Vought O2U/O3U Corsair (1927) USN/USMC Observation plane (Circa 580 built 1927-33) The workhorse of interwar USN observation The name “corsair” in the USN for an aircraft has a long legacy. The cokd war LTV A-7 Corsair II produced by Vought through Ling-Temco-Vought is now retired, but modern drones are likely to retake the name, first … Read more
Curtiss SO3C Seamew (1939) US Navy Observation Floatplane (1939), 780 built 1942-44 The Curtiss SO3C was supposed to be the main reconnaissance and spotting floatplane in service on board capital ships, cruisers and aircraft carriers of the US Navy, in its convertible versions. However it was a rather mediocre seabird, for multiple causes in part … Read more
Loire-Nieuport LN 40 (1938) LN 401 Aéronautique Navale; LN 411 Armée de l’Air: 152 built total The French “Stuka” France had no dive bomber for its naval aviation in the late 1930s, just as the type became popular, being explored by all aviations and starting with France’s neighbour, Germany. In 1936, a specification by the … Read more
Ryan FR-1 Fireball (1945) US Navy mixted piston/jet fighter (1944-47), 71 built The Ryan FR Fireball was the sole US Navy mixed-power (piston and jet-powered) fighter aircraft, designed by Ryan Aeronautical during WW2, hence it’s classification here. It was one of these numerous projects never completed in time to take part in WW2, but it’s … Read more
Aichi D3A (1938) Imperial Japanese Navy, 1,495 built The D3A2 “Val” main IJN Dive Bomber in 1941 The “Val” as it was referred in the USN, was the main Imperial Japanese Dive Bomber of WW2, until replaced gradually from 1942 onwards by the Yokosuka D4Y Suisei, far more modern by all standards and benefiting from … Read more
Nakajima E8N “Dave” (1934) Imperial Japanese Navy, 755 built The “Dave”, standard IJN observation seaplane The Nakajima E8N was a Japanese ship-borne and catapult-launched reconnaissance seaplane which saw service mostly during the Second Sino-Japanese War. This single-engine, two-seat biplane was given a main ventral float complemented by underwing outriggers. Not fast, but reliable and with … Read more
Yokosuka B4Y “Jean” (1935) Imperial Japanese Navy, 205 built The Mitsubishi B2M which needed replacement (1932), derived from the Blackburn Ripon The Yokosuka B4Y, also called Navy Type 96 Carrier Attack Bomber was the specialized torpedo bomber of the IJN, and last biplane of that type before the arrival of the B5N “Kate”. Introduced in … Read more
US Navy Fighter Bomber (1940-76), 12,270 built Probably the most famous fighter ever designed for any Navy, arguably, was the Vought F4U Corsair. Not only for its production went further than the Hellcat, but it outlived all for a very long active service. The very last in action were 19 Honduran F4U in the 1969 … Read more
Fairey Fulmar (1940) RNAS/FAA 1940-43: 600 built. The Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne reconnaissance and fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Fairey Aviation in 1939-40. Named after the northern fulmar (British Isles seabird) it became one of the most used Fleet Air Arm (FAA) model during WW2. Production ceased in 1943 as the new, … Read more
Mitsubishi A5M “Claude” (1937) Imperial Japanese Navy, 1085 built The main IJN fighter in 1940 The Mitsubish A5M (allied designation “claude”) was until the arrival of the legendary “zeke”, the main Japanese Imperial Navy Fighter. Designed alongside the Army Fighter Nakajima Nakajima Ki-27 “Nate”, this was the first generation monoplane of this type, supremely agile, … Read more
