Medium Bombers of World War 2

Medium Bombers of World War 2

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Medium Bombers of World War 2 T he true evolution of the ‘medium bomber’ began in the 1930s, when advances in aviation technology allowed designers to match an all-metal monoplane design to a pair of highpowered engines. On paper the concept made perfect sense. The aircraft could deliver a medium-sized bomb load over medium distances, while exhibiting the performance and speed to evade the marauding fighters of the time. The reality proved very different. Rapid advances in fighter design quickly eroded any speed advantage enjoyed by the medium bomber and once it had been chased down its light defensive armament proved its Achilles heel. This was a harsh lesson for the Japanese in particular. They had a penchant for medium bombers, as the design lent itself to long-range operations in the Pacific. But to achieve speed, the Japanese sacrificed armour, self-sealing fuel tanks and heavy defensive armament, to catastrophic effect. The medium bomber was meant to be a buccaneering raider operating with impunity, but instead many military commanders viewed it as a vulnerable liability. That is not to say that it did not play an important role in the conflict. Medium bombers were involved in some of the most daring raids of the war, a number achieving

iconic status through their exploits. The Heinkel He 111, Wellington, Ju 88, Marauder and Mitchell all proved their adaptability, versatility and power, making them the world’s first true multi-role aircraft. Sadly, the reign of the medium bomber was destined to be relatively short-lived. By the end of the conflict, advances in powerplants and designs meant that the distinction between light, medium and tactical bombers was increasingly blurred. With the advent of jet fighter-bombers, the term ‘medium bomber’ finally became consigned to history. This issue of ‘Aviation Archive’ details the most notable medium bombers that took part in World War 2, listing them chronologically under country of manufacture. It provides a fascinating insight into the rise and fall of these legendary machines. Allan Burney AVIATION ARCHIVE SERIES ‘Medium Bombers of World War 2’ is No 31 in the Aviation Archive series. It features unparalleled photographic coverage, including many exclusive and rare shots. The words and photographs are complemented by ‘period’ cutaways from the talented pens of the ‘Flight’ and ‘Aeroplane’ artists of the era, together with exclusive aircraft profiles.

Aviation Archive Series

Medium Bombers of World War 2 • Editor: Allan Burney • Design: Key Studio • Publisher and Managing Director: Adrian Cox • Executive Chairman: Richard Cox • Commercial Director: Ann Saundry • Group Editor: Nigel Price • Distribution: Seymour Distribution Ltd +44 (0)20 7429 4000 • Printing: Warners (Midlands) PLC, The Maltings, Manor Lane, Bourne, Lincs PE10 9PH. All rights reserved. The entire content of Aviation Archive is © Key Publishing 2017. Reproduction in whole or in part and in any form whatsoever is strictly prohibited without the prior permission of the Publisher. We are unable to guarantee the bona fides of any of our advertisers. Readers are strongly recommended to take their own precautions before parting with any information or item of value, including, but not limited to, money, manuscripts, photographs or personal information in response to any advertisements within this publication. Published by Key Publishing Ltd, PO Box 100, Stamford, Lincs PE19 1XQ. Tel: +44 (0) 1780 755131. Fax: +44 (0) 1780 757261. Website: www.keypublishing.com ISBN: 9781910415924

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CONTENTS

Medium Bombers of World War 2 FRANCE 6

BLOCH MB210

8

LIORÉ-ET-OLIVIER LEO 451 GERMANY

10 JUNKERS JU 86 14 HEINKEL HE 111 21 JUNKERS JU 88 28 DORNIER DO 217 SOVIET UNION ITALY

52 ILYUSHIN IL-4

32 SAVOIA-MARCHETTI SM.79

53 YERMOLAYEV YER-2

34 FIAT BR.20 CICOGNA

54 TUPOLEV TU-2

35 CANT Z.1007 ALCIONE UNITED KINGDOM JAPAN

56 ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH WHITLEY

36 MITSUBISHI G3M RIKKO/‘NELL’

61 VICKERS WELLINGTON

38 MITSUBISHI KI-21 ‘SALLY’

68 HANDLEY PAGE HAMPDEN

39 NAKAJIMA KI-49 DONRYU/’HELEN’ 44 MITSUBISHI G4M ‘BETTY’

UNITED STATES

48 MITSUBISHI KI-67 HIRYU/‘PEGGY’

74 MARTIN B-10

49 YOKOSUKA P1Y GINGA/‘FRANCES’

76 DOUGLAS B-18 BOLO 80 NORTH AMERICAN B-25 MITCHELL

POLAND 50 PZL P-37 LOS

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88 MARTIN B-26 MARAUDER 94 LOCKHEED VENTURA

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6

FRANCE

Bloch MB210

T

he Bloch MB210 was the most numerous French bomber at the start of World War 2, although it was already in the process of being replaced by more modern aircraft. The Bloch MB210 was originally the response to an Aéronavale (French Navy) requirement for a heavy torpedo bomber in 1932. The design adopted the same construction principles that had been developed for its predecessor, the MB200, being an all-metal low-wing cantilever monoplane. The fuselage was built as a single assembly around four angle longerons, frames and a sheet metal skin. The latter was stiffened by U-section stringers, giving the entire airframe its characteristic appearance. Construction of two prototypes was started at Courbevoie and the first flight took place on 24 November 1934. The aircraft was equipped with a fixed ‘trousered’ undercarriage and two 760hp Gnome-Rhône 14 engines. Unable to identify an application for such an aircraft in its land-based form, the Navy asked the Marcel Bloch company to transform its MB210 into a twin-float seaplane. However,

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Above: In many ways the Bloch MB210 was far more advanced than it looked. Initially flight crews had problems with the aircraft owing to its innovative features (retractable undercarriage, variable pitch propellers, high landing speed), but by the time of the outbreak of war it was sadly lacking and was quickly withdrawn from front-line service

testing revealed that the performance of the MB210 was inadequate and its range insufficient for a torpedo bomber. Meanwhile, anxious to modernise its equipment in light of Germany’s rapid rearmament, the Armée de l’Air (French AF) decided that the MB210 offered substantially improved performance compared with the bombers in service at the time. It was therefore decided to launch series production of the aircraft and the first MB210 for the French AF made its maiden flight on 12 December 1935. On completion of testing, a number of series production orders were issued under several contracts in 1935-1937 and the majority of French aircraft manufacturers built the aircraft under licence. A total of 298 aircraft (including

24 for Romania, of which only 10 were actually delivered) were built through 1939. It is reported that a certain number of aircraft, without factory numbers, were built by Hanriot for Republican Spain. Meanwhile, ongoing problems with its powerplants eventually led to the bomber being refitted with Gnome-Rhône 14N 10/11 (or N 20/21) engines. At the outbreak of war in September 1939, the MB210 was in service with 12 of the 33 French AF bomber groups. Although it was used for day and night operations, the MB210 was soon declared unsuitable for war missions. The units involved were progressively pulled back for conversion to the LeO 45, and the aircraft were withdrawn or redeployed to flight schools. A total of seven aircraft were lost during operations: five shot down in combat and two in accidents. Three were destroyed by German bombardments, and nine were scrapped after sustaining damage in combat. After the armistice, 120 MB210s were present in the non-occupied zone, with 20 in North Africa. The Germans captured 37 in 1942, including six that went to Bulgaria.

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BLOCH MB210

Above: In an early incarnation, the Bloch MB210 appeared as a twin-float torpedo bomber for the French Navy, though its performance was disappointing and only one test variant was produced.

Bloch MB210

Below: Already looking like an aircraft from a bygone era, the limitations of the Bloch MB210 were immediately apparent when the aircraft entered action with the French AF in 1939.

Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 5 (pilot, co-pilot/ navigator, nose gunner, radio operator/ventral gunner and dorsal gunner) Length: 62ft (18.9m) Wingspan: 74ft 10in (22.8m) Height: 22ft (6.7m) Weight empty: 13,206lb (5,990kg) Max T/O weight: 22,487lb (10,200kg) Max Speed: 200mph (322km/h) at 11,483ft (3,500m) Range: 1,056 miles (1,700km) Powerplant: 2 × Gnome-Rhône 14N 10/11 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engines of 910hp each Armament: Guns: 3 x 0.303in MAC 1934 nose mounted machine guns, dorsal and ventral turrets Bombs: up to 3,537lb (1,600kg)

7

8

FRANCE

Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 451 Left: With the growing power and belligerence of neighbouring Germany, the promising LeO 451 was rushed into production. Its sleek lines gave it a very capable high-speed performance that was often put to good use evading enemy fighters. While initially surprised by the rear-facing pursuit cannon, German fighter pilots soon found the bomber’s vulnerability lay in attacking it from below.

M

odern, streamlined and fast, the Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 451 was arguably the world’s most advanced medium bomber at the beginning of World War 2. It fought for both the Allied and Axis forces during the conflict and was still in service at the end of the hostilities. The origins of the LeO 451 can be traced back to 1934 when the French AF issued a preliminary requirement for an all-modern, medium-class fast-bomber with a maximum speed of 250mph. The requirements were finalised in November 1937 and called for an internal bomb load of 3,300lb and a service range of 560 miles. Manufacturer Lioréet-Olivier responded with the LeO 45, an elegant twin-engined bomber, powered by two Hispano-Suiza engines. The prototype LeO 45.01 made its maiden flight on 16 January 1937 and the aircraft impressed French authorities so much that competing designs from Amiot and Latecore were rejected. Work continued on the prototype, but its Hispano-Suiza powered engines were proving unreliable, so in September 1938 it was decided to swap to the Gnome-Rhône 14N radial. The revised design was re-designated LeO 451.01. The LeO 451 was a mid-winged twin-engined monoplane with a well-streamed fuselage. The tail was high mounted, with a slight dihedral (making it a very shallow ‘V’). The vertical

fins were mounted low on the tail, giving the impression that they were upside down. The aircraft was of all-metal construction, apart from the fabric covered control surfaces. It had an operating crew of four, comprising a pilot, bombardier, machine gunner and radio operator. The bombs were carried in three internal bomb bays and a small bomb bay in each wing root. Defensive armament included a dorsal 0.79in (20mm) Hispano-Suiza HS404 cannon in a retractable position with a fixed forward-firing 0.303in (7.6mm) MAC 1934 machine gun at the front of the fuselage. Another MAC 1934 was installed in a ventral gondola gun position to protect the vulnerable belly of the aircraft. The first LeO 451s were originally to have been delivered in May 1938, but the limited number of Gnome-Rhône propellers delayed production. As a result they were replaced with Ratier airscrews, but this reduced the top speed from 311mph to 298mph. The LeO 451 entered service with bomber group GB I/31, but very few were on strength by the start of World War 2. The unit began the war flying reconnaissance missions over Germany, Right: Friend and foe. After the fall of France, LeO 451s were used by the Axis powers, including the Vichy French, the Luftwaffe and the Italian AF. Here a USAAF P-47 Thunderbolt riddles an Axis example during a low-level pass.

losing the first LeO 451 to enemy action on 6 October 1939. Nevertheless, this action showed the value of the LeO 451’s impressive speed as it survived two attacks by Bf 109Es (although not without suffering damage) before succumbing to flak. After the Low Countries fell to the Axis advance in 1940, the Battle of France saw what stock of LeO 45 bombers existed pressed into service in defence of the country. Their first combat sortie came on 11 May, when 10 LeO 451s made a low-level attack on German columns in Belgium. One aircraft was shot down and all nine suffered heavy damage from ground fire. The French Armistice came into effect on 25 June 1940, but by this date the French AF had lost 130 LeO 451s, though just over 200 were still serviceable. The LeO 451 was one of the aircraft types that the Vichy government was allowed to operate and by September 1940 seven groups were flying the type, most of them based in North Africa. These aircraft were soon in action against their former allies during operations over Gibraltar and Syria. During 1941 the Vichy-operated aircraft were updated. Larger vertical tail surfaces were installed, while its armament was increased. Production was restarted allowing the Vichy air force to increase its number of LeO 451s to 270 by 1 October 1942. Germany flew another 150 as transports and Italy also operated the type. The LeO 451’s final moments in Vichy colours came during Operation ‘Torch’, the Allied

LEO 451

invasion of North Africa of November 1942. During the action, 11 LeO 451s were lost, nine of them being shot down by Grumman Martlets (Wildcats) of the Fleet Air Arm. The surviving aircraft would soon change sides for one final time, rejoining the Allied cause.

In the end, the LeO 451 was one of the few French aircraft of World War 2 to have flown throughout the conflict, with over 60 of the type still in service by May of 1945. Some even soldiered on into the 1950s with the last retired in September of 1957.

Above: There is no denying that the LeO 451 was a fine-looking aircraft. The glazed-over nose section offered good situational awareness for the bombardier while the split-twin vertical tail fin arrangement increased the firing arc for the dorsal gunner operating a 20mm Hispano-Suiza HS 404 cannon. Left: The cockpit was fitted over the nose section in a stepped arrangement for commanding views of the action ahead as well as clear views of each engine mount.

Above: The construction of the LeO 451 was advanced for its time.

LeO 451 Type: Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 4 Length: 56ft 4in (17.17m) Wingspan: 73ft 11in (22.52m) Height: 17ft 2in (5.24m) Weight empty: 16,600lb (7,530kg) Max T/O weight: 25,130lb (11,398kg) Max Speed: 300mph (495km/h) at 13,125ft (4,000m) Range: 1,800 miles (2,900km) Powerplant: 2 × Gnome-Rhône 14N 14-cylinder aircooled radial engines of 1,600hp each Guns: 1 x 20m HispanoArmament: Suiza HS404 cannon in dorsal turret, 1 x 7.5mm MAC 1934 fixed forwardfiring machine gun, 1 x 7.5mm MAC 1934 in ‘dustbin’ retractable ventral turret Bombs: Up to 3,457lb (1,568kg) stored in fuselage and wing root bays

9

10 GERMANY

D

Junkers Ju 86

eveloped at the same time as the Heinkel He 111, the Junkers Ju 86 medium bomber did not fare as well as its contemporary and only saw limited use during World War 2. However, it remains of interest as one of the few military aircraft to use diesel engines and because it was employed by both sides during the conflict. Developed as a 10-passenger airliner and four-seat bomber, the Junkers Ju 86, was designed around the Junkers Jumo 205 diesel engine. The first of five prototypes was flown on 4 November 1934, four months ahead of its Heinkel He 111 competitor, although the lack of Jumo 205 diesel engines meant that it was powered by Siemens SAM 22 engines. In the summer of 1935 the Ju 86 and He 111 underwent trials at Rechlin. The performance of

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the Ju 86 was disappointing and the design was clearly inferior to the rival Heinkel. Nevertheless, production was begun in late 1935 at Junker’s Dessau factory on both airliner and bomber versions, with first deliveries being made in February 1936. The Ju 86 was a big twin-engined low-wing monoplane, with a twin fin and rudder tail. Built of stressed-skin metal construction, unlike most early Junkers aircraft it used a smooth skin in place of the normal corrugated style. The first prototypes had heavily tapered wings, but suffered from poor stability, so from the fourth and fifth prototypes the wing was redesigned with increased chord towards the tips. The undercarriage was mounted at the wing roots and retracted outwards, giving the aircraft a very narrow wheel base.

