This is a brief outline of the combat aircraft in first line service with the warring powers around the time of commencement of World War 11, 3 Sept 1939 (or Sept 139). The aircraft of Poland, France, Germany and the United Kingdom are covered in the following categories: fighters (Europa Type "F"), heavy fighters (Type "HF"), twin-engined light and medium bombers (Type "B"), single-engined light and dive bombers (Type "D," Type "A," or Type "B." Code "L"), and tactical reconnaissance or army cooperation aircraft (includes some Type "A"). Only land based air force aircraft are listed, except for dive bombers where those in the service of the naval air arms of France and the United Kingdom in 1939 are included. Neither the An-nee de I'Air nor the Royal Air Force had dive bombers at the outbreak of the war.
Older obsolete or obsolescent types such as the French D.510, the British Gladiator and the German Arado 68, still in first-line service but being phased out, are not included. The only exception to this is the listing of the Heinkel He 45 tactical reconnaissance aircraft as it has a Europa counter in lieu of the Heinkel He 46 and Henschel Hs 126 (which were in service in larger numbers in September 1939) which have no counter. Two types, the French LN 401/411 and British Boulton Paul Defiant are listed even though not in full operational service as of Sept 1939, as they are the sole representative types for these nations at this early stage of the war.
Comparable aircraft in service with the United States Army Air Corps in September 1939 are listed, including again, a naval dive bomber, as none was in service with the USAAC in September 1939. Note that the USAAC B-17, a Europa Type "HB," has no counterpart among the belligerent European powers at this time.
The variants listed are those developed and in service as of September 1939.
Fighters:
France: Morane-Saulnier M.S.406
Type: single-seat fighter.
Prototype flown.- 8 Aug 1935.
Entered service: 1938.
Powerplant: 1x 860hp Hispano-Suiza HS 12Y 12-cylinder liquid-cooled vee-engine.
Maximum speed: 302 mph at 16,400 ft.
Service ceiling: 30,840 ft
Climb: 6 min to 16,400 ft.
Range: 497 miles.
Armament: 1x 20mm cannon, 2x 7.5mm mgs forward firing.
Usage Sep 1939: 367 M.S.406s operational (out of 500 produced) with twelve Groups de Chasse of the Armee de I'Air in France and North Africa.
Europa: MS.406 4F4 0/8 (FtF/WitD).
GERMANY: Messerschmidt Bf 109E-1
Type: single-seat fighter.
Prototype flown.- September 1935.
Entered service: February 1937.
Powerplant: 1x 1,050hp Daimler-Benz DB601 A 12-cylinder liquid-cooled inverted-vee engine.
Maximum speed: 342 mph at 13,120 ft.
Service ceiling:. 34,450 ft.
Climb: 3.5 min to 16,400 ft.
Range: 4 10 miles.
Armament: 2x 20mm forward firing cannon, 2x 7.9mm forward firing mgs.
Variants: Bf 109B, Bf 109C, Bf 109D.
Usage, Sep 139: 850 E-1s with twelve Jagdgruppen of the Luftwaffe.
Europa: Me 109E 7F5 1/7 (FtF).
Poland: P.Z.L. P. 11 c Jedenastka (the "Eleventh")
Type: single-seat fighter.
Prototype flown.- Sept 1931.
Entered service: 1935.
Powerplant: 1x 645hp P.Z.L.-built Bristol Mercury VI S.2 9 cylinder air-cooled radial engine.
Maximum speed: - 242 mph at 5,000 ft.
Service ceiling: 36,080 ft.
Climb: 6 min to 16,400 ft.
Range: 503 miles.
Armament: 2x (or 4x) 7.7mm mgs forward firing.
Variants: P. 11a, P. 11 b (P. 11 a as built for Rumania), P. 11f (Rumanian license-built version of P. 11c).
Usage, Sep 139: 128 in service with Lotnictwo Wojskowe (Military Aviation).
