/r/WWIIplanes
Discussion and photos relating to WWII aviation.
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Historical images that have been manipulated (colorized, upscaled, or otherwise edited) must be tagged and include a watermark on the image itself. This requirement can be satisfied by, for example, putting a small text annotation in one corner, or with your personal logo. For the rationale for this rule, see here
This rule is not meant to restrict images with period edits, such as censor marks or original hand tinting
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The view from the ball turret of a B-17 Flying Fortress
23:14 UTC
99th BG 346th BS Boeing B-17F 42-30119 with #4 engine on fire after being hit by an Axis fighter over Foggia in Italy July 22nd 1943
21:15 UTC
"Tidalwave: Ploesti”- Aerojournal Magazine cover illustration by Piotr Forkasiewicz
18:59 UTC
An erupting Mount Vesuvius didn't stop the bombers getting through in March 1944, as several B25s headed for Monte Cassino. Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4625430/John-Dibbs-historian-Kent-Ramsey-restore-WW2-images.html
18:42 UTC
Marcelius Smith (L) and Roscoe Brown (R) of the 332nd Fighter Group work on the engine of a P-51 at Ramitelli, Italy, March 1945.
18:39 UTC
Lippisch P.13a
The Lippisch P.13a was a coal powered Interceptor. The choice of fuel for the ramjet engine was another critical consideration. Given the resource constraints faced by Germany towards the end of the war, Lippisch explored alternative fuels that could be produced domestically.
One such fuel was coal dust, which was abundant and could be utilised in the ramjet’s combustion process. The use of coal dust required significant adaptations in the engine design to ensure efficient mixing and combustion, further showcasing Lippisch’s innovative approach to engineering challenges.
15:33 UTC
He 111H-2, (F6+NL), W.Nr.5575, Wekusta Vaernes, On 3 June, 1940 while on a navigational mission due to a combination of bad weather, a navigational error and running out of fuel made a emergency landing NW of Gäddede Sweden. Heinkel was returned to Germany.
15:19 UTC
B-25 Mitchell
10:07 UTC
When Bombers and Flying Boats Dogfight
I recently learned that sometimes unescorted bombers and flying boats from opposing sides bumped into each other... and dogfighted (dogfought?)!
This link tells how a Japanese H6K flying boat dogfighted two B-17 and lived.
https://j-aircraft.com/research/stories/h6ksty.html
I never imagined two heavy planes could dogfight! There are other stories of duels between flying boats, PBY Catalina vs H6K. I'm like, what is this, Porco Rosso? I wish we could see flight sim players re-enact the dogfighting heavies.
What if the G4M carrying Yamamoto decided to dogfight the B-17, survived, and Yamamoto arrives at base very very airsick. "I didn't know bombers could dogfight!" before puking up his breakfast.
Just sharing my surprise and delight that such things happened.
08:33 UTC
A Beautiful North American P-51D Mustang Classic Trainer NZ2406 [1500X1292]
03:19 UTC
It doesn’t indicate variants or specify altitude, etc. but I thought this chart comparing the top speeds of different WWII fighters was pretty interesting nonetheless
23:07 UTC
B-24 from the 392nd BG. While flying in formation another B-24 hit the tail, December 20, 1943. Tail gunner fell from the plane and was killed, body found near Texel Holland.
23:03 UTC
Heinkel He 111 P-1 (B3+JM), 4./KG 54 took part in the bombing mission of Norway, April 21, 1940. Due to lack of fuel he landed on Gotland (Swedish island). Successfully repaired and returned to Germany in exchange for a Swedish Ju-86 that had landed in Germany. For more on that see the first comment
18:41 UTC
A Royal Air Force Avro Lancaster of No. 101 Squadron RAF drops "Window" countermeasures (left) and incendiaries and a Blockbuster bomb (right) over Duisburg, Germany, on 14-15 October 1944 during Operation Hurricane.
17:18 UTC
Romanian fighter aircraft IAR-81 being repaired by Romanian mechanics.
16:21 UTC
The caption claims this He 111 plane of KG54 Totenkopf (with skull emblem on the fuselage side) returned after a collision with barrage balloon cable. But my "Spidey Senses" are tingling and I have my doubts.
15:51 UTC
Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-432-0796-07, Flugzeug Focke-Wulf Fw 200 "Condor"
15:32 UTC
The Battle of Britain (1968)
Cinema publicity still for the Battle of Britain (1968) showing the impressive line-up of Spanish Air Force CASA 2.111s during the film's opening sequence. All 50 airworthy CASA 2.111s were used. There are no airworthy examples left
01:16 UTC
Britain’s Miles M.39 Libellula, a swept-wing, twin-engine, medium bomber demonstrator that flew in 1943 [1500X1045]
23:49 UTC
Fiat G-50 Freccia re-engined?
It seemed that the Fiat G-50 fighter was mainly limited by its 870hp engine having a top speed of only 290mph. The later G-55 with a Daimler 1455hp engine reached 387 mph with basically the same airframe. What may have been the performance if it had been re-engined with a US 1200 hp radial
19:26 UTC
An Allied soldier inspects a wrecked German Messerschmitt Bf 109 (foreground). In the background a Heinkel He 111, StG3, (S7+EA) at an enemy airfield in Daba-Egypt, 8 November 1942. https://www.reddit.com/r/WWIIplanes/comments/1gyirzb/heinkel_he_111_stg3_s7ea_dabaegypt_november_1942/#lightbox
18:58 UTC
Slopping black paint on the undersides for night missions. But another piece of equipment for night missions was in the cockpit. For more on that see the first comment.
14:58 UTC
A view of Spanish-built CASA 2.111 twin-engined used during the production of the film 'Battle of Britain' (1969), circa March 1968. These bombers were a replica Heinkel HE 111. (Photo by Terence Spencer/Popperfoto via Getty Images)
12:13 UTC
Bf 109E-3, 8./JG26, 'Black 2', during take off checks, Germany 1940. Staffel emblem 8./JG26 - 'Adamson' is a cartoon character. Eduard Neumann adopted the cartoon character as a symbol of his then 4th headquarters of JG26, and later 8th JG26. The photo shows a rare variant emblem of the red 'Adamson
11:55 UTC
Dornier Do 19
Dornier Do 19 heavy bomber prototype built for the Luftwaffe's Ural bomber program in flight. First flew 28 October 1936. Germany had the means to build four engined strategic bombers well before the war started. However, with the death of General Walter Weaver, his replacement, Ernst Udet, steered the Luftwaffe away from a strategic force to a tactical force
08:48 UTC
Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigant (Giant)
08:42 UTC
RAAF Spitfire, New Guinea
Men of the US Army 46th Engineer Battalion posing with a Spitfire in support of the Royal Australian Air Force No. 73 Wing, possibly at Finschhafen, New Guinea circa 1944. Wilbur Block, Gilbert Schumacher, Cecil Jordon, & unknown.
This photo belonged to my grandfather Gil (center.)
04:23 UTC