The bomber aircraft had a crew of four; a pilot, navigator, radio operator/bombardier and gunner. Defensive armament consisted of three machine guns, situated at the nose, at a dorsal position and within a retractable ventral turret. Bombs were carried vertically in four fuselage cells behind the cockpit. Early military models were powered by the Jumo 205C diesel engine, the type being designated Ju 86D-1. Five served with the Legion Condor during the Spanish Civil War, but the diesel engines did not perform well in combat conditions. Subsequently, they were dropped and BMW 132F radials were installed. Although this increased reliability, performance was not greatly improved and the Luftwaffe became disenchanted with the bomber. Junkers was not about to give up on the Ju 86 and in 1938 redesigned the entire nose

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JUNKERS Ju 86 11 section, bringing the pilot farther forward and shortening and lowering the nose to provide a fully glazed enclosure of more streamlined contours. The revisions were included on the final 40 production Ju 86E-2s under the designation Ju 86G-1. Eventually, manufacture of the Ju 86 ceased in 1938 after a total of about 390 aircraft. The Junkers Ju 86 had a very short service career with the Luftwaffe and was withdrawn from front line units within two years of its combat debut. In reality, the Junkers Ju 86 was already obsolescent at the beginning of World War 2 and by September 1939 all but 30 of the Luftwaffe’s fleet of Ju 86s had been posted to pilot training schools, the remainder being used for conversion training. But the story did not end there. The Ju 86 was produced in several export versions, with the designation Ju 86K for military and Ju 86Z for civil aircraft. Sweden acquired three Ju 86K-1 aircraft with Pratt & Whitney Hornet radials, and subsequently 16 more were built under

licence by Saab powered by Bristol Pegasus engines. Other versions of the Ju 86K were sold to Chile, Hungary and Portugal. Hungary later assembled 66 more aircraft under licence, powered by Gnome-Rhône radials. These took part in the fighting in the Soviet Union, before being withdrawn owing to heavy losses during 1942. Meanwhile, the South African Air Force flew 15 Ju 86Zs that had originally been delivered to South African Airways. Ten were lost in accidents and one was shot down by the Italians during the East African campaign. There was yet one more surprising twist in the tale. In September 1939 Junkers submitted proposals for a high-altitude reconnaissance version, designated the Ju 86P. Two Ju 86D airframes were converted, gun positions faired over (since no fighter would be able to reach the aircraft at its operational altitude) and a two-seat pressure cabin was fitted. The prototypes flew in February and March 1940 and reached an altitude of 39,700ft (12,100m). Consequently, 40 Ju 86Ds were converted to

Ju 86Ps as either the Ju 86P-1 bomber (with a load of 2,205lb (1,000kg) or the Ju 86P-2 reconnaissance (with three cameras). Missions were flown over the UK, Soviet Union and North Africa at heights up to 41,010ft (12,500m). These flights caused great consternation to the Allies and for a time the Ju 86Ps remained invincible. However, in August 1942 a strippeddown Spitfire Mk V caught a Ju 86P at 37,000ft (11,275m) over Egypt and shot it down. Although the Ju 86 was further modified to reach heights up to 47,250ft (14,400m), the programme was abandoned and the useful life of the Ju 86 had ended. Below: A rare image of a Ju 86 in Luftwaffe service during the late 1930s. Powered by BMW 132F radial engines, this aircraft is Ju 86 E-1 (33 + L38), belonging to 8./KG 253 ‘General Wever’. The wing was named after the prime pre-war proponent for a strategic bombing capability for the Luftwaffe, who was killed in an aircraft accident in 1936. KG253 was re-designated KG4 on 1 May 1939.

12 GERMANY

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JUNKERS Ju 86 13

Above: In a bizarre twist of fate, the final reincarnation of the Ju 86 was in many ways its most successful. For a while the high-flying pressurised Ju 86P could fly with impunity over the UK, the Soviet Union and North Africa, above the range of Allied fighters. However, the advantage did not last long and when a modified Spitfire finally shot one down, the career of the Ju 86 as a bomber quickly came to an end. Below: To ‘modernise’ the type, Junkers produced the Ju 86G with a redesigned nose section to afford the pilot much better visibility. The effort was not to change the fortunes of the Ju 86, which had already fallen out of favour with the Luftwaffe.

Junkers Ju 86D Type:

Above: Royal Hungarian AF Ju 86K-2s were flown on missions against the Soviet Union, but the type’s limitations were cruelly put to the test and the bomber suffered heavy losses. Left: Somewhat against the odds, license-built versions of the Ju 86 were to remain in service with the Swedish AF until 1958.

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Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 4 Length: 59ft 8in (17.87m) Wingspan: 74ft 10in (22.50m) Height: 17ft 7in (5.06m) Weight empty: 11,354lb (5,150kg) Max T/O weight: 18,078lb (8,200kg) Max Speed: 202mph (325km/h) Range: 932 miles (1,500km) Powerplant: 2 x Junkers Jumo 205C4 diesel engines Armament: Guns: 3 x 7.92mm MG 15 machine guns in nosecap, open dorsal position and ventral ‘dustbin’ turret Bombs: Up to 1,763lb (800kg)

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14 GERMANY

Heinkel He 111

F

orming the backbone of the Luftwaffe’s bomber arm during the Blitzkrieg in the West and the Battle of Britain, the iconic Heinkel He 111 remained in service with the Luftwaffe throughout World War 2. The He 111 stemmed from specifications secretly drawn up by the German Army’s Ordnance Bureau in July 1932. The Dornier, Heinkel and Junkers companies were each required to produce a design for a highspeed, twin-engined all-metal monoplane that would be presented to the outside world as an airliner, but which could be developed as a state-of-the-art medium bomber for the country’s fledgling military air arm. Designed under the leadership of Siegfried and Walter Gunter, the He 111 featured a semimonocoque fuselage covered in smooth metal skinning. The standard crew complement was five. The pilot sat back in the glazed nose section, offset to the left. The navigator/ bombardier sat alongside him on a folding seat for take off, but for operations he moved forwards to a pad in the extreme nose, from where he could aim the bombs and fire the nose gun. In the rear crew compartment was the radio operator, who fired the dorsal gun.

A further two gunners were carried to operate the weapons in the beam positions and ventral gondola. The bomb load was carried internally in two bays, either side of a gangway that led from the forward to the aft crew compartments. The standard load was eight 250kg bombs, carried vertically nose-up. The He 111 made its first flight on 24 February 1935, but the first of the bomber variants, the He 111A, proved a huge disappointment. With a full military load it was found to be underpowered, unresponsive and sluggish. Undeterred, Heinkel produced a re-engined version powered by the DaimlerBenz DB 600A. As the He 111B, it became the first of a long line of He 111 variants to equip operational Luftwaffe bomber units. Following the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in July 1936, Hitler’s Germany was quick to side with General Franco. The Luftwaffe saw the conflict in Spain as a unique opportunity to test the capabilities of their various fighter and bomber types in battle, forming the Legion Condor to oversee operations. Consequently, the Heinkel He 111 made its operational debut on 9 March 1937, bombing Republican airfields around Madrid in support of the Nationalist attack on the Spanish capital.

The bomber acquitted itself well during the conflict, allowing its crews time to assess its strengths and weaknesses. In the meantime, the design was being constantly updated. The He 111F incorporated upgraded Daimler-Benz DB601 engines and, most notably, also replaced the elliptical wing to one with straight leading and trailing edges. However, the ‘legend was born’ with the He 111P that turned the Heinkel into one of World War 2’s most instantly recognisable aircraft. In an effort to improve visibility for the crew, the conventional ‘stepped’ windscreen profile of early-model He 111s was replaced by the ‘classic’ bullet-shaped nose profile with extensive glazing. On the eve of the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939, the Luftwaffe was able to field over 700 He 111s. During the subsequent Blitzkrieg, attrition was higher than had been expected and it became obvious that the aircraft’s defensive armament was inadequate. Nevertheless, the Heinkel bombers played a key role in the German onslaught on France and the Low Countries that began on 10 May 1940. By now the Junkers Ju 88 was steadily replacing the Heinkel, but when the Battle of

HEINKEL He 111 15

Above: Forming the backbone of the Luftwaffe’s bomber arm during World War 2, the He 111’s greatest weakness was its lack of defensive armament, the aircraft typically having five 7.92mm MG 15s firing through beam hatches, a dorsal turret, the rear of the ventral gondola and from the mounting in the nose. Left: Heinkel production in full flow. By the beginning of World War 2, over 700 of the bombers were in service.

Britain commenced on 10 July 1940, about 500 He 111Hs were available on a daily basis. Although the Heinkel proved to be capable of absorbing heavy punishment, owing to heavy attrition daylight attacks were halted in midSeptember and units switched to nocturnal raids instead. The bulk of the He 111 units remained committed to the night Blitz on England until late May 1941, when most of the force was transferred eastward in preparation for the invasion of the USSR. Eventually, practically all the remaining He 111s were relegated to the transport role, though a number of He 111Hs were modified to carry a Fieseler Fi103 flying-bomb under one wing. Remarkably, some 5,400+ examples were built during its production life, which spanned the years 1935 to 1944.

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16 GERMANY

Above: Early Heinkel variants featured a conventional ‘stepped’ windscreen profile, giving the aircraft a very different look to its famous bullet nose. Right: The panoramic view through the nose of a Heinkel He 111 as it flies low level over Europe in September of 1939. Below: Early cutaway of a Heinkel He 111P. The bomber was unusual in that it carried its load (typically eight 250kg bombs) vertically, with the nose up, in two bays located immediately aft of the crew compartment.

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HEINKEL He 111 17

Above: The fuselage of a German Heinkel He 111 bomber shot down near Hazebrouck becomes the centre of attention as it is transported on a trailer through the town of Roye, November 1939. Left: One of the most famous pictures of World War 2, as the ominous shape of a Heinkel crosses over London’s East End during the Luftwaffe’s evening raids of 7 September 1940. He 111s from 17 Gruppen were in the vanguard of Luftwaffe attacks on southern England during the Battle of Britain, the combined strength of the Group totalling 500+ aircraft.

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18 GERMANY Left: Gun camera footage from a Spitfire flown by Plt Off R. F. G. Miller, showing a Heinkel He 111 taking hits. The aircraft was one of a force that bombed the Bristol Aeroplane Company’s factory at Filton, Bristol. Sadly, Miller was killed two days later when he collided head on with a Messerschmitt Me 110. Bottom: A policeman and soldier inspect a downed Luftwaffe Heinkel He 111K that crash-landed in a Surrey field during the Battle of Britain on 30 August 1940. No fewer than 246 He 111s were lost to enemy action during the campaign. Bottom right: A menacing formation of Heinkel He 111 drones its way towards a target somewhere in the Mediterranean.

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Junkers Ju 88

ntended to offer the Luftwaffe a medium bomber that had the speed and agility of a modern fighter, the Ju 88 proved such a robust and adaptable airframe that it was quickly adopted for use in just about every role, becoming one of the most versatile aircraft of World War 2. In 1935, Germany’s Air Ministry issued a specification for a fast medium bomber (Schnellbomber). Determined to win the contract, Junkers hired a pair of American designers, W. H. Evers and Alfred Gassner, who had pioneered advanced stressed-skin structures in the USA, and gave them a mere nine months to design and build the first prototype. Work began in January 1936, and within four months designs for the Ju 88V1 had been finalised and metal was being cut. The first Ju 88 prototype took only 105,000 man-hours to complete – a record for the German aircraft industry at the time. On 21 December 1936, the prototype, powered by a pair of DaimlerBenz DB600 engines, was flown by Junkers test pilot Karlheinz Kindermann. Prototypes V3 to V5 were fitted with Junkers Jumo 211 Vee 12

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engines, which subsequently became the powerplants of choice for production examples. Primary bomber models were designated collectively as ‘Ju 88A’. In terms of its structure, the Ju 88 was essentially conventional by the standards of the day, being a low-wing cantilever monoplane of all-metal construction. The fuselage was of oval monocoque structure built up of Z-section frames and top-hat stringers, all of which was covered with a flush-riveted stressed skin. The Ju 88’s wing was built up around twin spars of constant taper in thickness and compound taper in chord. In line with contemporary German design philosophy the crew of the Ju 88 was grouped together in the somewhat cramped cockpit, although the three-seat fighter variants suffered less in this regard than the four-seat bomber versions. Boasting a formidable bomb load and good performance, the only down side of the early Ju 88 was its poor defensive armament. Production Ju 88A-1s would have a fixed forward-firing machine gun operated by the pilot, with two more firing aft through limited

arcs of fire, one in the cockpit roof and one in a Bola undernose ventral gondola. A second gun was quickly added to the cockpit roof, as were two more lateral-firing weapons and additional armour protection. By 1938 the Schnellbomber had evolved from being a light, unarmed aircraft that relied on speed to keep it safe, to a reasonably well-armed medium bomber that could also be used as a precision dive-bomber following the addition of dive brakes beneath each wing. Production of the Ju 88A-1 was beset with delays due to ongoing developmental problems with both the Jumo 211 engine and systems within the aircraft. Production was painfully slow, with only one Ju 88 being manufactured per week. Entering frontline service on the eve of World War 2, the Ju 88 was present in only small numbers during the first nine months of the conflict. Just 12 A-1s saw Below: At the end of March 1941, III./KG 51 ‘Edelweiss’ was transferred from Brètigny in France to Wiener Naustadt in Austria. These two Ju 88A-4s can be seen flying over the Austrian Alps. EN-Archive

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22 GERMANY Left: The Junkers Ju 88V-1 bomber prototype flying in December 1936 during initial flight-test trials, powered by Daimler-Benz DB 600 engines. It was finished in light grey overall with black test marks on the starboard wing and tailplane, with a red fin and rudder over which the black swastika was applied on a white circle. Below: The cockpit of the Junkers Ju 88 with its distinctive control column. The crew entered the cockpit up a ladder through a door in the rearmost part of the gondola, the pilot climbing aboard first. The last man in, usually the radio operator/machine-gunner, would then pull in the ladder, which would be collapsed and stored in the gondola. The Ju 88’s flying controls during flight were responsive throughout its speed range and the aircraft was remarkably agile for its size.

action in Poland and by the time the Blitzkrieg commenced in the west on 10 May 1940, just 133 Ju 88s were available for the campaign. Although it proved its worth as a dive-bomber, conducting precision attacks on the French railway network and targeting Allied shipping during the Dunkirk evacuation, it suffered high combat and operational losses during the Battle of France. Over 80 aircraft were destroyed, with many of these being written off in operational accidents as crews struggled to come to terms with its high-performance. Mechanical and structural failures also took their toll, the latter usually occurring when the aeroplane was being used as a dive-bomber. Several of these issues were rectified with the introduction of the Ju 88A-5 during the early summer of 1940, featuring a longer-span, strengthened wing with inset metal-skinned ailerons and a muchincreased bombload. Nevertheless, during the Battle of Britain most Ju 88 units were still flying the short-wingspan, performance restricted Ju 88A-1. The large-scale daylight formation attacks on London quickly revealed the vulnerability of the Ju 88 to fighter attack and losses over Britain totalled 303 aircraft between July and October 1940. Despite its high attrition rate, the Ju 88 still proved to be the toughest of the German bombers to crack, with many combat reports submitted by Fighter Command pilots stating that the aeroplane could escape by diving away at very high speed. The aircraft went on to play a major role in the night Blitz against Britain. As a bomber, the Ju 88 was to prove particularly valuable during the campaign on the Eastern Front, attacking Russian airfields and positions at low level and causing enormous losses for little damage in return. Ju 88 units operating over the Baltic states during the battle for Estonia also inflicted

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Junkers Ju 88A-1 Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 4 (pilot, navigator, bomb aimer/gunner and flight engineer/gunner) Length: 47ft 2in (8.43m) Wingspan: 65ft 10in (20.08m) Height: 15ft 11in (4.85m) Weight empty: 16,975lb (7,699kg) Max T/O weight: 22,840lb (10,360 kg) Max Speed: 292mph (470km/h) Range: 1,696 miles (2,730km) Powerplant: 2 x Junkers Jumo 211Bs of 2,400hp (1790 kW) Armament: Guns: 6 x MG 15 7.92mm machine guns in nose, rear cockpit and ventral gondola Bombs: 4,409lb (2,000kg) in bomb-bay and on underwing racks severe losses on Soviet shipping, with the same dive-bombing tactics gained from experience over Norway, France and Britain. While the Ju 88 was to become a mainstay of the German bombing campaigns throughout World War 2, it became equally famous for its versatility as a heavy fighter, night fighter, torpedo bomber and ground attack aircraft, tasks for which it proved eminently suitable. The Ju 88 fought throughout the war and the assembly line ran constantly from 1936 to 1945. Numerous variants and sub-variants of the ubiquitous Ju 88 were built, the type being fitted with both Junkers and BMW engines during its production run of more than 15,000 examples, more than that of all other German medium bombers combined.

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Above: The impressive sight of rows of Ju 88 bombers on an airfield on the Russo-German front in August 1941 during Operation ‘Barbarossa’ (the invasion of the Soviet Union). The Ju 88 featured an ingenious new type of undercarriage, which incorporated tall single legs in which shocks were absorbed by a ring spring assembly of high-tensile steel rings with tapered profiles, which expanded radially under compressive loads. Left: The Ju 88 was an excellent example of dispersed aircraft production. The fuselages were built at Aschersleben, the wings at Halberstadt and the tails at Leopoldshall. These would then be transported and assembled at Bernburg. Other manufacturers also built Ju 88 components and complete aircraft, including Dornier, Heinkel, Arado, Henschel and even Volkswagen. Below: A close-up of a Ju 88A-4 belonging to II./LG 1 carrying two 500kg bombs under the inner wings, during the autumn of 1940 on a mission over the south of England. Note the II. Gruppe badge of three geese flying over waves, painted on the nose.