Europa: P. 11c 3F3 0/8 (FtF).
United Kingdom: Hawker Hurricane I
Type: single-seat fighter.
Prototype flown.- 6 Nov 1935.
Entered service: December 1937.
Powerplant: 1x 1,030hp Rolls-Royce Merlin III 12-cylinder liquid-cooled vee engine.
Maximum speed: 316 mph at 17,500 ft.
Service ceiling: 33,200 ft.
Climb: 6.3 min to 15,000 ft.
Range: 460 miles.
Armament: 8x .303 in mgs forward firing.
Usage, Sep 139: 315 a/c on first line strength with eighteen squadrons of RAF Fighter Command.
Europa: Hurri 1 5F5 1/8 (WitD).
UNITED KINGDOM: Supermarine Spitfire I
Type: single-seat fighter.
Prototype flown.- 5 Mar 1936.
Entered service: August 1938.
Powerplant: 1x 1,030hp Rolls-Royce Merlin III 12-cylinder liquid-cooled vee engine.
Maximum speed: 355 mph at 19,000 ft.
Service ceiling: 37,200 ft.
Climb: 15,000 ft to 6.2 min.
Range: 500 miles.
Armament: 8x .303 in. mgs forward firing.
Usage, Sep 139: In service with eleven squadrons of RAF Fighter Command.
Europa: Spit 1 6F5 0/8 (FWtBT).
UNITED STATES: Curtiss P-36A
Type: single-engined single-seat interceptor fighter.Protoqpe flown: April 1936.
In service: April 1938.
Powerplant: 1x 1,050hp Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-13 14cylinder air-cooled twin-row radial engine.
Maximum speed: 300 mph at 10,000 ft.
Service ceiling: 33,000 ft.
Climb: 4.8 min to 15,000 ft.
Range: 825 miles.
Armament: 1x .30 caliber + 1x .50 caliber mgs forward firing.
Variants: In French service as Hawk 75A-1 armed with 2x 7.5mm mgs; A2 with 4x 7.5mm mgs.
Usage, Sep 139: In service with An-nee de I'Air.
Europa.- H75A-1 3F4 1/10 (FoF).
UNITED STATES: Republic P-3
Type.- Single-seat interceptor.Prototype flown: August 1935.
In service: July 1937.
Powerplant: 1x 950hp Pratt & Whitney Twin-Wasp R-1830-9 14cylinder air-cooled twin-row radial engine.
Maximum speed: 281 mph at 10,000 ft.
Service ceiling: 30,600 ft.
Climb rate: 2,440 ft/min. Range: 1,150 miles.
Armament: 1x .30 caliber mg + 1x .50 caliber mg forward firing.
Variant.- export version in service with Sweden as J9.
Europa: no existing counter in Europa, but one may appear in Storm over Scandinavia in Swedish service.
Heavy Fighters:
FRANCE: Potez 631
Type: two/three seat long-range/night fighter.
Prototype flown: April 1936.
Entered service: February 1938.
Powerplant: 2x 660hp Gnome-Rhone 14 M6/M7 14-cylinder air-cooled two-row radial engines.
Maximumspeed: 276.5 mph at 13,120 ft.
Service ceiling:. 29,530 ft.
Climb: 6 min to 13,120 ft.
Range: 472 miles.
Armament: 2x 20mm cannon forward firing; 1x 7.5mm mg flexible aft firing.
Variants: Po 633 (fighter), Po 633 (light bomber), Po 637 (reconnaissance), Po 63.11 (anny cooperation).
Usage, Sep 13 9: 85 (65 operational) Po 63 1; 206 (117 operational) Po 633; 22 (3 operational) Po 637; 5 (0 operational) Po 63.11 s.
Europa: Po.631 6NF7 1/16 (FoF).
GERMANY: Messerschmidt Bf 110C-1
Type: two/three seat long-range fighter.
Prototype flown: 12 May 1936.
Entered service: August 1938.
