Bombers took on different roles during World War II, depending on size, but many were multi-role aircraft. True “heavies” like the B-17, Lancaster, or the B-29 had strategic roles, bombing strategic targets like factories and fuel refineries. The twin-engine planes such as the Luftwaffe‘s JU-88, HE111, and Japan’s G4M Betty had tactical missions or became a jack of all trades.
Which Bomber Was the Heavy of Heavies?
Of all the World War II bombers, America’s B-29 Superfortress delivered the greatest impact of the war. This type delivered the only nuclear weapons ever used in combat. On August 6 and 9, 1945, they obliterated Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The B-29 first flew in 1942. A massive aircraft, the B-29 weighed 74,000 pounds empty. With a full bomb and fuel load, it could weigh upwards of 120,000 pounds (records vary). Armed with remote-controlled guns and a pressurized cabin, the B-29 flew extremely high. Used only against Japan, few Japanese interceptors could reach it. Later, its terrible firebombing raids destroyed numerous Japanese cities.
Other four-engine American heavy bombers included the iconic B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-24 Liberator. Beginning in August 1942 with B-17s, both types flew high-altitude missions against occupied Europe. The formations flew in box formations to provide 360-degree coverage against interceptors. Each type had pros and cons. The B-17 was favored in Europe because it could take significant damage, flew higher, plus much easier to fly.
The B-24 proved more versatile than the B-17. With its specially designed wing, the Liberator had a greater range and carried more bombs, but flying was challenging. Using the B-24 helped defeat Germany’s U-boat campaign by 1944 by closing parts of the Atlantic not reachable by plane. The U.S. built a staggering 12,000 plus B-17s and over 18,000 B-24s by 1945.
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How Did Britain’s Lancaster Role Help the War?
Britain’s Avro Lancaster became the RAF’s mainstay bomber. With some 7,300 built by 1945, the Lancaster’s night raids helped flatten Nazi Germany’s industries. What set the Lancaster apart came from its bomb load. Only the Lancaster carried the “Grand Slam,” a 22,000-pound deep penetration bomb. The heaviest bomb the Allies had, the “Grand Slam,” was used on fortifications, dams, and bridges. Famous raids by the Lancaster included sinking the Tirpitz, Germany’s last battleship in 1944, and dam-busting raids.
Why Were Germany’s JU 88 and He-111 Important?
During World War 2, Germany built only a few four-engine bombers. Their backbone lay in the multi-role twin-engine Junkers JU 88 and HE-111. Both came off the drawing board in the 1930s, serving until the war’s end. The JU 88 would become the Luftwaffe’s jack of all trades.
The Heinkel HE-111 earned its reputation during the Blitzkrieg campaigns from 1939 to 1941. The Luftwaffe’s most numerous bomber type in 1939, the HE111, was tough, fast, hard-hitting, and piloted by veteran crews. But the design aged fast, becoming vulnerable when facing modern fighters. The Battle of Britain showed that as the RAF shot down increasing numbers in 1940. Yet the Heinkel continued as Germany failed to manufacture a four-engine bomber.
The Junkers JU 88 was Germany’s best twin-engine bomber, serving all over Europe. Around 15,000 rolled out of the factories between 1939 and 1945. Most were built as bombers. However, the JU 88 took on high-altitude recon, torpedo bomber, and night fighter roles. One modification included raising the JU 88’s cockpit above the fuselage for better views. Its powerful Lichtenstein radar was used to track British bombers. The four 20mm cannons only needed a few well-placed shots to knock down most bombers.
How Did the Mitsubishi G4M “Betty” Help Japan?
Officially known as the Mitsubishi Navy Type 1 Attack Bomber, it entered service in 1940 as the Imperial Navy’s land-based bomber. It was easy to fly with high speed and a 2,300-mile range; similar aircraft were America’s B-25 Mitchell or Germany’s JU 88. Nicknamed “Betty” by the Allies, it achieved the former without armor or self-sealing fuel tanks. This made the G4M very vulnerable in combat. Allied pilots gave this opponent nicknames like “flying lighter.”
The G4M’s long-range also made it hand as a torpedo bomber. The G4M fought in all of Japan’s Pacific campaigns, sometimes notably. On December 10, 1941, G4Ms swarmed the Royal Navy battlecruisers Prince of Wales and Repulse, sinking both. For the first time in history, airplanes had sunk capital ships.
A G4M carrying Admiral Yamamoto helped end his life on April 18, 1943. Bounced by American Lightning fighters, the Admiral’s Betty went down in flames, killing Japan’s premier naval strategist.