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26 GERMANY

Above: Junkers Ju 88A of III./KG30 4D+AD was shot down by fighters over the Sussex coast on 7 September 1940 during a sortie to bomb London docks. It was engaged by Spitfires of No 602 Squadron led by Sqn Ldr A. V. R. Johnstone. Both engines were disabled and the bomber ditched on Pagham foreshore, east of Bognor Regis. Its pilot, Maj Johannes Hackbarth, and Oberfw Hans Manger both survived the attack but were badly injured. Hans Manger is believed to have baled out at extremely low level. The other two crew members Uffz Willi Sawallisch and Gefr Friedrich Petermann were both killed. Right: The crew of this Ju 88A-4 belonging to 9./KG 51 Edelweiss are preparing for a mission over the Eastern Front during the spring of 1942. The Ju 88 saw wartime service with Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Finland, mainly as a bomber. EN-Archive

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28 GERMANY

A

Dornier Do 217

s its designation suggests, the Dornier Do 217 was a more powerful version of the company’s famous Do 17 light bomber. The Do 217 was a true multi-role aircraft, but it excelled best as a bomber, both in the conventional and dive bombing roles. It earned its place in history when it became the first aircraft to deploy a precision-guided munition in combat, in the form of the Fritz-X radio-guided, freefall bomb. The Dornier Do 217 was a direct development of the Do 17 which first flew in 1934. Dornier began work on an improved

version of the aircraft in 1937, which would have a larger payload capability, greater range, and increased performance. Again, the cockpit and crew areas were situated towards the front of the aircraft retaining the notable pencil-type fuselage shape. Engines were mounted on a high-wing monoplane and the vertical tail surface was split in a traditional ‘twin’ design. Its crew of four comprised a pilot, an observer/ bomb aimer/forward gunner, dorsal gunner/ radio operator and a flight engineer/ventral gunner. The pilot sat on the port side, with a spectacle-type control column mounted on a swinging arm centred in the instrument panel.

Above: The Dornier Do 17 lineage of the Do 217 is apparent in its basic layout, but the aircraft has more bulk than its predecessor. This is the Do 217E-2 variant that featured a rearward facing gun turret.

The Do 217 V1 prototype first flew on 4 October 1938, but handling was not good and it crashed a week later killing test pilot Rolf Koeppe. However, development continued and in early 1940 the Do 217A-0 reconnaissance variant became the first version to enter service with the Luftwaffe. The first production bomber to become operational was the Do 217E-1, powered by a pair of BMW 801 air-cooled

DORNIER Do 217 29

Left: Combat film of a Do 217E being attacked by Allied fighters and with smoke streaming from its starboard engine. Below: The Dornier Do 217 achieved some success as a torpedo bomber. The aircraft could carry four under the wings and one in its extended bomb bay.

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30 GERMANY

Above: To streamline the aircraft and give its crew better visibility, Dornier introduced a ‘stepless’ canopy with the Do 217K series. The variant also featured a revised defensive armament of a twinbarrelled 7.92mm MG 81Z machine gun in the nose, two single MG 81s or twin-barrelled MG 81Z in beam positions, a MG 131 in the B stand position dorsal turret, the DL 131/1C, and another in a ventral position inserted in a WL 131/1 cylindrical carriage at the rear of its gondola.

14-cylinder radial engines. Capable of carrying an impressive external and internal bomb load not exceeding 7,700lb, its deep fuselage housed a large bomb bay. Two doors at the aft end covered a 6ft extension that permitted a torpedo to be carried completely inside the fuselage for the aircraft’s anti-shipping role. Defensive armament varied, but for the bomber version it invariably comprised a single 15mm MG151 cannon mounted in the nose, and five 7.9mm machine guns in the cockpit and ventral gondola. The Do 217E-1s was followed by the Do 217E-2, the first version to have a gun turret in the aft cockpit. The first bomber unit to receive the Dornier Do 217 was Kampfgeschwader 40 (II./KG 40) in March 1941, soon joined by KG 2. In its antishipping role it carried out relatively successful attacks on British coastal convoys. As a conventional bomber, the Dornier Do 217’s first major raid was on the city of Exeter on 24/25 April 1942, the start of what was to become known as the Baedeker Blitz. For the rest of 1942, KG 2 was restricted to nuisance raids. These involved one or two Do 217s making low level attacks on coastal targets. These raids increased in intensity in early 1943, with the arrival of the Do 217K and M, now sporting a revised stepless glass nose, which afforded increased visibility for the four crew, particularly the pilot. Despite the increase in speed offered by these new aircraft, losses were still heavy and results low.

The Do 217 served on all fronts in all roles. On the Eastern Front and Western Front it operated as a strategic bomber, torpedo bomber and reconnaissance aircraft. It also performed tactical operations, either direct ground assault or anti-shipping strikes during the Battle of the Atlantic and Battle of Normandy. The type also served in anti-shipping units in the Mediterranean, attacking Allied convoys and naval units. It was here that the Do 217 became the first aircraft in military aviation history to deploy precision-guided munition in combat, in the form of the Fritz-X radioguided, free-fall bomb, which led to the sinking of the Italian battleship Roma in 1943. The final actions of Do 217-equipped units over Western Europe was against the allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944, when the remaining Do 217 bomber units, II/KG 2 and III/KG 100, were thrown into action against the Allied landings. Losses were heavy, with III/ KG 100 losing eight of 13 serviceable Do 217s in 10 days of operations. The Do 217 was also converted to become a night fighter and saw considerable action in the Defence of the Reich campaign until the last day of the war. The production life of the Do 217 yielded 1,925 aircraft with manufacture peaking in 1943 when over 500 alone were built.

DORNIER Do 217 31

Dornier Do 217M-1 Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 4 Length: 55ft 9in (17m) Wingspan: 62ft 4in (19m) Height: 16ft 3in (4.96m) Weight empty: 20,062lb (9,100kg) Max T/O weight: 36,817lb (16,700kg) Max Speed: 347mph (557km/h) Range: 1,332 miles (2,145km) Powerplant: 2 x Daimler-Benz DB603 of 1,726hp each Armament: Guns: 4 x MG 81 7.92mm machine guns in nose and lateral positions, 2 x 13mm MG 131 machine guns in dorsal and ventral positions Bombs: 8,800lb (4,000kg) in bomb-bay and mounted externally

32 ITALY

Savoia-Marchetti SM.79

O

ne of the most distinctive aircraft of World War 2, the Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero (Sparrowhawk) was Italy’s most important bomber during the campaign. The tri-engined SM.79 served widely in the conventional bombing role, but it was as a land-based torpedo bomber that the type deserves its place in aviation history. Designed by Alessandro Marchetti, the SM.79 made its debut as an eight passenger SM.79P commercial aircraft in 1934. However, the type was clearly suited to military service and the second prototype was completed as a medium bomber, making its maiden flight on 2 September 1935. The SM.79 continued the tri-motor formula, being powered by Alfa Romeo 126 RC.34 engines of 780hp each, equipped with variable pitch, all-metal three-bladed propellers. With its trademark humpback, it had a rather

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Above: A pair of Savoi-Marchetti SM.79 Sparvieros pass over the Italian port of Sciacci in southern Sicily. No turrets were ever fitted to SM.79s, limiting its field of defensive fire and making it easy prey for agile Allied fighters. Of all its weapons, the dorsal one housed in the distinctive hump was the most effective.

cumbersome appearance, but looks can be deceiving as it was fast for the time and the ‘hump’ concealed the dorsal gunner’s position. Otherwise the aircraft was conventional for its age. The airframe was fitted with a lowmonoplane wing, with a retractable taildragger undercarriage. The fuselage was of welded tubular steel frame covered with duralumin in the forward section, duralumin and plywood on the upper fuselage surface, and fabric on all other surfaces. The wings were of all-wood construction, giving the aircraft a rugged performance that enabled it to operate from

basic airfields. It was manned by a crew of six in the bomber version and had an armament of three 12.7mm and two 7.7mm machine guns. As with the Luftwaffe’s He 111, the SM.79’s bomb bay was configured to carry bombs vertically. It had internal provision for 2,750lb (1,250kg) of bombs, supplemented by underfuselage racks for a pair of heavy bombs, or two torpedoes in the case of the SM.79-II and SM.79-III. The first SM.79 entered service with the  Regia Aeronautica (Italian AF) in late 1936, just in time to fly combat over Spain with the Aviacion Legionaria, the Italian contingent fighting in support of the Nationalists. The SM.79 performed well during the conflict, leading to a succession of export orders, including 45 for Yugoslavia. Almost 600 SM.79-IIs were in service when Italy entered World War 2, and these aircraft

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SM.79 33

Above: A formation of SM.79s belonging to the 193º Squadriglia Bombardamento Terrestre (193rd Land Bomber Squadron), 87º Gruppo (87th Group), 30º Stormo (30th Wing). The emblem of the 193rd was named the ‘omino elettrico’, electric little man.

were deployed in every theatre of war in which the Italians fought. By then, however, the bomber’s vulnerability to agile fighters became apparent, highlighted when Gloster Gladiators and Hawker Hurricanes were encountered

over the fortress island of Malta in June 1940, resulting in heavy casualties. Over 100 SM.79s were operated by the Italian AF during the North African campaign, bombing mainly non-strategic targets in the desert. However the British offensive in December 1940 hit the force hard and by the beginning of 1941 only around 40 SM.79s were still operational. Meanwhile, the SM.79 had begun to establish a reputation for itself as a torpedo bomber (Aerosilurante in Italian), a role for which its speed, agility and ruggedness proved ideal. However, despite their success against Allied shipping in the Mediterranean (nine sunk and 30 damaged in 1941 alone), the vulnerability of the SM.79 meant that this success came at a price with many being lost or damaged in action. Indeed by 1942 it is estimated that the average survival rate for a SM.79 was just three missions. When the Italians surrendered on

SM.79-III Type: Tri-engined medium bomber Crew: 6 (pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer/ gunner, radio operator, bombardier, rear gunner) Length: 53ft 2in (16.2m) Wingspan: 66ft 3in (20.2m) Height: 13ft 6in (4.1m) Weight empty: 16,975lb (7,700kg) Max T/O weight: 25,132lb (10,050 kg) Max Speed: 286mph (460km/h) Range: 1,615 miles (2,600km) Powerplant: 3 x Alfa 128 RC18 radial engines of 860hp each Armament: Guns: 1 x 0.79in (20mm) MG 151 cannon, 2 x 0.5in (12.7mm) BredaSAFAT dorsal and ventral machine guns, 2 x 0.303in (7.7mm) machine guns in waist ports Bombs: 2,645lb (1,200kg) in bomb-bay or 2 x external torpedoes Left: When Italy joined the war in 1940, its air force had nearly 1,000 bombers, of which well over half were Savoia-Marchetti SM.79s. It was the most important Italian bomber of World War 2, and became regarded by many as one of the finest torpedo bombers of the conflict.

8 September 1943, it did not end the combat record of the SM.79, and the torpedo-bomber was placed in service by the fascist government in northern Italy. It remained operational until the end of the conflict.  The SM.79 has the distinction of being the most numerous Italian bomber of World War 2, with some 1,300 being built.

34 ITALY

Fiat BR.20 Cicogna

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he Fiat BR.20 Cicogna (Stork) was a medium bomber in service with the Italian AF in the late inter-war years and early years of World War 2. However, it was already outclassed by its contemporaries and its use as a front-line bomber was mercifully short-lived. In 1934, the Italian Air Ministry issued specifications for a twin-engine medium bomber as part of its efforts to modernise the Regia Aeronautica’s bomber forces. The resulting Fiat BR.20 Cicogna was

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a low-wing, twin-engine monoplane with allmetal framework, twin rudders and retractable landing gear. It was almost entirely stressskinned, except for a cloth covered section of the aft fuselage. Powered by Fiat A80 18-cylinder radial engines of 1,000hp each, its bomb bay could accommodate up to 3,529lb (1,600kg) of ordnance. It had a crew of five and defensive armament included machine guns mounted in the nose, dorsal turret and a ventral gun position. Although barely in service with the Regia Aeronatica in 1937, the Fiat BR.20 was pressed into combat with Spanish Nationalist forces in the summer of 1937 to counter the growth of the Republican Air Force. It was mostly in Spain that the BR.20 was used in combat. It proved proficient enough for that conflict but it had many shortcomings, many of which were further highlighted after Japan, which had purchased 100 of the type, used them in the Chinese theatre. A newer version, the BR.20M with heavier defensive guns and broader wings, was developed before Italy entered World War 2 in June of 1940. Two squadrons travelled to Belgium to

Above: Although the BR.20 could deliver an impressive bomb load for an aircraft of its size, it was painfully slow and lightly defended. By early 1943, it had been withdrawn from frontline service.

join in the Battle of Britain but faced heavy losses against the RAF. They were withdrawn within a few weeks. The Cicogna went on to fight in Greece, Yugoslavia, Malta and North Africa, but with limited effect. By 1943, most of the 602 built had been destroyed or withdrawn from service.

Fiat BR.20M Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 5 Length: 54ft 8in (16.68m) Wingspan: 70ft 9in (21.56m) Height: 15ft 7in (4.75m) Weight empty: 14,330lb (6,500kg) Max T/O weight: 22,270lb (10,100kg) Max Speed: 273mph (440km/h) Range: 1,709 miles (2,750km) Powerplant: 2 x Fiat A80 RC41 18-cylinder radial engines of 1,000hp each Armament: Guns: 3 x 0.59in BredaSAFAT machine guns Bombs: 3,530lb (1,600kg)

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C

CANT Z.1007 Alcione

ontinuing Italy’s favoured tri-motor design, the CANT Z.1007 Alcione (Kingfisher) is widely regarded as the best bomber fielded by the nation during World War 2. Cantieri Aeronautici e Navali Triestini (CANT), was best known as a manufacturer of flying boats, so it is of little surprise that the Z.1007 was developed from a seaplane. After a period of just eight months of research and development, the first prototype took to the air in May 1937. The all-wooden platform performed better than expected on its initial test phase series prompting the Italian government to place an initial order for 100 units. The Z.1007 was a mid-winged monoplane with a retractable undercarriage. It had a crew of five, consisting of two pilots, a flight engineer, a radio operator and a bombardier/navigator. It could carry 1,760lb (800kg) of bombs, and was fitted with a defensive armament of a 0.5in (12.7mm) Breda-SAFAT machine gun in an open dorsal position and a 0.303in (7.7mm) machine gun in a ventral tunnel. Initial performance was lower than predicted so work began on the Z.1007bis, a considerably changed version powered by Piaggio PXI RC40 radial engines.

The Z.1007bis first flew in July 1939 and was ordered into large scale production, deliveries starting later that year. The Z.1007 was destined to become Italy’s main bombing platform and would see action in all Italian assigned theatres of operations. It was during the Italian invasion of Greece that the Z.1007 was to show its worth. The invasion began on 28 October 1940 and the bombing campaign would see the largest-scale use of the Z.1007. However, the Greco-Italian theatre also unveiled a key flaw to the Z.1007 design, its wooden structure, which suffered from warping in extreme climatic conditions. The bomber also played an important role in Operation ‘Barbarossa’ (the invasion of Soviet Russia). More than half of the Z.1007 force was deployed in the southern axis of the German lead attack. Unfortunately for the pilots who flew them, by the time of Barbarossa, the Z.1007, like many of its counterparts in the Italian AF, was an obsolete aircraft which became easy prey for the Soviet AF. In September of 1943, the Italian government signed an Armistice with the Allies. Remaining stocks of the Z.1007 fell to the re-established Italian AF, now fighting against the Axis powers.

CANT Z.1007bis Type: Tri-engined medium bomber Crew: 5 Length: 60ft 2in (18.35m) Wingspan: 81ft 4in (24.8m) Height: 17ft 1in (5.22m) Weight empty: 20,715lb (9,396kg) Max T/O weight: 30,029lb (13,621kg) Max Speed: 285mph (458km/h) Range: 1,115 miles (1,795km) Powerplant: 3 x Piaggio PXI RC40 radial engines of 1,000hp each Guns: 2 x 0.5in machine Armament: guns and 2 x 0.303in Breda-SAFAT guns Bombs: 2,645lb internally, 2,200lb on underwing hardpoints, or 2 x 1,800lb (800kg) torpedoes Below: The CANT Z.1007 Alcione was widely used on all fronts, proving to be an effective aircraft. Later versions adopted a twin tail arrangement to rectify longitudinal stability problems.