Powerplant: 2x 1,050hp Daimler-Benz DB 60 1 A 12-cylinder liquidcooled inverted-vee engines.
Maximum speed: 336 mph at 19,685 ft.
Service ceiling:. 32,810 ft.
Climb: 10.2 min to 19,685 ft.
Range: 680 miles.
Armament: 2x 20mm MG FF cannon and 4x 7.9mm mgs forward firing; 1 x 7.9mm mg flexible aft firing.
Usage, Sep 1 39: 27 (23 operational) Bf 110 13- 1; 68 (59 operational) Bf 110C- 1.
Europa: Me 110C 1 5 HF5 1/12.
UNITED KINGDOM: Boulton Paul Defiant
Type: single-engined two-seat turret fighter.
Prototypeflown: I I Aug 1937.
Entered service: December 1939.
Powerplant: 1x 1,030hp Rolls-Royce Merlin III 12-cylinder liquid-cooled vee engine.
Maximum speed: 304 mph at 17,000 ft.
Service ceiling:. 30,350 ft.
Climb: 8.5 min to 15,750 ft.
Range: 465 miles.
Armament: 4x .303in mgs in powered dorsal turret. Usage, Sep 1 39: 87 in production, only 3 delivered, not in service.
Europa: Defiant 5NF3 0/8 (TFH).
Twin-engined Light and Medium Bombers:
FRANCE: Amiot 143M
Type: five-seat night bomber and reconnaissance aircraft (French: "Multiplaces de Combat").
Prototypeflown: April 1931.
Entered service: 1935.
Powerplant: 2x 870 hp Gnome-Rhone 14 Kirs/jrs Mistral-Major 14cylinder air-cooled twin-row radial engines.
Maximum speed: 193 mph at 13,120 ft.
Service ceiling:. 25,290 ft.
Climb: 14.3 min to 13,120 ft.
Range: 746 miles.
Armament: 1x 7.5mm mg in manual nose turret; 1x 7.5mm mg in manual dorsal turret; 1x 7.5mm mg in ventral position; 1x 7.5mm mg firing through forward fuselage floor.
Bombload: 4x 2201b or 441 lb bombs externally + 4x 2201b or 441 lb or 1x 1,102lb bomb internally; OR 16x 110lb or 64x 22lb bombs.
Europa: Am. 143 3B2 2-4/19 (FoF).
FRANCE: Bloch 210 BN5
Type: twin-engined five-seat night bomber. (French: "BN5 Bombardement de Nuit-Cinq-Place")
Prototypeflown: 23 Nov 1934.
Entered service: 1937.
Powerplant: 2x 910hp Gnome-Rhone 14N 10/11 14-cylinder air-cooled twin-row radial engines.
Maximum speed: 200 mph at 11,480 ft.
Service ceiling:. 32,480 ft.
Climb: 12 min to 13,120 ft.
Range: 1,056 miles.
Armament: 1x 7.5mm mg in manual nose turret; 1x 7.5mm mg. in manual retractable ventral turret.
Bombload: 3,527lb max (2x 1, 102lb or 8x 44 1 lb or 32x 110lb or 128x 22lb bombs).
Europa: MB.210 2NF3 2-5/18 (FoF).
GERMANY: Dornier Do 17Z-2
Type: four-seat medium bomber.
Prototype flown: 1934.
Entered service: 1937,
Powerplant: Fafnir 9-cylinder air-cooled radial-engines. 2x 1,000hp BMWBramo 323P.
Maximum speed: 265 mph at 16,400 ft.
Service ceiling:. 26,400 ft.
Range: 720 miles.
Armament: 2x forward firing fixed or free 7.9mm mgs; 2x 7.9mm mgs in beam positions; 1x 7.9mm mg aft firing dorsal position; 1x 7.9mm mg aft firing in ventral position.
Bombload: 20x 110lb bombs OR 4x 551 lb bombs.
