On the fronts and in the rear of World War II, dozens of different bombers were operating. All of them had different technical characteristics, but at the same time were equally important for their armies. Conducting many land operations became impossible or extremely difficult without bombing strategic targets of the enemy.
Heinkel
One of the main and most widespread Luftwaffe bombers was the Heinkel He 111. A total of 7,600 such vehicles were produced. Some of them were modifications of attack aircraft and torpedo bombers. The history of the project began with the fact that Ernest Heinkel (an outstanding German aircraft designer) decided to build the fastest passenger aircraft in the world. The idea was so ambitious that it was skeptical of both the new Nazi political leadership in Germany and industry professionals. However, Heinkel was serious. He entrusted the design of the machine to the Gunther brothers.
The first prototype was ready in 1932. He managed to break the then high-speed records in the sky, which was an undeniable success at first dubious project. But it was not Heinkel He 111, but only his predecessor. Passenger aircraft became interested in the army. Representatives of the Luftwaffe got the start of work on the creation of a military modification. A civilian aircraft was supposed to become just as fast, but at the same time, a deadly bomber.
The first combat vehicles left their hangars during the Spanish Civil War. Airplanes received the Condor Legion. The results of their application satisfied the Nazi leadership. The project was continued. Heinkel He 111 was later used on the Western Front. This was during a blitzkrieg in France. Many enemy bombers of World War II were inferior to the German aircraft in technical specifications. His high speed allowed him to overtake the enemy and evade pursuits. First of all, airfields and other important strategic targets of France were bombed. Intensive air support allowed the Wehrmacht to act more effectively on the ground. German bombers made a significant contribution to the success of Nazi Germany at the initial stage of World War II.
Junkers
In 1940, Heinkel began to gradually replace the more modern Junkers Ju 88 ("Junkers Yu-88"). During the period of active operation, 15 thousand such models were produced. Their indispensability was versatility. As a rule, World War II bombers were intended for one specific purpose - the bombing of ground targets. With the Junkers, things were different. He was used as a bomber, torpedo bomber, reconnaissance and night fighter.
Like Heinkel, this aircraft set a new speed record, reaching 580 kilometers per hour. However, the production of the Junkers began too late. As a result, only 12 vehicles were ready for the start of the war. Therefore, at the initial stage in the Luftwaffe, Heinkel was mainly used. In 1940, the German military industry finally produced enough new aircraft. The fleet began to rotate.
The first serious test for the Ju 88 began in the battle for Britain. In the summer and autumn of 1940, German planes stubbornly tried to take over the skies over England, bombing cities and enterprises. Ju 88 played a key role in this operation. The British experience allowed German designers to create several modifications of the model, which were supposed to reduce its vulnerability. The rear machine guns were replaced and new cabin armor was installed.
Towards the end of the battle for Britain, the Luftwaffe received a new modification with a more powerful engine. This "Junkers" got rid of all its previous shortcomings and became the most formidable German aircraft. Almost all WWII bombers changed throughout the conflict. They got rid of unnecessary features, updated and received new characteristics. The Ju 88 had the same fate. From the very beginning of its operation, they began to be used as dive bombers, however, the aircraft frame could not withstand too much load caused by this method of bombing. Therefore, in 1943, the model and its scope were slightly changed. After this modification, pilots were able to drop projectiles at an angle of 45 degrees.
"Pawn"
In a series of Soviet bombers, the Pe-2 was the most massive, widespread (about 11 thousand units were produced). In the Red Army they called him "Pawn." It was a classic twin-engine bomber, designed on the basis of the model "VI-100". The new plane made its first flight in December 1939.
According to the design classification, the Pe-2 belonged to the low wing with a low wing. The fuselage was divided into three compartments. The navigator and pilot were in the cockpit. The middle part of the fuselage was free. At the tail was a cabin designed for the shooter, also acting as a radio operator. The model received a large windshield - all WWII bombers needed a large viewing angle. This aircraft was the first in the USSR to receive electrical control of various mechanisms. The experience was trial, which is why the system had many shortcomings. Because of them, cars often spontaneously ignite due to the contact of a spark and gasoline vapors.
Like many other Soviet planes of World War II, the Pawns faced many problems during the German offensive. The army was clearly unprepared for a surprise attack. During the first days of the Barbarossa operation, many airfields were attacked by enemy aircraft, and the equipment stored in those hangars was destroyed even before they managed to make at least one sortie. Pe-2 was not always used for its intended purpose (that is, as a dive bomber). These aircraft often operated in a group. During such operations, the bombing ceased to be targeted and became inconspicuous when the "leading" crew gave the command about the bombing. In the first months of the war, the Pe-2 practically did not dive. This was due to a lack of professional personnel. Only after several waves of draftees passed through the flight schools did the plane reach its full potential.
