When World War II broke out in September 1939, neither the Axis, nor the Allied air forces were equipped with aircraft specifically designed for the night fighting role. It was Britain which led the way in pioneering night fighters to intercept enemy bombers. The Boulton Paul Defiant was an early design which was to be [...]

The Mitsubishi J2M Raiden was a single-seat fighter used by Japan during World War II. It was developed and produced by Mitsubishi for the Japanese Imperial Navy. The first flight of the prototype J2M1 took place in March 1942 and entered service with the 381st Kokutai Wing in 1943 as the J2M2. In late 1943, [...]

The Mitsubishi Ki-21 was a five-seat medium bomber used by Japan during World War II. Designed by engineers Nakata and Ozawa, it first flew in 1936 and entered service in 1939 with the official name Army Type 97 Model 1A, which was called Sally by the Allies. The first combat action over China demonstrated that [...]

Ground attack aircraft played a vital role in the victorious German campaigns of 1939 and 1941, both on the Western and on the Eastern Fronts. The German army’s Blitzkrieg doctrine involved close integration of tactical air power and mechanized army units. This combination of Panzer mobility and ground attack aircraft, such as the Stuka Junkers [...]

When World War II broke out, the Luftwaffe’s role was largely confined to providing air support for the German army, with little emphasis laid upon the use of heavy bombers, any plans for such a force having been abandoned in 1937. Thus at the outbreak of war in September 1939 the Luftwaffe’s bombing arm comprised [...]

The Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki was a Japanese fighter aircraft deployed from 1941. Manufactured by Nakajima, this low-winged, single-engine monoplane was powered by a Nakajima Ha-109 14-cylinder radial piston engine, producing 1520 horsepower. Although it lacked the maneuverability of other Japanese fighters, the Ki-44 proved to be a fast and stable fighter with good climb and [...]