The surprise strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy on December 7, 1941, was expected to crush the U.S. Navy and prevent it from interfering with Japan’s campaign throughout the Pacific. However, this proved to be an incredible strategic backfire which pushed the United States into World War II. (This is every warship and submarine that fought the Battle of Pearl Harbor.)
Prior to this attack, the United States was fairly undecided about its involvement in the war. However, within a day of the attack on Pearl Harbor and having heard of the destruction and loss of life, Congress and the population at large had decided that there was no other way forward.
While the attack did damage to the U.S. fleet, it woke a sleeping giant. President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered an incredible increase in production for warships, tanks and aircraft that had never been seen before. These military assets, used by U.S. soldiers and sailors, would help conquer the Axis powers and lead to a new world order. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is focusing on the attack on Pearl Harbor and the aircraft that were present in that battle. (These were America’s most important naval battles in World War II.)
To identify every aircraft that fought in the Battle of Pearl Harbor, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a catalog of aircraft from Military Factory, an online database of arms, vehicles and aircraft. We ordered these aircraft chronologically. We included supplemental information regarding type, armament, speed, and more.
Here is a look at all of the aircraft that fought the Battle of Pearl Harbor:
Why Are We Covering This?
Source: volvob12b / Flickr
The attack on Pearl Harbor was one of the defining moments in American history. It serves as a powerful reminder of the devastation of war and the unpredictable consequences of military aggression.
P-26 Peashooter
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Monoplane fighter
- Manufacturer: Boeing
- Year introduced: 1932
- Top speed: 227 mph
- Armament: .30 caliber machine guns, .50 caliber machine guns, 100 lb conventional drop bombs, 31 lb anti-personnel drop bombs
A-12 (Shrike)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia commons
- Type: Single-engine strike aircraft
- Manufacturer: Curtiss
- Year introduced: 1933
- Top speed: 177 mph
- Armament: .30 caliber machine guns, 122 lb bombs, 30 lb fragmentation bombs
DC-2
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Military transport aircraft
- Manufacturer: Douglas
- Year introduced: 1934
- Top speed: 210 mph
- Armament: N/A
S-43 (Baby Clipper)
- Type: Amphibious transport aircraft
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky
- Year introduced: 1935
- Top speed: 190 mph
- Armament: Typically none
PBY Catalina
- Type: Maritime patrol floatplane
- Manufacturer: Consolidated / Boeing
- Year introduced: 1936
- Top speed: 179 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, 12.7mm machine guns, torpedos, anti-ship mines, depth charges, maximum bombload of 4,000 lbs
B-18 Bolo
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
- Type: Medium bomber
- Manufacturer: Douglas
- Year introduced: 1936
- Top speed: 215 mph
- Armament: .30 caliber machine guns, up to 4,500 lbs of conventional drop bombs
J2F Duck
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
- Type: Navy floatplane utility aircraft
- Manufacturer: Grumman
- Year introduced: 1936
- Top speed: 189 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, up to 650 lbs of drop bombs or depth charges
T-6 Texan
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Two-seat fighter
- Manufacturer: North American
- Year introduced: 1936
- Top speed: 209 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Source: GNeesam / iStock via Getty Images
- Type: Heavy bomber
- Manufacturer: Boeing / Douglas / Lockheed
- Year introduced: 1937
- Top speed: 287 mph
- Armament: .50 caliber Browning heavy machine guns, maximum internal bombload of 17,600 lbs
Goose (G-21)
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
- Type: Multirole navy floatplane
- Manufacturer: Grumman
- Year introduced: 1937
- Top speed: 201 mph
- Armament: .30 caliber machine guns, 100 lb drop bombs
Seversky P-35
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Monoplane fighter
- Manufacturer: Seversky
- Year introduced: 1937
- Top speed: 308 mph
- Armament: .30 caliber machine guns, .50 caliber machine guns, 350 lbs of drop bombs
SB2U Vindicator
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
- Type: Dive bomber aircraft
- Manufacturer: Vought
- Year introduced: 1937
- Top speed: 251 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, 12.7mm machine guns, 500 lb drop bombs or 1,000 lb drop bombs
P-36 Hawk
- Type: Monoplane fighter
- Manufacturer: Curtiss
- Year introduced: 1938
- Top speed: 322 mph
- Armament: .30 caliber machine guns, .50 caliber machine guns, drop bombs of various weights
SBD Dauntless
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Carrier-borne bomber
- Manufacturer: Douglas
- Year introduced: 1938
- Top speed: 255 mph
- Armament: .30 caliber machine guns, .50 caliber machine guns, maximum bombload of 2,250 lbs
Brewster F2A (Buffalo)
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Monoplane fighter
- Manufacturer: Brewster
- Year introduced: 1939
- Top speed: 321 mph
- Armament: .30 caliber machine guns, .50 caliber machine guns
Aichi D3A (Val)
- Type: Carrier-borne bomber
- Manufacturer: Aichi Kokuki
- Year introduced: 1940
- Top speed: 267 mph
- Armament: 7.7mm machine guns, 551 lb bomb under fuselage or 132 lbs bombs under wings
F4F Wildcat
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Monoplane fighter
- Manufacturer: Grumman
- Year introduced: 1940
- Top speed: 332 mph
- Armament: 12.7mm machine guns, various drop bombs
Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen (Zero)
Source: wallycacsabre / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Carrier-borne fighter-bomber
- Manufacturer: Mitsubishi / Nakajima
- Year introduced: 1940
- Top speed: 354 mph
- Armament: 7.7mm machine guns, 20mm cannons, 130 lb drop bombs or 550 lb drop bomb
OS2U Kingfisher
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Scout floatplane
- Manufacturer: Vought
- Year introduced: 1940
- Top speed: 164 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns, 650 lbs of drop bombs
Aichi E13A (Jake)
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
- Type: Naval reconnaissance floatplane
- Manufacturer: Aichi Kokuki
- Year introduced: 1941
- Top speed: 234 mph
- Armament: 7.7mm machine gun, 20mm cannon, maximum external bomb payload of 551 lbs
P-40 Warhawk
Source: Vladimir Korostyshevskiy / Shutterstock.com
- Type: Single-engine fighter-bomber
- Manufacturer: Curtiss
- Year introduced: 1941
- Top speed: 378 mph
- Armament: .50 caliber Browning heavy machine guns, up to 2,000 lbs of conventional drop bombs
A-20 Havoc / Boston
Source: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
- Type: Light bomber / night-fighter aircraft
- Manufacturer: Douglas
- Year introduced: 1941
- Top speed: 339 mph
- Armament: .50 caliber machine guns, 20mm cannons, 7.62mm machine guns, up to 4,000 lbs of conventional drop bombs
Nakajima B5N (Kate)
Source: sdasmarchives / Flickr
- Type: Carrier-borne bomber
- Manufacturer: Nakajima
- Year introduced: 1941
- Top speed: 236 mph
- Armament: 7.7mm machine guns, maximum bombload of 1,760 lbs
Take This Retirement Quiz To Get Matched With An Advisor Now (Sponsored)
Are you ready for retirement? Planning for retirement can be overwhelming, that’s why it could be a good idea to speak to a fiduciary financial advisor about your goals today.
Start by taking this retirement quiz right here from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes. Smart Asset is now matching over 50,000 people a month.
Click here now to get started.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Editors' Picks