Bomber Pavel Sukhov
Less common was another bomber - the Su-2. It was distinguished by high cost, but at the same time, and advanced manufacturing technologies. It was not only a Soviet bomber, but thanks to a good viewing angle and an artillery spotter. Aircraft designer Pavel Sukhoi achieved an increase in the speed of the model by transferring bombs to the internal suspension located inside the fuselage.
Like all aircraft of the Second World War, the Su experienced all the vicissitudes of a difficult time. According to Sukhoi’s idea, the bomber was to be made entirely of metal. However, the country had an acute shortage of aluminum. For this reason, the ambitious project was never implemented.
The Su-2 was more reliable than other Soviet military aircraft. For example, in 1941, about 5 thousand sorties were completed, with the Air Force losing 222 bombers (this was about one loss per 22 sorties). This is the best Soviet indicator. On average, irreparable losses were one plane at 14 sorties, which is 1.6 times more likely.
The crew of the car consisted of two people. The maximum flight range was 910 kilometers, and the speed in the sky - 486 kilometers per hour. The rated engine power was 1330 horsepower. The history of the use of "dryers", as in the case with other models, is full of examples of the exploits of the Red Army. For example, on September 12, 1941, pilot Elena Zelenko rammed an enemy Me-109 aircraft, depriving it of a wing. The pilot died, and the navigator ejected according to her order. This was the only known case of ramming the Su-2.
IL-4
In 1939, a long-range bomber appeared, which made a serious contribution to the victory of the USSR over Germany in the Great Patriotic War. It was an IL-4, developed under the leadership of Sergei Ilyushin in OKB-240. It was originally known as "DB-3." Only in March 1942 the aircraft received the name "IL-4", which remains in history.
The DB-3 model was distinguished by a number of shortcomings that could become fatal during the battle with the enemy. In particular, the aircraft suffered from fuel leakage, cracks in the gas tank, brake system failure, wear of the landing gear, etc. On this machine, it was extremely difficult for the pilots, regardless of their training, to maintain the take-off course during their ascent into the air. The Winter War became a serious test for DB-3. The Finns managed to find a "dead" zone near the car.
Bug fixes began after that campaign ended. Even despite the accelerated pace of aircraft modifications, by the beginning of World War II, far from all the newly made Il-4s were spared the shortcomings of the previous model. At the first stage of the German offensive, when defense plants were hastily evacuated to the East, the quality of products (including aviation) decreased markedly. The car did not have an autopilot, despite the fact that it constantly fell into a roll or lost its course. In addition, the Soviet bomber received improperly adjusted carburetors, due to which there was an excessive waste of fuel, and, consequently, a decrease in the duration of the flight.
Only after a turning point in the war did the quality of the IL-4 begin to noticeably improve. This was facilitated by the restoration of industry, as well as the implementation of new ideas by aircraft engineers and designers. Gradually, the IL-4 became the main Soviet long-range bomber. Famous pilots and Heroes of the Soviet Union flew on it: Vladimir Vyazovsky, Dmitry Barashev, Vladimir Borisov, Nikolai Gastello, etc.
Battle
In the late 1930s. Fairey Aviation has designed a new aircraft. These were single-engine bombers used in the air forces of Great Britain and Belgium. In total, the manufacturer manufactured more than two thousand of such models. Fairey Battle was used only at the first stage of the war. After time showed its inefficiency compared to German aircraft, the bomber was recalled from the front. Later it was used as a training aircraft.
The main disadvantages of the model were: slowness, limited range, and vulnerability to anti-aircraft fire. The latter feature was particularly disastrous. Battle shot down more often than other models. Nevertheless, it was on the bomber of this model that the first symbolic victory of Great Britain in the air during World War II was won.
The armament was (according to the bomb load) 450 kilograms - usually it included four 113-kilogram high-explosive bombs. The shells were held on hydraulic lifts, retracted into the niches of the wings. During the drop, bombs fell into special hatches (except for dive bombing). The sight was under the control of a navigator located in the cockpit behind the pilot's seat. The aircraft’s defensive armament included a Browning machine gun, located in the right wing of the car, and a Vickers machine gun in the rear cockpit. The popularity of the bomber was due to another important fact - it was extremely easy to handle. People with minimal hourly flying time coped with piloting.
"Marauder"
Among the Americans, the niche of the average bomber was occupied by the twin-engine Martin B-26 Marauder. The first aircraft of this series first appeared in the air in November 1940, on the eve of the outbreak of World War II. After several months of operation of the first B-26s, the VB-26B modification appeared. She received enhanced armor protection, new weapons. Aircraft increased wingspan. This was done in order to reduce the speed required for landing. Other modifications were distinguished by an increased angle of attack of the wing and improved take-off characteristics. In total, over the years of operation, more than 5 thousand aircraft of this model were manufactured.
The first combat operations of the Marauders took place in April 1942 in the sky of New Guinea. Later, 500 of these aircraft were flown to the UK under the Lend-Lease program. A significant number of them acted in battles in North Africa and the Mediterranean Sea. B-26 debuted in this new region for themselves a major operation. For eight consecutive days there was a bombing of German and Italian troops near the Tunisian city of Susa. In the summer of 1943, the same B-26s participated in raids on Rome. Airplanes bombed airfields and railway junctions, causing serious damage to the Nazi infrastructure.
