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Researched by Othon H. |
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Research Summary
How planes fly
Before the Wright brothers, people thought man would never fly. However at Kitty Hawk it all changed; the Wright brothers flew on December 17, 1903. The reason any plane flies is because of lift, aerodynamics and thrust. When the air under the wing hits the wing and the pressure of the air creates the lift, which must be stronger than the mass of the plane, so when the lift is stronger the plane lifts. Then the other thing that is needed is thrust, it comes from the engine. Thrust is the force which makes the plane go forward, but this can only work if the thrust is stronger than the drag. The reason planes move up and down in the air is because of the elevators (which are the flaps on the wings). They increase lift. The reason they turn is because of the ailerons which are slits on the back rudder.
Basic Information
WWII was a war between the axis and allied forces. The axis forces consist of the Germans, Italians, and Japanese. The allied forces are the Britain, the remaining European countries, Russia and the U.S.A.WWII planes changed how the war was fought. Planes allowed fighting to cover larger areas with more powerful weapons. They inspired jets but also they fought for
and saved the peace. But WWII planes were different than the earlier war planes because both the planes and their battles were fierce, deadly, competitive and INTENSE!
The axis powers were winning but they were arfraid of the U.S.A. NAVY so they developed a plan to attack and wipe out the NAVY to us to keep us out of the war. This attack was at Pearl Harbor and was largely successful because Japanese used planes called the zeros. The axis forces were wrong this attack just antagonized U.S.A into the war and was the begging of the destruction of the axis forces. Many planes were used in WWII. There were bombers, fighters and supply planes these were the real heroes of WWII.
History
WWII planes were the most amazing and futuristic airplanes of their time. In just forty –years from the first flight of the Wright flyer these magnificent machines were made to fight with guns, bombs, and rockets. These planes were also made to cripple other countries. Most of WWII was a big game of hit and run in the air.
R.A.F. and R.C.A.F. (Royal Canadian Air Force.) Hurricanes served in France for a while, but the Nazis forced the RAF and RCAF to evacuate. The Germans started bombing R.A.F. bases forcing fighters to attack and causing great loses. In the middle of 1940 the R.A.F. gained Czech and Polish pilots. German targets switch to industrial areas of London. The anti- aircraft guns shot down the slow German bombers so the Germans had to switch to night raids. With few night fighters Britain had to speed up the production of its new plane the Mosquito. During the raids over Germany at night the German night fighters sent to attack them were reducing considerably.1942 brought the 8th air force over to attack Germany by day light raids introducing the B-17 Flying Fortress. When our bombers entered Germany they could not prevent heavy losses because the escorts were not able to stay with them very long so they were prone to attack.
When Britain’s leaders visited the U.S. and went to the North American aviation and looked at the drawings of a new fighter but they needed an engine for it. They tried it with the Allison V-12. It flew best at low levels so they called Rolls Royce and they agreed that the RRMerlin would be used for the fighter. The fighter was the Mustang. The mustang was sent in to battle and it was superior. The Mustang could fly for 6-7 hours and fly to.35, 000 ft. and could beat all other planes in the air. For a short time Germany flew the 262-swallow jet fighter, and it flew 100 mph faster than anything we had. But still we were equal with it. We would fly extremely well.
So would the Germans but we would win any dogfight. We had better training, better planes,
and better pilots.
Parts Of A Plane
There are many parts of a plane. Some of little use others a ton of use. This is a list of a few parts of a Plane.
Bomb Bay
This is the part of which releases the bombs from the plane they usually are located on the belly of the plane (most bomb bays are located on a bomber).
Spars and ribs
Spars and ribs are the curved bars, which make the fuselage.
Fuselage
The fuselage is the main body of the plane. It is usually long and round.
Elevators
The elevators are the flaps on the wings and the stabilizer. There are 4 elevators on a plane.
Engines
The engine provides the thrust for the plane. So with out thrust a plane could only move by wind.
Landing gear
The landing gear includes the wheels that come out of the fuselage.
Steering wheel
The steering wheel is the wheel that you turn to move the ailerons to turn.
Ailerons
Ailerons are the vertical flaps that make you turn.
Firearms
The firearms are the weapons on a plane.
Types of Planes
FIGHTERS
Fighter planes worked in two different ways during WWII. Fighters had a defensive role. They escorted the bombers to their target destination because if the bombers were left alone, they were defenseless and would be picked off by the enemy fighter planes. The fighters switch roles and became offensive. They would search for and intercept the enemy bombers.
