Over 700 different aircraft models were used during World War II. At least 135 of these models were developed for naval use, including about 50 fighters and 38 bombers.
Only about 25 carrier-launched aircraft models were used extensively for combat operations. Of these, nine were introduced during the war years after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brought United States into the war, four by the United States Navy (USN) and three by the Royal Navy (RN) and two by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN).
Principal carrier aircraft used
The table below lists the principal carrier-launched fighters and bombers used during World War II. They are listed within each aircraft type in chronological order of their introduction to service. Allied reporting names such as "Val" and "Kate" are included for IJN aircraft. Neither Germany nor Italy put carriers or carrier-launched aircraft into service. Some Axis fighters are included in the table below for comparison with the Allied fighters that met them in combat.
+ Table of carrier aircraft 1935-1945 + (performance figures refer to a representative version) Origin Armed service use Aircraft name & variant Type Year introduced Number produced Loaded weight (lb) Engine power (hp) Max (mph) Range (miles) Service ceiling (ft) Rate of climb (ft/min) Wing loading (lb/ft2) Max ordnance (lb) Machine guns Cannon (20mm) RocketsCarrier fighters/fighter-bombersJapan IJN Nakajima A4N1 Biplane 1936 221 3,880 730 219 526 25,390 2,812 15.7 265 2 -- --Japan IJN Mitsubishi A5M-4 "Claude" Monoplane 1937 1,094 3,684 710 270 746 32,000 2,749 19.2 132 2 -- -- UK RN Gloster Sea Gladiator Mk I Biplane 1937 98 4,594 830 253 400 32,800 2,300 14.2 -- 4 -- -- USA USN Brewster F2A-3 Buffalo Monoplane 1939 509 4,732 1,200 321 965 33,200 2,440 34 200 4× 0.5in -- -- UK RN Blackburn Roc Monoplane 1939 136 7950 890 223 810 18,000 1500 25.6 240(8x 30-lb) 4 -- --Japan IJN Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero "Zeke" Monoplane 1940 10,939 5,313 940 331 1,162 32,810 3,090 25.5 264 2 2 -- UK RN Fairey Fulmar Monoplane 1940 600 9,672 1,300 272 780 27,200 1,200 28.3 250 8x 0.303 or 4 x 0.5 USA USN RN Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat Monoplane 1940 7,885 7,423 1,200 331 845 39,500 2,303 28.6 200 4-6 -- -- UK RN Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk IIC Monoplane 1941 438 7,670 1,460 342 600 36,000 2,780 29.8 4x 20mm -- UK RN Supermarine Seafire F Mk III Monoplane 1942 2,646 7,232 1,585 359 465 36,000 3,250 29.9 500 4 x 0.303 2x 20mm -- USA USN RN Vought F4U Corsair Monoplane 1942 12,571 14,533 2,380 446 1,005 41,500 4,360 46.3 4,000 -- 4 8 USA USN Grumman Hellcat F6F-5 Monoplane 1943 12,275 12,598 2,200 391 945 37,300 3,000 37.7 4,000 4-6 2 6 UK RN Fairey Firefly Mk.1 Monoplane 1943 1,702 13,479 1,730 316 665 28,000 1,700 42.0 2,000 -- 4 16 Japan IJN Kawanishi N1K1-J "George" Monoplane 1944 1,532 8,598 1,975 355 505 39,400 3,880 34.0 1,100 -- 4 -- Notable land based fighters, for comparison USA USAAF Boeing P-26 Model 281 Monoplane 1933 151 3,360 600 234 360 27,400 719 -- 200 2 -- -- USSR Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 Monoplane 1935 6,848 4,279 1,100 326 430 31,800 2,890 27.4 1,100 2 2 6 Germany Luft. Messerschmitt Bf 109C-1 Monoplane 1937 33,984 5,062 700 292 405 27,600 -- 30 -- -- 4 -- UK RAF Hawker Hurricane Mk I Monoplane 1937 14,000 6,670 1,030 316 525 36,000 2,640 29.8 -- 8x 0.303 -- -- Italy RA Macchi C.200 Monoplane 1939 1,152 4,850 870 313 350 29,200 3,010 26.8 330 2 -- -- Germany Luft. Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 Monoplane 1941 >20,000 9,738 1,677 405 620 33,960 3,000 49.4 1,100 2 4 -- Italy RA Reggiane Re.2001 Monoplane 1941 237 7,231 1,159 337 680 36,000 2,600 32.9 -- 2 -- -- Italy RA Macchi C.202 Folgore Monoplane 1941 1,150 6,460 1,159 370 765 37,700 3,560 35.7 350 4 -- -- USA USAF RAF North American P-51A/Mustang II Monoplane 1942 15,000 9,200 1,490 440 1,650 41,900 3,200 39 1,000 4x 0.5in -- 6Torpedo bombers UK RN Fairey Swordfish Biplane 1936 2,391 7,580 690 143 522 16,500 1,220 12.5 1,670 2 -- 8 USA USN Douglas TBD Devastator Monoplane 1937 130 9,862 900 206 435 20,800 720 22.0 1,935 2 -- -- Japan IJN Nakajima B5N2 "Kate" Monoplane 1937 1,149 8,378 1,000 235 608 27,100 1,280 20.6 1,760 3 -- -- UK RN Fairey Albacore Biplane 1940 800 10,460 1,130 161 710 18,800 750 16.8 2,000 1-2 -- -- USA USN RN Grumman TBF Avenger TBF-1 Monoplane 1942 9,839 15,536 1,700 278 1,215 22,402 2,060 31.7 2,000 4 -- 8 UK RN Fairey Barracuda Mk II Monoplane 1943 2,602 13,200 1,640 240 687 16,000 833 32.6 1,800 2 x 0.303 Japan IJN Nakajima B6N2 "Jill" Monoplane 1943 1,268 11,464 1,850 300 1,085 29,660 1,577 28.7 1,760 2 -- -- Dive bombers USA USN Curtiss SBC-4 Helldiver Biplane 1938 257 7,080 850 234 405 24,000 1,630 22.3 1,000 2 -- -- UK RN Blackburn Skua Mk. II Monoplane 1938 192 8,228 890 225 760 20,200 1,580 25.8 500(+ 160 lb) 5 -- -- USA USN Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless Monoplane 1940 5,936 9,359 1,200 255 1,115 25,530 1,700 28.8 2,250 4 x 0.303 Japan IJN Aichi D3A2 "Val" Monoplane 1940 1,495 8,378 1,300 240 840 34,400 1,690 22.3 810 3 -- -- Japan IJN Yokosuka D4Y2 "Judy" Monoplane 1942 2,038 9,370 1,400 343 910 35,100 2,800 36.9 1,100 2 -- -- USA USN Curtiss SB2C-4 Helldiver Monoplane 1942 7,140 16,616 1,900 295 1,165 29,100 1,800 39.4 2,500 2 2 8 Sources:
Notes: Values were obtained from multiple sources. Some reported values may not be directly comparable to others in the same column. Combat ranges for some of the aircraft could be extended using drop tanks containing supplemental fuel. Japanese carrier aircraft designations for planes introduced after 1922 typically adhered to the following conventions. The first letter indicated the aircraft type, "A" for fighter, "B" for torpedo bomber, "C" for reconnaissance, and "D" for dive bomber. The last letter indicated the manufacturer, "A" for Aichi, "M" for Mitsubishi, "N" for Nakajima, and "Y" for Yokosuka. The "Type" indicated the last two digits for the Japanese year that the plane was adopted for service. For example, the "D3A (Type 99)" was a dive bomber manufactured by Aichi and adapted for service during the Japanese Year 2599 (1939). The plane was actually introduced for combat in 1940. The Allies referred to it as a "Val".
Relative aircraft capabilities were not the only factors that contributed to success or failure for carrier aircraft in combat. Attack coordination and tactics, along with pilot skill, determination, and willingness to self-sacrifice were at least as important and perhaps more so. For example, both the new, high-performing Grumman TBF Avenger and the obsolete Douglas TBD Devastator were slaughtered as they tried to deliver their torpedoes at Midway without fighter protection. But their pilots' dogged pressing of their attacks in the face of almost hopeless odds created opportunities for the dive bomber pilots that, by luck as well as by determination, arrived in a timely manner to sink four IJN carriers. The effectiveness of the special attacks ("kamikaze") late in the war using mostly outdated aircraft can also be attributed to pilot determination and self-sacrifice. Nonetheless, other things being equal, faster, more maneuverable aircraft with longer ranges and better armament contributed to successful combat outcomes.