Variants: Do 17E-1 (bomber); Do 17M-1 (bomber); Do 17P-1 (strategic reconnaissance); Do 17F-1 (strategic reconnaissance).
Usage, Sep I 39:. 3 70 Do 17E-1, M-1, Z-1 on strength (212 Do 17Z-1 and Z-2).
Europa: Do 17Z 3B4 3-4/13.
GERMANY: Heinkel He 111 P-4.
Type: five-seat medium bomber.
Prototype flown: 24 Feb 1935.
Entered service: 1936.
Powerplant: 2x 1,100hp Daimler-Benz DB601 A-1 12-cylinder liquidcooled inverted-vee engines.
Maximum speed: 200 mph at 16,400 ft.
Service ceiling:. 14,765 ft.
Climb: 14.2 min to 14,765 ft.
Range: 1,224 miles.
Armament: 1x fixed and 1x flexible 7.9mm mg forward firing; 2x 7.9mm in beam positions; 1x 7.9mm mg in dorsal position; 1x 7.9mm mg in ventral position.
Bombload: 4x 551lb bombs (internal) or 2x 1,102lb bombs (external).
Variants: He 111H, He 111 J. Usage, Sep I 39: 295/349 He IIIP; 358/400 He 111H;32/38He 111E; 20/21 He 111J on strength.
Europa: He 111P1 2B3 2-5/20.
POLAND: PZL. P.37B Los ("Elk")
Type: four-seat light bomber.
Prototype flown: 30 Jun 1936.
Entered service: Fall 1938.
Powerplant: 2x 918hp PZL.-built Bristol Pegasus XX 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engines
Maximum speed: 276.5 mph at 11,154 ft.
Service ceiling:. 19,680 ft.
Range: 932 miles.
Armament: 1x 7.7mm mgs in nose, dorsal and ventral positions
Bombload: 20x 242lb bombs OR 20x 1101b bombs OR 18x 242lb bombs and 2x 661lb bombs.
Usage, Sep I 39:. 36 in service with Lotnictwo Wojskowe
Variant: P.Z.L. P.37A.
Europa: P.37B 2B4 2-6/29 (FtF).
UNITED KINGDOM: Bristol Blenheim IV
Type: three-seat light bomber.
Prototype flown: 12 Apr 1935.
Entered service: March 1937.
Powerplant: 2x 905hp Bristol Mercury XV 9 cylinder air-cooled radial engines.
Maximum speed: 266 mph at 11,800 ft.
Service ceiling:. 22,000 ft.
Climb: 1,500 ft/min.
Range: 1,460 miles.
Armament: 1x.303in ing fixed forward firing; 2x .303in mg in powered dorsal turret.
Bombload: 2x 500lb OR 4x 250lb bombs.
Variants: Blenheim 1, Blenheim IF, Blenheim IVF.
Usage, Sep 139:. 168 Blenheim IVs in service with RAF. Six operational squadrons of RAF Bomber Command (plus five non-operational squadrons), seven squadrons of Fighter Command, two army-cooperation squadrons, eleven squadrons with Blenheim Is deployed overseas.
Europa: Bien 4 3B3 1-2/23 (WitD)
NOTE: Blenheim IF and IVF armed in addition with 4x .303in fixed forward-firing mgs.
UNITED KINGDOM: Handley Page Hampden I.
Type: four-seat medium bomber.
Prototype flown: 21 Jun 1936.
Entered service: November 1938.
Powerplant: 2x 1,050hp Bristol Pegasus XVIII 9 cylinder air-cooled radial engines.
Maximum speed: 265 mph at 15,500 ft.
Service ceiling:. 22,700 ft.
Climb: 18.9 min to 15,000 ft.
Range: 870 miles.
Armament: 1x fixed and 1x flexible .303in mg forward firing; 2x .303in mgs in dorsal and ventral positions.
Bombload: 4,000lb (Maximum). Usage, Sep I 39:. with six operational squadrons of RAF Bomber Command (plus four non-operational squadrons).