BOMBERS
Bombers unlike fighters don’t have two jobs. They have one, it is to get to the target destination alive and bomb it then get the heck home in one piece. The bomber played an important role. Bombers were responsible for the Pearl Harbor attack, the Doolittle raid and the British bombing. Bombers were responsible for mass destruction.
There are many types of bombers the two I will inform you with are the dive bomber and the heavy bomber. Dive bombers swoop down to drop its bombs on the enemy. The advantages of diving are that you get better aim and the bombs may have a better chance of hitting the target. Dive bombers have disadvantages too, like it might not pull out of the dive soon enough or it might get hit by enemy ground forces surrounding the target. Heavy bombers fly at a high altitude and release their bombs over the target. The advantage of heavy bombers are that they have less risk of being shot down by enemy ground fire. The disadvantages are that they are less accurate and they have more of a chance to meet up with interceptors because they are slower flyers.
Supply
The supply planes role is somewhat of a bombers role. The role of the supply plane is that they drop supplies to the troops on the front of the line while war is raging. These planes are very important to the troops and ground forces because with out the supplies they would not be able to fight and would be sitting ducks. The supply plane is shaped as a bomber but with a big, drooping belly filled with supplies that are secured to parachutes so the supplies do not get damaged.
German Planes
Fighter
The Germans had two main fighter planes which were the Messerschmitt bf, and the Focke-Wulf. A Messerschmitt bf had a one man crew. And it first flew in 1934.it weighed 5,953 pounds when unarmed and it gained a little less than 1,000 pounds when armed. The top speed of the plane was 387 miles per hour. Its weapons are one 30 millimeter cannon, two 20 millimeter cannons, two 13 millimeter guns and 1,102 pounds of bombs. The reason the Focke-Wulf was made is that the British had made better planes and the Germans needed a better fighter to match the new Spitfire model. The Focke-Wulf weighed 7,000 pounds when it was empty and an additional 3,000 pounds when full. It first flew in the year 1939. The plane only needed 1 human to operate it. It flew at 408 miles per hour when at maximum speed, which is 21 miles per hour faster than the predecessor. The weapons on the aircraft where four 20 millimeter cannons, two 13 millimeter machine guns, with a bomb load of 2,205 pounds so its weapon capacity almost doubled.
Bombers
Two of the bombers that the Germans used are the Junkers JU 87 and 88 these are two different types of bombers. The JU 87 is a Stuka’s is a type of dive bomber. It weighs 6,063 pounds when it is stripped of weapons and it is 9,321 pounds when full. The 87’s top speed is 237 miles per hour. It had a crew of three and it first flew in 1935. A whopping 5,709 of the 87’ were manufactured because they were so successful, AMAZING! The 88’ was not made to take the 87’s place it was made to fill the order of a heavy bomber. The first flew in 1936. The 88’ had 4 crew members. It had 11 tons of weight without defenses and it gained about 5 more tons with a full load! Its weapons included two 13 millimeter and three 7 millimeter guns and bomb load of 4,409 pounds.
Japanese Planes
Bombers
The Japanese fought mostly with bombers. They had very powerful ones too. Two types of bombers that the Japanese used (and the only ones I have recorded) are the Mitsubishi hirushu (it is nick named the “Peggy”) and the Dai Aichi Val.
The hirushu is a heavy bomber which was very maneuverable, slow, and accurate. The advantages of the “Peggy” are that it has as much accuracy as a Stuka’s but it has less chance of being shot down by enemy ground fire. On the other hand one of it’s disadvantages are that it is very likely to be shot down by intercepting enemy fighter planes and to run out of fuel because it takes a lot of fuel to gain altitude.
The Aichi is a dive bomber, it is a fairly fast plane but the Aichi has a trick up its wing. It has the element of surprise. The Aichi’s advantages are it can carry very explosive bombs and heavy armor. It has disadvantages too, like its lack of speed and little amount of firepower plus it has a poor scope which causes problems in navigation.
United Kingdom Planes
Fighters
The fighters that Britain used were used differently then other countries fighters. For one the spitfire and hawker, the hawker a metal fronted fighter with a fabric back was able to do heavy damage to the bombers but couldn’t handle the fighters shooting up the fabric. The spitfire though had a full metal coat and could handle the fighters and bombers. The spitfire was a ace to the public and a so called savior. The plan worked well. The spitfire was even used for many other jobs. The fighters of Britain mostly were like the others in the general way.
Bombers
Bombers that Britain used are the most unusual from my view the are not very protective or agile it is very tough to the fighters that will be escorting them. They have to basically guard a palace with 6 people invading it and there are only 4 guards! So the bombers are faster and destructive but they’re weak in defense.
