AEG G.IV
The AEG G.IV was another successful product of the Allgemeine Elektritzitats Gesellschaft aircraft corporation and was an amalgam of what made the G.I, G.II and G.III successful aircraft in their own right. The system was pro...

Aichi B7A Ryusei (Grace)
The Aichi-produced B7A Ryusei (translated to "Shooting Star" and nicknamed "Grace" by the Allies) was a limited-production torpedo bomber in service with the Empire of Japan during the latter years of World War Two. Unfortuna...

Aichi D3A (Val)
The D3A series of aircraft (dubbed "Val" by the Allies) were thought to be all but extinct when the war in the Pacific began. The rude awakening came in the form of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii - home to the ...

Aichi E16A Zuiun (Paul)
The E16A Zuiun (translated into "Auspicious Cloud" and codenamed "Paul" by the Allies) was a dedicated reconnaissance floatplane and part-time dive-bomber for the Empire of Japan in World War Two. The system was an excellent ...

Airco / de Havilland DH.4
With production numbering over 6,000 total units, the Airco / de Havilland DH.4 was another one of Geoffrey de Havilland's successful aircraft designs of the First World War (his legacy would later be solidified with the deve...

Airco DH.9
The AirCo / de Havilland DH.9 was a further revision of the DH.4 bomber. Design was accomplished by the de Havilland company with production handled by the Aircraft Manufacturing Company ("AirCo" or "Airco"). The series was f...

Amiot 143
The Amiot 143 of the French Air Force represented an evolution in the Amiot piston-engine bomber series that replaced the Amiot 140 of 1931. First flying in 1935, the Amiot 143 system was an unspectacular design whose time ha...

Amiot 354
The Amiot 354 bomber and reconnaissance platform was a quite capable aircraft when war broke out over France. The system had its origins based on the unarmed fast transport mail carrier to which some further development would...

Arado Ar 195
The Arado Ar 195 was prototype design intended for operations from Germany's first aircraft carrier known as the Graf Zeppelin. The aircraft was developed to a requirement for a carrier-based torpedo bomber, to which some thr...

Arado Ar 234 Blitz (Lightning)
The Arado Ar 234 "Blitz" (or "Lightning") was part of the German success with turbojet development in the latter years of World War Two. The system was the world's first purpose-built jet bomber to ever enter service, and did...

Arado Ar E.530
The idea of twin fuselage aircraft was always in the minds of military aircraft engineers throughout the Second World War. Conceivably, these systems would offer up double the performance and capabilities of their single fuse...

Arado Ar E.555
Arado proposed this E.555 flying wing concept towards the end of 1943 as a high-speed long-range bomber. The flying wing concept had eluded aircraft engineers for decades but it was seen as a potentionally stable design allow...

Arado Ar E.560
The Arado E.560 series of developmental high-speed jet bombers saw a large evolution on paper. Design of the platform centered around the closing days of the Second World War and showed the extent to which the Germans were pl...

Arado Ar TEW 16/43-19
With development of the advanced twin-engine, jet-powered Ar 234 "Blitz" bomber coming along, the Arado firm turned its attention to a more advanced jet aircraft with a multi-role capability in mind. The TEW 16/43-19 would ha...

Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
Continuing in the tradition of ugly yet robust and reliable heavy bombers, the British Armstrong Whitworth Whitley was the heavy bomber of choice during the early war years and up through 1942. The massive unappealing design ...

Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is regarded by many as the best bomber of either side in the Second World War. The system proved quite capable from the outset and was put into production the same year that the prototype had flown. From th...

Avro Manchester
The Avro Manchester was a semi-successful attempt by the Avro firm to fulfill Air Ministry Specification P.13/36. The specification called for a twin engine heavy bomber that could sport a multi-purpose payload of bombs or to...

Avro Vulcan
The Avro Vulcan formed the second point on the triangle in the British "V-Bombers" collection - a series of three high-altitude, long range, nuclear-capable systems developed during the Cold War from a post-World War 2 Britis...

BAC TSR-2
Much in the vain of the North American XB-70 Valkyrie system for the United States, the TSR-2 was to be England’s super Cold War bomber. The system was to provide the United Kingdom with a supersonic low-level bomber capable ...

