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Aerial Dominance: WW2 Era U.S. Aircraft with the Highest Confirmed Kills

By Chris Lange Updated Mar 16, 11:21AM EDT · Published Oct 10, 12:00PM EDT

Key Points

Allied ingenuity produced a number of great fighter aircraft that would prove instrumental in their victory in World War 2
The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and Lockheed P-38 Lightning were each capable of speeds over 660 mph and armed to the teeth with multiple machine guns, rockets, and bombs
Gaining and maintaining air superiority might be one of the most important aspects of modern warfare, and it starts with being able to control the skies by force
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Aerial Dominance: WW2 Era U.S. Aircraft with the Highest Confirmed Kills — © Vladimir Korostyshevskiy / Shutterstock.com

There were few World War 2 fighters that could match the speed and firepower of America’s premier warbirds. The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt and Lockheed P-38 Lightning were each capable of speeds over 660 mph and armed to the teeth with multiple machine guns, rockets, and bombs. Whether it was pummeling ground targets in strafing runs across France or escorting bombers over the ocean, these aircraft were central to Allied air superiority. Accordingly, they racked up thousands of kills and victories against the Axis Powers.

Allied ingenuity produced a number of great fighter aircraft that would prove instrumental in their victory in World War 2. Even further, these aircraft would set the stage for much of the modern military doctrine seen today. Gaining and maintaining air superiority might be one of the most important aspects of modern warfare, and it starts with being able to control the skies by force. Here, 24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the U.S. aircraft used during World War 2 and their dominance of the skies.

To identify the fighter aircraft with the most confirmed kills used by the U.S. military in World War 2, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed World War 2 Database (among other sources), an online archive of WW2 history, facts, and more. We ranked these aircraft based on confirmed kills. Some of the data for these aircraft was not available or limited, and it will be noted. We included supplemental information about each aircraft regarding the top speed, engine, armament, and more. We only included aircraft that have a fighter designation. Some of the data for these aircraft was not available or limited, and it will be noted.

Here is a look at the World War 2 aircraft with the most confirmed kills:

Why Are We Covering This?

P-51 Mustang at sunset airshow

Understanding World War 2 is important to appreciate how the modern world’s current political and military order was shaped. As the most catastrophic conflict in human history, World War 2 reshaped borders, redefined global alliances, and hit the gas pedal on technological innovation. This conflict bore witness to the rapid advances in small arms, aircraft, armored vehicles, and naval warfare. Military doctrine evolved hand-in-hand with technology during this time as well, shaping much of modern military strategies. World War 2 would set the stage for the world we know today, in more ways than we could possibly comprehend.

19. FR Fireball

Confirmed kills: 0
Manufacturer: Ryan Aeronautical Company
Type: Jet Fighter
Year: 1945
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 3,488 kg
Engine: One General Electric J31-GE-3 turbojet rated at 1,600 lbf; one Wright R-1820-72W Cyclone radial engine rated at 1,350 hp
Top speed: 650 kmh
Service ceiling: 13,137 m
Range: 2,610 km
Armament: 4×12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns, 2x454kg bombs, 8x127mm rockets

This aircraft did not see combat before the war ended, and it had limited squadron service.

18. P-80 Shooting Star

Confirmed kills: 0
Manufacturer: Lockheed Corporation
Type: Jet Fighter
Year: 1945
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 3,819 kg
Engine: One Allison J33-A-35 centrifugal compressor turbojet engine rated at 4600 lbf (20.46 kN) / 5400 lbf (24.02 kN) with water injection
Top speed: 965 kmh
Service ceiling: 14,000 m
Range: 1,930 km
Armament: 6×12.7mm AN/M3 Browning machine guns, 8x127mm unguided rockets, 2x454kg bombs

This aircraft saw no air-to-air combat in World War 2 as it came in to service late in the war.

17. P-43 Lancer

Confirmed kills: 0-10 (likely closer to 0)
Manufacturer: Republic Aviation Company
Type: Fighter
Year: 1941
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,713 kg
Engine: One Pratt & Whitney R-1830-49 14-cyl air-cooled radial piston engine rated at 1,200hp
Top speed: 573 kmh
Service ceiling: 10,970 m
Range: 1,046 km
Armament: 2×12.7mm cowl M2 Browning machine guns, 2×12.7mm wing M2 Browning machine guns

There is no meaningful total as this aircraft saw limited combat use and was primarily used for reconnaissance.