American Planes
Fighters
America produced many great fighters they used them just the same as every other country… except for one thing they had the mustang which was the only fighter of WW II that could escort the bombers to the target and back. The mustang had a look like it was a doll but when you met it you would be terrified especially if you met it with it chasing a Focke-Wulf or two.
Bombers
The American A.F. used their bombers just about the same the other countries. The navy though was different, the usual air force had huge bombers while the navy instead of using mostly big bombers they used tiny, fighter like ones. The navy had 2 type of bigger bomber, the Mitchell’s. The navy used the Mitchell for longer trips but the little ones took the nearer ones. The A.F. had only big bombers, no tiny ones. The navy though was the one who dropped the second atomic bomb, as you probably would guess it came from a Mitchell. A super fortress dropped the first one.
The bombers that were used mostly by America are the helldiver and Mitchell. The helldiver is a light bomber, while the Mitchell is a medium bomber. The helldiver is a little on the slow side with a speed of 260 mph but it easily makes up the difference in its accuracy, and amazing agility. Helldivers are a very well made machine with 2 cannons and 5 guns. The Mitchell is a very good bomber too it is so well made with the balance between the speed and the weight. The Mitchell has 5to6 people as a crew. The Mitchell’s arment is 4 guns and 3,000lbs of bombs.
Who I Interviewed And What I Learned
On December twenty-ninth I interviewed Jack D. Wimer at McAlister museum. He has been flying for 63 years. He is currently involved with planes by helping rebuild and restore them occasionally flying one. What made him interested in planes of the Second World War was just seeing the aircraft fly overhead when he was a schoolboy. He has flown 65 planes so far and will hope to fly many more. What he enjoys about these stupendous machines are the thrill and the good feeling of flying.
The people most important in his training are 1. Charles McAllister 2.Tim Lynch 3. Fay Sutton. Jack had two crewmembers on the plane he flew in WWII. I asked him my most wanted answered question, which was can you describe flak? He described it, as a flying orange ball that disappears magically then there is a puff of black smoke that appears a few feet away from where the ball disappeared which will have devastating effect. (Like a flaming engine that could mean an exploding engine that kills the pilot.) He also earned many medals in WWII. He served in the N.A.V.Y. while it attacked Japan. The squadron he was in was squadron AG VF3Y. During WWII Jack flew a bomber, which was the SB2C Helldiver. He first flew as a pilot on the year 1946 and he first flew as a passenger on the years 1937 or 1938.
Jack thinks that in the future there will be vertical landing (which is landing strait down from the air like a helicopter.) and fly-by-wire (which is a computer flying a plane alone.). He thinks that what has changed in planes is they have G.P.S.'s. Instead of propeller engines they have jet engines. Jack thinks the main problem facing planes today is cost!!!
Jack D. Wimer’s training took 20 hours of ground school and 50 hours in gunner-command. While training he was co-pilot. His favorite plane is whatever he is flying, a fly champ or a P-51D mustang.
The Products I Created
(Type details here)Almost everyone in the class created an educational game about their topic. I chose to make a buzzer board about WWII planes. I had to make questions and answers and perfect them. Next I had to and print them on paper. Then I had to pick a color of paper to make a back round for each question and answer. Then I glued them evenly on green paper and I punched holes for each question and answer just after I did that drew lines on the back of the paper to connect the questions and answers. Next I put down aluminum and taped it down with wide masking tape totally. I then went back to the computer and made a title and got some clip art on a paper oh, I also needed to tell how made it and when. I strapped the buzzer on and I apparently finish it and I hope it will teach kids about WWII planes.
How Il Evaluate My Entire Project
Do NOT delete the 6 questions below! Just type an answer for each!
(1) How thorough and complete was my project?
(Type answer here)
(2) What would I do differently if starting over again?
(Type answer here)
(3) What major strengths does my project have?
(Type answer here)
(4) What weaknesses or problems does my project have?
(Type answer here)
(5) What did I learn to do better during this project?
(Type answer here)
(6) In what ways did I enjoy my study and work?
(Type answer here)
Who Helped Me With My Project
I would like to thank the following people:
• My parents, for encouraging me to keep on going.
• Jack D. Wimer for letting me interview him on such short notice.
• Lily Buggs for helping me when I had my bad moments.
• Mr. Newkirk for all his help.
• Mrs. Viernes for all her help.
• Mrs. Nott for supporting me.