Blackburn R.T.1 Kangaroo
The Kangaroo was the product of the Blackburn Aeroplane and Motor Company, Limited. The design began as a venture in 1916 to which two complete prototypes were produced. These prototype aircraft, known collectively as the Bla...

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Though the Consolidated B-24 Liberator was built in greater numbers, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is often regarded as the more important heavy bomber for the American Allies in the Second World War, accounting for over 29...

Boeing B-29 Superfortress
B-29 Superfortress status is often relegated to the aircraft that dropped the atomic bombs (“Fat Man” and “Little Boy”) on Hiroshima and Nagasaki to end the war in the Pacific for the Allies. The fact that there were in fact ...

Boeing B-47 Stratojet
The swept-wing B-47 produced by Boeing was a milestone in bomber design in many ways. The system pioneered the traditional bomber layout found on many of todays systems and offered up capabilities unheard of before then. As a...

Boeing B-50 Superfortress
Though looking every bit the identical twin of the World War Two-era B-29 Superfortress (also produced by Boeing), the B-50 incorporated enough new elements to deem it an all new aircraft - retaining just 25 percent of the B-...

Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
The B-52 has been the preeminent American heavy bomber of the last 54 years. The massive aircraft served throughout the heightened periods of the Cold War as a nuclear deterrent, as a dedicated bomber and reconnaissance platf...

Breguet Br.1050 Alize (Tradewind)
The Breguet Br.1050 "Alize" (meaning "tradewind") was a French production aircraft suitable for carrier-based anti-submarine warfare (ASW) tactics. The system was fielded in limited quantity throughout the Cold War and proved...

Breguet Br.M5
The Breguet Br.M5 series of biplane bomber was developed from the Breguet Br.M4. The Br.M5 was operated by a crew of two with the pilot seated in the middle of the aircraft and the gunner/observer to the front. Defensive arma...

Breguet Bre.19
The French-designed and produced Breguet Bre.19 was designed to replace the Bre.14 but was actually developed and produced at the same time as the Bre.14 (and limited to use near the populated French cities). The Bre.19 sh...

Bristol Beaufort
The Bristol Beaufort enjoyed a strong run between the war years of 1940-1943 as the primary British torpedo bomber in service. Designed as the successor to the aged biplane Vildebeest design by Vickers, the Beaufort saw succe...

Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim billed as a bomber though when it was officially installed into operational active service, the aircraft was quite capable of outrunning some fighters. The twin-engine, 3-person aircraft would equip the f...

Caproni Ca.1
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Caproni Ca.310 (Libeccio)
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Caproni Ca.36
The Caproni Ca.36 represented the definitive model in the C-bomber series debuted in 1914 as the C.31. The Ca.36 was a tremendous asset to allied operations against Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire and were put into ac...

Caudron G.4
The Caudron G.4 series was a twin-engine bomber platform introduced in the early years of World War 1 by the French. The system served initially with the French air force but was put to good use in the hands of British, Itali...

Caudron R.11
The Caudron R.11 was initially intended as a reconnaissance platform for the French Air Force but went on to serve the role of fighter escort instead. The system was fielded with a crew of three, was of a large two engine des...

Consolidated B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator became a major player for Allied forces during World War 2. Its exploits ranged the world over - as did her users- and she saw action in a variety of roles in all major theaters. Designed to ov...

Consolidated B-32 Dominator
The Consolidated B-32 Dominator was a limited production four-engine heavy bomber requested by the United States Air Force as a fail-safe design to the complicated, technology-laden Boeing B-29 Superfortress in development. T...

Consolidated PB2Y Coronado
By the middle of the 1930's America was no longer blind to the real possibility that the war would sooner or later be waged along it's shores. As such, the United States Navy took action in the requirement for a new generatio...

Convair B-36 Peacemaker
If developed a few years sooner and the B-36 could have very well taken part in the Second World War. The initial designed was put forth from a United States Army Air Corps requirement for a large intercontinental bomber capa...

Convair B-58 Hustler
The delta-wing Convair B-58 Hustler was the first United States Air Force supersonic operational bomber. The system was designed to be capable of high-altitude flight, which was a popular design concept during the early years...

