Inspired by Greg in the P-38 topic i was wondering which aircraft were in production throughout the war (defined as 1939-45, otherwise it gets complicated!) Off the top of my head: Spitfire Wellington Anson Ju 52 Ju 88 Bf 109 DC-3 / C-47
The P47 entered service just before Pearl Harbor until 1945. The P39 and P40's production both ended the fall of 1944. So almost ?
I read the list in the other thread, and he seemed to be correlating the production run with the excellence of the design. However, while the Spitfire remained formidable over a wide spectrum, the BF-109 while it did gain power and speed, was limited by its design to effectiveness within a narrow spectrum. The original post in the other thread did mention this. However, if the success of the design is to be truly evaluated the artificial timeline 1939 to 1945 gives a false impression. For example, the Spitfire remained in production, post-war until 1948. This does speak to the excellence of its design. The A6M Zero of Japan was in production from 1939 to 1945, it was severely outclassed during the latter part of its production run but was kept in production to keep numbers up. The BF-109 was in a similar situation. At the end of its run, it was the need for aircraft numbers, more than the continued performance of the aircraft that kept it in production. In the case of the BF-109 it was in production from 1936, so the 1939 start date is again misleading ignoring 1860 aircraft produced and good combat service in the Spanish Civil War. Then how about the Vought F4U Corsair, it was in continuous production from 1942 to 1953, or 11 years which included service in the Korean War and into the jet age. Spitfire-1938 to 1948-10 years Wellington Anson Ju 52 Ju 88 Bf 109-1936 to 1945-9years DC-3 / C-47
Found in the net: Fw-190 1939-1945 Bf-110 1936-1945 Petlyakov Pe-2 dive bomber 1939-1945 Polikarpov Po-2 biplane 1928-1952 Interesting but excluded: Mosquito 1940-1950 Iljushin Il-2 1941-1945 Ju 87 1935-1944 He 111 1935-1944
For the US in the WW2 years . . . From the 1947 Official Munitions Production report of the War Production Board covering the 1 July 1940 to 31 August 1945 period: PART A B-29 - Started production in July 1943 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 3760 units for the period B-24 series - Started production in December 1940 - ended July 1945 with a total of 18118 units for the period B-17 - Already in production ended June 1945 with a total of 12677 units for the period B-32 - Started production in September 1944 - ended in August 1945 with a total of 115 units for the period PB4Y-2 - Started production in March 1944 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 714 units for the period PB2Y - Started production in December 1940 - ended October 1943 with a total of 174 units for the period PBY - Already in production continued through the reporting period with a total of 2839 units for the period PBM - Already in production continued through the reporting period with a total of 1269 units for the period PV1 - Started production in February 1943 - ended May 1944 with a total of 1461 units for the period PV2 - Started production in March 1943 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 468 units for the period B-25 series - Started production in February 1941 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 9815 units for the period B-26 series - Started production in February 1941 - ended May 1945 with a total of 5157 units for the period B-34 - Started production in September 1941 - ended February 1943 with a total of 1014 units for the period B-23 - Already in production ended October 1940 with a total of 24 units for the period RB-37 - Started production in January 1943 - ended April 1943 with a total of 18 units for the period A20 series - Already in production ended November 1944 with a total of 7230 units for the period A-26 - Started production in September 1943 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 2446 units for the period A-28 series - Already in production ended May 1943 with a total of 2215 units for the period A-30 series - Started production in June 1941 - ended May 1944 with a total of 1575 units for the period A-22 series - Already in production ended May 1941 with a total of 185 units for the period SB2C series - Started production in September 1942 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 6130 units for the period SBD series - Already in production ended August 1944 with a total of 5320 units for the period BTD - Started production in June 1944 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 24 units for the period SB2A series - Started production in July 1942 - ended May 1944 with a total of 770 units for the period SB2U series - Started production in April 1941 - ended August 1941 with a total of 107 units for the period SBC series - Already in production ended April 1941 with a total of 51 units for the period SBN - Started production in November 1941 - ended March 1942 with a total of 30 units for the period TBF/TBM - Started production in January 1942 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 9812 units for the period TBY - Started production in November 1944 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 174 units for the period A-31 series - Started production in January 1942 - ended July 1944 with a total of 1930 units for the period A-25 series - Started production in December 1942 - ended March 1944 with a total of 900 units for the period A-24 separate from SBD production - Started production in March 1943 - ended December 1943 with a total of 615 units for the period A-36 series - Started production in November 1942 - ended March 1943 with a total of 500 units for the period A-27 - Already in production ended February 1941 with a total of 41 units for the period P-38 - Started production in September 1940 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 9535 units for the period P-61 - Started production in August 1943 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 680 units for the period P-59 - Started production in August 1943 - ended May 1945 with a total of 63 units for the period P-70 - Started production in April 1942 - ended September 1942 with a total of 59 units for the period XFM-1 - Already in production ended May 1941 with a total of 5 units for the period F7F - Started production in April 1944 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 248 units for the period P-51 - Started production in August 1941 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 