Carrier Aircraft Specifications
Editor's Note: The following content is a transcription of a period document or a collection of period statistics. It may be incomplete, inaccurate, or biased. The reader may not wish to take the content as factual.
ww2dbasePrincipal Carrier Aircraft Used During WW2:
| Navy | Aircraft Name & Variant | Number of Wings | Year Intro. | Number Produced | Empty Weight (lbs) | Loaded Weight (lbs) | Engine Power (hp) | Max Speed (mph) | Range (mi) | Service Ceiling (ft) | Rate of Climb (ft/min) | Wing Loading (lbs/sf) | Max Ord. (lbs) | Mach. Guns | 20mm Cannon | Rockets After 1943 | |
Carrier Fighters/Fighter-Bombers | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | IJN | Nakajima A4N1 | Biplane | 1936 | 221 | 2,813 | 3,880 | 730 | 219 | 526 | 25,390 | 2,812 | 15.7 | 265 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2 | IJN | Mitsubishi A5M-4 "Claude" | Monoplane | 1937 | 1,094 | 2,681 | 3,684 | 710 | 270 | 746 | 32,000 | 2,749 | 19.2 | 132 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 3 | RN | Gloster Sea Gladiator Mk I | Biplane | 1937 | 98 | 3,217 | 4,594 | 830 | 253 | 400 | 32,800 | 2,300 | 14.2 | -- | 4 | -- | -- |
| 4 | RN | Blackburn Roc | Monoplane | 1939 | 136 | 6,121 | 7950 | 890 | 223 | 810 | 18,000 | 1500 | 25.6 | 240 | 4 | -- | -- |
| 5 | IJN | Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero "Zeke" | Monoplane | 1940 | 10,939 | 3,704 | 5,313 | 940 | 331 | 1,162 | 32,810 | 3,090 | 25.5 | 264 | 2 | 2 | -- |
| 6 | RN | Fairey Fulmar | Monoplane | 1940 | 600 | 7,015 | 9,672 | 1,300 | 272 | 780 | 27,200 | 1,200 | 28.3 | 250 | 4 | -- | -- |
| 7 | USN | Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat | Monoplane | 1940 | 7,885 | 4,907 | 7,423 | 1,200 | 331 | 845 | 39,500 | 2,303 | 28.6 | 200 | 4-6 | -- | -- |
| 8 | RN | Hawker Sea Hurricane Mk IIC | Monoplane | 1941 | 438 | 5,745 | 7,670 | 1,460 | 342 | 600 | 36,000 | 2,780 | 29.8 | -- | -- | 4 | -- |
| 9 | RN | Supermarine Seafire F Mk III | Monoplane | 1942 | 2,646 | 5,317 | 7,232 | 1,585 | 359 | 465 | 36,000 | 3,250 | 29.9 | 500 | 4 | 2 | -- |
| 10 | USN | Vought F4U Corsair | Monoplane | 1942 | 12,571 | 9,205 | 14,533 | 2,380 | 446 | 1,005 | 41,500 | 4,360 | 46.3 | 4,000 | -- | 4 | 8 |
| 11 | USN | Grumman Hellcat F6F-5 | Monoplane | 1943 | 12,275 | 9,238 | 12,598 | 2,200 | 391 | 945 | 37,300 | 3,000 | 37.7 | 4,000 | 4-6 | 2 | 6 |
| 12 | RN | Fairey Firefly Mk 1 | Monoplane | 1944 | 1,702 | 9,750 | 13,479 | 1,730 | 316 | 665 | 28,000 | 1,700 | 42.0 | 2,000 | -- | 4 | 16 |
Land Fighters | |||||||||||||||||
| -- | USN | Curtiss Model 68 Hawk III | Biplane | 1933 | 166 | 3,326 | 4,552 | 770 | 255 | 725 | 27,000 | 1,950 | 17.4 | 474 | 2 | 0 | -- |
| -- | RA | Fiat CR.32 | Biplane | 1933 | 1,052 | 3,208 | 4,354 | 599 | 220 | 485 | 28,900 | 1,800 | 18.1 | 220 | 2 | -- | -- |
| -- | USN | Boeing P-26 Model 281 | Monoplane | 1933 | 151 | 2,196 | 3,360 | 600 | 234 | 360 | 27,400 | 719 | -- | 200 | 2 | -- | -- |
| -- | USSR | Polikarpov I-15 | Biplane | 1935 | 6,750 | 2,231 | 3,053 | 700 | 228 | 320 | 32,200 | 3,000 | 13.0 | 220 | 2 | -- | -- |
| -- | USSR | Polikarpov I-16 Type 24 | Monoplane | 1935 | 6,848 | 3,285 | 4,279 | 1,100 | 326 | 430 | 31,800 | 2,890 | 27.4 | 1,100 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| -- | Luft. | Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6 | Monoplane | 1937 | 33,984 | 4,954 | 6,940 | 1,455 | 400 | 711 | 39,000 | 3,300 | 40.2 | 551 | -- | 4 | 2 |
| -- | RA | Macchi C.200 | Monoplane | 1939 | 1,152 | 4,330 | 4,850 | 870 | 313 | 350 | 29,200 | 3,010 | 26.8 | 330 | 2 | -- | -- |
| -- | RA | Fiat CR.42 Falco | Biplane | 1939 | 1,817 | 3,929 | 5,060 | 841 | 274 | 480 | 33,500 | 2,320 | 21.0 | 440 | 2 | -- | -- |