Curtiss A-12 (Shrike)
The A-12 was an inter-war product of the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company first appearing in 1933. The type became the first quantitative monoplane aircraft in service with the United States Army Air Corps upon its incepti...

Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
The Curtiss SB2C Helldiver was a rather unassuming dive bomber / reconnaissance aircraft serving throughout World War 2 beginning in 1943. Originally designed in a competition to replace the aging SBC biplane series, the SB2C...

Curtiss SBC Helldiver
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Dassault Mirage IV
The Dassault Mirage IV series was designed to a French requirement for a supersonic aircraft platform capable of delivering an atomic weapon. The resulting Mirage IV became just that, offering up Mach 2 capabilities and a cei...

de Havilland D.H.98 Mosquito
Few can find much fault in the de Havilland design of its Mosquito series of nightfighters featured so prominently in the Battle of Britain and throughout the entire World War Two campaigns across Europe. The twin-engine nigh...

Dornier Do 17
The Dornier Do 17 (sometimes referred to as "the Pencil" due to its fundamental shape) was a respect medium bomber class utilized by the German Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain and throughout the Second World War. Initia...

Dornier Do 215
The Dornier Do 215 was originally intended for export, beginning life as a redesignated version of the Dornier Do 17 light/medium bomber. Three prototypes were initially produced from the Do 17K - the V1, V2 and V3 - each wit...

Dornier Do 217
The Dornier Do 217 was a multi-faceted performer for the German Luftwaffe that ended up fulfilling various roles from bomber to reconnaissance aircraft, aerial test bed to torpedo bomber. The twin-engine 4-man aircraft appear...

Dornier Do 22
The Dornier Do 22 was a German-designed and produced three-man floatplane. It was produced in Germany and Switzerland for the export market despite the fact that the aircraft proved a winning design for the Germans. The Do 22...

Douglas A-20 Havoc / Boston
The Douglas A-20 Havoc served Allied forces through most of World War 2, fighting for British, American and Soviet forces. The type saw extensive use, proving itself a war-winner capable of withstanding a great deal of punish...

Douglas A-24 Banshee
The Douglas A-24 "Banshee" dive bomber fit the requirement of the United States Army for a capable dive bomber-type aircraft. After witnessing successes of this type by Germany throughout its European offensives, the US Army ...

Douglas A-26 / B-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader was a distinguished twin-engine light bomber whose origins were well-placed in the Second World War. The system proved adept at day and night flying, attacking targets with a bevy of machine guns or d...

Douglas B-18 Bolo
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Douglas B-66 Destroyer
The Douglas-produced B-66 Destroyer was a light bomber designed by Ed Heinemann to replace the aging A-26 Invader in service with the United States Strategic Air Command (SAC). Based highly on the existing United States Navy ...

Douglas SBD Dauntless
The Douglas DBS Dauntless dive bomber was a key cog in the America Navy war effort throughout the Pacific during World War 2. Though a product of the middle-to-late 1930's, the type continued to soldier on even as more advanc...

Douglas TBD Devastator
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English Electric Canberra / Martin B-57
The British-produced Canberra was originally conceived of as a high-altitude, high-level nuclear-capable medium bomber. The fuselage features would be dominated by a large rounded-wing structure housing two turbojet engines. ...

Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish was one of the unsung heroes of the Second World War. With Britain seemingly fighting the world war all on its own, much pressure fell upon its air force and navy branches to produce results. The Swordfis...

Fiat BR.20 Cicogna (Stork)
The Fiat BR.20 Cicogna (translated to "Stork") was a medium bomber in service with the Italian Air Force in the late inter-war years and early years of World War Two. Much like other inter-war designs however, the Cicogna was...

Focke-Wulf Fw 200 (Condor)
The German Fw 200 Condor was initially a trans-Atlantic passenger and cargo (mail) aircraft developed by Focke-Wulf and legendary designer Kurt Tank in 1936. Early prototypes were fitted with the Pratt & Whitney Hornet radial...

Friedrichshafen G.III
The Friedrichshafen G.III was a medium bi-plane class bomber utilized by the German Empire in World War 1 and designed by the firm of Flugzeugbau Friedrichshafen GmbH. The G.III was designed to make up for the limitations inh...