36 JAPAN

Mitsubishi G3M Rikko/‘Nell’

I

n 1933 Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto decided he needed a medium bomber that would be able to deliver a moderate weapons load over considerable ranges. These aircraft could not be operated from aircraft carriers, so it would have to be operated from land. The result was the Mitsubish G3M Rikko, known to the Allies as ‘Nell’. Mitsubishi answered Yamamoto’s requirement by developing the Ka-15 prototype bomber which first flew in July of 1935. The aircraft showed great promise so Mitsubishi developed it further and trials occurred throughout 1936. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) were pleased with the results and ordered it as the Navy Type 96 Attack Bomber Model 11, or the Mitsubishi G3M1. Production was ordered in June of 1936 and operational units were delivered their new mounts later that year. The elegant G3M1 was highly streamlined, with twin tailfins and a mid-mounted wing. There were two dorsal turrets and a single ventral turret, all retractable. The tailwheel was fixed, with the main gear retracting backwards into the engine nacelles, the wheels being

AA31_pp 36-37.indd 36

left partly exposed after retraction. The G3M1 didn’t have a bomb bay, all ordnance being carried externally on the fuselage centreline. Maximum payload was 1,765lb (800kg), consisting of a single torpedo or one or more bombs. Initially it was powered by Mitsubishi Kinsei 3 series radial engines of 910hp each, but by 1937 a newer more powerful variant of the Kinsei had become available. Appropriately, Mitsubishi fitted these to its G3M airframe and produced the G3M2, which would go on to become the definitive production model of the series. Later the Nakajima Company redesigned the G3M into the improved G3M3 (Model 23) with yet more powerful engines and greater range. The G3M first saw combat in the Second Sino-Japanese War, where the G3M could exploit its long-range capability from bases in Taipei, Formosa, Omura, Kyushu and Jeju Island, to bomb the Chinese heartland. With war looming with the US, the IJN formed a special reconnaissance unit of G3Ms. Flying unmarked aircraft, IJN pilots flew photo and intelligence gathering missions over Allied

Above: Battered-looking Mitsubish G3Ms of 755 Kokutai seek protection in numbers as they return from a long-range bombing mission during the Pacific war. Like all Japanese bombers designed at the time, the ‘Nell’ lacked self-sealing tanks and armour protection, allowing greater ranges to be flown, but making it very vulnerable to fighter attack.

areas in the months before the outbreak of the Pacific war. When the conflict began in 1941, the G3M was already considered antiquated but over 200 of the type were operating with three front-line units of four Kokutai (Naval Air Corps). The G3Ms were used to support operations in the Philippines and Indochina as well as the Malaysia peninsular and Singapore. Over 60 were also involved in the historic sinking of the British battleships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse off the coast of Malaya on 10 December 1941, the first time that battleships had been sunk at sea exclusively by aircraft. From 1942, the G3M was increasingly phased out of service, being replaced by the newer Mitsubishi G4M. Altogether nearly 1,050 G3Ms were built by the end of production in 1943.

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Above and right: The Mitsubishi G3M had a long range that was not matched until the B-29 Superfortress entered service.

Mitsubishi G3M2 ‘Nell’ Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 7 Length: 54ft 0in (16.45m) Wingspan: 82ft 0in (25m) Height: 12ft 1in (3.68m) Weight empty: 10,946lb (4,965kg) Max T/O weight: 17,637lb (8,000kg) Max Speed: 233mph (375km/h) Range: 2,734 miles (4,400km) Powerplant: 2 x Mitsubishi Kasei 14-cylinder radial engines of 1,061hp each Armament: Guns: 1 x 0.79in Type 99 cannon in rear dorsal turret, 4 x 0.303in Type 92 guns in cockpit, side positions and retractable forward dorsal turret Bombs: 1,800lb or one torpedo

Above: The G3M was an elegant aircraft with a performance that was very good by the standards of the time with excellent handling qualities that made it popular with its pilots. Right: The crew of a Mitsubishi G3m enjoy a meal between missions.

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38 JAPAN

T

Mitsubishi Ki-21 ‘Sally’

he Mitsubishi Ki-21 (codenamed ‘Sally’ by the Allies) was a successful Japanese medium bomber that saw extensive service throughout World War 2. Although outdated by the end of the conflict, it became a lethal weapon in the hands of kamikaze pilots. The Mitsubishi Ki-21 was designed and built to meet an Imperial Japanese Army requirement of early 1936 for a bomber that would have a maximum speed of at least 249mph (400km/h) and an endurance of more than five hours. Externally, the Ki-21 was a clean design of all-metal construction. The cockpit was fitted just forward of the wing root providing the pilot a decent view of the engines to either side of him. The nose featured a green-house type glass arrangement with more small windows positioned to look downward than upward. A dorsal turret was fitted just past the wings with a single vertical tail surface adorning the empennage. Two radial engines were mounted in nacelles at the leading edge of each wing. Armament on early models consisted of 0.303in (7.7mm) machine guns positioned in the nose, dorsal turret, a ventral position and two beam positions. The internal bomb bay could hold a capacity of 2,205lb. Crew was to comprise between 5-7. When first flown on 18 December 1936, the Ki-21 had Mitsubishi Ha-6 radial engines, but these were quickly replaced by the Nakajima Ha-5 and the Army ordered the Mitsubishi Ki-21-Ia into production under the designation Army Type 97 Heavy Bomber Model 1A; although the Japanese classed the Ki-21 as ’heavy’, the design was comparable to the B-25 medium bomber of the West. The first of the production aircraft began to enter service in the summer of 1938 and were quickly employed in the conflict with China flying long-range unescorted bombing missions. Losses were high owing to a lack of armament and self-sealing fuel tanks, while the aircraft’s oxygen system also proved unreliable. The Ki-21-Ib was an improved version designed to address the armament issue by increasing the number of 0.303in (7.7mm) Type 89 machine guns to five, and incorporating improvements to the horizontal tail surfaces and trailing edge flaps. In addition, the bomb bay was enlarged and the fuel tanks were partially protected with laminated rubber

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Above: Bombs away. A squadron of early Ki-21s during a long-range unescorted bombing mission. Although the Ki-21 performed well, it suffered from the same major drawbacks inherent in most of the Japanese designs of World War 2 – inadequate defensive armament and armour protection for the crew.

sheets. The tail gun was a ‘stinger’ installation, and was remotely controlled. However, losses were still high so from mid-1940 front line units were equipped with the Ki-21-IIa with the more powerful Mitsubishi Ha-101 air-cooled engines of 1,500hp and larger horizontal tail surfaces. This became the main version operated by most IJAAF heavy bomber squadrons at the beginning of the Pacific War. These aircraft played a significant role in the opening phase of the war, but as Allied resistance began to increase and bomber crews found themselves confronted by fighter aircraft of increased quality and in greater quantity, Ki-21 losses began to rise steeply. Further revisions of defensive armament were made, the Ki-21-IIb replacing the dorsal gun position by a manually operated gun turret containing one 0.50in (12.7mm) machine-gun, and this version also introduced redesigned cockpit canopies and individual engine exhaust stacks to give some thrust augmentation. However, it soon became clear that the Ki-21 was gradually becoming obsolescent and many were relegated to second-line duties. By the end of the war, operation of the Ki-21 was limited to the macabre delivery of kamikaze units to

Mitsubishi Ki-21-IIb ‘Sally’ Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 5-7 Length: 52ft 6in (16m) Wingspan: 73ft 10in (22.5m) Height: 15ft 11in (4.85m) Weight empty: 13,354lb (6,070kg) Max T/O weight: 23,320lb (10,600kg) Max Speed: 301mph (485km/h) Range: 1,680 miles (2,700km) Powerplant: 2 x Mitsubishi Army Type 100 Kasei 14-cylinder radial engines of 1,500hp each Armament: Guns: 1 x 0.59in Type 1 machine gun in dorsal turret, 4 x 0.303in guns in nose, ventral, beam and tail positions Bombs: 2,200lb which the potent internal payload was put to extensively lethal use. A total of 2,064 Ki-21s were built by Mitsubishi (1,713) and Nakajima. Top right: As the Pacific War advanced, many of the early models of the Ki-21 became obsolete and were relegated to second-line use. This example was assigned to training duties with the Hamamatsu Army Flying School. Right: Mitsubishi Ki-21-II ‘Sally’ of 14 Sentai 1 Chutai, circa 1940. Andy Hay/flyingart

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NAKAJIMA Ki-49 DONRYU 39

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Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu/‘Helen’

he Japanese christened it the Donryu, or Storm Dragon, while the Allies more prosaically referred to it as ‘Helen’. But whatever it was called the Nakajima Ki-49 medium bomber failed to live up to expectations. As the war progressed it became increasingly vulnerable to Allied fighters. Designed early in 1938 to replace the Mitsubishi Ki-21 heavy bomber (itself just entering service) the Nakajima Ki-49 made its maiden flight in August 1939. Because of its proportions, it looked bigger than it was and conditions for its 7-8 crew were very cramped in Top left: Nakajima Ki-49-II Donryu of 3 Chutai, 61 Sentai, circa 1945. Andy Hay/flyingart Bottom left: The Ki-49-I was a disappointment in service. It was underpowered and wasn’t fast enough to avoid Allied fighters. Its effective bomb load at combat ranges was lower than that of the Ki-21 and it was harder to fly. Below: Despite its official designation as Army Type 100 Heavy Bomber, the requirements of the Ki-49 – to operate unescorted, with heavy defensive armament and armour – restricted it to a small bomb load of 2,205lb. It was the first IJAAF bomber to be fitted with a tail turret.

the narrow fuselage. It was an all-metal aircraft with a smooth oval fuselage, with a raised section that ran from the pilot’s cockpit to the dorsal gunner’s position. Early versions were powered by a pair of Nakajima Ha-5 KAI radial engines, giving it good performance. It was fast, well protected by 5mm armour plating and rubberized fuel cells, and heavily armed, including a flexibly mounted 0.79in (20mm) cannon that was carried on the left-hand side of a dorsal turret. It also had the first tail turret on any Japanese Army aircraft, carrying a single 0.303in (7.7mm) machine gun. Similar machine guns were also carried in the nose, ventral, port and starboard positions. The Ki-49 was designed to carry a bomb load of 2,205lb internally. The Ki-49-I was first delivered to the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in August 1941, and the first unit to receive its Donryus was the 61 Sentai in China. In the same month, the Donryu made its combat debut in a raid on Darwin, Australia. It was frequently encountered over New Guinea and New Britain, but its poor handling when fully loaded meant that it was not fast enough to avoid interception. On the plus side, it was far more robust than its predecessor.

Nakajima Ki-49-IIa Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 7-8 Length: 54ft 2in (16.5m) Wingspan: 67ft 0in (20.42m) Height: 13ft 11in (4.25m) Weight empty: 14,396lb (6,530kg) Max T/O weight: 25,133lb (11,400kg) Max Speed: 306mph (492km/h) Range: 1,833 miles (2,950km) Powerplant: 2 x Nakajima Ha-109 14-cylinder radial engines of 1,500hp each Guns: 1 x 0.79in Ho-1 Armament: cannon, 5 x 0.303in Type 89 machine guns Bombs: 2,205lb (1,000kg) Combat experience dictated further changes, such as a new bombsight, heavier-grade armour plate, and improved self-sealing fuel tanks. The revised version was accepted for production as the Ki-49-IIa, and deliveries commenced in September 1942. Despite all the improvements, the Donryu never totally supplanted the Ki-21-II in service. When the US returned to the Philippines in October 1944, the ‘Helen’ suffered massive losses. Most of the surviving Ki-49s on the Philippines were used as kamikaze aircraft in attacks on the Allied fleet of Mindoro. For this role the guns were removed, the crew reduced to two and the bomb load raised to 3,527lb. After 819 aircraft had been completed, production ended in December 1944.

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Mitsubishi G4M ‘Betty’

he Allies called it ‘Betty’, but to the men that flew the bomber, it was known as the ‘Hamaki’, Japanese for cigar, after the shape of its fuselage. The Mitsubishi G4M was the most numerous Japanese bomber built during World War 2 and saw service throughout the conflict, achieving notoriety along the way. The Mitsubishi G4M was born out of a 1937 specification issued by the Japanese Navy to replace the G3M ‘Nell’. The new requirements were unprecedented for a twin-engine, landbased attack bomber, calling for a top speed of 247mph (398km/h) with a range of 2,300 miles (3,700km) while carrying a 1,768lb torpedo or the same weight in bombs. To meet the demands, the design team had to make weight sacrifices, which it did by installing light nonsealing fuel tanks. This was to be the Achilles heel of the bomber, making it extremely vulnerable when attacked. The first G4M flew in mid-October of 1939 and initial results were impressive. The Navy ordered the G4M1 into production and the

Below: Like most of Japan’s aircraft in the early stages of World War 2, the Mitsubishi G4M (codenamed ‘Betty’ by the Allies) was a potent performer in operation as a land-based naval bomber. The system was of a strong design and featured impressive range for the time and would see combat action throughout the entire war.

first G4M rolled off the line in April 1941. The fuselage was streamlined but rotund to allow space for a bomb bay that could carry 2,205lb of conventional bombs or one 1,768lb antiship torpedo. About half of the 7-9 man crew (pilot, co-pilot, navigator/bombardier/nose gunner, top turret gunner, radio operator/waist gunner, engine mechanic/waist gunner, tail gunner) manned the defensive gun positions, which consisted of a combination of cannon and machine guns. Two 0.303in (7.7mm) machine guns were positioned in the nose and two side blisters (one gun per blister). A single

Above: Early production G4M1s of Kanoya Kokutai with the original shape tail cones. The Mitsubishi G4M began to prove its worth in early entanglements that included the sinking of the British warships HMS Repulse and the HMS Prince of Wales. In addition to successful action against the Allies, the G4M was also seen in combat against China.

0.79in (20mm) cannon was placed in the dorsal turret and in the tail gun position. Operationally, ‘Betty’ crews achieved much in their first year of combat. They devastated Clark Field, Philippine Islands, on 8 December

MITSUBISHI G4M ‘BETTY’ 45

‘Betty’ casualties As with many Japanese aircraft, the G4M was highly susceptible to Allied gunfire. When it was employed for low-altitude torpedo attacks on ships, the G4M was frequently shot down by anti-aircraft artillery fire, and even by small arms. The G4M’s relatively large size made it an easy gunnery target, and the predictable approach path required for a torpedo run made for a generally easy interception by Allied fighter aircraft. The ‘Betty’ was so prone to ignite that the Allies nicknamed it the ‘flying lighter’. Right: A US Navy PB2Y-3 Coronado patrol bomber shot down this Mitsubishi G4M in the Central Pacific on 22 May 1944. Below right: A kamikaze Mitsubishi G4M is hit by anti-aircraft fire from US aircraft carriers before it can hit its target. Below: Japanese Navy aviators press home a torpedo attack against US ships off Guadalcanal on 8 August 1942, suffering heavy losses. The ‘Betty’ on the left at extreme low-level (approximately 5m) was flown by Jun Takahashi, who was still alive in 2016. Bottom left: A Mitsubishi G4M Betty bomber plunges into the sea after tangling with USS Lexington’s VF-3 Wildcats off Rabaul, New Britain, 20 February 1942. Bottom right: A ‘Betty’ is stripped of all its useful parts at Clark Field, Philippines, after the airfield is recaptured from the Japanese in 1945.

46 JAPAN 1941, and participated in the sinking of the British battleships HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse off the eastern coast of Malaya on 10 December 1941. The G4Ms attacked at low level, while Mitsubishi G3M ‘Nell’s made highlevel bombing runs. The bomber crews were from 701, 751 and 753 Kokutai (Air Group), trained in torpedo attacks at an altitude of less than 30ft (10m). HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse were the first two capital ships to be sunk exclusively by air attacks during a war, while in open waters. Meanwhile, the G4Ms ranged across the length and breadth of the Pacific, attacking targets from the Aleutians to Australia. Against limited fighter opposition, the lack of armour

Above: The rotund nature of the G4M gave its crew relatively spacious conditions. Visibility from the cockpit was good, but in early versions the crew were very exposed because of lack of armour, sacrificed as a weight-saving measure.

Above: Wearing US insignia, the performance of a captured ‘Betty’ bomber is evaluated. Although state-of the-art at the beginning of the war, by the end of the conflict the aircraft had become obsolete and was easy prey for Allied fighters.

Mitsubishi G4M ‘Betty’ Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 7-9 Length: 65ft 6in (19.97m) Wingspan: 81ft 8in (24.89m) Height: 16ft 1in (4.9m) Weight empty: 14,860lb (6,741kg) Max T/O weight: 28,350lb (12,860kg) Max Speed: 265mph (428km/h) Range: 1,540 miles (2,852km) Powerplant: 2 x Mitsubishi MK4A-11 Kasei 14-cylinder radial engines of 1,530hp each Armament: Guns: 1 x 0.79in cannon in tail turret, 4 x 0.303in guns in nose, waist and top turret Bombs: 2,205lb or 1x 1,764lb torpedo Below: A formation of G4Ms head out on a mission, as seen from the waist gunner’s position. Assuming they did not catch fire after being hit, G4Ms were able to remain airborne despite being badly damaged. During the attack of 751 Kokutai on USS Chicago during the Battle of Rennell Island, three out of four surviving aircraft (of the original 11) returned flying on only one engine.