Bibliography
Chant, Christopher. Early fighters. Chelsea House Books. 1990
Parker, Steve. What Is inside Airplanes. New York New York. Peter Bedrick Books. 1998
Scutts, Jerry. Spitfire in action. Texas, Squadron\signal publications, Inc, 1980
Chant, Christopher. Military bombers. Chelsea house books. 1990
World book enclopedia “airplanes “ article
Wimer, Jack .d personal interview, 12/29/06
All star net.” lift”, 3\28\06, http://www.allstar.fiu.edu\aero \flight4.1.htm
Appendix of Planes
German planes
Stuka’s
Junker JU 87
• Accuracy: almost perfect
• First Flew: 1935
• Crew: 2 pilot and rear gunner
• Spans: wing, 45.3 ft length 36.83 ft.
• Amount made: 5,709
• Weight: full: 6,063 empty: 9,321
• Speed: 237 lbs.
• Weapons: 3 7.9 mm guns, and 2,205 lbs. of bombs
Medium bombers
Do17
• First flew: 1934
• Crew: 5
• Spans: length: 51.48 ft.
• Amount made: UNKNOWN
• Speed: 255 mph
Junkers JU 88
• First flew: 1936
• Crew: 4 people
• Weight: empty 21,737 lbs. full 30,870 lbs.
• Amount made: many!
• Weapons: 2 13 mm guns, 3 7.9 mm guns 4,409 pounds of bombs.
Heinkel he
• First flew: 1935
• Crew: 5 people
• Weight: full: 30,865 lbs. empty: 19,163 lbs.
• Spans: wing: 74.15 ft. length: 53.81 ft.
• Amount made: 7,300
• Weapons: 2 20 mm cannons, 5 13 mm guns, 7,937 lbs of bombs
Focke-Wulf
• How helped in WWII: by taking out about 2\3 of the R.A.F. planes that got shot down.
• First flew: 1939
• Crew: 1 person
• Weights: empty 7,000 lbs. Full: 10,000 lbs.
• Speed: 408 mph
• Weapons: 4 20 mm cannons, 2 13 mm guns, and 2,205 lbs. of bomb load.
Messerschmitt BF
• How helped in WWII: By taking out the planes at the beginning of the war.
• First flew: 1934
• Crew: 1 person
• Weights: empty: 5,953 lbs. Full: 6,945
• Speed: 387
• Weapons: 1 30 mm cannon, 2 20 mm cannons, 2 13 mm guns, and 1,102 lbs. of bombs.
Shakelton
• Role: radar plane
• First flew: 1944
• Amount made: 72
• Crew: 10 people
• Weights: empty: 56,400 lbs. full: 98, 0001 lbs.
• Speed: 200 mph
• Weapons: long range radar
Arado
Role: resistance floatplane
• First flew: 1937
• Crew: 2 people
• Weight: empty: 6,543 lbs. Full: 8,225 lbs.
• Speed: 193
• Weapons: 2 20mm cannons, 2 7.9 mm guns, and 210 lbs of bombs
Japanese Planes
Mitsubishi hirushu Peggy
• Crew: 8 people
• Speed: 334
• First flew: 1942
• Empty weight: 19,068 lbs
• Length: 61.35 ft.
• Weapons: 1 20 mm cannon, 4 2.17 guns plus 2395 lbs. of ordinance including a torpedo.
Aichi
• First flew: 1938
• Crew: 2 people
• Length: 33.6 ft.
• Weight: empty: 5,722 lbs. full: 9,087 lbs.
• Weapons: 3 guns, and 816 lbs. of bombs.
Italian Planes
Falco
• How helped in WWII: USELESS
• First flew: 1933
• Crew: 1 person
• Weight: empty: 3,210 lbs full: 4,350 lbs
• Speed: 224 mph
• Weapons: 2 2.17 and2 7.7 mm guns with100 lbs of bombs
•
United Kingdom Planes
Bristol Blenheim
• First flight: 1936
• Record?! The Bristol Blenheim set a record for U.K. It was the country’s fastest bomber!!!!!!!
• Crew: 3 people
• Length: 39.75 ft
• Weight: empty: 8,100 lbs full: 12,500 lbs
• Speed: 283 mph
• Weapons: 2 guns and 1000 lbs of bomb load
Vickers Wellington
• Fact: only effective night bomber at the time.
