Birds that once were, nobody heard of them...and heck, it would be fun to have them here
Lets start the list:
Bell P-63 Kingcobra"During the development of the Bell P-39 Airacobra it was decided to build a larger and more powerful version for use in a close-support fighter-bomber role. The result was the P-63 Kingcobra, which was similar in layout to the P-39, but it was larger, had a more powerful engine, and had a different tail design. Initial deliveries began in October 1943, and by the time production ended in 1945 more than 3,300 Kingcobras had been built in several versions. The great majority (more than 2,400) were supplied to the USSR under the Lend-Lease program, and about 300 went to the Free French. Very few of the P-63s were delivered to the USAAF, and it is believed that none were used operationally by that service"
Type: close-support fighter/fighter-bomber
Crew: 1, Pilot
Armament: one 37mm M4 cannon, (HOLY SMOKES!
)
four .50 cal machine guns,
up to three 522 lb. bombs
Specifications:
Length: 32' 8" (9.96 m)
Height: 12' 7" (3.84 m)
Wingspan: 38' 4" (11.68 m)
Wing area: 248 sq. ft (23.04 sq. m)
Empty Weight: 6375 lbs (2892 kg)
Takeoff Weight: 10,500 lbs (4763 kg) maximum
Propulsion:
No. of Engines: 1
Powerplant: Allison V-1710-93 inline
Horsepower: 1325 hp
Performance:
Range: 450 miles (724 km) w/ weapons
Max Speed: 410 mph (660 km/hr)
Ceiling: 43,000 ft (13,110 m)
Consolidated B-32 Dominator :
The Dominator was designed by Consolidated to meet an Air Force specification that also resulted in the competing Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Each company won contracts to produce aircraft, but Consolidated ran into problems with the B-32 development. Like the B-29, the B-32 had pressurized crew compartments and remotely-controlled gun turrets. When the production examples of the B-32 were delivered in November 1944, however, these two features had been deleted from the aircraft. Only 15 aircraft were to become operational before VJ-Day (plus another 40 training examples), but at the end of the war all versions were very soon withdrawn from service
Type: long range strategic bomber
Crew: 8
Armament: two 20mm cannon (one in nose, one in tail)
four .50 cal machine guns
up to 20,000 lbs. of bombs
Specifications:
Length: 83' 1" (25.32 m)
Height: 33' 0" (10.06 m)
Wingspan: 135' 0" (41.15 m)
Wing area: 1422 sq. ft (132.10 sq. m)
Empty Weight: 60,272 lb (27,229 kg)
Max Weight: 111,500 lb (50,576 kg) max at takeoff
Propulsion:
No. of Engines: 4
Powerplant: Wright R-3350-23 Cyclone radial
Horsepower: 2200 hp each
Performance:
Range w/max bombload: 800 miles (1287 km)
Max Range: 3800 miles (6115 km)
Cruise Speed: (not listed)
Max Speed: 357 mph ( 575 km/h) at 25000 ft
Ceiling: 35,000 ft (10,760 m)
Lockheed B-34 / PV-1 Ventura / PV-2 Harpoon The early success of the Lockheed Hudson resulted in the development of a more advanced design for the British, to be named the B-34. These first entered service in October 1942. Later designated the Ventura I, the new aircraft differed from the Hudson in having a wider and deeper fuselage with a length increase of 16%, more powerful engines, the introduction of a proper ventral gun position, and a larger bomb bay. As aircraft were transferred between the Lend-Lease program, the USAAF, and the U.S. Navy, designations went from B-34 to R-37 to B-37 to PV-3. The Navy received it's first quantities in December 1942 as the PV-1 (Ventura). In June 1943 the Navy ordered a new version under the designation PV-2 and with the name Harpoon. This version had the wingspan increased by 9 feet, increased fuel capacity, greater fin and rudder area, and improved armament (five .50 cal forward firing machine guns in the nose, two 50 cal machine guns in both dorsal turret and ventral position, and up to four 1000 lb. bombs internally with two 1000 lb. bombs externally). The PV-2 served primarily in the Pacific theater, and was well-used until the end of the war.