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MITSUBISHI G4M ‘BETTY’ 47 and self-sealing fuel tanks was no hindrance. But as Allied fighter strength increased, the ‘Betty’ began to reveal its fatal vulnerabilities. Most notably, Adm Isoroku Yamamoto, architect of the Pearl Harbor attack, died on 18 April 1943 along with his staff, when US Army Air Corps P-38 Lightnings intercepted and destroyed the two ‘Betty’ bombers that carried them. Any sort of dominance that the G4M exhibited in the opening years of the conflict

was soon reversed as the newer and better Allied fighters were made available in concentrated numbers across the Pacific. The days of the G4M were numbered from then on, despite being fielded in a number of variants, each one being a general improvement over the previous marks. With the ultimate G4M Model 34, Mitsubishi changed the wing to a single-spar configuration and installed self-sealing fuel tanks with a capacity about one-third less than earlier

Below: Four days after the war had ended, two ‘Betty’ bombers landed at Ie Shima Island. They were painted in special ‘surrender markings,’ white overall with green crosses replacing the national insignia. The official Japanese surrender delegation had boarded these two aircraft in Kyushu. Their next stop was the Philippines where the Allied delegation, led by Gen Douglas MacArthur, would witness the Japanese officials signing the surrender agreement.

versions. Armour plate was also added to all crew positions and the tail turret was redesigned. As a result of these modifications, the fuselage was shortened. With the war drawing to a close, the ‘Betty’ was also used as the mothership for the rocket-powered human-guided anti-shipping kamikaze aircraft, the Yokosuka MXY7 Ohka. Very few ‘Bettys’ returned from these missions but the damage the combination wrought was severe. During the invasion of Okinawa in April 1945, the US Navy lost 21 vessels sunk and 217 damaged, with high casualties. Over the course of the war, Mitsubishi produced a total of 2,414 G4Ms, but very few remained intact when the war ended.

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Mitsubishi Ki-67 Hiryu/‘Peggy’

espite Japan classifying it as a heavy bomber, the Mitsubishi Ki-67 Hiryu (Flying Dragon) ‘Peggy’ was more in the class of the American B-26 Marauder. However, there is no question that it was the finest bomber to serve with the Imperial Japanese Army during World War 2, but arrived too late to make any significant contribution to the Japanese war effort. The Mitsubishi Ki-67 was originally designed with a possible Japanese-Soviet conflict in mind, from specifications first drafted late in 1940 and given to Mitsubishi on 17 February 1941. The aircraft itself was a slim, mid-winged monoplane designed to be powered by a pair of Mitsubishi Ha-104 fan-cooled engines of 1,900hp. To ease production, the Ki-67 was designed to be built by sub-assemblies. The

Below: the Japanese Army’s Ki-67 Hiryu (Flying Dragon) was the best Japanese twin-engined bomber of the Pacific War. The aircraft was largely flown by young crews fresh out of training school. Those veterans who did fly the Hiryu had to operate it under almost suicidal conditions against rampant enemy fighters.

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first prototype made its maiden flight on 27 December 1942. Crew accommodation ranged from 6-8 personnel depending on the mission role. Defensive gun positions consisted of a trainable nose-mounted 0.5in (12.7mm) machine gun, two more in the waist-gunner positions and a single machine gun for the tail gunner. Additionally, a single 0.79in (20mm) cannon was mounted atop the fuselage in a dorsal turret. The bomb bay could hold up to 1,764lb of warload. A single 2,359lb torpedo could be fitted as well in the anti-shipping role. In the more macabre role of kamikaze (to which the Ki-67 and her crews would be subjected to before the end of the war) the internal weapons bay could be fitted with up to 6,393lb of bombs. The Ki-67 proved to be a versatile platform, so much so that the Japanese Army wanted a number of variants for specialised roles. Unfortunately, these requests delayed production until the design was finally frozen on 2 December 1943. The first fully operational aircraft were delivered in the summer of 1944.

Mitsubishi Ki-67-Ib Hiryu/‘Peggy’ Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 6-8 Length: 61ft 4in (18.7m) Wingspan: 73ft 10in (22.5m) Height: 25ft 3in (7.7m) Weight empty: 19,068lb (8,649kg) Max T/O weight: 30,347lb (13,765kg) Max Speed: 334mph (537km/h) Range: 2,050 miles (3,800km) Powerplant: 2 x Mitsubishi Ha-104 18-cylinder radial engines of 1,900hp each Armament: Guns: 1 x 0.79in Ho-5 cannon in dorsal turret, 5 x 0.303in guns in nose, beam and tail positions Bombs: 3,527lb (1,600kg) The Hiryu entered service too late to make any real contribution to the Japanese war effort. The aircraft made its combat debut with the Army’s 7 and 98 Sentais and the Navy’s 762 Kokutai, the latter flying it as a torpedo bomber during the decisive naval battles off Formosa in October 1944. Ultimately, Ki-67 production suffered from the devastating Allied bombing raids on Japan, before the inevitable end to the conflict. As good as the Hiryu was, just under 700 were produced.

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YOKOSUKA P1Y 49

Yokosuka P1Y Ginga/‘Frances’

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he final twin-engined bomber developed for the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War 2 was the Yokosuka P1Y Ginga (Galaxy), though the Allies referred to it as ‘Frances’. Requiring a fast-medium bomber for dive-bombing, low-altitude bombing or torpedo attack, the Imperial Japanese Navy turned to Yokosuka to meet the demanding specification. The resulting Yokosuka P1Y prototype was flown in August 1943, and was

Below: Yokosuka P1Y ‘Frances’ shot down next to USS Ommaney Bay on 15 December 1944. As the war drew to its inevitable close, many Ginga bombers were converted for kamikaze missions against Allied shipping.

a mid-wing, all‑metal monoplane, powered by two Nakajima NK9B Homare 11 radial engines. The wing mainplanes were mid-mounted and the tail was a traditional single-rudder. Operated by a crew of just three, the bomber could carry an internal bombload of 2,205lb, or a single 1,800lb torpedo. Typical defensive armament was in the form of a 0.79in (20mm) Type 99 cannon in the nose and a single 0.5in (12mm) Type 2 heavy machine gun facing aft. Its performance was satisfactory, but the P1Y suffered from maintenance problems that delayed its entry into service and continued to plague it throughout its operational life. Introduction of the P1Y was during October 1944 and the type was operated by five Kokutai (Air Groups) from airfields in China, Taiwan, Marianas, Philippines, Ryukyu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. A night fighter version, the P1Y2-S with Mitsubishi Kasei engines, was equipped with radar and upward- and forward-firing cannon. A total of 96 were produced by Kawanishi, but owing to inadequate highaltitude performance against B-29s, many were converted back to bombers. By this time, the Japanese situation had deteriorated enough to convert many of the P1Y bombers into kamikaze weapons against Allied warships. Production totalled 1,098, built by Kawanishi (96) and Nakajima (1,002).

Above: Sleek and fast. The Yokosuka P1Y was designed to have a speed that matched fighters of the day. Its streamlined design is attributed to Miki Tadanao, an engineer who after the war went on to create a similar aerodynamic design for Japan’s earliest ‘bullet trains’. 

Yokosuka P1Y Ginga/‘Frances’ Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 3 Length: 49ft 2in (15m) Wingspan: 65ft 7in (20m) Height: 14ft 1in (4.3m) Weight empty: 16,020lb (7,265kg) Max T/O weight: 29,762lb (13,500kg) Max Speed: 340mph (547km/h) Range: 3,371 miles (5,370km) Powerplant: 2 x Nakajima NK9C Homare 12 18-cylinder radial engines of 1,825hp each Armament: Guns: 1 x 0.79in Type 99 cannon in nose, 1 x 0.5in Type 2 machine gun rear facing Bombs: 2,205lb (1,000kg) or 1 x 1,800lb (800kg) torpedo

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PZL P-37 Los

t the outbreak of World War 2, the PZL P-37 Los (elk) was not only one of the most advanced bombers of its time, but it was also the only aircraft in service with the Polish AF that could be regarded as being of modern design. In the event, its combat career with Poland would only last 13 harrowing days… The decision to upgrade the Polish AF with modern twin-engine bombers was adopted in 1934 and aircraft manufacturer PZL was tasked with the job. Having evaluated a number of proposals, the PZL board opted for a revolutionary design by Jerzy Dąbrowski featuring an entirely metal mid-wing aircraft with retractable undercarriage. In terms of aerodynamics, the shape of this four-crew

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bomber was cutting edge, with low-set wings and a twin tail. It was one of the first bombers in the world to feature a laminar-style aerofoil. The aircrew consisted of four – a pilot, navigator (who also served as an observer), and two gunners. The defensive armament consisted of three 7.92mm machine guns located in the two rear firing stations (upper and underbelly), as well as in the glass front section of the fuselage. It could carry a heavier bombload than similar aircraft, though the size of the bombs was limited. Smaller than most contemporary medium bombers, it was relatively fast and easy to handle. Thanks to a landing gear with double wheels it could operate from rough fields or meadows. The first PZL P-37 prototype was fitted with Bristol

Pegasus XIIB engines and was completed by early November 1936, making its maiden flight on 13 December 1936. The main production variant, the PZL P-37B (or Los II), was fitted with the newer Pegasus XX engines. For export purposes, new variants were developed: the PZL P-37C with GnomeBelow: Los aircraft photographed at the Warsaw airport Okęcie in March 1939. A total of 45 Los aircraft took part in the defence of Poland. The Bomber Brigade lost 26 aircraft, 14 of which were destroyed by the enemy, one was shot down by friendly anti-aircraft defence, and the rest were either abandoned or destroyed during the retreat. Eleven aircraft fell victim to German Bf109 fighters. In return, the Polish Los pilots dropped 150t of bombs and shot down six German fighter aircraft.

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PZL P-37 LOS 51 Rhône 14N-0/1 engines and the PZL P-37D. In 1939, P-37s were ordered by Yugoslavia (20), Bulgaria (12), Romania (30), Turkey (25) and Greece (12). Sales to Denmark, Estonia, Finland and Iran were under negotiation when World War 2 broke out. By August 1939, the Polish AF had about 86 P-37s on strength, but entry into service did not go well. Six aircraft were lost in crashes caused by technical problems, mostly with rudders. In the early morning of 1 September, the Luftwaffe struck, attacking the main Polish AF bases and aviation facilities. Initially the Los bombers were held back from combat as no target worthy of their deployment was identified. It was not until 4 September that the Los was called into action, bombing German tanks advancing on Radomsko–Piotrków. Although the attacks delayed the German column, the lightly armed Los bombers paid a heavy price and seven of them failed to return. Over

its first two days of action, Los bombers dropped about 40t of bombs and succeeded in shooting down three German fighters (one Bf109 and two Bf110s), but by 9 September, the Polish AF had already lost 16 Los aircraft. Shortage of spare parts and fuel rapidly undermined the combat capabilities of the bomber units and by 17 September, the Brigade had only 10 front-line Los bombers left, five of which were out of order. Fuel was on the verge of depletion and all the bombs were gone. That evening, the Polish AF issued an order for the evacuation of the surviving bombers to Romania. In October 1940, the Romanian government seized the aircraft and 23 entered service with the air force’s 4th Group. About 15 were used against the USSR from 22 June 1941 in bombing operations against Kiev and Odessa, some falling to anti-aircraft fire. Due to a lack of spare parts, the remaining Los were withdrawn from the front in October 1941.

PZL P-37 Los Type: Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 4 (pilot, navigator/ bombardier, two gunner/ radio operators) 42ft 5in (12.92m) Length: Wingspan: 58ft 10in (17.93m) Height: 16ft 9in (5.1m) Weight empty: 9,436lb (4,280kg) Max T/O weight: 20,070lb (9,105kg) Max Speed: 256mph at 9,200ft with 4,397lb bomb load Range: 1,615 miles (2,600km) with 1,760kg bomb load and extra fuel tanks 2 × Bristol Pegasus XX Powerplant: radial engines, 970hp each Armament: Guns: 3 x 7.92mm machine guns Bombs: up to 2,595kg

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Ilyushin Il-4

he Ilyushin Il-4 is one of the great forgotten aircraft of World War 2. Overshadowed by its Allied counterparts, it is a surprise to discover that well over 5,000 of this twin-engined bomber were produced between 1937 and 1944. It was used in a variety of roles, from mediumrange and long-range bombers to torpedo bomber and made a significant contribution to the war. The Il-4 evolved from the Ilyushin DB-3 of the 1930s. This low-wing twin-engine bomber made its maiden flight in 1935 as the TsKB-26. Further developed through the TsKB-30, it entered production in 1937 as the DB-3B (DB being a Soviet acronym for longrange bomber). Although the aircraft initially performed well, its poor defensive armament was badly exposed during the Winter War against Finland in 1939-40 when it became

easy prey for fighters. A redesign featuring a longer nose, to give more room for the navigator/bombardier while reducing drag, and heavier armament resulted in the DB-3F. Now powered by 1,100hp Tumansky M-88 engines, in 1940 the bomber became the Il-4, after its designer Sergei Ilyushin. The Il-4 was a rugged design, the new glazed nose section offering improved visibility and streamlining. A turret was positioned at mid-rear with a single vertical tail surface dominating the empennage. Although its defensive armament was still weak, its offensive payload was impressive, comprising up to 2,205lb of conventional bombs, or three 1,102lb torpedoes. The Il-4 was classed as a medium bomber, but it had the range to be used on strategic missions, as demonstrated when it first raided Berlin from the east on 8 August 1941.

Ilyushin Il-4 Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 4 Length: 48ft 7in (14.80m) Wingspan: 70ft 4in (21.44m) Height: 13ft 6in (4.10m) Weight empty: 13,228lb (6,000kg) Max T/O weight: 22,046lb (10,000kg) Max Speed: 255mph (410km/h) Range: 1,616 miles (2,600km) Powerplant: 2 x Tumansky radial engines of 1,100hp each Armament: Guns: 3 x 0.5in UBT machine guns located in nose, ventral and dorsal positions Bombs: up to 2,205lb or 3 x 1,102lb torpedoes Thereafter the Il-4 paid frequent visits to the German capital and other targets in Eastern Europe. Most of the time however, the bomber was used on much shorter range missions, allowing an additional 2,204lb payload to be carried under the wings. The Soviet Navy began using the bombers extensively in 1943, and by the end of the war, Il-4s would go on to sink more than 50 German ships. Indeed, over the course of the war, Soviet DB-3s and Il-4s flew more than 222,000 sorties, dropping 2,000,000 bombs. Left: Soviet Navy groundcrew preparing to load a torpedo on an Ilyushin Il-4. As a torpedo bomber the Ilyushin Il-4 was responsible for sinking more than 50 German ships during World War 2. Below: This Ilyushin Il-4 was captured after it force landed over German territory. The streamlined nose of the design with its extensive glazing is well shown.

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YERMOLAYEV YER-2 53

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Yermolayev Yer-2

he gull-winged Yermolayev Yer-2 was a long-range Soviet medium bomber that was used to bomb Berlin from airbases in Estonia in 1941. It was flown on tactical ground-attack missions during the Battle of Moscow with heavy losses. Designed by V. G. Yermolayev, the Yer-2 long-range bomber was developed from the Bartini Stal-7 prototype airliner. As the DB240 it was flown for the first time in June 1940. Production took place at Voronezh,

Yermolayev Yer-2/Ach-30B Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 4 Length: 53ft 10in (16.42m) Wingspan: 75ft 5in (23m) Height: 15ft 10in (4.82m) Weight empty: 23,049lb (10,455kg) Max T/O weight: 40,961lb (18,580kg) Max Speed: 261mph (420km/h) Range: 3,418 miles (5,500km) Powerplant: 2 x Charomskiy ACh-30B diesel engines of 1,500hp each Armament: Guns: 1 x 0.79in cannon in turret, 2 x 0.5in UBT machine guns in nose and ventral positions Bombs: up to 4,000lb

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but the German invasion led to evacuation of the factory in July 1941, by which time 128 examples had been delivered under the designation Yermolayev Yer-2. Developed as an all-metal mid-wing monoplane of inverted gull-wing configuration and with a twin fin-and-rudder tail unit, the Yer-2 had tail-wheel landing gear, the main units retracting into the nacelles of its two M-105 engines. The pilot’s cockpit was offset to port to improve his downward view and the navigator/bomb aimer sat in the extensively glazed nose with a 0.3in (7.62mm) ShKAS machine gun. The radio operator sat below and to starboard of the pilot and the dorsal gunner in a partially retractable turret with one 0.5in (12.7mm) Berezin UBT machine gun, later upgraded to a 0.79in (20mm) cannon. Another ShKAS was fitted in a ventral hatch. Up to 4,409lb (2,000kg) of bombs could be carried in the bomb bay and two 1,102lb (500kg) bombs could be carried externally. Despite promising performances, some engine troubles delayed the trials and when war broke out, the medium bomber was not yet in front line units. Nevertheless, the Yer-2 was capable of impressive range and bombed Berlin on various occasions during night time raids. It did not fare so well over the autumn and winter of 1941 and suffered heavy losses when the bombers were inappropriately committed at low altitudes against German tactical front-line

Above: The Yer-2 had Italian origins as it was based on the Bartini Stal-7 prototype airliner. There were no major combat variants other than the basic Yer-2 although some aircraft were eventually fitted with ASh-30B diesel engines in addition to other improvements such as a revised cockpit, increased armament and heavier payloads.

targets during the Battle of Moscow. Only 10 remained in service by August 1942. The Yer-2 was placed back into production at the end of 1943 and fitted with Charomskiy ACh-30B diesel engines and over 100 of these were in service when the war ended. The Yer-2 remained with long-range aviation units until replaced by fourengined bombers in the late 1940s. Below: Although designed as a long-range medium bomber, the Yer-2 was flown on tactical ground-attack missions during the Battle of Moscow with heavy losses. 