General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark
The General Dynamics F-111 "Aardvark" was purposely-designed as a variable geometry "swing wing" platform from the outset. The variable swing-wing philosophy would allow the aircraft to utilize three pre-determined geometric ...

Grumman A-6 Intruder
The Grumman A-6 Intruder series of strike aircraft was designed to a United States Navy specification drawn up covering an attack aircraft capable carrying and delivering large payloads over distance and in any weather. The i...

Grumman TBF Avenger
The TBF Avenger became a classic warfighter thanks to its resilience in the ongoing battle over the Pacific in the Second World War. Able to deliver payloads of torpedoes, drop bombs and rockets, the system was also capable (...

Handley Page H.P. O/400
The O/400 model series by Handley Page aircraft firm was the principle heavy bomber of the RAF by the end of the First World War. The O/400 was directly descended from the previous O/100 model series with the "100" and "400" ...

Handley Page Halifax
While the Lancaster Heavy Bomber will always be more identifiable in terms of the British night bombing campaigns of World War Two, the Handley Page Halifax series of bombers should be remembered as being just as equally impo...

Handley Page Victor
The Handley Page Victor formed the last part of the RAF's "V-Bomber" triangle also consisting of the Vickers Valliant and the Avro Vulcan. All three would make up the British strategic nuclear strike arm (given life through t...

Heinkel He 111
Though the base He 111 was arguably the most important bomber of the Third Reich during the Second World War, the idea of bombers winning the war was lost on German warplanners - in particular Adolph Hitler - whom envisioned ...

Heinkel He 115
By all accounts, the He 115 series of floatplane aircraft was regarded as the finest such aircraft in all of World War 2. She served in a variety of offensive- and defensive-minded roles, attacking enemy shipping whenever pos...

Heinkel He 177 Greif (Griffin)
The Heinkel He 177 Greif (or "Griffin") was a bomber produced in limited numbers for the German Luftwaffe. By any standard, the aircraft should have made more of an impact on the war for Germany's sake but structural flaws an...

Heinkel He 51
The He 51 was a product of the German Heinkel firm and a design of the Gunter twins, Walter and Siegfried. The Gunters became part of the Heinkel firm in 1931 and made the He 49 their first product with the company. The He 49...

Henschel Hs 123
The Henschel-produced Hs 123 aircraft became the last operational biplane for the German Luftwaffe during World War two. Born from a German requirement for a dive-bomber aircraft as early as 1933, several Henschel Hs 123 test...

Henschel Hs 132
The Henschel Hs 132 was another of the ambitious German jet-powered designs under development in the closing years of the Second World War. Developed in response to the mounting losses inherent with the plodding - yet still d...

Horten Ho IX / Horten Ho 229
The Horten Ho IX (or "Horten Ho 229" - sometimes wrongly designated the "Gotha Go 229") maintains a certain level of celebrity status in the world of military aviation, essentially becoming the first production-worthy form of...

Ilyushin IL-28 (Beagle)
The Ilyushin IL-28 (codenamed "Beagle" by NATO) holds many distinctions in the annals of aviation history - some combat related and others more political. The IL-28 became the first jet-powered bomber in service with the Sovi...

Ilyushin IL-4
In many ways the Ilyushin-brand IL-4 was a "forgotten" bomber of the Second World War - at least in the West - though it formed the majority of Soviet bomber wings and was produced in excess of 5,000 examples. The system perf...

Junkers Ju 188 Racher (Avenger)
When the new Junkers Ju 288 - a design meant to replace the Junkers Ju 88 series of bombers - ran into developmental issues with its engines, Junkers set about producing an in-between utilizing the Ju 88's airframe. The Ju 88...

Junkers Ju 287
The Junkers Ju 287 was arguably the most unique design of all of the German jet-powered projects in development during and up until the end of World War Two. The system was designed as a high-speed heavy bomber which strayed ...

Junkers Ju 390 (New York Bomber)
The Junkers Ju 390 long range heavy bomber aircraft design was intended to be able to strike at locations along the east coast of the United States of America. The Ju 390 itself was a further development of the Junkers Ju 290...

Junkers Ju 87 (Stuka)
Before the Allies would gain air superiority over the skies of France and Germany, the Junkers Ju 87 "Stuka" dive bomber would reign supreme. The system, for a time, became the terror of both civilian and soldier alike, as th...

Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 represented one of the better and more successful bomber designs attributed to the German Luftwaffe. The system performed on a variety of levels, achieving success with most every role and saw production rea...

Kawanishi H8K (Emily)
The Empire of Japan seemed to be producing its best aircraft designs of the war towards the end of the conflict. The Kawanishi H8K (codenamed "Emily" by the Allies) was such an example. Bred to take the reigns of the similar ...

Kyushu K11W Shiragiku (White Chrysanthemum)
Oft-forgotten, but no less important to the Japanese war effort of World War 2, was the Kyushu K11W Shiragiku ("White Chrysanthemum") advanced bomber crew trainer. The aircraft served as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy and...

Kyushu Q1W Tokai (Eastern Sea) / (Lorna)
The Kyushu Q1W "Tokai" (translating to "Eastern Sea" and codenamed "Lorna" by the Allies) was an anti-submarine bomber utilized by the Empire of Japan in the last year of World War 2. The type was produced in limited numbers ...

Liore et Olivier LeO 25
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Lockheed F-117 Nighthawk (Stealth Fighter)
Aptly-named, the Lockheed-produced F-117 Nighthawk became the world’s first operational stealth aircraft in the world. Conceived of and developed from the late 1970’s, the Nighthawk was the subject of much speculation before ...

Lockheed PV-1 Ventura / PV-2 Harpoon
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Lohner B.VII
The Lohner B.VII was a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft produced by and for the Austro-Hungarian Empire during World War 1. While a pre-war military design at its core, the B.VII became the definitive combat-worthy form of th...

Loire-Nieuport LN.401/LN.411 (LN.40)
The Loire-Nieuport LN.40/LN.401 series of aircraft was a carrier-based dive bomber developed for the French Navy prior to World War 2. First flight was achieved in 1938 and the system was introduced into service the year foll...

LVG C.II
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Martin B-10
The Martin B-10 medium bomber was a breakthrough design for American military aviation when it appeared on the scene in 1932. Though made obsolete at the outbreak of hostilities in World War Two, the type persevered in other ...

Martin B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder overcame a rocky start to become one of the finest medium bombers of World War 2. The aircraft was designed with speed from the outset and, as such, a few problems emerged from that approach. The Mara...

Martin Baltimore (A-30)
The Martin-produced Baltimore was a light-to-medium class bomber whose design was based highly on the Martin "Maryland" A-22 aircraft. The twin-engine, four-crew system was fielded en masse by forces of the United Kingdom thr...

Martin Maryland (A-22)
The Martin-produced Maryland series was classified as a light bomber and saw action as a photographic reconnaissance plane throughout the Second World War. Originally drawn up as a response to a United States Army Air Corps (...

Martin MB-1 / Glenn Martin Bomber
The Martin MB-1 (also known as the "Glenn Martin Bomber") became the first American-designed heavy bomber type to be purchased in quantity in the First World War, becoming the mainstay of the United States Army Air Service (U...

Martin MB-2 / NBS-1
The Martin MB-2 series of twin-engine bombers holds a distinct footnote in the history of United States bomber production as it was the first such system to be mass-produced with US origins. During the First World War, it was...

McDonnell Douglas / General Dynamics A-12 Avenger II
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Messerschmitt Me 264 Amerika (America)
The Messerschmitt Me 264 was intended as a long-range aircraft and reconnaissance platform that was to supply the German Luftwaffe with a bomber capable of hitting targets within America as well as support Kriegsmarine U-boat...

Messerschmitt Me 328
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Mitsubishi G4M (Betty)
Like most of Imperial 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 desi...

Mitsubishi Ki-21 (Sally)
The Mitsubishi Ki-21 (codenamed "Sally" by the Allies) was a successful medium bomber in service with the Japanese Air Force since 1939, seeing combat action up until 1945 despite the fact that the aircraft was already outcla...

Mitsubishi Ki-67 Hiryu (Peggy)
The Mitsubishi-designed Ki-67 Hiryu (translated to "flying dragon" and dubbed "Peggy" by the Allies) is oft-regarded as the best bomber fielded by Japan in the Second World War. The system was of a twin-engine design, armed w...

