Curtiss SBC Helldiver (1933) USN Carrier Dive Bomber 1935-1940 (257 built) Curtiss biplane dive bomber The Curtiss SBC Helldiver was a two-seat scout/dive bomber from Curtiss-Wright and the last military biplane of the USN, introduced from 1937. Although a biplane, it was a modern and very strudy, reliable model seeing service on USS Saratoga, Yorktown … Read more
Grumman TBF/TBM Avenger (1941) US Navy torpedo-bomber (1941-1968), 9,839 built The well named “avenger”, Juggernaut of retribution The Grumman TBF Avenger is the well-remembered, massive WW2 US Navy torpedo bomber of the USN. It was also at the time the largest and heaviest single-engine aircraft of the war. It forged an enviable reputation as the … Read more
Grumman F8F Bearcat (1944) Carrier-based Fighter The last Grumman classic Piston engine Fighter Development and design The F8F was conceived to be capable of operating from aircraft carriers of all sizes and to be used primarily as an intercept fighter, a task that required excellent maneuverability, good low-altitude performance and high rate of climb. In … Read more
USN Carrier-borne piston-engine attack aircraft US Navy (1945-1985), 3,180 built The long-living piston-powered legend Although some of the most prominent WW2 aircraft, such as the F4U Corsair or the P51 Mustang, constantly upgraded, still took part in various combats in the 1970-80s, the Douglas Skyraider is certainly one of these surprises. Known at first as … Read more
USN WW2 carrier-borne fighter Single seat naval fighter (1942-48) The legendary 16:1 navy butcher bird The Grumman Hellcat would be forever associated with the second phase of the Pacific war. It replaced the hard-pressed F4F Wildcat on board all USN fleet carriers (the F4F would continue operating on escort carriers until 1945), and between the … Read more
Consolidated TBY Sea Wolf (1941) USN Torpedo Bomber (1941-44), 181 built. When good enough beats better The Consolidated TBY Sea Wolf was a USN carrier-borne torpedo aircraft, contender and contemporary to the Grumman TBF Avenger, but which development dragged on to such a point, it never saw battle, with a small number delivered and ultimately … Read more
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
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
Brewster SB2A Buccaneer (1941) 3-seats scout bomber (1941-43), 771 produced Worst aircraft of WW2 ? The fighter F2A Buffalo already a much maligned model, still had redeeming qualities and did extremely well in Finnish hands, whereas the Buccaneer had none, and over time all Historians, usually prone to argue over any subject, are unanimous as … Read more