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Tupolev Tu-2

he Tupolev Tu-2 was one of the finest warplanes of World War 2, but is generally not well-known outside the USSR. A fast medium bomber, it was remarkably agile and could out-manoeuvre lesser fighters. Owing to its versatility, it has often been described as the Soviet Ju 88. The Tupolev Tu-2 was developed following a requirement by the Soviet AF for a medium bomber that could be used for dive bombing, conventional bombing, maritime and reconnaissance roles. At the time, the Russian aircraft engineer Andrei Tupolev was wrongly accused of passing secrets to the Germans and was incarcerated in prison. However, he was considered important to the war effort and he was placed in charge of a team that was to design the bomber. Work commenced from behind prison walls and on 29 January 1941 the prototype first flew, designated ‘Aircraft 102’; Tupolev’s status as a ‘nonperson’ initially precluded using his initials.

Below and right: The Tupolev Tu-2 was a strikingly clean, twin-engine design with smooth engine cowlings, a pointed profile, and twin rudders. The empennage incorporated a horizontal plane straddled by rounded vertical tail fins which provided the needed stability during low-level missions. By 1945 Tu-2s were a common sight in the skies over Eastern Europe, and they had a devastating effect upon German troops and armour.

The design centred around a pair of Shvetsov ASh-82 radial piston engines fitted to streamlined nacelles under each wing assembly. The fuselage was long and slender, containing operating spaces for the four crew; pilot, navigator/cockpit machine gun, radio operator/dorsal gunner and rear gunner. Its internal bomb bay could accommodate 3,300lb ordnance, the payload rising up to 5,000lb when using external hardpoints. Offensive armament consisted of 2 x 0.79in (20mm) ShVAK cannon fitted to the leading edge

Tupolev Tu-2 Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 4 Length: 45ft 3in (13.80m) Wingspan: 61ft 10in (18.86m) Height: 13ft 7in (4.13m) Weight empty: 16,757lb (7,601kg) Max T/O weight: 25,944lb (11,768kg) Max Speed: 325mph (528km/h) Range: 1,260 miles (2,020km) Powerplant: 2 x Shvetsov Ash-82 radial engine of 1,850hp each Armament: Guns: 2 x 0.79in ShVAK cannon in the wings, 3 x 0.30in rear-facing machine guns Bombs: 3,300lb (1,500kg) mounted internally

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of the wings suitable for aerial and ground targets. Defence was initially provided by 0.3in (7.62mm) ShKAS machine guns across three defensive positions (cockpit, dorsal and ventral). Overall performance specifications included a top speed of 325mph with a range out to 1,250 miles and service ceiling up to 29,500ft. The big, rugged craft was especially popular with crews for its amazing ability to absorb damage and remain aloft.

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A total of 80 Tu-2s were built before Stalin issued a temporary stop-work order in October 1942 to divert all available aircraft production to ground attack and fighter aircraft. In 1943 production was allowed to resume. Although only available in small numbers during World War 2, the Tu-2 proved very effective against German positions during the 1943-1944 counteroffensive (including the Kursk battle), and the early 1945 push into East

Prussia. Throughout the war, naval missions in the Baltic were flown with torpedoes and mines. In April and May 1945, Tu-2s took part in the final battle of Berlin and the bomber was also used in the USSR’s short participation in the Pacific war. The aircraft went on to have a successful post-war career as well, being flown by a number of Soviet bloc nations. In all, production totalled 2,257 aircraft.

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Armstrong Whitworth Whitley

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ncompromising is perhaps the kindest way to describe the big Armstrong Whitworth Whitley. One of three new medium bombers operated by the RAF at the beginning of World War 2, it was already considered obsolescent. Despite this, the Whitley’s place in history is assured. It was the bomber of choice during the early war years and It conducted the first British bombing missions on mainland Germany. The Whitley was developed by Armstrong Whitworth’s Chief Designer, John Lloyd, in response to Air Ministry Specification B3/34 which called for a night bomber to meet the requirement to replace the RAF’s biplane bomber force. Such was the urgency, that an

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order for 80 machines was placed in 1935. Chief test pilot Alan Campbell-Orde took the prototype Whitley into the air for the first time on 17 March 1936. The Whitley was Armstrong Whitworth’s first aircraft to incorporate semi-monocoque construction and proved to be a very strong and robust aircraft. One of the most identifiable features of the series lay in the interesting angled-down format of the nose and cockpit section, which in itself contained a very obvious protruding ‘chin’ fixture. Originally designed without flaps, the wing had an 8.5 degree angle of incidence which resulted in its characteristic nose-down flight attitude. It went through several design

changes during its life. The most significant change occurred with the Mk IV where Merlin in-line engines replaced the underpowered Tiger radials, effectively giving the Whitley a new lease of life. Standard armament of the Mk V model consisted of a single 0.303in machine gun in a nose gunner position complimented by a 4 x 0.303in machine gun array in a powered-turret assembly at the tail. Internal bombload was limited to 7,000lb of varying ordnance. The Whitley Mk V was by far the most numerous version of the aircraft, with 1,466 built until production ended in June 1943. Bomber command used the Whitley from March 1937 when No 10 Squadron at Dishforth

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AW Whitley V Type: Crew:

converted to the new type. When World War 2 broke out, the Whitley was operational with seven squadrons and was still the heaviest bomber available to the RAF. As such it achieved several notable firsts – the first bombs dropped on Germany during a raid near München Gladbach on 11-12 May 1940, the first bombs dropped on Berlin on 25-26 August 1940 and the first raid over Italy on 11-12 June 1940. However the Whitley’s slow speed made it increasingly vulnerable, and it was officially retired from front line service with bomber command in April 1942. Thereafter, it continued in a variety of secondary roles including troop and freight transport. A few

Above: RAF Whitley V Z6640 EY-Y of No 78 Squadron, a veteran of 29 sorties. The Whitley was officially retired from front line service with Bomber Command in April 1942, although a number did take place in the thousand bomber raid on Cologne on 30 May 1942, when every available aircraft was needed to reach the target number of bombers. 

aircraft were used by Special Duties squadrons until 1943 and it also played an important role in Coastal Command as a maritime patrol aircraft, accounting for six U-boats before the end of 1943. Whitleys flew a total of 8,996 operations with Bomber Command and dropped 9,845 tons of bombs. Some 269 were lost in action.

Twin-engined bomber 5-6 – pilot, navigator/ bomb aimer, radio operator, nose gunner, tail 70ft 6in (21.49m) Length: Wingspan: 84ft 0in (25.6m) Height: 15ft 0in (4.57m) Weight empty: 19,300lb (8,768kg) Max T/O weight: 33,500lb (15,196kg) Max Speed: 230mph (370km/h) Range: 1,430 miles (2,650km) Powerplant: 2 x Rolls-Royce Merlin X V12 engine of 1,145hp each Guns: 1 x 0.303 machine Armament: gun in forward turret, 4 x 0.303 in machine guns in rear turret Bombs: up to 7,000lb (3,175kg) in bomb bay and 14 individual cells in the wings

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Above and right: Production of the Armstrong Whitley was initially centred at three factories in Coventry; fuselages and detailed components were fabricated at Whitley Abbey (after which the aircraft was named), panel-beating and much of the detailed work occurred at the former Coventry Ordnance Works facility, while wing fabrication and final assembly took place at Baginton Aerodrome.

Above: A Whitley receiving its deadly payload prior to a mission over Germany. Up to 7,000lb (3,175kg) of bombs could be loaded in the fuselage and 14 individual cells in the wings. Typical bomb loads included 12 × 250lb (113kg) and 2 × 500lb (227kg). Bombs as heavy as 2,000lb (907kg) could be carried. Left: Armourers install 0.303in Browning machine guns into the rear turret of an Armstrong Whitley V of No 58 Squadron at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire. Right: Whitley V Z6463 of No 77 Squadron based at RAF Topcliffe. This aircraft was lost on 1 March 1941 after returning from a mission to Köln. Owing to enemy activity in the area, its pilot PO Jack Rogers was ordered to divert to Benson. However, the Whitley crashed near Catterick airfield, possibly as a result of low fuel. Its radio operator, Sgt Denis Flanders was sadly killed in the incident.

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Vickers Wellington

he Vickers-Armstrongs Wellington, affectionately known to its crews as the ‘Wimpy’, was the only bomber that was in production for the RAF both on the first day of World War 2 and on the last. The Wellington had its origins in an Air Ministry specification for a medium twinengined day bomber. Vickers-Armstrongs submitted a design which, while conventional in layout, featured a novel geodetic construction method for its fuselage. This system, developed by Barnes Wallis, utilised a ‘basket weave’ of metal sections joined to form a framework for the fuselage, which was ultimately covered in fabric for its outer surface. This method produced a strong structure that allowed the aircraft to absorb significant damage and still bring its crews back safely. Prototype B.9/32 K4049 took to the air for the first time on 15 June 1936, piloted by chief test pilot Mutt Summers. Testing revealed the aircraft to have good flying characteristics, apart from a tendency to nose heaviness in a dive. The Wellington, as it went into production, was a somewhat different aircraft from the prototype. The Mk I had 1,050hp Bristol Pegasus XVIIIs and featured Vickers twin-gun turrets in the nose and tail, a retractable ventral gun position and a retractable tail wheel. A redesigned fuselage shape, less round and streamlined but now slab-sided, could accommodate a decent-sized bomb bay. Some 23ft in length, the bomb bay was divided into three compartments and closed with five sets of doors. Attachment points provided for bombs of 500lb, 1,000lb, 2,000lb or a 4,000lb ‘cookie’. The Wellington Mk Ic incorporated several improvements including new hydraulic and electrical systems and the replacement of the ventral turret by beam guns in the rear fuselage. This mark had the second highest production run, with 2,685 built through mid-1942. By the outbreak of war, production from Brooklands alone had reached one aircraft per day. Deliveries to the front line commenced to No 99 Squadron at RAF Mildenhall in October 1938 and Wellingtons were launched on the first raids on Germany within hours of the declaration of war on 3 September 1939. The results were less than spectacular; the attack against German warships on 4 September saw two Wellingtons lost. On 15 May 1940 RAF bombers were authorised to attack industrial

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targets in the Ruhr. This was the start of the strategic bomber offensive, which commenced on the night of 15/16 May when a force of 99 bombers including 36 Wellingtons was launched against various targets including power stations and oil refineries in the Ruhr. For the ‘thousand bomber raid’ on Germany on the night of 30/31 May, a force of 1,047 bombers was dispatched to attack Cologne, including 602 Wellingtons. This operation represented the peak of Bomber Command’s Wellington strength before the build-up of the four-engined ‘heavies’ had truly begun. The Wellington had been there when it was needed and provided the backbone of RAF Bomber Command as it built up its front-line strength in the early years of the war. The Mk X was the most-produced variant, with 3,803 aircraft coming off the Broughton and Squires Gate lines, Wellington production finally ending when the final Mk X was completed on 13 October 1945. This variant was powered by 1,675hp Hercules VI or XVI engines which gave an improved performance. Although supplanted in Bomber Command from 1942 by the four-engined ‘heavies’, the

Above: A fine study of Wellington Mk III, X3763 of No 425 Squadron, RCAF. The Mk III featured the 1,375hp Bristol Hercules III or XI engine and a four-gun tail turret, instead of two-gun. A total of 1,519 Mark IIIs were built and became mainstays of Bomber Command through 1941.

Wellington went on to have a second career with RAF Coastal Command. It proved a good platform for both maritime reconnaissance and the torpedo bomber roles, these often involving long sorties at low level over the sea. The combination of radar and searchlight with depth charge, torpedo or rocket armament proved formidable and Coastal Command Wellingtons are credited with sinking or seriously damaging 51 enemy submarines. The final production Wellington, a Mk X, rolled off the production line on 13 October 1945, the last of 11,461 built. Of these, 2,515 (plus prototype K4049) were produced by Vickers at Brooklands; the others came from Vickers’ shadow factories at Broughton (5,540) and Squires Gate (3,406). Total production of the Wellington exceeded that of the Avro Lancaster, ‘the RAF’s most successful bomber of World War 2’, by 50%.

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Above: Period cutaway of an early Wellington Mk I, with the Merlin-powered Mk II in the distance. Left: Prototype B.9/32 K4049 looks a far cry from the battle-hardened war machine it was to evolve into. In April 1937, K4049 was destroyed by an accident during a service test flight caused by the failure of the elevator’s horn balance due to excessive slipstream exposure. It was destroyed in the crash, which resulted in the death of the navigator.

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Above: The first production Wellington Mk Is were delivered to No 9 Squadron, seen here during a training sortie. Left: Wellingtons under construction during World War 2, revealing its geodetic structure. In 1943, workers at the aircraft factory at Broughton, Chester came in on a Saturday in an effort to set a record by building a Wellington ‘in a day’. They succeeded, and LN514 rolled off the line in 23hrs 50min, making its first flight just an hour later.

Vickers Wellington Mk X Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 5-6 – pilot, navigator/ bomb aimer, radio operator, nose gunner, tail Length: 64ft 7in (19.68m) Wingspan: 86ft 2in (26.26m) Height: 17ft 6in (5.33m) Weight empty: 18,556lb (8,417kg) Max T/O weight: 31,500lb (14,288kg) Max Speed: 180mph (290kph) Range: 1,615 miles (2,600km) with 1,760kg bomb load and extra fuel Powerplant: 2 x 1,675hp Bristol Hercules VI or XVI radials Armament: Guns: Two 0.303 in machine guns in forward turret, four 0.303in machine guns in rear turret plus one 0.303in machine gun in each beam position Bombs: up to 4,500lb (2,040kg)

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Right: Pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit of their No 149 Squadron Wellington, probably at RAF Mildenhall in 1941. The pilot is David Donaldson, who was promoted to Wing Commander in 1943 at the age of 28.

Above: A bomber crew of No 311 (Czechoslovac) Squadron study a map, while sitting on 250lb bombs which are about to be loaded into their Wellington Mk Ic at East Wretham, Norfolk.

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66 UNITED KINGDOM Right: Operations in the Middle East and North Africa, 1939-1943. Crew members of a Wellington Mk III of the Sea Rescue Flight, based in Egypt, at their stations by the beam gun positions of the aircraft during a search. IWM Below: Wellington Mk I and Mk Ics of No 75 (NZ) Squadron flying in loose formation over the East Anglian countryside as they head off for another mission.

Miracle machine The Wellington was famous for the punishment it could take and still return home. Vickers Wellington Mk X, HE239, NA-Y, of No 428 Squadron RCAF received a direct hit from anti-aircraft gun fire while approaching to bomb Duisburg, Germany on the night of 8/9 April 1943. Despite the loss of the rear turret and its gunner, as well as other extensive damage, the pilot, Sgt L .F. Williamson, continued to bomb the target, following which it was found that the bomb doors could not be closed because of a complete loss of hydraulic power. Williamson nevertheless brought HE239 and the remainder of his crew back for a safe landing at West Malling, Kent.

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Above: A fighter pilot’s view of Wellington Mk III, BJ905 as it drones towards a target. Right: Rolls-Royce Merlin-powered Wellington Mk II of No 104 Squadron about to be loaded with 500lb bombs for a raid over the Western Desert in 1942. Below right: Vickers Wellington Mk IV, Z1479 ‘GR-A’, of No 301 (Polish) Squadron, lying on the shore off Dornumergrode, Germany, after being hit by anti-aircraft fire while over the target area during the second ‘Thousand bomber’ raid on Bremen on 26 June 1942. The crew survived and were made prisoners of war. Below: Wellington Mk X, HZ258. Coastal Command recorded the first sinking of an enemy U-boat by a Wellington on 6 July 1942. U-502 was attacked with depth charges by an aircraft of No 172 Squadron in the Bay of Biscay and was lost with all hands.