Myahsischev M-4 / 3M (Bison)
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Myasishchev M-50 / M-52 (Bounder)
The M-50 and M-52 bombers were two prototype intercontinental supersonic strategic bombers proposed by the Soviet firm of Myasishchev as early as 1956. Though the project and its design is some fifty years old, very little in...

Nakajima B5N (Kate)
By 1941, the B5N series of torpedo bombers were considered the best of their type anywhere in the world. The system was initially designed from 1935 onwards and was in full operational use at the outbreak of the Second World ...

Nakajima B6N Tenzan (Jill)
The Nakajima B6N Tenzan (translating to "heavenly mountain") series was a capable torpedo bomber fielded by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) in the Second World War. The system performed capably and would stay in operational ...

Nakajima G8N Renzan (Rita)
The Nakajima G8N Renzan (or "Mountain Range" - codenamed "Rita" by the Allies) was a heavy bomber design put forth by the Nakajima Aircraft Company in the latter stages of World War 2. The system saw a severely limited produc...

Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu (Helen)
The Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu (meaning "storm dragon" and codenamed "Helen" by the Allies) heavy bomber was intended as a replacement for the out-classed Mitsubishi Ki-21 series of medium bomber. In reality, the newer Ki-49 desig...

North American A-36 Apache (Invader)
The A-36 Apache was a United States Army version of the successful North American P-51 Mustang piston-engine fighter. The original Mustang itself was developed to a British specification but the Mustang went on to see its glo...

North American A-5 Vigilante
The A-5 Vigilante bomber actually began as a private venture by the North American Aviation Company as early as 1953. This development centered around the design of an all-weather, high-level, long range bomber capable of car...

North American AJ (A-2) Savage
The AJ Savage series of aircraft was a product of the North American Aviation Company for the United States Navy following the Second World War. North American had already made a name for itself by this time with memorable Wo...

North American B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell series of medium bombers went on to become one of the classic American aircraft designs to emerge during World War Two. Designed as early as 1939, the series was built to specifications as req...

North American B-45 Tornado
Development of the XB-45 began in 1944 and continued into 1945, representing the later years of the Second World War. With reports that Germany had already succeeded in development of production-quality jet bomber designs, th...

North American XB-70 Valkyrie
The XB-70 Valkyrie was intended to be the USAF 'super bomber' for decades to come and was tabbed as the eventual successor to the B-52 Stratofortress in support of the United States Strategic Air Command. Developed with the l...

Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit (Stealth Bomber)
The B-2 Spirit (generically known as the "Stealth Bomber") was the pinnacle of tail-less flight designs beginning in the mind of Jack Northrop, founder of the Northrop aircraft company. Not only was the B-2 groundbreaking in ...

Petlyakov Pe-2
The Petlyakov Pe-2 began arriving in small numbers on the East Front in the summer of 1941. The system owed its pedigree from the developmental Petlyakov-designed VI-100 high-altitude interceptor that featured a pressurized c...

PZL.23 Karas
The PZL.23 "Karas" (meaning "the crucian carp") series of aircraft was a conventional - yet outdated - monoplane light bomber / reconnaissance platform of Polish design in World War 2. The system was wholly inadequate in spee...

Rockwell / Boeing B-1 Lancer
The Rockwell B-1 Lancer series was a variable sweep wing low-altitude penetration aircraft capable of delivering nuclear free-fall bombs at high speeds. The system was designed from a Cold War initiative in 1965 by the United...

Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2
The F.E.2 series of aircraft were produced by the Royal Aircraft Factory and had their origins in the F.E.1, a 1910 design by the Farman Brothers of France. Geoffrey de Havilland joined the Royal Aircraft Factory and brought ...

Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero (Sparrowhawk)
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero series of tri-engined bombers was the best bomber for the Italian Axis power in the Second World War. Aptly named the "Sparrowhawk", the system was double-effective in the anti-shipping ro...

Short Stirling
The gangly-looking Short Sterling formed the backbone of heavy bomber groups for the RAF from the Battle of Britain on through the end of the war, though by then deemed obsolescent and relegated to transport duties. Designed ...