Thanks to their success, American cars were in great demand. At the end of 1944, they participated in repelling the German counteroffensive in the Ardennes mountains. During these fierce battles, 60 B-26s were lost. It was possible not to notice these losses, as the Americans delivered to Europe more and more of their aircraft. After the end of World War II, the Marauders gave way to the more modern Douglas (A-26).
Mitchell
Another American medium bomber was the B-25 Mitchell. It was a twin-engine aircraft with a three-wheeled landing gear located in the nose compartment of the fuselage, and a bomb load of 544 kilograms. As a defensive weapon, Mitchell received medium-caliber machine guns. They were located in the tail and nose of the aircraft, as well as in its special windows.
The first prototype was built in 1939 in Inglewood. The movement of the aircraft was provided by two engines with a capacity of 1,100 horsepower each (later they were replaced by even more powerful ones). An order for the production of Mitchell was signed in September 1939. For several months, experts made some changes to the design of the aircraft. His cockpit was completely redesigned - now both pilots could sit in close proximity to each other. The first prototype had wings on top of the fuselage. After refinement, they were moved a little lower - in the middle.
The design of the aircraft introduced new engineered fuel tanks. The crew received enhanced protection - additional armor plates. Such bombers became known as the modification of the B-25A. These aircraft took part in the very first battles with the Japanese after the declaration of war. The model with machine gun turrets was named B-25B. The weapon was controlled using the latest electric drive at that time. B-25B were shipped to Australia. In addition, they were remembered for participating in a raid on Tokyo in 1942. "Mitchells" were purchased by the army of the Netherlands, but this order was disrupted. Nevertheless, the planes still went abroad - to the UK and the USSR.
Hevok
The lightweight American bomber Douglas A-20 Havoc was part of a family of aircraft, which also included attack aircraft and night fighters. During the war years, cars of this model were immediately in several armies, including the British and even the Soviet. The bombers received the English name Havoc ("Hevok"), that is, "devastation".
The first representatives of this family were ordered by the U.S. Army Air Corps in the spring of 1939. The new model received turbocharged engines, the power of which was 1700 horsepower. However, operation showed that they had problems with cooling and reliability. Therefore, in this configuration, only four aircraft were produced. The following cars received new engines (already without turbocharging). Finally, in the spring of 1941, the Air Corps received the first ready-made A-20 bomber. His armament consisted of four machine guns, pairwise mounted in the nose of the car. The plane could use a variety of shells. Especially for him, they began to produce 11-kilogram parachute fragmentation bombs. In 1942, this model appeared modification Gunship. She had a modified cabin. The place occupied by the scorer was replaced by a battery of four machine guns.
Back in 1940, the U.S. Army ordered another thousand A-20Bs. A new modification appeared after it was decided to provide the Hevok with more powerful small arms, including additional heavy machine guns. 2/3 of this party were sent to the Soviet Union under the Lend-Lease program, while the rest remained in American service. The most popular modification was the A-20G. Almost three thousand such aircraft were produced.
Great demand for Havok loaded the Douglas factories to the limit. Her leadership even transferred the production license to Boeing so that the front could receive as many aircraft as possible. Machines manufactured by this company received other electrical equipment.
Mosquito
With the versatility of De Havilland Mosquito during World War II, only the German Ju-88 could argue. The British designers managed to create a bomber, which due to its high speed did not need protective weapons.
The plane could not get into mass production, because the project was almost cut off by officials. The first prototypes were released in a limited series of 50 cars. After that, the production of aircraft was stopped three more times for a variety of reasons. And only the persistence of Ford Motors management gave the bomber a start in life. When the first Mosquito prototype took off in November 1940, everyone was amazed at its flight characteristics.
The basis of the design of the aircraft was a monoplane. A pilot sat in front, who had an excellent view from the cockpit. A distinctive feature of the machine was the fact that almost the entire body was made of wood. The wings received plywood lining, as well as a pair of side members. Radiators were located in the nose compartment of the wing, between the fuselage and motors. This design feature came in handy during a cruise flight.
In later versions of the Mosquito, the wing span was increased from 16 to 16.5 m. Thanks to the improvements, the exhaust system and engines were improved. Interestingly, at first the plane was considered as a scout. And only after it became clear that the lightweight design has outstanding flight data, it was decided to use the machine as a bomber. "Mosquito" was used in allied air raids on German cities at the last stage of the war. They were used not only for precision bombing, but also for adjusting the fire of other aircraft. Losses of the model were one of the smallest during the conflict in Europe (16 losses at 1000 sorties). Thanks to the speed and altitude, the Mosquito became inaccessible to anti-aircraft artillery and German fighters. The only serious threat to the bomber was the jet Messerschmitt Me.262.