Europa: Hamp 2NB3 1-4/19 (TFH).
UNITED KINGDOM: Armstrong Whitworth Whitley V
Type: five-seat night bomber.Prototype flown: 17 Mar 1936.
Entered service: March 1937.
Powerplant: 2x 1,145hp Rolls-Royce Merlin X 12-cylinder liquid-cooled vee engines.
Maximum speed: 230 mph at 16,400 ft.
Service ceiling: 26,000 ft.
Climb: 16 min to 15,000 ft.
Range: 1,650 miles.
Armament: 1x .303in mg in power nose turret. 4x .303in mg in power tail turret.
Bombload: 12x 250lb AND 2x 2,000lb OR 4x 500lb bombs.
Variants: Whitley 1, Whitley 11, Whitley 111, Whitley IV/IVA.
Usage, Sep I 39:. with five operational squadrons of RAF Bomber Command (plus three non-operational squadrons).
Europa: Whitley 3NB3 1-6/22.
UNITED KINGDOM: Vickers Wellington
Type: six-seat night bomber.
Prototype flown.- 15 Jun 1936.
Entered service: October 1938.
Maximum speed: 251 mph at 15,500 ft.
Service ceiling.-. 26,300 ft.
Climb: 930 ft/min. Range: 1,540 miles.
Powerplant: 2x 1,050hp Bristol Pegasus XVIII 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engines.
Armament: 2x .303in mgs in powered nose and tail turrets; 2x .303in mgs in retractable ventral turret.
Bombload: 2x 2000lb OR 9x 500lb bombs.
Variants: Wellington 1. Usage, Sep 139:. with six operational squadrons of RAF Bomber Command (plus four non-operational squadrons).
Europa: Well 1C 3NB4 1-6/28 (WitD).
[NOTE: this variant came into service in 1940 and had the ventral turret replaced with beam machine guns.]
UNITED STATES: Douglas B-18 Bolo
Type: six-seat medium bomber.Prototype flown.- April 1935; in service: 1937.
Powerplant: 2x 850hp Wright Cyclone R-1820-45 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engines.
Maximum speed: 217 mph at 10,000 ft.
Service ceiling: 24,200 ft.
Climb: 9.1 min to 10,000 ft.
Range: 850 miles.
Armament: 1x .30 caliber mg in manual nose turret; 1x .30 caliber mg in manual dorsal turret; 1x .30 caliber mg aft firing from ventral hatch,
Bombload: 2,532lb.
Europa: No counter. Note: based on civilian DC-2 airliner; 20 built and delivered to RCAF beginning December 1939 as Digby 1.
Single-engined Light and Divebombers:
GERMANY: Junkers Ju 87B-1
Type: two-seat dive bomber Prototypeflown: 1935.
Entered service: 1937.
Powerplant: 1x Junkers Jumo 211 Da 12-cylinder liquid-cooled invertedvee engine.
Maximum speed: 23 8 mph at 13,410 ft.
Service ceiling: 26,250 ft.
Climb: 12 min to 12,190 ft. Range: 370 miles.
Armament: 2x 7.9mm mgs forward firing; 1x 7.9mm mg flexible aft firing.
Bombload: 1x 1,021b OR 1x 551lb and 4x 110lb bombs.
Usage, Sep 139: 300/348 Ju 87B- s on strength.
Europa: Ju 87B 2D3 4-1/8 (FtF).
FRANCE: Loire-Nieuport LN 40
Type: single-engined single-seat shipboard dive bomber.
Prototype flown: June 1938.
Entered service: November 1939.
Powerplant: 1x 670hp Hispano-Suiza 12Xcrs 12-cylinder liquid cooled vee-engine.
Maximum speed: 236 mph at 13,120 ft.
Service ceiling: 31,168 ft. Range: 746 miles.
