Planes and Weapons of WWII
Title
Planes and Weapons of WWII
Subject
Planes that were flown in WWII in which Colonel Joseph Laughlin flew or flew with.
Description
These are planes that were utilized by the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII. The focus will be on those planes that were flown by Colonel Laughlin or flew with him and the 362nd Fighter Group.
Creator
Republic Aviation Corporation
Lockheed Corporation
Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company
Source
National Museum of the United States Air Force
National Museum of the United States Air Force - Research Division
Publisher
United States Air Force
Date
1930s-1940s
Collection Items
A B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator flew in every Theater of Operation during the war. They were excellent bombers but were unable to protect themselves from enemy fighters. Thunderbolt P-47s flew escort missions for bombers like this one until their…
A B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was flown in every Theater of Operations during the war. Although very accurate in bombing, they were vulnerable to enemy aircraft, requiring bomber escorts from P-47s and P-51s. Also, Colonel Joseph Laughlin managed to…
The Flakvierling 38 Antiaircraft Gun
This German anti-aircraft weapon was designed to fire flak at low-flying aircraft. It could be used against P-47 during divebombing runs, close-air support, and fighter sweep missions.
The Flak 36 Gun
This German anti-aircraft weapon was designed to fire flak at high-flying aircraft. It could do some damage, even on the ruggedly built P-47.
The Waco CG-4A Hadrian Glider
The Hadrian glider was the most widely used glider in World War II. It was steered by a pilot and copilot as it was towed by a larger carrier, like a C-46 or C-47. It could hold up to 13 additional troops and their equipment or vehicles. Hadrian…
A P-36 Hawk
Colonel Joseph Laughlin flew the P-36 Hawk, but in what capacity it is not mentioned. It was rendered obsolete by the time fighting intensified in the Pacific and European Theaters of Operation, and it was relegated to training purposes only at that…
A Lockheed P-38
The P-38 Lightning was a thoroughly capable fighter plane. Weighing in at the same maximum weight as the P-47, it could accomplish the same mission types with similar armaments. Utilized in both the Pacific and European Theaters of Operation, it is…
A P-40 Warhawk
The P-40 was the most readily available fighter for U.S. forces after the attack at Pearl Harbor. Although most of the fleet was destroyed in the attack, there were still some planes that survived. Colonel Joseph Laughlin flew this type of plane as a…
1,000-lb Bomb for the P-47
P-47s were durable, easy to maneuver, and versatile. Its' versatility was in both the types of missions it could fly and the armament it could carry. For the bombing missions that involved large targets, like storage depots and ships, the 1,000-lb…
Armament on a P-47
The bombs were positioned just to the outside of the last machine gun, which was also where the bullets to the machine guns were stored in the wings. That made the wings the most vulnerable part of the plane, especially if the bombs had not been…