Type: medium bomber
Crew: 4-5
Armament(B-34): two forward firing .50 cal machine guns
six .30 cal machine guns on flex mounts
up to 2500 lbs. of bombs in bomb bay
Specifications:
Length: 51' 5" (15.67 m)
Height: 11' 11" (3.63 m)
Wingspan: 65' 6" (19.96 m)
Wing area: 551 sq. ft (51.19 sq. m)
Empty Weight: 17,275 lb (7836 kg)
Max Weight: 27,250 lb (12,360 kg) max at takeoff
Propulsion (B-34A):
No. of Engines: 2
Powerplant: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-31 Double Wasp radial
Powerplant: Wright R-1860-52 Cyclone radial
Horsepower: 2000 hp each
Performance:
Range: 950 miles (1529 km)
Cruise Speed: 230 mph ( 370 km/h)
Max Speed: 315 mph ( 507 km/h) at 15,500 ft
Ceiling: 24,000 ft (7315 m)
Martin 187 Baltimore :The Martin Baltimore was developed from it's predecessor the Martin 167 Maryland to meet specific British requirements. It was used with distinction by a number of Allied air forces in Europe, and was liked by it's pilots for its superior performance and great structural strength. One drawback that it shared with the Maryland was the very narrow fuselage, which made it virtually impossible for crew members to change position in flight if injured
Type: twin-engined light bomber
Crew: 4
Armament: four .303 inch machine guns in wings
2-4 .303 inch machine guns in dorsal turret
two .30 inch machine guns in ventral position
up to 2,000 lbs. of bombs
Specifications:
Length: 48' 5.75" (14.78 m)
Height: 17' 9" (5.41 m)
Wingspan: 61' 4" (18.69 m)
Wing area: 538.5 sq. ft (50.03 sq. m)
Empty Weight: 15,460 lb (7013 kg)
Max Weight: 22,600 lb (10,521 kg) max at takeoff
Propulsion:
No. of Engines: 2
Powerplant: Wright GR-2600-A5B Cyclone 14 radial
Horsepower: 1660 hp each
Performance:
Range: 1082 miles (1741 km)
Cruise Speed: 225 mph ( 362 km/h)
Max Speed: 305 mph ( 491 km/h) at 11,500 ft
Ceiling: 23,300 ft (7100 m)
Curtiss SB2C HelldiverLike it's predecessor (the SBC biplane dive bomber by Curtiss), the SB2C is also called the Helldiver. The SB2C is the better known Helldiver of the two, mainly due to it's combat use in the last half of WWII. The SB2C is also known by the nickname "Big Tailed Beast" and a few other names by those who flew it. The Helldiver replaced the aging Douglas Dauntless as the dive bomber of the US Navy, though initial teething problems left many wishing they had kept their dependable Dauntlesses. By the war's end, however, the SB2C was proving it's worth. The Helldiver was also adopted by the Army under the designation A-25.
Type: two-seat carrier-based scout bomber
Crew: 2: Pilot, Gunner
Armament: two 20mm cannon in wings,
two .30 cal machine guns in rear cockpit
Specifications:
Length: 36' 8: (10.97 m)
Height: 13' 2" (4.01 m
Wignspan: 49' 9" (15.16 m)
Gross Weight: 16616 lb
Propulsion:
No. of Engines: 1
Powerplant: Wright R-2600-20
Horsepower: 1900 hp
Performance:
Range: 1165 miles (1876 km)
Cruise Speed: 158 mph (254 km/h)
Max Speed: 295 mph (475 km/h)
Ceiling: 29100 ft (8869 m)
Vultee A-31/A-35 VengeanceType: two-seat dive bomber
Crew: 2
Armament: six 0.50 cal machine guns
up to 2,000 lbs. of bombs
Specifications:
Length: 39' 9" (12.12 m)
Height: 15' 4" (4.67 m)
Wingspan: 48' 0" (14.63 m)
Wing area: 332 sq. ft (30.84 sq. m)
Empty Weight: 10,300 lb (4672 kg)
Max Weight: 16,400 lb (7439 kg) max at takeoff
Propulsion:
No. of Engines: 1
Powerplant: Wright R-2600-13 Cyclone 14 radial
Horsepower: 1700 hp
Performance:
Range: 2300 miles (3701 km)
Cruise Speed: 230 mph ( 370 km/h)
Max Speed: 279 mph ( 449 km/h) at 13,500 ft
Ceiling: 22,300 ft (6800 m)
Bell P-39 AiracobraThe P-39 Airacobra was the first US Army fighter with tricycle landing gear, and was also unique for having it's engine placed behind the pilot in the middle of the aircraft. Other interesting features included a 37mm cannon firing through the propeller hub, and access to the cockpit via a door in the fuselage (as opposed to a moveable canopy). While not noteable as an air-to-air fighter, the P-39 served well as a ground attack aircraft, especially in the lend-lease versions provided to the Russians. About 200 P-39s originally designated for export to the British were repossessed by the USAAF, and were known as P-400s.
Type: Fighter
Crew: 1, Pilot
Armament: one 37mm T9 cannon,
two .50 cal machine guns,
four .30 cal machine guns
Specifications:
Length: 30' 2" (9.19 m)
Height: 11' 10" (3.61 m)
Wingspan: 34' 0" (10.36 m)
Wing area: 213 sq. ft (19.79 sq. m)
Empty Weight: 6300 lbs (2857 kg)
Gross Weight: 7650 lbs (3469 kg)
Max Weight: 8850 lbs (4013 kg)
Propulsion:
No. of Engines: 1
Powerplant: Allison V-1710-35
Horsepower: 1150 hp
Performance:
Range: 350 miles (563 km)
Max Speed: 360 mph (579 km/hr)
Climb: 2550 ft/min (777.2 m/min)
Ceiling: 31900 ft (9722.6 m)
ROLL EM IN!