Armament: 1x 20mm cannon + 2x 7.5mm mgs forward firing Bombload: : 1x 4961b OR 1x 331lb OR 10x 22lb or 33lb bombs.
Usage, Sep 139: 4 in service with Aeronavale - of 36 LN 401 on order; 40 LN 411 in production (orginally ordered by Armee de I'Air).
Europa: LN,411 3D2 2/12 (FoF).
UNITED KINGDOM: Blackburn Skua II
Type: two-seat shipboard fighter/dive bomber.
Prototype flown.- 9 Feb 1937. Entered service: late 1938.
Powerplant: 1x 890hp Bristol Perseus 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine.
Maximum speed: 225 mph at 6,500 ft.
Service ceiling.-. 20,200 ft.
Climb: 1,580 ft/min. Range: 435 miles.
Armament: 4x.303in mgs forward firing; 1x.303in mg flexible aft firing.
Bombload: 1x 550lb bomb.
Variant: Blackburn Roc, shipboard turret fighter with 4x .303in mgs in power dorsal turret.
Usage, Sep 139: 33 in service with four Fleet Air Arm squadrons.
Europa: 2FB2 1 C 30 (Narvik), possibly revised in Storm over Scandinavia.
UNITED KINGDOM: Fairey Battle I
Type: three-seat light day bomber.
Prototype flown.- 10 Mar 1936. Entered service: May 1937.
Powerplant: 1x 1,030hp Rolls-Royce Merlin II 12-cylinder liquid-cooled vee engine.
Maximum speed: 257 mph at 15,000 ft.
Service ceiling:. 25,000 ft. Climb: 13.6 min to 15,000 ft. Range: 640 miles.
Armament: 1x .303in mg fixed forward-firing; 1x .303in mg flexible aft-firing.
Bombload: 4x 250lb bombs.
Usage, Sep 139: ten squadrons with Advanced Air Striking Force, four non-operational squadrons with Bomber Command.
Europa.- 2B2 2-1/L/18 (FtF).
UNITED STATES: Northrup A-17A
Type: two-seat attack bomber.Prototype flown: 16 Jul 1936. In service: 1937.
Powerplant: 1x 825hp Pratt & Whitney Wasp R-1535-13 9 cylinder aircooled radial engine.
Maximum speed: 220 mph at 2,500 ft.
Service ceiling: 19,400 ft.
Climb rate: 1,350 ft/min
Range: 730 miles.
Armament: 4x .30 caliber mgs forward firing; 1x .30 caliber mg flexible aft firing.
Bombload: 4x 100lb bombs or 20x 30lb bombs.
Europa: no existing Europa counter, but one may appear in Storm over Scandinavia, in Swedish service.
Note: Built and in Swedish service as B5B and B5C.
UNITED STATES: Curtiss SBC-4 Helldiver
Type: biplane two-seat shipboard dive bomber.Prototype flown: 9 Dec 1935.
In service: 1937.
Powerplant: 1x 950hp Wright Cyclone R-1820-34 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine.
Maximum speed: 237 mph at 15,200 ft.
Service ceiling: 26,700 ft.
Climb rate: 1,860 ft/min.
Range: 980 miles.
Armament: 1x .50 caliber mg forward firing; 1x .30 caliber flexible mg aft firing. Bombload: 1x 1,000lb OR 1x 500lb bomb.
Variant: SBC-3.
Europa: No counter. Note: standard USN shipboard dive bomber and scout as of Sept 1939; 90 SBC-4 ordered by France in 1939, 50 diverted from USN stocks but did not reach France before the Armistice.
Tactical Reconnaissance/Army Cooperation:
FRANCE: Potez 390 A2
Type: two-seat observation aircraft (French: "A2 - Artillerie Biplace").Prototype flown: January 1930.
Entered service: August 1934.
Powerplant: I x Hispano-Suiza 12Hb 12-cylinder liquid-cooled in-line engine.
Maximum speed: 149 mph.