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Handley Page Hampden

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ne of the strangest-looking aircraft of World War 2, the Hampden was born out of the same specification as the Whitley and Wellington. However, its design was more akin to Germany’s Dornier Do 17 family of bombers, with Handley Page adopting the doctrine of grouping the crew and its armament in the main fuselage, backed by a very slender tail unit. Inevitably this led to epithets such as ‘Flying Panhandle’. The Handley Page HP52 Hampden was designed by Gustav Lachmann to meet Air Ministry Specification B9/32 for a twin-engined day bomber. A single HP2 prototype took to the air for the first time on 21 June 1936 and an initial order for 180 Hampdens was placed shortly thereafter. The first production machine flew on 24 May 1938. A modern stressed-skin mid-wing monoplane, the Hampden featured a slim, though deep, fuselage with stepped single-seat cockpit and heavily glazed nose section. The total crew complement numbered four and included the pilot, navigator/bombardier and dedicated gunners (one of whom doubled as the radio operator). The cockpit held a greenhousestyle canopy while additional glazed positions were found at the dorsal and ventral sections of the rear fuselage for the defensive machine gun emplacements. The Hampden was given a rather unique shape as interwar bombers go, featuring a thin tail unit extending aft to which was seated a twin vertical tail assembly at the extreme rear of the design. It had the most advanced wings available at the time, giving it a remarkably low landing speed of 73mph for an aircraft of its size, with a top speed of 265mph. Powered by a pair of 980hp Bristol Pegasus XVIII ninecylinder radial engines, the Hampden was armed with a fixed 0.303 in Vickers K machine gun in the nose and one or two in each of the rear dorsal and ventral positions, all hand operated. Internally, the bomb bay could store up to 4,000lb of conventional drop bombs or a single torpedo for an anti-shipping role. The Hampden entered RAF service with No 49 Squadron in September 1938 and a total of 226 aircraft had been supplied to eight

Left: One of the first Handley Page Hampden Is for the RAF, L4159, performs for the camera, revealing its tall slim main fuselage. By the end of 1938, several RAF squadrons had formed around the Hampden I, meaning that when Britain declared war on Germany in September of 1939, the bomber was already on hand as part of the active Allied air campaign.

squadrons by the outbreak of war a year later. During operations, the Hampden proved to have serious deficiencies, particularly in its defensive armament. The fixed forward firing gun proved almost useless and the single guns in the nose, dorsal and ventral positions had limited transverse, leaving a number of blind spots. In addition, the cramped conditions led to crew fatigue on long flights. Losses during early daylight raids were so heavy that it was soon switched from day to night operations. To improve the defensive armament, the dorsal and ventral positions were each fitted with twin Vickers K machineguns. Thus modified, the Hampden did useful work in Bomber Command’s night offensive from 1940 to 1942, taking part in the RAF’s first raid on Berlin and in the 1,000-bomber raid on Cologne. With the advent of new heavy bombers, the Hampden was retired from Bomber Command in late 1942 but continued to operate with Coastal Command as a long-range torpedo bomber and maritime reconnaissance aircraft until the end of 1943. It was in a similar role that Hampdens also equipped the RAAF, the RNZAF and the RCAF. A total of 1,432 Hampdens were built, 502 of them by Handley Page, 770 by English Electric and 160 in Canada by the Victory Aircraft consortium, of which 714 were lost on operations. 

Handley Page Hampden I Type: Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 4 (pilot, navigator/bomb aimer, radio operator/ dorsal gunner, ventral gunner) Length: 53ft 7in (16.32m) Wingspan: 69ft 2in (21.09m) Height: 14ft 11in (4.55m) Weight empty: 12,764lb (5,789kg) Max T/O weight: 22,500lb (10,206kg) Max Speed: 247mph (397km/h) Range: 1,720 miles (2,768km) Powerplant: 2 x Bristol Pegasus XVIII 9-cylinder radial engines of 1,000hp each Guns: 1 x 0.303in Armament: M1919 Browning machine gun in nose, 3-5 x 0.303in Vickers K machine guns, one mounted in nose, 1-2 x each in dorsal and ventral positions Bombs: 4,000lb (1,814kg) or one torpedo

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HANDLEY PAGE HAMPDEN 71 Left: Powered by a pair of Bristol Pegasus PE.5S(A) engines, the first Hampden prototype was designated as the HP.52 and given the serial number K4240. It made its maiden flight on 21 June 1936 from Radlett Aerodrome, Herts, piloted by Handley Page chief test pilot Maj J. L. H. B. Cordes. Below left: Hampden Is on the final production line before delivery to the RAF. A split-assembly construction technique was employed, sections were prefabricated and then joined together, to enable rapid and economic manufacturing to be performed. In all, a total of 1,432 Hampdens were built, of which half were lost on operations. Top right: The vulnerability of the Hamden to attack is well shown in this ‘fighters-eye’ view. Conceived as a fast, manoeuvrable ‘fighting bomber’, to avoid the weight penalties of powered turrets, the Hampden had a curved Perspex nose fitted with a manual 0.303in Vickers K and 0.303in machine guns in the rear upper and lower positions. All were directed by hand and not power-assisted in any way. Wartime experience would show that the aircraft was truly under-gunned for daylight work. Right: The wing mainplanes were mid-mounted with each housing a radial piston engine along the leading edge while driving three-bladed propellers. The design of the Hampden’s wing was advance for its time, being highly tapered and designed to exert low levels of drag; these attributes were responsible for the aircraft’s high top speed for the era of 265mph while retaining a reasonably low landing speed of 73mph.

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Above: The single-pilot cockpit of the bomber reveals the cramped nature of the crew quarters compared to its contemporaries. The navigator sat behind the pilot and access in the cockpit required folding down the seats. Once in place, the crew had almost no room to move and were typically uncomfortable during long missions. Nicknamed the ‘Flying Suitcase’ its pilots regarded it as ‘a beautiful aeroplane to fly, terrible to fly in’. Right: The slimness of the fuselage is highlighted in this view of the bomb aimer’s position in the nose of the Hampden. Exiting the aircraft during an emergency was not easy resulting in high casualties amongst its crew. Below: Hampden aircrew clearly relieved at returning safely from yet another night mission over Germany.

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Above: A rare shot of a flight of Hampden Is pictured just after entry into RAF service in the summer of 1938. The newest of the RAF’s three medium bombers, the Hampden was still regarded as obsolescent when World War 2 broke out. Below: Internally, the bomb bay could store up to 4,000lb of conventional bombs or a single torpedo. The bomber also could disperse naval mines in place of bombs.

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Martin B-10

he Martin B-10 medium bomber was pioneering when it appeared in the early 1930s. It was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to enter service with the US Army Air Corps (USAAC) and featured a fully enclosed cockpit, an internal bomb bay, retractable landing gear and a turret in the

nose. However, by the time of World War 2 the bomber was severely outdated, though this did not prevent it from seeing combat. The B-10 originated as a private venture initiative by the Glenn Martin Company, evolving from its Model 123 design. Its eventual appearance was somewhat strange owing

to its deep belly and blunt nose and it was popularly called ‘The Flying Whale’. At its core, the Martin B-10 was a twin-engine, medium bomber powered by a pair of Wright R-1820 G-102 Cyclone 9-cylinder radial piston engines fitted on a cantilever low-wing monoplane. The fuselage housed a crew of four that included

MARTIN B-10 75 the pilot and machine gunners. The nose and tail were both glazed over and held defensive armament in the form of machine guns. The aft section of the fuselage was also glazed Below: Advanced for its day, the Martin B-10 featured the world’s first enclosed rotating machine gun turret. Gen Henry H. ‘Hap’ Arnold called the B-10 ‘the air power wonder of its day’, but by the late 1930s it had been replaced in USAAC service by B-17s and B-18s. The Chinese and Dutch air forces flew export versions in combat against Japan at the start of World War 2.

over (greenhouse-style) and included a ventral machine gun. The B-10 was the US’s first large all-metal monoplane, boasting a range of 1,400 miles and a top speed of 207mph, faster than any US fighter of its period. Internally, the aircraft was cleared to carry upwards of 2,260lb of bombs. The USAAC immediately ordered the B-10 and the first deliveries were made in mid1934, the aircraft going on to serve in every bombardment group in the USAAC during the 1930s. Variants of the B-10 would be exported

overseas, eventually reaching a diverse range of nations, including Russia, China, Argentina and the Netherlands (the latter’s examples being designated WH1 and WH3). Rapid advances in bomber design in the late 1930s meant that the B-10 was eclipsed by the time World War 2 began, though it has the distinction of being the first US bomber to see combat, albeit by another nation. The Dutch B-10s fought in the defence of Singapore and the Netherlands East Indies. But by this time the bomber was not able to outrun the latest fighters and its armament was not sufficient to protect it. The Dutch bombers fought valiantly against the advancing Japanese, but suffered heavy losses. The Allied Forces in Java surrendered to the Japanese on 8 March 1942 and all that remained of the Dutch bomber force, a handful of older model WH-1s and some WH3s in various states of disrepair, was captured by the Japanese.

Martin B-10B Type: Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 3-4 Length: 44ft 9in (13.60m) Wingspan: 70ft 6in (21.5m) Height: 15ft 5in (4.7m) Weight empty: 9,681lb (4,391kg) Max T/O weight: 16,400lb (7,440kg) Max Speed: 213mph (343km/h) Range: 1,240 miles (1,996km) Powerplant: 2 x Wright R-1820-33 Cyclone radials of 775hp each Armament: Guns: 3 x .303in Brownings Bombs: 2,260lb (1,030kg)

Above: The Martin B-10 was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to go into regular service with the US Army Air Corps (USAAC). The total production of all B-10 versions was 348 aircraft with 166 for the USAAC and 182 for export.

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Douglas B-18 Bolo

he twin-engine B-18 Bolo was the first Douglas medium bomber. Effectively a combat version of the DC-2 commercial transport, it was the most numerous American bomber type deployed outside the continental US at the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor. But events were soon to overtake it… The Douglas B-18 was designed to replace the Martin B-10 as the US main medium attack

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bomber. The prototype (Douglas Bomber 1, or DB-1), finished in 1935, was designed around the DC-2’s wings, but had a deeper and fatter fuselage with a bomb bay under its centre section. The wing was the same basic design as the DC-2 except the span was shorter by 5ft 6in (1.68m) and it was mounted midfuselage. The fuselage was entirely new and it was much deeper than the DC-2 commercial transport in order to accommodate an

internal bomb bay and a crew of six. The six man crew consisted of two pilots, navigator/ bombardier, a nose, dorsal, and ventral gunner. It was powered by two 930hp Wright R-182045 Cyclone engines giving it a top speed of Below: A flight of Douglas B-18 Bolos of the 19th Bombardment Group USAAC in 1939. Despite their rather outclassed status at the opening of World War 2, B-18 bombers remained useful as aircrew trainers.

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Douglas B-18A Bolo Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 6 Length: 57ft 10in (17.63m) Wingspan: 89ft 6in (27.28m) Height: 15ft 2in (4.62m) Weight empty: 16,320lb (7,403kg) Max T/O weight: 27,673lb (12,552kg) Max Speed: 216mph (348km/h) Range: 900 miles (1,450km) Powerplant: 2 x Wright R-1820-53 radial engines of 1,000hp each Armament: Guns: 3 x .303in (7.62mm) machine guns Bombs: 4,400lb (2,000kg) 216mph (348km/h). It could carry a bomb load of 4,400lb (1,995kg) in an internal bomb bay. The B-18 made its maiden flight on 11 April 1935 and it was soon flying trials against rival designs from Martin (the 146) and the fourengined Boeing 299, the forerunner of the B-17 Flying Fortress. Although the latter was the firm favourite, at the time it was considered too costly. In January 1936, the Army General Staff made it official when it ordered 133 Bolos, soon to be followed by 217 more. The latter batch were designated B-18As and featured a ‘shark’ nose cone in which the bombardier’s position was extended forward over the nose gunner area. Twenty of these modified Bolos were dispatched to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) where they were called Digby 1s. However, already the deficiencies in the B-18/ B-18A bomber were becoming apparent. In range, in speed, in bomb load, and particularly in defensive armour and armament, the design was unsuited for the long-range bombing role for which it had originally been acquired.

Above: The ‘shark’-like nose of the B-18A variant positioned the bombardier position over the nose gunner’s station for improved visibility. Some 217 were built equipped with the more powerful Wright R-1820-53 series radial piston engines.

When war came to the Pacific, most of the B-18/B-18A aircraft based in the Philippines and in Hawaii were destroyed on the ground in the initial Japanese onslaught. The few Bolos that remained played no significant role in subsequent operations. The Bolos remaining in the continental US and in the Caribbean were then deployed in a defensive role in anticipation of attacks on the US mainland. These attacks never materialised and by 1942 the bomber had been replaced by the B-17 in front-line service. Following this, 122 B-18As were modified for anti-submarine warfare patrolling over the US coastal waters as well as in the Caribbean basin area. A B-18 was credited with the first US sinking of a German U-boat submarine (this in Caribbean waters) on 22 August 1942. Eventually B-18s were replaced in this role by the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. Below: A Douglas B-18A deployed at Aguadulce Army Airfield, Panama. The shortcomings of the B-18 quickly led to it being withdrawn from the front-line.

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North American B-25 Mitchell

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he North American B-25 Mitchell twinengined medium bomber was used by Allied air forces in every theatre of World War 2. Made famous by the Doolittle Raid on Japan, the first retaliatory strike after the US entered the conflict, the B-25 became a symbol of US airpower during the war. Named in honour of General Billy Mitchell, a pioneer of US military aviation, the B-25 was a descendant of the earlier XB-21 project of the mid-1930s. Experience gained in developing that aircraft was eventually used by North American in designing the B-25. It required 8,500 original drawings and 195,000

engineering man-hours, but the B-25 took shape through the NA-40 development aircraft that was eventually fitted with Wright R-2600 radial engines, which would become standard on the later B-25. In 1939, a modified and improved NA-40B, originally intended to be an attack bomber for export to the United Kingdom and France, was submitted to the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) for evaluation. Although the NA-40B was destroyed in a crash on 11 April 1939, it demonstrated good performance and paved the way for the NA-62, which became the basis for the first actual B-25.

Above: The first operational B-25s to serve with the RAF were B-25Cs and Ds, which were designated Mitchell IIs. A total of 93 Mitchell Is and IIs had been delivered to the RAF by the end of 1942 which served with No 2 Group, the RAF’s tactical medium bomber force, and were assigned to Nos 98, 180, 226 and 329 Squadrons. Pictured is Mitchell II FL-185 of No 180 Squadron on a mission from RAF Foulsham.

The B-25 first flew on 19 August 1940 and the USAAC accepted the first five in February of 1941. Owing to the pressing need for medium bombers by the USAAC, no experimental or service-test versions were built. Any necessary modifications were made during production runs, or in the field. A significant change in the early days of production was a redesign of the wing. The first nine aircraft featured a constant-dihedral wing, but this caused stability problems, so the dihedral angle was nullified on the outboard wing sections, giving the B-25 its slightly gull wing configuration. Less noticeable Left: The first B-25 built, SN 40-2165, photographed circa August 1940. Note the constant dihedral of the wing, which was a feature of early aircraft off the production line.

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NORTH AMERICAN B-25 MITCHELL 83 The Mitchell entered active RAF service on 22 January 1943 and was used to bomb targets in occupied Europe. The RAF received nearly 900 Mitchells designating the B-25Bs as the Mitchell I, the B-25C and B-25Ds as the Mitchell II, and its B-25Js, with 12 heavy machine guns, as the Mitchell III. By the end of its production, nearly 10,000 B-25s in numerous models had been built. These included a few limited variations, such as the US Navy’s and Marine Corps’ PBJ-1 patrol bomber and the United States Army Air Forces’ F-10 photo reconnaissance aircraft. In the end, the B-25 became the most widely used US medium bomber of World War 2. Below: At midday on 18 April 1942, 16 B-25 Mitchells under the command of Lt Col Jimmy Doolittle appeared in the skies over Tokyo and other key Japanese industrial cities in a surprise raid designed to avenge the attack on Pearl Harbor. For the 80 volunteer raiders who lifted off that morning from the carrier Hornet, the mission was one-way. After attacking Japan, most of the aircrews flew on to Free China, where low on fuel, the men either bailed out or crashlanded along the coast. All but three of the 80 crew members initially survived the mission. 

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B-25H Mitchell Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 6 (pilot, co-pilot, navigator/bombardier, turret gunner/engineer, radio operator/waist gunner, tail gunner) Length: 52ft 11in (16.13m) Wingspan: 67ft 7in (20.60m) Height: 16ft 4in (4.98m) Weight empty: 19,480lb (8,855kg) Max T/O weight: 35,000lb (15,910kg) Max Speed: 272mph (438km/h) Range: 1,350 miles (2,174km) Powerplant: 2 x Wright R-2600-92 Twin Cyclone air-cooled radial engines of 1,700hp each Armament: Guns: 12-18 x 0.5in machine guns and 2.95in cannon Bombs: Up to 3,000lb (1,360kg). Hardpoint for one external Mk13 torpedo

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Mitchells in the Med Above: On their way to bomb German targets in northern Italy, B-25s of the 447th Bomb Squadron, 321st Bomb Group, fly past Mt Vesuvius as it spews ash in March 1944. In Italy, the B-25 was used in the ground attack role, concentrating on attacks against road and rail links in Italy, Austria and the Balkans. The five bombardment groups of the 9th and 12th Air Forces were the only US units to employ the B-25 in Europe. Left: B-25J Mitchells of the 12th Air Force on a bombing mission over Italy. The final, and the most built, version of the Mitchell, the B-25J, looked much like the earlier B, C and D, having reverted to the longer, glazed bombardier’s nose, but with the -H version’s relocated-forward dorsal manned turret.

