Jane's Pocket Guide

by Holmes, Tony

• ISBN13: 9780004722061
• ISBN10: 000472206X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-01-06
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publications

Summary

Introduction During World War 2, roughly 160 different types of combat aircraft saw frontline service, or actively participated in the global conflict. Of this number, well over half can be classified as 'fighters'. Seen as the ultimate in winged perfection, the fighter, and its pilot, has consistently grabbed the headlines in the propaganda 'war' fought for the 'hearts and minds' of the various nations embroiled in the major conflicts of the 20th century. Proof of this is easy to obtain. Just ask anybody to name an aircraft from World War 2, and the trio most usually volunteered are the Spitfire, Messerschmitt (not usually mark-specific, but generally recognized as the Bf 109) and the Mustang. I grant you that these three aircraft are undoubtedly amongst the most important fighter types to see action during 'WW 2', and that between them, their total production amounted to more than 70,000 units in less than a decade of production. However, what of the remaining 80+ aircraft that meet the criterion of 'fighter' during the 1939-45 period? That is where this modest handbook comes in. Featuring no fewer than 93 entries, this all-new addition to Jane's 'pocket guide' series details all the major fighter types of both the Allied and Axis powers, listing performance data, dimensions, armament and operators, as well as providing a concise history of the aircraft in question. Only those aeroplanes that actually saw action are included in this volume, ranging from the P.Z.L P.11cs and Bf 110B/Cs that engaged each other over Poland in the opening days of World War 2, to the F4U-4s and N1 K2-Js that slugged it out over Tokyo Bay in mid-August 1945. Aside from the text, each fighter type is illustrated with a carefully chosen contemporary black and white photograph that clearly shows its salient details. These images have been specially sourced by the author from the extensive private collections of Philip Jarrett and Bruce Robertson, and have been selected for their clarity and rarity. With each photograph featured over a full page, they clearly show the sheer diversity of the designs that fought for the control of the skies over war-torn Europe, North Africa, the Far East and the Pacific South-West... Tony Holmes

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 7
Bell P-39 Airacobra USA	p. 8
Bell P-63 Kingcobra USA	p. 10
Bell P-59 Airacomet USA	p. 12
Bloch MB.152 France	p. 14
Boulton Paul Defiant UK	p. 16
Brewster Buffalo USA	p. 18
Bristol Beaufighter (UK)	p. 20
Commonwealth Boomerang (Australia)	p. 22
Curtiss P-36/Hawk 75 (USA)	p. 24
Curtiss P-40 Tomahawk (USA)	p. 26
Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk/Warhawk (USA)	p. 28
de Havilland Mosquito (UK)	p. 30
Dewoitine D 520 (France)	p. 32
Dornier Do 217J/N (Germany)	p. 34
Douglas P-70/DB-7 Havoc (USA)	p. 36
Fairey Fulmar (UK)	p. 38
Fairey Firefly (UK)	p. 40
Fait CR.32 (Italy)	p. 42
Fiat CR.42 Falco (Italy)	p. 44
Fiat G.50 Freccia (Italy)	p. 46
Fiat G.55 Centauro (Italy)	p. 48
Focke-Wulf Fw 190A/F/G (Germany)	p. 50
Focke-Wulf Fw 190D-9 (Germany)	p. 52
Focke-Wulf Ta 152c (Germany)	p. 54
Focke-Wulf Ta 154 (Germany)	p. 56
Fokler D XXI (The Netherlands)	p. 58
Gloster Gladiator (UK)	p. 60
Gloster Meteor (UK)	p. 62
Grumman F4F Wildcat (USA)	p. 64
Grumman F6F Hellcat (USA)	p. 66
Hawker Hurricane Mk I (UK)	p. 68
Hawker Sea Hurricane (UK)	p. 70
Hawker Typhoon (UK)	p. 72
Hawker Tempest V (UK)	p. 74
Heinkel He 219 (Germany)	p. 76
Heinkel He 162 (Germany)	p. 78
I.A.R.80/81 (Romania)	p. 80
Junkers Ju 88C/G/R (Germany)	p. 82
Kawanishi N1K1 Kyofu (Japan)	p. 84
Kawanishi N1K1-J Shiden (Japan)	p. 86
Kawanishi N1K2-J Shiden-KAI (Japan)	p. 88
Kawasaki Ki-45 KAI Toryu (Japan)	p. 90
Kawasaki Ki-61 Hein (Japan)	p. 92
Kawasaki Ki-100 (Japan)	p. 94
Lavochkin LaGG-3 (USSR)	p. 96
Lavochkin La-5/7 (USSR)	p. 98
Lockheed P-38 Lightning (USA)	p. 100
Macchi C.200 Saetta (Italy)	p. 102
Macchi C.202 Folgore (Italy)	p. 104
Macchi C.205V Veltro (Italy)	p. 106
Messerschmitt Bf 109E (Germany)	p. 108
Messerschmitt Bf 109F (Germany)	p. 110
Messerschmitt Bf 109G/K (Germany)	p. 112
Messerschmitt Bf 110 (Germany)	p. 114
Messerschmitt Me 262 (Germany)	p. 116
Messerschmitt Me 163B Komet (Germany)	p. 118
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-1/-3 (USSR)	p. 120
Mitsubishi A5M (Japan)	p. 122
Mitsubishi A6M2/3 (Japan)	p. 124
Mitsubishi A6M5/7 (Japan)	p. 126
Mitsubishi J2M Raiden (Japan)	p. 128
Morane-Saulnier MS 406 (France)	p. 130
Nakajima Ki-27 (Japan)	p. 132
Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Japan)	p. 134
Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki (Japan)	p. 136
Nakajima J1N1 Gekko (Japan)	p. 138
Nakajima A6M2-N (Japan)	p. 140
Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Japan)	p. 142
North American P-51A/Mustang I (USA)	p. 144
North American P-51B/C/D/K Mustang (USA)	p. 146
Northrop P-61 Black Widow (USA)	p. 148
Polikarpov 1-16 (USSR)	p. 150
Polikarpov 1-152 (1-15bis) (USSR)	p. 152
Polikarpov 1-153 (1-15ter) (USSR)	p. 154
P.Z.L P.11 (Poland)	p. 156
P.Z.L P.24 (Poland)	p. 158
Reggiane Re 2000-2002 (Italy)	p. 160
Reggiane Re 2005 (Italy)	p. 162
Republic P-47 Thunderbolt (USA)	p. 164
Supermarine Spitfire Mk I/II (UK)	p. 166
Supermarine Spitfire Mk V/VI (UK)	p. 168
Supermarine Spitfire Mk VI/VIII (UK)	p. 170
Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX (UK	p. 172
Supermarine Spitfire MK XII (UK)	p. 174
Supermarine Spitfire MK XIV (UK)	p. 176
Supermarine Spitfire MK XVI (UK)	p. 178
Supermarine Seafire Mk I/II/III (UK)	p. 180
Vought F4U/FG-1 Corsair (USA)	p. 182
Westland Whirlwind Mk I (UK)	p. 184
Yakovlev Yak-1/-7 (USSR)	p. 186
Yakovlev Yak-9 (USSR)	p. 188
Yakovlev Yak-3 (USSR)	p. 190
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