Most-Produced Combat Aircraft of WWII

[oboe]

Cleaning out some folders and found this info I put together a few years ago.  Just staggering production numbers, and WTG to Curtiss for the P-40 and all its variants coming in at number 11.

[Oldman731]

Thanks for that!

- oldman

[oboe]

My pleasure.  Can't recall if I'd ever shown it before; I did some BB searches and nothing came up.

The next column to add to that sheet would be Theaters of Operation: ETO, PTO, MTO, CBI, Eastern Front (EF).  Am I missing any?

Production numbers tell only part of the story - for example the P-40 was used in every single theater of war.  The Spitfire's numbers are slightly high as it stayed in production through 1948, though I'm sure wartime production far exceeded those produced after 1945.

[Slade]

Thanks for posting! 

[DaddyAce]

Interesting, thanks oboe!   

[mechanic]

Thanks Oboe, really interesting. How sad it is how few remain to this day.

[MiloMorai]

You can get Spitfire numbers here, http://www.airhistory.org.uk/spitfire/

[whiteman]

Biggest surprises was the Corsair beiing that high up the list, and for some reason i didn't think there were more than 500-700 262's. No idea why I had that number range in my head.

[oboe]

Yes, was surprised about the Me262 - I wonder if the totals include partially finished aircraft, not yet airworthy, at the end of the War?

The Corsair stayed in production until 1952, that had to help its numbers.   Not sure how much action it saw in the Korean War but it must've been some early on.   

I compiled these numbers from Wikipedia, as I recall.   I wonder if "America's Hundred Thousand" would agree...

[AKDogg]

Great list but it is missing some planes.  Douglas A-26 Invader, B29, etc..

[oboe]

Hey Dogg,

True enough, some great aircraft aren't shown.  The list shows the most-produced aircraft of WWII; my arbitrary starting point was planes whose production totals exceeded 5,000.  The Douglas A-26, for example, only had about 2,500 produced.

For additional perspective, the second list includes the production totals of aircraft currently in AH that didn't make the first list.   

I think at the time I was attempting to make a subtle case for inclusion in AH of the aircraft highlighted in blue.

[AKDogg]

In case you haven't seen or found this list, here you go.  Every aircraft used in WWII.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_of_World_War_II

If you click on each plane, it will give numbers built.  The bombers list seem to have numbers built listed right on the list.

[oboe]

In case you haven't seen or found this list, here you go.  Every aircraft used in WWII.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_aircraft_of_World_War_II

If you click on each plane, it will give numbers built.  The bombers list seem to have numbers built listed right on the list.

Great find!   Thanks!

[Karnak]

My pleasure.  Can't recall if I'd ever shown it before; I did some BB searches and nothing came up.

The next column to add to that sheet would be Theaters of Operation: ETO, PTO, MTO, CBI, Eastern Front (EF).  Am I missing any?

Production numbers tell only part of the story - for example the P-40 was used in every single theater of war.  The Spitfire's numbers are slightly high as it stayed in production through 1948, though I'm sure wartime production far exceeded those produced after 1945.

I remember posting something like that years ago.  I would note that your production years aren't really accurate as they include the building of the prototypes, not just the actual production of service models.

[oboe]

I remember posting something like that years ago.  I would note that your production years aren't really accurate as they include the building of the prototypes, not just the actual production of service models.

Karnak!  <S> Good to hear from you, sir!