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NORTH AMERICAN B-25 MITCHELL 85

RAF Mitchell ops The first RAF operation with the Mitchell II took place on 22 January 1943, when six aircraft from Nos 98 and 180 Squadrons attacked oil installations at Ghent. Things did not go well as one Mitchell was lost to flak and two fell victim of marauding FW 190s. As a result RAF Mitchells developed extremely tight formations in order to concentrate their bombs and to ward off enemy fighters. After the invasion of Europe, all four Mitchell squadrons moved to bases in France to support Allied ground forces.

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Hard-nosed Mitchells Because of the urgent need for hard-hitting straffing aircraft, a version of the Mitchell dubbed the B-25G was developed, in which the standard-length transparent nose and the bombardier were replaced by a shorter solid nose containing two fixed 0.50in machine guns and a 75mm M4 cannon. The cannon was manually loaded and serviced by the navigator, who was able to perform these operations without leaving his crew station just behind the pilot. The B-25G’s successor, the B-25H, had even more firepower. The M4 was replaced by the lighter T13E1, designed specifically for the aircraft, and it was fitted with four fixed forward-firing 0.50 machine guns in the nose, four more fixed ones in forward-firing cheek blisters, two more in the top turret, one each in a pair of new waist positions, and a final pair in a new tail gunner’s position.

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Pacific ops Top: Under the leadership of Lt Gen George C. Kenney, B-25s of the 5th and 13th Air Forces devastated Japanese targets in the Southwest Pacific (SWPA) theatre from 1942 to 1945, and played a significant role in pushing the Japanese back to their home islands. Above: A B-25 makes a successful low-level strike against Japanese shipping in New Guinea. The inherent strength of the airframe made it ideal for high-risk operations such as skip bombing naval targets at low-altitude, during which a string of two to four bombs were dropped from such an altitude and distance from the target that a complete miss was improbable. Left: USAAF B-25 Mitchell, nicknamed Ruthless Ruth, pulls up after making a skip-bombing run on Japanese coastal defence vessel No 134 off the coast of Xiamen, China, on 6 April 1945. The bomber was flown by Lt Louie A. Mikell of the 499th Bomb Squadron, part of the 5th Air Force. Lt Mikell scored a near-miss with his delayed fuse bomb, but fellow pilots strafed the ship before it was hit amidships and rolled over to starboard and sank, her surviving crew abandoning ship. It is believed that 44 of her crew of 240 died. 

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Martin B-26 Marauder

he Marauder was a muscle machine. It was burly and robust and it took physical strength as well as quick wit to master its controls. It was demanding but it was also a potent weapon and you did not want to be on the ground when its bomb bay doors were open and bombs were falling. Despite its early reputation for being too hot to handle, the Martin B-26 Marauder was a stable, solid, sturdy war machine that acquitted itself admirably in the crucible of combat. The Martin Marauder was the result of design work by an engineering team headed by 27-year-old Peyton M. Magruder. The brief from the US Army Air Corps was to create a very fast medium bomber that could carry at least 2,000lb (950kg) of bombs. The Army boss, General Henry H. ‘Hap’ Arnold wanted an aircraft that would be robust, capable, and able to survive in the cauldron of battle. The Marauder was designed and built with some haste and on 25 November 1940, Martin test pilot William K. ‘Ken’ Ebel successfully completed the maiden flight of the first B-26, serial number 40-1361. The B-26 was faster than the US Army’s requirement and carried nearly double the bomb load specified. Officials pushed the B-26 into immediate production. To

achieve its high speed the B-26 had short wings (span, 65ft) with modest wing area. That meant a long take-off run and high landing speed. American aircrews, always irreverent, called the B-26 the ‘Baltimore whore’ because it had ‘no visible means of support’. The reliable Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine was an integral part of the B-26 from the moment it left the drawing board. Two bomb bays were fitted mid-fuselage. The bullet shaped fuselage and engine nacelles and the high, shoulder-mounted wing with its nearly elliptical shape combined into a picture of a lean, mean war machine. Better known for its role in Europe, the B-26 Marauder first saw battle in the Pacific theatre. B-26s launched into combat in April 1942, flying out of New Guinea on a raid against the Japanese bastion at Rabaul on the island of New Britain. On 12 September 1942, B-26s Below: A formation of Marauders stream towards their target. The B-26 was noted for the sleek shape and solid construction of its tubular rounded fuselage. Because of the shape, a reporter dubbed it the ‘Flying Torpedo’. The Marauder had an unusual bomb bay arrangement consisting of folding doors in the front and conventional hinged doors in the rear. The bay could hold up to a 4,000lb bombload.

flying from Port Moresby, New Guinea, struck airfields in Buna to cripple air support for Japanese ground troops advancing on the Allied camp. The advance was successfully halted. The Marauder was replaced in the Pacific by the B-25 Mitchell and moved to Europe and the Mediterranean. Continuing efforts to refine Martin’s medium bomber led to the B-26B, which had an improved tail gunner’s station. The RAF operated 19 of the 1,883 built, giving them the name Marauder Mk IA. There were several changes of the ‘B model’, culminating with increased wingspan on the B-26B-10 and subsequent aircraft. Later variants included the B-26F which introduced a wing with 3.5 degrees greater angle of incidence, increased armament and better turrets. To the RAF and SAAF, this version was the Marauder Mk III. The same British Commonwealth designation was applied to the B-26G model, the final production version. Meanwhile, in July 1942, B-26s went to Northeast Africa and flew close support operations with British and Australian ground troops against Rommel’s Afrika Korps. In May 1943, Marauders proved highly effective on strafing runs against Germans attempting to evacuate out of Tunisia across the Mediterranean Sea. Marauders also flew key air strikes against Axis targets in Italy. Martin’s famous medium bomber was immersed in the Italian campaign all the way to the end. In April 1945, B-26s spearheaded the spring offensive in the Po Valley that ended with the unconditional surrender of all Axis forces in Italy in May 1945. But the Marauder didn’t always have it its own way. The debut of the Marauder operating from England was a tragedy. On 14 May 1943, a small formation of Eighth Air Force B-26s attacked flak-infested coastal installations at Ijmuiden in Holland. It was the bloodiest single mission in US history. Every aircraft on the raid was destroyed. Focke-Wulf FW 190 fighters shot down 11 B-26s and the remainder fell to other combat and non-combat causes. Marauders of the Twelfth Air Force participated in the invasion of France on 15 August 1944, from the south at Nice, Toulon and Marseilles, helping to open up the fourth and final front of the war in Europe. Considering how quickly the Marauder vanished from inventory afterwards, it is remarkable that B-26s were in action until the

MARTIN B-26 MARAUDER 89

Above: Close-up of B-26B Marauder Fighting Cock, 41-31765 of the 450th BS. This aircraft was written-off after crash-landing on 12 August 1944. It had received flak damage while over France and had its electrical system, generators and hydraulic systems shot out. The crew nursed it back to base (Great Dunmow, Essex) and the pilot ordered the enlisted men to bail out. While trying to land the plane skidded off the runway and into the control tower, killing both pilots.

very last day of fighting in Europe. By the end of World War 2, Marauder crews had flown 110,000 sorties and had dropped 150,000 tons of bombs. Supporters of the Marauder say it had the lowest loss rate of any combat aircraft of World War 2. It’s difficult to be certain but statistics appear to support the claim. Right: Marauders lined up at Foggia airfield, Italy, ready for the next mission. The B-26 landing gear was unusual for a bomber of its era in being tricycle type with retractable main landing gears and a nose wheel, a departure from the tailwheel configuration that had been featured on most bombers until then.

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90 UNITED STATES Left The RAF also operated the Marauder, this Mk IA being FK375 of No 14 Squadron pictured in 1942. Right: Releasing its deadly payload is B-26B-50MA Marauder FW-K Shootin’ In of the 556th BS. Shootin’ In was one of the squadron’s most durable and reliable aircraft, completing 135 combat missions by war’s end. Delivered to the 387th BG at Chipping Ongar, Essex, England in early 1944, Shootin’ In was named from an expression used to describe a quick trip to London on an overnight pass. The aircraft flew its final combat mission on 19 April 1945. Below left: The cockpit was utilitarian in its look and feel. The pilot sat in an armoured position with access to all controls while the instrument panel ran about three quarters across the width of the fuselage, stopping at about the co-pilot’s left knee. Below: The fuselage configuration was traditional for a bomber: the bomb-aimer or bombardier looked out of a glazed window in the nose, enjoying the most spectacular view of anyone in the crew.

Martin B-26G Marauder Type:

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 7 Length: 58ft 3in (17.80m) Wingspan: 71ft (21.65m) Height: 21ft 6in (6.55m) Weight empty: 24,000lb (11,000kg) Max T/O weight: 37,000lb (17,000kg) Max Speed: 287mph (460km/h) Range: 1,150 miles (1,850km) Powerplant: Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-43 radial engines rated at 2,200hp (1,491kW) each Armament: Guns: 12 x .50-caliber (12.7mm) machine guns Bombs: 4,000lb (1,800kg)

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MARTIN B-26 MARAUDER 91

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Flak victims Main: B-26B Flossie’s Fury receives a direct hit by flak during a mission to Toulon on 20 August 1944. Only two its crew were able to bail out of the aircraft. Above: B-26B Marauder Gratis Gladys was on a mission over Erkelenz in Germany on 23 February 1945 when it was shot down by flak. Tragically none of the crew survived.

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MARTIN B-26 MARAUDER 93 Below: When US movie actress Loretta Young visited the 555th BS, Lt M.O. Elling persuaded her to autograph the nose of his B-26 41-31624 YA-S. This aircraft was badly damaged during a bombing mission over Europe when it was attacked by a FW 190. Although the tail gunner scored hits on the fighter, which then broke off the attack, the B-26 had been riddled with cannon fire, with four members of its crew being injured by shell fragments. Although Loretta Young was badly damaged, Lt Elling managed to nurse the aircraft home. The bomber’s luck finally run out In May 1944 when it lost an engine during take off from Great Dunmow, Essex. The aircraft crash-landed at Boreham and although its crew survived the B-26 was damaged beyond repair.

Above: Martin B-26B-55-MA Marauder 42-96153, of the 397th BG at Peronne Advanced Landing Ground in January 1945. Bare metal Marauders flew about 10mph quicker than painted ones.

Above: USAAF B-26B Marauder Dee-Feater, X2-A, of the 596th BS, 397th BG, 9th AF, with D-Day invasion stripes. The B-26 was rakish, almost stylish, and in some ways looked even bigger than it was. Left: An aggressive-looking B-26B, Big Hairy Bird of the 599th BS. The B-26 was big for a medium bomber. In fierce air-to-air battles, the B-26 pilot was often forced to use his aircraft like a fighter. A few Marauders scored aerial victories against purpose-built fighters.

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Lockheed Ventura

he story of the Lockheed Ventura medium bomber was not a particularly happy one. A derivative of the popular Hudson it was ordered by the RAF to replace Blenheims in No 2 Group. However, by the time it entered service with Bomber Command it was outdated and suffered heavy losses. Its aircrews unflatteringly referred to it as ‘The Flying Pig’ because of its shape. It had rather more success operating with the US Navy in the Pacific theatre. Lockheed approached the British Air Ministry in September 1939 with a proposal to produce either a maritime patrol aircraft or medium bomber based on the Model 18 Lodestar. Its approach was well timed and Lockheed received a contract to produce 25 of the new aircraft, quickly increasing to 675. The new Ventura was very similar in appearance to the

Below: RAF Ventura AE692 YH-K of No 21 Squadron, which was flown by P/O Smith on the famous Eindhoven raid. The Ventura had a short career as a medium bomber, proving particularly vulnerable to German fighter attacks. Sadly AE692 was one of three Venturas shot down by fighters on 21 April 1943.

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Left: Lockheed Ventura I AE742 ‘YH-M’ of No 21 Squadron, flown by WO L. L. G. Jones and crew, over the docks at Ijmuiden, the Netherlands. This shot was taken during the second of two daylight attacks on the coke ovens of the Royal Dutch Steel Works made on 13 February 1943.

earlier Hudson, but was powered by the Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp S1A4-G 18-cylinder radial engine of 1,850hp. The Ventura had an all-metal stressed-skin construction. The wing was built in three parts, the centre section constructed integral with the fuselage. The twin tailfins had the elliptical shape typical for Lockheed aircraft. Like the Hudson, the Ventura was provided with a dorsal turret, but it had a better field of fire. In addition, the lower rear fuselage was modified to create a step, so that a ventral gun position could be installed. Normally there was a crew of four: pilot,

navigator/bomb aimer, radio operator/gunner and turret gunner. The bombload was increased to 2,500lb, carried in the internal bomb bay. Production of the Ventura was undertaken by Vega, a subsidiary of Lockheed, which later was completely integrated into the Corporation. The first example flew on 31 July 1941 and the type entered RAF service with No 21 Squadron at the end of May 1942, some 18 months later than originally planned. It made its debut in November and a month later joined other aircraft from No 2 Group (Mosquitos and Bostons), in the famous low-level raid on the Philips works at Eindhoven. After 188 Ventura Is had been delivered, production switched to the Mk II with 2000hp R-2800-31 engines and a redesigned bomb bay. However, after Pearl Harbor over half of the 487 Mk IIs built, were taken over by the USAAF and 27 by the US Navy, which designated them PV-1. Although some US Venturas flew

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LOCKHEED VENTURA 95 Left: The Ventura was less portly than the earlier Hudson. Although it was not popular with its pilots, it was reasonably fast and handled well with one engine out.

Lockheed Ventura II Type:

anti-submarine patrols, most were used as trainers. The next model was the Mk IIA, but the RAF received only 25 and Canada 45. The balance was again diverted to the USAAF, which called these aircraft the B-34 Lexington. In the summer of 1942, the USAAF agreed with the US Navy that the latter could take over land-based anti-submarine patrols. Part of the deal was that Lockheed would switch production from the B-34, to the PV-1 for the Navy. The PV-1 became the most built model, and the first of 600 flew on 3 November 1942. The PV-1s were extensively used in the Pacific.

Meanwhile, by April 1943 RAF Ventura losses were beginning to mount and a month later the aircraft’s inadequacies were shown in a daylight attack on a power station near Amsterdam. Twelve aircraft from No 487 Squadron RNZAF, operating with an escort of Spitfires, were ‘bounced’ by German fighters as they approached the intended target. Within minutes, nine Venturas had been shot down and a tenth, badly damaged, managed to evade the fighters and return to England. This left a single bomber, piloted by Sqn Ldr L. H. Trent, which pressed on and managed to attack

Twin-engined medium bomber Crew: 4-6 Length: 51ft 2in (15.60m) Wingspan: 65ft 6in (19.96m) Height: 11ft 10in (3.62m) Weight empty: 20,197lb (9,161kg) Max T/O weight: 34,000lb (15,422kg) Max Speed: 260mph (419km/h) Range: 950 miles (1,532km) Powerplant: 2 x Pratt & Whitney Double Wasp R-2800-43 of 2,200hp each Armament: Guns: 2 x .50in and 0.303in guns in nose 2 or 4 x .303in guns in midupper turret and 2 x .303in guns in midlower position Bombs: 2,500lb (1,135kg) the power station. After seeing his bombs just miss, Trent’s aircraft was then attacked and shot down with only the pilot and his navigator surviving the crash to become prisoners of war. Consequently, the Venturas were switched to medium level bombing, but by the summer of 1943 they were replaced by the Mosquito. The remaining RAF Venturas were sent to Coastal Command, where they replaced the Hudson flying anti-submarine patrols over the Mediterranean. The Ventura was used by most Commonwealth air forces, with RAAF and RNZAF aircraft seeing combat in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands respectively. The SAAF received 169 Venturas for anti-submarine patrols, a number of which served in the Mediterranean. The final twist in the development of the Ventura was a major redesign, resulting in the the PV-2 Harpoon, first flown on 3 December 1943. The PV-2 had larger outer wing panels with integral fuel tanks, and a larger tailplane and tailfins. The Harpoon could carry more bombs than the Ventura, however, only 35 were delivered before the end of the war. Left: A No 21 Squadron Lockheed Ventura being refuelled and bombed-up ready for another mission over Europe. When aircrews were asked what the Ventura could do that its Hudson predecessor could not, the response was: ‘Consume more petrol’!

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LOCKHEED VENTURA 97 Below: The Lockheed Ventura PV-1 was very similar to the USAAF’s B-34 Lexington, but it had reduced defensive armament and more fuel. The bomb bay was redesigned, to enable the PV-1 to carry a torpedo internally.

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