16. P-66 Vanguard

Confirmed kills: 0-10 (likely closer to 0)
Manufacturer: Vultee Aircraft Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1941
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,374 kg
Engine: One Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S3C4-G air-cooled 14-cylinder radial engine rated at 1,200hp
Top speed: 547 kmh
Service ceiling: 8,595 m
Range: 1,368 km
Armament: 4×0.3in machine guns, 2×0.5in machine guns

There is no real reliable figure for this aircraft as it saw limited and mixed combat service.

15. P-63 Kingcobra

Confirmed kills: ~1-50
Manufacturer: Bell Aircraft Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1943
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 3,100 kg
Engine: One Allison V-1710-117 liquid-cooled V-12 engine rated at 1,800hp
Top speed: 660 kmh
Service ceiling: 13,100 m
Range: 3,540 km
Armament: 1x37mm M4 cannon, 2×12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns in nose, 2×12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns in wings

There is no real reliable figure for this aircraft as it was largely exported to the USSR.

14. P-26 Peashooter

Confirmed kills: ~4
Manufacturer: The Boeing Company
Type: Fighter
Year: 1934
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 996 kg
Engine: One Pratt & Whitney R-1340-7 Wasp radial engine rated at 600hp
Top speed: 337 kmh
Service ceiling: 8,350 m
Range: 1,020 km
Armament: 2×7.62mm M1919 Browning machine guns or 1x .30cal and 1x .50cal machine guns, 2x45kg general purpose bombs or 5x14kg anti-personnel bombs

This aircraft was credited with a few kills in the 1930s with early war actions.

13. BF2C Goshawk

Confirmed kills: ~5
Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Type: Biplane Fighter
Year: 1934
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 1,509 kg
Engine: Wright R-1820-04 Cyclone air-cooled radial engine rated at 770hp
Top speed: 362 kmh
Service ceiling: 8,230 m
Range: 1,167 km
Armament: 2×7.62mm Browning machine guns, 1x215kg bomb under fuselage or 2x53kg bombs under wings

There is no reliable source for confirmed kills as this aircraft saw limited operational use in early World War 2.

12. P-36 Hawk

Confirmed kills: ~6
Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1938
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,116 kg
Engine: One Pratt & Whitney R-1830-13 Twin Wasp air-cooled radial piston engine rated at 1,050hp
Top speed: 518 kmh
Service ceiling: 9,860 m
Range: 1,046 km
Armament: 1×0.30in machine gun, 1×0.50in machine gun

There were only a small number of kills according to US totals, but it had more notable service with other operations.

11. CW-21

Confirmed kills: ~20
Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1939
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 1,534 kg
Engine: Wright R-1820-G5 nine-cyl air-cooled radial engine rated at 850hp
Top speed: 505 kmh
Service ceiling: 10,500 m
Range: 1,014 km
Armament: 2×12.7mm M2 Browning machine guns, 2×7.62mm M1919 Browning machine guns

There is no single authoritative total as this aircraft saw limited combat use.

10. P-61 Black Widow

Confirmed kills: ~126
Manufacturer: Northrop Corporation
Type: Night Fighter
Year: 1944
Crew: 3
Empty weight: 10,637 kg
Engine: Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-65 Double Wasp radial engines with water injection, rated at 2,250hp each
Top speed: 589 kmh
Service ceiling: 10,600 m
Range: 3,060 km
Armament: 4x20mm Hispano M2 cannon in ventral fuselage, 4×12.7mm Browning M2 machine guns in upper turret, optional 2x726kg bombs, optional 6x127mm HVAR rockets

This night-fighter was not one of the most famous aircraft to come from the war but it still managed an impressive tally.

9. P-39 Airacobra

Confirmed kills: ~320
Manufacturer: Bell Aircraft Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1941
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,425 kg
Engine: One Allison V-1710-85 liquid-cooled V-12 engine rated at 1,200hp
Top speed: 605 kmh
Service ceiling: 10,700 m
Range: 1,770 km
Armament: 1x37mm M4 cannon, 2×12.7mm M2 machine guns, 4×7.62mm M1919 machine guns, optional 230kg bombs

There were roughly 320 claimed kills, but large Soviet successes appear to inflate the totals.