Short Sturgeon SB.3
The Short Sturgeon SB.3 was a set of prototypes ordered as anti-submarine warfare systems. The SB.3 was based highly on the well-performing World War 2-era Sturgeon S.A.1 torpedo bomber, with the SB.3 appearing to help the sy...

Sikorsky Ilya Mourometz (Series)
The Sikorsky Ilya Mourometz series of aircraft were the world's first four-engine bombers in operational service. Igor Sikorsky, his name synonymous in the modern world for the company's line of American helicopters, was alre...

Sopwith 1-1/2 Strutter
The Sopwith 1-1/2 (one and one half) Strutter was a successful aircraft design fielded in the First World War. The aircraft was principally produced by the British (1,439) but more so by the French to the tune of some 4,200 t...

Sukhoi Su-2
The Sukhoi Su-2 was the first aircraft design of Pavel Sukhoi and became a two-seat light bomber fielded by the Soviet Air Force in World War 2. Though a relatively modern design at the time of its inception, the Su-2 was qui...

Sukhoi Su-24 (Fencer)
The Su-24 (NATO series name of "Fencer") was a successful Sukhoi product requested by the Soviet government to replace their aging IL-28 and Yak-28 medium-class bombers. Though initial research resulted in a delta-wing design...

Tupolev SB-2
The Tupolev SB-2 (the "SB" in the designation standing for "skorostnoi bombardirovschik" meaning "fast bomber") was a light-to-medium class bomber in service with Soviet forces in the Second World War. At the time the system ...

Tupolev Tu-142 (Bear)
The Tupolev Tu-142 "Bear" aircraft was a further development of the massive and successful Tu-95 Bear design popularized by its many appearances along the airspace border between the Soviet union and NATO allies during the Co...

Tupolev Tu-16 (Badger)
The Tupolev Tu-16 (codenamed "Badger" by NATO) owed its success story to the Cold War and its own versatility. Throughout its production life, the Tu-16 would go on to become arguably the best medium-type bomber platform in s...

Tupolev Tu-160 (Blackjack)
At the time of it's inception, the Tupolev-produced Tu-160 "Blackjack" was the largest swing-wing bomber ever produced also mounting the most powerful engines to an aircraft platform ever. Developed as a direct counter to the...

Tupolev Tu-22 (Backfire / Blinder)
The Tupolev Tu-22 "Backfire" series is a variable-geometry swing-wing aircraft classified as a medium bomber - of the only true remaining modern "medium bomber" designated aircraft currently flying. The system was originally ...

Tupolev Tu-4 (Bull)
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Tupolev Tu-95 (Bear)
The Tupolev Tu-95 "Bear" was the Soviet symbol of Cold War prowess, consistently breaking across into American and Canadian airspace to test defensive response times and gather intelligence. The many forms of the Tu-95 produc...

Vickers Valiant
The Valiant was the beginning design in the series of 'V' strategic bombers for the RAF. The Valiant originated as a response for a high-level strategic bomber that could carry nuclear ordinance as well as conventional weapon...

Vickers Wellington
The Vickers-produced Wellington medium-class bomber was a principle bomber of the Royal Air Force at the start of the Second World War, serving up until late 1943 when it was relegated to maritime support roles. The Wellingto...

Voisin Type 5
The French Voisin Type 5 bomber was developed from the proven Voisin III series and saw action in the First World War. Though the III series accomplished what was expected from it, it soon became apparent that aircraft with l...

Vought SB2U Vindicator
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Vultee A-35 Vengeance
The A-35 Vengeance was a dive bomber produced by the Vultee Aircraft Company and resulted in over a thousand examples being used by foreign forces under the Lend-Lease Act. Originally ordered for French use as the V-72, some ...

Witteman-Lewis XNBL-1 (Barling Bomber)
The Witteman-Lewis XNBL-1 (popularly known as the "Barling Bomber") was an ambitious heavy bomber design from Walter Barling, an engineer with the United States Army Air Service. The aircraft was designed to a US Chief of Sta...

Xian H-6
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Yokosuka D4Y Suisei (Judy)
The Yokosuka D4Y Suisei (translating to "Comet" and nicknamed "Judy" by the Allies) was a capable dive bomber serving the Imperial Japanese Navy during the Second World War. The system saw some reliability issues in early pre...