| -- | Luft. | Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8 | Monoplane | 1941 | >20,000 | 7,055 | 9,738 | 1,677 | 405 | 620 | 33,960 | 3,000 | 49.4 | 1,100 | 2 | 4 | -- |
| -- | RA | Reggiane Re.2001 | Monoplane | 1941 | 237 | 5,501 | 7,231 | 1,159 | 337 | 680 | 36,000 | 2,600 | 32.9 | -- | 2 | -- | -- |
| -- | RA | Macchi C.202 Folgore | Monoplane | 1941 | 1,150 | 5,492 | 6,460 | 1,159 | 370 | 765 | 37,700 | 3,560 | 35.7 | 350 | 4 | -- | -- |
| -- | IJN | Kawanishi N1K1-J "George" | Monoplane | 1944 | 1,532 | 6,387 | 8,598 | 1,975 | 355 | 505 | 39,400 | 3,880 | 34.0 | 1,100 | -- | 4 | -- |
| Torpedo Bombers | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | RN | Fairey Swordfish | Biplane | 1936 | 2,391 | 4,195 | 7,580 | 690 | 143 | 522 | 16,500 | 1,220 | 12.5 | 1,670 | 2 | -- | 8 |
| 2 | USN | Douglas TBD Devastator | Monoplane | 1937 | 130 | 5,600 | 9,862 | 900 | 206 | 435 | 20,800 | 720 | 22.0 | 1,935 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 3 | IJN | Nakajima B5N2 "Kate" | Monoplane | 1937 | 1,149 | 5,024 | 8,378 | 1,000 | 235 | 608 | 27,100 | 1,280 | 20.6 | 1,760 | 3 | -- | -- |
| 4 | RN | Fairey Albacore | Biplane | 1940 | 800 | 7,250 | 10,460 | 1,130 | 161 | 710 | 18,800 | 750 | 16.8 | 2,000 | 1-2 | -- | -- |
| 5 | USN | Grumman TBF Avenger TBF-1 | Monoplane | 1942 | 9,839 | 10,080 | 15,536 | 1,700 | 278 | 1,215 | 22,402 | 2,060 | 31.7 | 2,000 | 4 | -- | 8 |
| 6 | RN | Fairey Barracuda Mk II | Monoplane | 1943 | 2,602 | 9,350 | 13,200 | 1,640 | 240 | 687 | 16,000 | 833 | 32.6 | 1,800 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 7 | IJN | Nakajima B6N2 "Jill" | Monoplane | 1943 | 1,268 | 6,636 | 11,464 | 1,850 | 300 | 1,085 | 29,660 | 1,577 | 28.7 | 1,760 | 2 | -- | -- |
Dive Bombers | |||||||||||||||||
| 1 | USN | Curtiss SBC-4 Helldiver | Biplane | 1938 | 257 | 4,552 | 7,080 | 850 | 234 | 405 | 24,000 | 1,630 | 22.3 | 1,000 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2 | RN | Blackburn Skua Mk. II | Monoplane | 1938 | 192 | 5496 | 8,228 | 890 | 225 | 760 | 20,200 | 1,580 | 25.8 | 500 | 4 | -- | -- |
| 3 | USN | Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless | Monoplane | 1940 | 5,936 | 6,404 | 9,359 | 1,200 | 255 | 1,115 | 25,530 | 1,700 | 28.8 | 2,250 | 4 | -- | -- |
| 4 | IJN | Aichi D3A2 "Val" | Monoplane | 1940 | 1,495 | 5,666 | 8,378 | 1,300 | 240 | 840 | 34,400 | 1,690 | 22.3 | 810 | 3 | -- | -- |
| 5 | IJN | Yokosuka D4Y2 "Judy" | Monoplane | 1942 | 2,038 | 5,379 | 9,370 | 1,400 | 343 | 910 | 35,100 | 2,800 | 36.9 | 1,100 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 6 | USN | Curtiss SB2C-4 Helldiver | Monoplane | 1942 | 7,140 | 10,547 | 16,616 | 1,900 | 295 | 1,165 | 29,100 | 1,800 | 39.4 | 2,500 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
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".
Source(s):
Bresnahan, Jim (2011). Refighting the Pacific War
Celander, Lars (2018). How Carriers Fought.
Hata, Ikuhiko & Yasuho Izawa (2011), Japanese Naval Air Force Fighter Units And Their Aces 1932-1945
Laurie, Stanley (2011). Remembering-- with advantages.
Lockhart, Lt. Col. Stuart R. (31 July 2018). "Naval Aviation Development in World War II–U.S. Navy Versus Royal Navy Experience". The Sextant.
Mawdsley, Evan (2019). The War For The Seas- A Maritime History of World War II.
Parshall, Jonathan & Anthony Tully (2005). Shattered Sword- The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway.
Pike, Francis (2019). Hirohito's War- The Pacific War 1941-1945.
Symonds, Craig (2018). World War II At Sea.
Military Factory.com
Wikipedia.org
Added By:
Bob Bryant
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