8. F2A Buffalo

Confirmed kills: ~450-500
Manufacturer: Brewster Aeronautical Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1939
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,220 kg
Engine: Wright R-1820-40 radial engine rated at 1,200hp
Top speed: 515 kmh
Service ceiling: 10,120 m
Range: 1,553 km
Armament: 4×0.50 caliber machine guns

There is no single authoritative total. The Finnish saw heavy success with this aircraft (B-239 in Finnish services) but US/Allied totals differ.

7. F4F Wildcat

Confirmed kills: ~1,300-1,400
Manufacturer: Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1940
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,610 kg
Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1830-86 double-row radial engine rated at 1,200 hp
Top speed: 515 kmh
Service ceiling: 12,000 m
Range: 1,240 km
Armament: 6×0.5in Browning machine guns, 2x100lb bombs

Although theatre totals may vary, and there is no singular reliable source, this aircraft is credited with over a thousand kills in the Pacific.

6. F4U Corsair

Confirmed kills: ~2,140
Manufacturer: Chance Vought Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1942
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 4,175 kg
Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W Double Wasp 18-cyl radial engine rated at 2,450hp
Top speed: 717 kmh
Service ceiling: 12,649 m
Range: 2,510 km
Armament: 6×0.50in Browning M2 machine guns, optional 8x127mm rockets or optional 2x454kg bombs

These kills are credit to the U.S. Navy and Marines.

5. P-40 Warhawk

Confirmed kills: ~2,225
Manufacturer: Curtiss-Wright Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1939
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 2,880 kg
Engine: One Allison V-1710-39 liquid-cooled V-12 engine rated at 1,150hp
Top speed: 580 kmh
Service ceiling: 8,840 m
Range: 1,050 km
Armament: 6×12.7 Browning M2 machine guns, optional 680kg bombs

These kills are aggregated across multiple theatres.

4. P-38 Lightning

Confirmed kills: ~3,785
Manufacturer: Lockheed Corporation
Type: Heavy Fighter
Year: 1939
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 5,800 kg
Engine: Two Allison V-1710 liquid-cooled turbo-supercharged V12 engines rated at 1,600hp each (L-Variant)
Top speed: 667 kmh
Service ceiling: 13,410 m
Range: 1,770 km
Armament: 1xHispano M2 20mm cannon, 4xColt-Browning MG53-2 12.7mm machine guns, 4xM10 rocket launchers or 10x127mm rockets or 1,000kg of bombs (L-Variant)

The P-38 Lightning is one of the most iconic aircraft to come from World War 2, and its confirmed kills reflect this.

3. P-47 Thunderbolt

Confirmed kills: ~3,795
Manufacturer: Republic Aviation Company
Type: Fighter
Year: 1942
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 4,535 kg
Engine: One Pratt & Whitney R-2800-59 twin-row 18-cylinder radial engine rated at 2,535hp
Top speed: 685 kmh
Service ceiling: 13,100 m
Range: 1,290 km
Armament: 8×12.7mm Browning M2 machine guns, optional 907kg bombs or 10x127mm rockets

These confirmed kills are the totals from the US claims.

2. F6F Hellcat

Confirmed kills: ~5,200+
Manufacturer: Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1943
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 4,101 kg
Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-10W Double Wasp 18-cylinder two-row radial engine rated at 2,000hp
Top speed: 605 kmh
Service ceiling: 11,430 m
Range: 1,755 km
Armament: 6×0.5in Browning M2 machine guns, optional six rockets under wings, optional 2,000lb of bombs

The total often cited for this aircraft is in the range of 5,216-5,223.

1. P-51D Mustang

Confirmed kills: ~5,944
Manufacturer: North American Aviation
Type: Fighter
Year: 1944
Crew: 1
Empty weight: 3,465 kg
Engine: One Packard Merlin V-1650-7 liquid-cooled supercharged V-12 engine rated at 1,695hp
Top speed: 703 kmh
Service ceiling: 12,770 m
Range: 2,655 km
Armament: 6×12.7mm machine guns, optional 907kg of bombs or optional 10x127mm rockets

These include confirmed kills from the P-51H variant of the Mustang fighter as well.

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About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.