14490 units for the period P-47 - Started production in December 1941 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 15579 units for the period P-40 series - Already in production ended November 1944 with a total of 13700 units for the period P-39 series - Started production in September 1940 - ended August 1944 with a total of 9585 units for the period P-63 - Started production in October 1943 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 3270 units for the period P-80 - Started production in October 1944 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 113 units for the period P-43 series - Started production in September 1940 - ended April 1942 with a total of 272 units for the period P-36 series - Already in production ended April 1941 with a total of 151 units for the period P-66 series - Started production in October 1941 - ended April 1942 with a total of 144 units for the period EP-1/P-55 - Already in production ended January 1941 with a total of 60 units for the period F4U series - Started production in July 1942 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 11236 units for the period F4F/FM series - Already in production continued through the reporting period with a total of 7898 units for the period F6F - Started production in October 1942 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 12210 units for the period F8F - Started production in January 1945 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 151 units for the period FR - Started production in January 1945 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 39 units for the period F2A series - Already in production ended April 1942 with a total of 422 units for the period SC - Started production in April 1943 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 542 units for the period SO3C - Started production in May 1942 - ended January 1944 with a total of 800 units for the period OS2U series - Already in production ended November 1942 with a total of 1515 units for the period F-6 - Started production in November 1944- continued through the reporting period with a total of 299 units for the period F-4/F-5 - Started production in November 1941- ended December 1943 with a total of 500 units for the period F-2 - Already in production continued through the reporting period with a total of 43 units for the period O-52 - Started production in June 1941 - ended January 1942 with a total of 205 units for the period C-54 series - Started production in March 1942 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 1089 units for the period C-69 - Started production in July 1943 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 14 units for the period A-314 - Started production in April 1941 - ended July 1941 with a total of 6 units for the period C-87 series - Started production in October 1942 - ended August 1944 with a total of 291 units for the period RY-3 - Started production in June 1944 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 27 units for the period PB2Y-3R - Started production in January 1944 - ended September 1944 with a total of 41 units for the period JR2S - Started production in February 1942 - ended June 1942 with a total of 3 units for the period
For the US in the WW2 years . . . From the 1947 Official Munitions Production report of the War Production Board covering the period 1 July 1940 to 31 August 1945 period: PART B C-47 series - Already in production continued through the reporting period with a total of 10245 units for the period C-117 - Started production in May 1945 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 12 units for the period C-60 series - Already in production ended December 1943 with a total of 616 units for the period YC-76 series - Started production in February 1943 - ended March 1944 with a total of 25 units for the period S-43 - Started production in December 1940 - ended January 1941 with a total of 2 units for the period RB-1 series - Started production in March 1944 - ended October 1944 with a total of 17 units for the period R3D series - Already in production ended October 1940 with a total of 8 units for the period C-45 series - Already in production continued through the reporting period with a total of 1763 units for the period UC-78 series - Started production in July 1942 - ended March 1944 with a total of 3206 units for the period R3O series - Started production in August 1940 - ended March 1942 with a total of 35 units for the period JRF series - Already in production continued through the reporting period with a total of 246 units for the period J4F series - Started production in June 1941 - ended February 1945 with a total of 168 units for the period C-61 series - Started production in August 1940 - ended October 1944 with a total of 1012 units for the period C-64 seroes - Started production in October 1941 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 752 units for the period UC-43 series - Started production in September 1940 - ended July 1944 with a total of 413 units for the period Rearwin 8125 - Started production in September 1940 - ended November 1940 with a total of 25 units for the period LFA - Started production in June 1941 - ended March 1942 with a total of 15 units for the period LCA - Started production in November 1940 - ended May 1941 with a total of 4 units for the period J2F series - Started production in August 1941 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 463 units for the period GH series - Started production in December 1941 - ended May 1944 with a total of 278 units for the period AT-7/AT-10/SNB/C-18S - Started production in October 1940 - ended October 1944 with a total of 3413 units for the period AT-10 - Started production in November 1941 - ended July 1944 with a total of 2371 units for the period AT-21 - Started production in September 1943 - ended October 1944 with a total of 175 units for the period AT-8/AT-17 - Started production in November 1940 - ended February 1943 with a total of 2153 units for the period AT-9 - Started production in September 1941 - ended January 1943 with a total of 791 units for the period AT-18 - Started production in December 1942 - ended April 1943 with a total of 300 units for the period AT-23 - Started production in September 1943 - ended October 1943 with a total of 109 units for the period AT-6/AT-16/SNJ - Already in production continued through the reporting period with a total of 16409 units for the period AT-19 - Started production in November 1942 - ended November 1944 with a total of 500 units for the