• Fact: the Wellington dropped the first blockbuster bomb which weighed 4000 lbs
• First flight: 1936
• Maker: Barnes Wallis
• Crew: 5-6 members
• Length: 64.6 ft
• Weights: empty: 19,200 lbs full: 28,500 lbs
• Speed: 235 mph
• Weapons: 6 303 guns and 4,500 lbs of bomb load
Airco
First flew: 1917
• Crew: 2 members
• Weight: empty: 1,012 lbs full: 1,508 lbs
• Speed:110 mph
• Weapons: 2 guns and 412 lbs of bombs
De Havilland mosquito
• Crew: 2 people
• speed:404 mph
• Length: 40.5 ft
• Weight: empty: 16,00 lbs full: 21,400 lbs
• Weapons: 4 20 mm cannons
Spitfire and Sea fire
• First flew: 1936
• Fact: U.K.’s most important fighter
• Crew: 1 person
• Weight: empty: 6,600 lbs full: 8,500lbs
• Speed: 448 mph
• Weapons: 2 20 mm cannons and 2 303 guns with 1,000 lbs of bombs
• Engine: rolls Royce Merlin
Short Sunderland
• First flew: 1937
• Role: anti-sub or maritime patrol
• Weights: empty: 32,000 lbs full: 60,000 lbs
• Crew: 8 people
• Speed: 213 mph
• Weapons:6 .5 inch guns, plus 8 303 guns, and 2,000 lbs of bombs or depth charges
American Planes
B-26 Martin Marauder
• Fact: WAS NOT TESTED!!!
• First flew: 1940
• Speed: 282 mph
• Length: 58.25 ft
• Crew: 7 people
• Empty Weight: 23,500 lbs
• Full Weight: 38,200 lbs
• Weapons: 12 .5 in guns plus 4,000 lbs of bombs or a torpedo
P.B.J. Mitchell
• First flown: 1939 in January
• Crew: 5 to 6 people
• Length: 52.92 ft
• Empty weight: 20,300 lbs
• Full weight: 34,000 lbs
• Speed: 284 mph
• Weapons: 4 .5 in guns plus 3,000 lbs of bombs
Douglas havoc
• First flight: 1938
• Length: 47.5 ft
• Empty weight: 14,830 lbs
• Full weight: 23,800 lbs
• Speed: 350 mph
• Weapons: 3 .5 and 1 to 3 .303 in guns plus a good 2,400 lbs of bombs
P.B.J. Catalina (mixed uses)
• Ordered and flown: ordered: 1930 flew: 1935
• Speed: 182 mph
• Crew: 9 people
• Empty weight 17,200 lbs
• Full weight: 34,000
• Weapons: 2 .5 in and 2 .303 in guns plus a whopping 4,000 lbs of a torpedo, bombs or depth charges.
Curtis helldiver
• Length: 36.66 ft
• Speed: 260 mph
• Crew: 2 people
• Weapons: 2 20 mm cannons and 2 .303 in guns
• Empty weight: 10,580 lbs
• Full weight: 16,287 lbs
Boeing f4b
• First flew: 1929
• Crew: 1 person
• Empty weight: 2,312 lbs
• Speed: 187 mph
• Weapons: 1 .5 .303 guns plus 500 lbs of bombs
Douglas dauntless
• Fact: was most important bomber of the U.S.
• Crew: 2 people
• Empty weight: 6,404 lbs
• Full weight: 10,700
• Speed: 255 mph
• Weapons: 2 .5 and2 .303 guns with 2,250 lbs of bomb-load
Curtis hawk
• First flight: 1927
• Crew: 1 person
• Weights: empty: 2,715lbs
• Speed: 193 mph
• Weapons: 2 .303 in guns
French planes
Bruget 19
• First flown: 1922
• Crew: 2 people
• Spans: length: 29.19 ft
• Weight: empty: 3,273
• Speed: 194
• Weapons: 3-4 guns, and 1,543 lbs of bomb load
Bruget14
• Making: started in: 1917 stopped in: 1932
• Weapons: 2-3 guns 2 bombs
• Weight: empty: 2,282 full: 3,483 lbs
• Length: 29.10 ft
• Crew: 2 people
• Speed: 192 mph
• Range: 301 miles on guns
Dewotine
• First flew: 1932
• Crew: 1 person
• Weights: empty: 3,145 lbs full: 4,222 lbs
• Speed: 250 mph
• Weapons: 1 20 mm cannon and 2 7.5 guns
U.S.S.R. PLANES
Petlvolkee
• Crew: 3-4 people
• Length: 41.54 ft
• Weights: empty: 2,954 lbs full: 18,750
• Speed: 336 mph
• Weapons: 1 12.7
Illunushi
• The Illunushi was considered the best ground attacker of the war.
• First flew: December 1939
• Crew: 2 people
• Speed: 251 mph
• Weight: empty: 9,976 lbs full: 14,021 lbs
• Weapons: 2 23 mm cannons with 2 7.62 guns and 1,321 lbs of bombs or rockets
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