Brigadier General Bud Anderson, the last surviving triple ace fighter pilot from World War II, died in his sleep at the age of 102 on May 17, 2024. Anderson downed 16 German planes during the war and spent 30 years in military service while flying over 130 different types of aircraft. The aircraft used to fight the enemy in the Second World War, along with the brave pilots who flew them, were essential to America’s success.
24/7 Wall St. has compiled a ranking of the most produced American planes in WWII by taking data from the Army Air Forces Statistical Digest: World War II, December 1945 edition, which cataloged production numbers of U.S. aircraft during the war. This list includes planes with a production run of over 1,000.
Seen here are some of the most instrumental warplanes responsible for advancing the Allies and maintaining air superiority during the war. This list includes the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, the North American P-51 Mustang, and the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. At the top of the list is the B-24 Liberator, the American bomber with the highest production during the war, reaching over 18,000 units. This powerful bomber provided the U.S. and the Allies with essential strategic bombing capabilities, targeting enemy infrastructure and crippling their war-making capacities. With its remarkable long-range features, the B-24 became a primary asset in the air campaign against Nazi Germany, helping to disrupt its supply chain and weaken its war effort.
The North American P-51 Mustang was another extensively produced warplane, with over 14,000 units manufactured between 1940 and 1945. Evolving into a versatile and highly effective aircraft, the P-51 demonstrated remarkable long-range capabilities. Its significance became evident through its invaluable roles in ground attacks and as an escort for heavy bombers. This dual capacity contributed to the destruction of enemy aircraft both in the air and on the ground.
Finally, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress stands as one of the most iconic, and most produced, American warplanes in history, with around 12,700 units built during the war. Renowned for its exceptional durability and relentless bombing campaigns targeting German factories and airfields, this heavy bomber played a decisive role in weakening the Axis powers. (See here for a list of all the major fighter planes the U.S. Air Force has used.)
Here are the most produced military planes of World War II:
Why This Matters
The urgency of creating new technology during WWII led to a lasting legacy of medical, technological, and scientific advances that changed the world. The military advances made by the U.S. during the war have led to the development of powerful weapons, including having the most advanced air force in the world. 24/7 Wall St. is taking a look at the warplanes that not only helped to end the war but inspired technological advances in aviation that helped shape our world today.
Source: Matt_Gibson / iStock via Getty Images
26. C-61 Forwarder
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total built: 1,009
The C-61 Forwarder is a single-crew transport aircraft manufactured by Fairchild with a top speed of 133 mph. In 1943 and 1944, 400 aircraft were produced.
25. Douglas C-54 Skymaster (DC-4)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total built: 1,089
The Douglas C-54 Skymaster (DC-4) is a multi-crew (four) transport aircraft manufactured by Douglas Aircraft Company with a top speed of 275 mph. In 1945, 635 aircraft were produced.
24. L-3 Grasshopper
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total built: 1,439
The L-3 Grasshopper is a multi-crew (two) communication aircraft manufactured by Piper Aircraft Corporation with a top speed of 87 mph. In 1942, 813 aircraft were produced.
23. Martin Baltimore
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total built: 1,575
The Martin Baltimore is a multi-crew (four) light bomber aircraft manufactured by the Glenn L Martin Company with a top speed of 302 mph. In 1943, 675 aircraft were produced.
22. Beechcraft C-45 (Expeditor)
Source: Public Domain / Flickr
- Total built: 1,771
The Beechcraft C-45 (Expeditor) is a multi-crew (nine) transport aircraft manufactured by Beech Aircraft Corporation with a top speed of 224 mph. In 1944, 1,060 aircraft were produced.
21. Vultee A-35 Vengeance
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total built: 1,931
The Vultee A-35 Vengeance is a multi-crew (two) light bomber aircraft manufactured by Vultee Aircraft with a top speed of 279 mph. In 1943, 875 aircraft were produced.
20. Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper
Source: mark6mauno / Flickr
- Total built: 1,940
The Taylorcraft L-2 Grasshopper is a multi-crew (two) communication aircraft manufactured by Piper Aircraft Corporation with a top speed of 92 mph. In 1943, 1,161 aircraft were produced.
19. Lockheed Hudson
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total built: 2,189
The Lockheed Hudson is a multi-crew (six) light bomber aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Aircraft Corporation with a top speed of 249 mph. In 1941, 1,100 aircraft were produced.
18. Douglas A-26 Invader
Source: Richard Thornton / Shutterstock.com
- Total built: 2,449
The Douglas A-26 Invader is a multi-crew (three) light bomber aircraft manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company with a top speed of 355 mph. In 1945, 1,729 aircraft were produced.
17. Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando
Source: Three Lions / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
- Total built: 3,144
The Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando is a multi-crew (four) transport aircraft manufactured by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation with a top speed of 270 mph. In 1945, 1,423 aircraft were produced.
16. Cessna C-78 Bobcat
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total built: 3,206
The Cessna C-78 Bobcat is a multi-crew (five) transport aircraft manufactured by Cessna Aircraft Company with a top speed of 175 mph. In 1943, 2,548 aircraft were produced.
15. Bell P-63 Kingcobra
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total built: 3,273
The Bell P-63 Kingcobra is a single-crew fighter aircraft manufactured by Bell Aircraft Corporation with a top speed of 410 mph. In 1944, 1,786 aircraft were produced.
14. Stinson L-5 Sentinel
- Total built: 3,590
The Stinson L-5 Sentinel is a multi-crew (two) fighter aircraft manufactured by Stinson with a top speed of 165 mph. In 1944, 1,361 aircraft were produced.
13. B-29 Superfortress
Source: 37467370@N08 / Flickr / Public Domain
- Total built: 3,763
The B-29 Superfortress is a multi-crew (ten) very heavy bomber aircraft manufactured by Boeing with a top speed of 358 mph. In 1945, 2,507 aircraft were produced.
12. Martin B-26 Marauder
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_B-26_Marauder#/media/File:B_26.jpg
- Total built: 5,157
The Martin B-26 Marauder is a multi-crew (seven) medium bomber aircraft manufactured by the Glenn L Martin Company with a top speed of 282 mph. In 1943, 2,364 aircraft were produced.
11. Piper L-4 Grasshopper
- Total built: 5,611
The Piper L-4 Grasshopper is a single-crew communication aircraft manufactured by the Piper Aircraft Corporation with a top speed of 85 mph. In 1944, 1,904 aircraft were produced.
10. Douglas A-20 Havoc / Boston
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total built: 7,385
The Douglas A-20 Havoc / Boston is a multi-crew (three) communication aircraft manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Corporation with a top speed of 339 mph. In 1944, 2,317 aircraft were produced.
9. Lockheed P-38 Lightning
Source: CindyN / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Total built: 9,536
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is a single-crew fighter aircraft manufactured by the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation with a top speed of 414 mph. In 1944, 4,186 aircraft were produced.
8. Bell P-39 Aircaobra
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total built: 9,588
The Bell P-39 Aircaobra is a single-crew fighter aircraft manufactured by the Bell Aircraft Corporation with a top speed of 386 mph. In 1943, 4,947 aircraft were produced.
7. North American B-25 Mitchell
Source: Craig Mills / Shutterstock.com
- Total built: 9,816
The North American B-25 Mitchell is a multi-crew (five) medium bomber aircraft manufactured by the North American Aircraft Corporation with a top speed of 272 mph. In 1944, 3,677 aircraft were produced.
6. Douglas DC-3
Source: Pi-Lens / Shutterstock.com
- Total built: 10,323
The Douglas DC-3 is a multi-crew (five) transport aircraft manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Corporation with a top speed of 237 mph. In 1944, 4,900 aircraft were produced.
5. B-17 Flying Fortress
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total built: 12,692
The B-17 Flying Fortress is a multi-crew (ten) heavy bomber aircraft manufactured by Boeing with a top speed of 287 mph. In 1944, 5,352 aircraft were produced.
4. Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
Source: Fox Photos / Hulton Archive via Getty Images
- Total built: 13,738
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk is a single-crew fighter aircraft manufactured by the Curtiss-Wright Corporation with a top speed of 378 mph. In 1942, 4,454 aircraft were produced.
3. North American P-51 Mustang
Source: Gino Santa Maria / Shutterstock.com
- Total built: 14,501
The North American P-51 Mustang is a single-crew fighter aircraft manufactured by North American Aviation with a top speed of 437 mph. In 1944, 6,908 aircraft were produced.
2. Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
Source: US Air Force / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Total built: 15,585
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is a single-crew fighter aircraft manufactured by the Republic Aviation Corporation with a top speed of 433 mph. In 1944, 7,065 aircraft were produced.
1. B-24 Liberator
Source: Angel Di Bilio / iStock Editorial via Getty Images
- Total built: 18,190
The B-24 Liberator is a multi-crew (10) heavy bomber aircraft manufactured by Boeing with a top speed of 290 mph. In 1944, 9,519 aircraft were produced.
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