A few magnificent fighter aircraft dominated the skies during the Second World War and became very vital in the Allied victory. In that league, the Grumman F6F Hellcat, North American P-51 Mustang, Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, Lockheed P-38 Lightning, and Vought F4U Corsair top the list for their brilliant performances and fabled aces who flew them.
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was the principal carrier-based fighter that conclusively won air superiority in the Pacific theater. The progression from experimental to operational Hellcat occurred in a scant period of less than 18 months; the first combat sorties were flown in August 1943. Operating off USS Yorktown (CV-10), the Hellcat proved to be far superior to Japan’s A6M Zero, destroying 5,156 enemy aircraft and accounting for 75 percent of all Navy air-to-air victories in World War II.
Captain David McCampbell of the US Navy ranked as the top-scoring ace, downing 34 aircraft in aerial combat against the Hellcat. His Medal of Honor citation describes his heroism while leading his fighter planes against an enemy formation of 80 Japanese aircraft on 19 June 1944 and shooting down seven hostile planes. In one encounter, McCampbell and his wingman intercepted a formation of 60 enemy aircraft, shooting down nine Japanese planes, causing such disarray that the remaining aircraft abandoned their attack.
Hailed as a dogfighting champion, a speed merchant, and a long-legged flyer, the P-51 Mustang was a crucial component in terms of victory for the Allies. The Mustang’s combat potential was pretty well realized with the trading up from the Allison installation to the Merlin engine, thus yielding at the most desperate juncture of the air war over Europe a high-altitude fighter incomparable to any other aircraft.
The famous Tuskegee Airmen of the 332nd Fighter Group made a name for themselves flying the P-51, dubbed the “Red Tails,” on more than 15,000 sorties-earning its distinction as the most decorated US fighter squadron of the war. The Mustang made possible the resumption of strategic bombing following heavy losses by unescorted bombers in 1943.
The P-47 Thunderbolt was one such airplane, noted for its heavy construction with a radial air-cooled engine, which allowed it to absorb quite a lot of battle damage and still stay in the sky. It served in almost every active war theater and with more than one Allied air force. It quickly gained a reputation for ruggedness, serving in roles as a high-altitude escort fighter and low-level fighter-bomber.
The P-47 was so reliable and capable that it saw several iterations throughout the war, including later models sporting a clear “bubble” canopy that improved rearward visibility and aerial combat capabilities.
During World War II, the P-38 Lightning executed multiple missions: dive bombing, level bombing, strafing, photo-reconnaissance, and long-range escort. The P-38 began broad service in the North African campaign in November 1942 and by September 1943 was the only fighter with the range to escort bombers into Germany.
In the Pacific, the Lightning could play to its strengths. Seven of the top eight scoring USAAF aces in the Pacific did so in the P-38. The aircraft played a key role in the ambush and shooting down of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the planner of the Pearl Harbour raid, on April 18th, 1943.
The most distinctive characteristic of the F4U Corsair was its inverted gull wing, which kept continual production going from 1942 until 1952. The Navy and Marine Corps ranked it as one of the best fighters; in World War II, it shot down 2,140 Japanese aircraft. Nicknamed “Whistling Death” by the Japanese because of the unusual sound produced when making close air support strikes.
One of the most memorable flights in the skies over Korea was that of Marine Captain Jesse Folmar, who downed a MiG-15 jet in air-to-air combat to become the first piston-engine pilot to do so. The great length of production and service with numerous foreign countries stand as the ultimate testimonial to exceptional design and versatility.
These legendary fighter aircraft and their aces have made a mark upon the outcomes of World War II and have left a legacy within aviation history. Their performances were outstanding, and the heroism of pilots is still celebrated.