Service ceiling:. 23,000 ft.
Climb: ?
Range: ?
Armament: 1x 7.5mm mg forward firing; 2x .303 mgs flexible aft firing.
Bombload: 264lbs of light bombs.
Usage, Sep I 39:. 50 in service with three GAOs ("Groupes Aeriens d'Observation") of the Armee de I'Air..
Europa: No counter. NOTE: other Armee de I'Air A2 type aircraft in service, Sept 1939: Breguet 27, Mureaux 115 and 117.
GERMANY: Heinkel He.45C
Type: biplane two-seat light reconnaissance bomber.
Protoype flown: 1932. Entered service: 1934.
Powerplant: 1x 750hp BMW VI 7,3 12-cylinder liquid-cooled vee engine.
Maximum speed: 180 mph at sea level.
Service ceiling: 18,045 ft.
Climb: 3,280 ft to 2.4 min.
Range: 745 miles.
Armament: 1x 7.9mm. mg forward firing; 1x 7.9mm mg flexible aft firing.
Bombload: 660lb.
Variant: He 45D.
Usage, Sep 139:. in service with four short range reconnaissance squadrons of the Luftwaffe.
Europa: He 45 1A1 1/10 (FWtBT) NOTE: originally designed for longrange reconnaissance duties, He 46, parasol monoplane, designed in parallel for shortrange reconnaissance duties; both being replaced by Hs 126 by Sept 1939.
POLAND: P.Z.L. P-23B Karas ("Crucian-carp")
Type: three-seat army cooperation and reconnaissance aircraft.
Prototype flown: Aug 1934
Entered service: June 1936
Powerplant: 1x 660hp P.Z.L.-built Bristol Pegasus VIII 9-cylinder air-cooled radial-engine.
Maximum speed: 198.2 mph at 11,975 ft.
Service ceiling:. 23,949 ft.
Range: 782 miles.
Armament: 2x 7.7mm forward firing mgs; 1x 7.7mm mg in dorsal position and in ventral position.
Bombload: 6x 220lb OR 8x 110lb OR 24x 27.5lb bombs.
Variants: P.23A, built for Bulgarian Air Force as P.43 or P.43B.
Usage, Sep I 39: 118 in service with Lotnictwo Wojskowe
Europa: P.23B 2A2 1/14 (FtF)
UNITED KINGDOM: Westland Lysander II
Type: two-seat army cooperation aircraft.Prototype flown.- 15 June 1936. Entered service: June 1938.
Powerplant: I x 905hp Bristol Pegasus XII 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engine.
Maximum speed: 230 mph at 10,000 ft.
Service ceiling:. 26,000 ft.
Climb: 6.9 min to 10,000 ft .
Armament: 2x.303in mgs fixed forward firing; 1x.303in mg flexible aft firing.
Bombload: 12x 60lb bombs OR 4x 112 or 120lb bombs OR 2x 250lb bombs.
Variant: Lysander I Usage, Sep I 39:. in service with seven RAF army cooperation squadrons, four which were sent to France with the BEF, and with one army cooperation squadron in Eygpt.
Europa: No counter.
Heavy Bombers
UNITED STATES: Boeing B-17B
Type: Long range heavy bomber.Prototype flown.- 28 July 1935.
In service: August 1937.
Powerplant: 4x 1,000hp Wright Cyclone R-1820-51 9-cylinder air-cooled radial engines.
Maximum speed: 268 mph.
Service ceiling: 34,000 ft
Range: 3,000 miles.
Armament: 2x .30 caliber mgs; 3x .50 caliber mgs in nose, dorsal, ventral and beam positions.
Bombload: 8x 600lb bombs, Variants: Y1B-17 (13 a/c), Y1B-17A (1 a/c), B17B (39 a/c). Non-US
Usage: 38 B-17Cs ordered and built or building by Sept 1939; in limited RAF service as Fortress I in Mar 1941.
Europa: No counter.
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