During World War II, United States military aircraft production ranged from trainers, fighters, and bombers to jet-powered fighters. The industrial capability was so great that in 1944 alone, the U.S. built more planes than the Japanese during the war. The United States had to utilize war bonds and income tax increases to finance production costs. According to reporting by Norwich University, U.S. citizens bought over $185.7 billion worth of bonds at 75% face value, shouldering a great deal of the financial burden of World War II.
24/7 Wall St. reviewed the average unit cost per fighter or bomber each year of the war from Craven, W.F. and Cate, J.L.’s (1983) “The Army Air Forces in World War II” to determine how much American fighters and bombers cost during World War II. Production figures of U.S. aircraft per year came from the Army Air Forces Statistical Digest: World War II, December 1945 edition. We weighted the annual average cost by the annual aircraft production and ranked the planes by their overall average unit cost throughout WWII to find the overall average unit cost.
Why This Matters
World War II played a huge part in the industrial revolution within the United States as the country fully mobilized its industrial resources to out-produce its enemies. Many tanks, aircraft, and maritime vessels were produced, each contributing significantly to the war effort. As a result, World War II was a unique time for the economy. Some of the biggest manufacturers on this list are the largest companies producing military equipment today – such as Boeing and Lockheed.
Scroll below to see the production cost of every American plane in WWII ranked.
19. Piper L-4 Grasshopper
- Average cost per plane: $2,537
- Total built during WWII: 5,611 — #16 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Communication
- Manufacturer: Piper Aircraft Corporation
- Crew: 1
18. Stinson L-5 Sentinel
- Average cost per plane: $9,090
- Total built during WWII: 3,590 — #19 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Communication
- Manufacturer: Stinson
- Crew: 2
17. T-6 Texan
- Average cost per plane: $25,839
- Total built during WWII: 15,094 — #3 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Trainer
- Manufacturer: North American Aviation
- Crew: 2
16. North American P-51 Mustang
- Average cost per plane: $52,541
- Total built during WWII: 14,501 — #4 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Fighter
- Manufacturer: North American Aviation
- Crew: 1
15. Curtiss P-40 Warhawk
- Average cost per plane: $54,472
- Total built during WWII: 13,738 — #5 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Fighter
- Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright Corporation
- Crew: 1
14. Bell P-39 Airacobra
- Average cost per plane: $64,047
- Total built during WWII: 9,588 — #10 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Fighter
- Manufacturer: Bell Aircraft Corporation
- Crew: 1
13. Beechcraft AT-7
- Average cost per plane: $75,574
- Total built during WWII: 5,775 — #15 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Trainer
- Manufacturer: Beechcraft
- Crew: 2
12. Douglas A-20 Havoc / Boston
- Average cost per plane: $85,890
- Total built during WWII: 7,385 — #14 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Light bomber
- Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company
- Crew: 3
11. Republic P-47 Thunderbolt
- Average cost per plane: $90,982
- Total built during WWII: 15,585 — #2 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Fighter
- Manufacturer: Republic Aviation Corporation
- Crew: 1
10. Douglas C-47 Skytrain
- Average cost per plane: $100,897
- Total built during WWII: 10,692 — N/A
- Type: Transport
- Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company
- Crew: 3
9. Lockheed P-38 Lightning
- Average cost per plane: $104,225
- Total built during WWII: 9,536 — #11 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Fighter
- Manufacturer: Lockheed Aircraft Corporation
- Crew: 1
8. North American B-25 Mitchell
- Average cost per plane: $143,761
- Total built during WWII: 9,816 — #9 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Medium bomber
- Manufacturer: North American Aircraft Corporation
- Crew: 5
7. Douglas A-26 Invader
- Average cost per plane: $180,991
- Total built during WWII: 2,449 — #23 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Light bomber
- Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company
- Crew: 3
6. B-17 Flying Fortress
- Average cost per plane: $212,632
- Total built during WWII: 12,692 — #6 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Heavy bomber
- Manufacturer: Boeing
- Crew: 10
5. Martin B-26 Marauder
- Average cost per plane: $213,396
- Total built during WWII: 5,157 — #17 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Medium bomber
- Manufacturer: Glenn L Martin Company
- Crew: 7
4. B-24 Liberator
- Average cost per plane: $227,695
- Total built during WWII: 18,190 — #1 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Heavy bomber
- Manufacturer: Boeing
- Crew: 10
3. Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando
- Average cost per plane: $232,155
- Total built during WWII: 3,144 — #22 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Transport
- Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright Corporation
- Crew: 4
2. Douglas C-54 Skymaster (DC-4)
- Average cost per plane: $280,051
- Total built during WWII: 1,089 — #31 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Transport
- Manufacturer: Douglas Aircraft Company
- Crew: 4
1. Boeing B-29 Superfortress
- Average cost per plane: $539,818
- Total built during WWII: 3,763 — #18 most out of 52 planes
- Type: Very heavy bomber
- Manufacturer: Boeing
- Crew: 10
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