period AT-12 - Already in production ended January 1941 with a total of 46 units for the period NH - Started production in December 1942 - ended December 1943 with a total of 205 units for the period SNC - Started production in February 1941 - ended September 1942 with a total of 471 units for the period BT-13/BT-15 SNV - Already in production ended January 1941 with a total of 11520 units for the period BT-12 - Started production in December1942 - ended November 1943 with a total of 24 units for the period BT-14 - Already in production ended October 1940 with a total of 160 units for the period PT-19/PT-23/PT/26 - Already in production ended April 1944 with a total of 7775 units for the period PT-13/PT-17/PT-27/N2S - Already in production ended February 1945 with a total of 8034 units for the period PT-21/PT-21/NR - Started production in August 1940 - ended July 1943 with a total of 1356 units for the period PT-24 - Started production in December 1941 - ended April 1942 with a total of 200 units for the period PT-18 - Already in production ended March 1941 with a total of 150 units for the period N3N - Already in production ended December 1941 with a total of 757 units for the period NT2 - Started production in March 1942 - ended November 1943 with a total of 262 units for the period NP - Started production in May 1940 - ended July 1942 with a total of 201 units for the period NE - Started production in March 1942 - ended May 1942 with a total of 230 units for the period L-5 - Started production in November 1942 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 3590 units for the period L-2 - Started production in September 1941 - ended March 1944 with a total of 1940 units for the period L-3 - Started production in September 1941 - ended February 1944 with a total of 1439 units for the period L-4/HE - Started production in September 1941 - ended February 1944 with a total of 5706 units for the period L-14 - Started production in June 1945 - ended July 1945 with a total of 5 units for the period L-6 - Started production in October 1942 - ended July 1943 with a total of 250 units for the period L-1/O-49 - Started production in September 1941 - ended March 1942 with a total of 324 units for the period R4/R5 (helicopter) - Started production in July 1943 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 140 units for the period R/6 (helicopter) - Started production in October 1944 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 201 units for the period PQ-14/TD2C - Started production in March 1944 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 1540 units for the period PQ-8/TDC - Started production in January 1942 - ended November 1943 with a total of 372 units for the period PQ-12 - Started production in February 1944 - ended August 1944 with a total of 8 units for the period TDR - Started production in December 1943 - ended September 1944 with a total of 189 units for the period TD3R - Started production in August 1944 - ended December 1944 with a total of 10 units for the period TDN - Started production in December 1942 - ended January 1944 with a total of 100 units for the period TDC - Started production in June 1943 - ended December 1943 with a total of 201 units for the period 30 place glider - Started production in December 1942 - ended April 1945 with a total of 137 units for the period 15 place glider - Started production in September 1942 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 14340 units for the period 9 place glider - Started production in November 1942 - ended May 1943 with a total of 100 units for the period Navy spec purp glider - Started production in July 1944 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 44 units for the period 2-3 place training glider - Started production in January 1942 - ended July 1943 with a total of 1172 units for the period ZNP-K & ZNP-M patrol - Started production in February 1941 - ended April 1944 with a total of 135 units for the period ZNN-L & ZNP-M training - Started production in September 1941 - ended December 1943 with a total of 25 units for the period LBD - Started production in March 1945 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 19 units for the period JB-2 - Started production in September 1944 - continued through the reporting period with a total of 1338 units for the period
Just to clarify, I started this topic purely out of interest rather than trying to make a 'they must be the best' point. Greg's remark was the catalyst, but I have seen so many documentaries that claim "x was the only aircraft of this type / nationality / etc to be produced throughout the whole war" and so the issue has always been circling in the back of my brain ( a scary place...)
Perhaps I mis-spoke above. WWII started 1 Sep 1939 and ended 2 Sep 1945. “Delivered” below means introduced to military service and available for combat, not flown by the manufacturer but not in service. The only single-engine, front-line fighters I know of that were in military service when the war started and were still in production when the war ended were the Spitfire and the Bf 109. The Bf 110 was first delivered before the war started and was still in production when the war ended, but it is a twin, as is the P-38, which was first delivered Sep 40. The last P-36 was delivered Apr 41. The last P-39 was delivered Aug 44. The last P-40 was delivered Nov 44. The first P-47 was delivered Dec 41. The first P-51 was delivered Aug 41. The last F2A was delivered Apr 42. The first F4U was delivered Jun 42. The first F4F was delivered Dec 40. The first F5F was delivered Sep 42. The first A6M was delivered Jul 40. The first Ki-43 was delivered Oct 41. The first Fw 190 was delivered Aug 41. The first Hurricane was delivered Dec 37. The last Hurricane was delivered Jul 44. The first Typhoon was delivered Sep 41. The first Fulmar was delivered Jan 40. The first Firefly was delivered Mar 43. None of the Italian fighters were in service on 2 sep 39 and still in production when the war ended.
The first Fulmar was delivered 1940. We need to be able to edit our posts! I've been accused a lot of things, but being the best typist isn't one of them.
On the F4F, the derivative FM 1 and 2 (General Motors Eastern Division) variants of pretty much the same plane ended production in August 1945, so it could be reasonably argued that the F4F Wildcat stayed in production for the entire war.
Göring wanted Bf 110 to be a long range fighter but it was too slow and losses were big, and it was removed from daytime fighter action to nachtjagd.