Carrier aircraft types, functions, and features
Carrier aircraft types.
The types of aircraft usually launched from aircraft carriers were fighters, torpedo bombers, and dive-bombers. Floatplanes were also launched from some carriers but were typically catapulted from cruisers and battleships. Land-based aircraft types were frequently launched from carriers when delivering them to forward bases, such as when Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighters flew from carriers to newly captured land-bases during the Allied invasion of North Africa. Sometimes land-based aircraft were launched from carriers for special operations, such as the USN Doolittle Raid, when B-25s were launched for a raid on Tokyo. Some carrier aircraft served in dual roles, such as fighter-bomber and bomber-reconnaissance aircraft.
Carrier aircraft functions.
Torpedo and dive bombers attacked enemy warships, transports, merchant ships, and land installations. Fighters accompanied bombers on attack missions, protecting them during interceptions by enemy fighters. Fighters maintained overhead in Combat Air Patrols (CAP) protected their carriers and other warships in the fleet by intercepting enemy bombers and by attacking submarines. Fighters and bombers were also widely used for reconnaissance and sometimes used for mine laying or for spotting to assist bombardment by warships.
Carrier aircraft features.
Size of aircrew. With few exceptions, fighters had a single crewmember, the pilot, while dive-bombers had two and torpedo bombers had three crewmembers. The RN valued a second crewmember in fighters for observation and navigation, and the Fairey Fulmar and the Fairey Firefly. The Blackburn Roc was a "turret fighter" and the second crewmember operated the turret Armament. Fighters and bombers typically had two to four machine guns, sometimes six. These were mostly 7.7mm or 7.62mm (.303in), but the heavier 12.7mm (.50in) were on some RN and USN aircraft. The IJN Zero fighter had the more destructive 20mm (.79in) cannon in addition to machine guns. Later in the war, RN and USN fighters also had 20mm cannon in addition to or instead of machine guns. After 1943, some fighters and bombers were also capable of firing 12.7 cm (127mm) (5 in) rockets. Bombers also carried bombs or a torpedo, the maximum possible weight for which generally increased with new introductions during the war. Most fighters could carry a small bomb load. Self-sealing fuel tank. Self-sealing fuel tanks retarded or eliminated the flow of fuel from a tank that has been holed during combat. This was typically accomplished by incorporating a material that swelled when it came into contact with fuel. Many RN and USN carrier aircraft used this technology, but it involved adding weight, and the IJN was reluctant to sacrifice range and maneuverability for improved survivability. Protective armor. Like self-sealing fuel tanks, protective armor for the aircrew improved survivability at the cost of performance. The RN and USN armored their carrier aircraft, protecting the aircrew, but the IJN typically did not. Number of wings. Carrier aircraft introduced after 1937 were all monoplanes except for the biplane RN Fairey Albacore which was an improved version of the Swordfish. The biplane Fairey Swordfish, introduced in 1936, was removed from front line combat but put onto anti-submarine convoy escort served through the entire war. Folding wings. Monoplane carrier aircraft introduced after 1936 almost all had folding wings to reduce the space taken up in hangars. . Exceptions included the Mitsubishi A5M "Claude" fighter and the Douglas SBD Dauntless and Yokosuka D4Y "Judy" dive bombers. Cockpit. Some early aircraft had open cockpits, but newer introductions typically had enclosed cockpits. Undercarriage. Most of the carrier aircraft introduced after 1937 had retractable landing gear to reduce drag. The two exceptions, introduced in 1940, were the RN Fairy Albacore torpedo bomber and the IJN Aichi D3A2 "Val" dive bomber.
Pre- and early-war aircraft (1936-1941)
Chinese land-based aircraft vs. Japanese carrier aircraft During the short “Shanghai Incident” in 1932, Japanese carrier-launched fighters and bombers and water-launched floatplanes attacked areas in and around the city. In one engagement, a group of three Mitsubishi B1M torpedo bombers and three Nakajima A1N fighters were attacked by a lone Boeing 218 fighter flown by Robert McCawley Short, an American pilot training Chinese flyers. He was shot down and the following month, Japanese fighters were unsuccessfully opposed by Chinese Curtiss Hawk fighters, some of which were also shot down.