomber powered by two piston engines and a turbojet.

Iconic WW2 bomber

The F-82 Twin Mustang joined two Mustang-style fuselages to one wing. See how it flew a record Hawaii-to-New York hop and got the first kill of the Korean War.

Observation fixed-wing aircraft introduced in 1937

The P-51D Mustang reached 383 kt (441 mph) and flew 1,434 nm (1,650 mi) with drop tanks. How a 1940 British order became WWII's escort fighter.

The OV-10 Bronco entered service in the late 1960s as a light attack and observation aircraft. Designed for short-field performance, it featured a twin-boom configuration. The aircraft served in Vietnam and later conflicts.

The E-2 Hawkeye is the Navy's carrier radar plane. E-2C Hawkeye 2000 specs, its 24-foot rotodome, the 300-mile radar, and the E-2D replacing it.

The utility aircraft built for maritime patrol and regional transport.

The turboprop trainer built for reliable basic flight instruction.

Fighter aircraft introduced in 1941

The P-47 Thunderbolt was WWII's heaviest single-engine fighter: 2,535 hp, eight .50-cals, 15,636 built. Full specs, variants and combat record.

The C-23 Sherpa was a Short 330 built for the U.S. Air Force and Army National Guard. See its history, variants, 2001 crash and retirement.

Carrier-based naval variant of the Spitfire

The Supermarine Spitfire was a British fighter aircraft introduced in the late 1930s. Known for its elliptical wing design, it played a crucial role during the Battle of Britain. The aircraft became one of the most recognizable fighters of the war.

The Tupolev Tu-95 Bear is a turboprop bomber that first flew in 1952 and still flies. Variants, range, combat use and how many Russia has left.

Twin-engine British bomber aircraft by Vickers Armstrong.

The primary British bomber in the initial part of the Second World War.

A four engine heavy bomber prototype developed during World War II.

The Vought F4U Corsair explained: the gull wing, the 2,100 hp R-2800, why carrier landings were hard, and how the F4U-4 fought from Guadalcanal to Korea.

Carrier-based dive bomber introduced in 1937

American biplane dive bomber in the 1930s

The Dive-Bomber That Hit Hard — and Faded Fast.

The Classroom of the Sky — Training the Pilots Who Won the War.

Built for America, Flown by Allies — The Fighter That Never Found Its War.

The Fighter Too Advanced for Its Time.

The regional turboprop built for short-haul passenger routes.

The Yakovlev Yak-12 was introduced in the late 1940s as a light utility aircraft. Designed for liaison and agricultural roles, it served widely in the Soviet Union. The aircraft emphasized short-field performance.

Soviet fighter aircraft introduced in 1944

The World War II fighter built in large numbers for Soviet service.