The United States, eager to avoid another global conflict after World War I, initially maintained a neutral stance. However, the Imperial Japanese leadership recognized that the U.S. Navy was a formidable force that could monumentally tip the scales in favor of the Allied Powers. To neutralize this potential threat before it could engage in the conflict, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. But ironically, this ultimately backfired, as the attack instead brought the U.S. into the war. (This is every warship and submarine that fought the Battle of Pearl Harbor.)
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 and supplemental information regarding the type, armament, speed, and more. (These were America’s most important naval battles in World War II.)
Why Are We Covering This?
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a defining moment in American history. It serves as a powerful reminder of the devastation of war and the unpredictable consequences of military aggression.
These are all of the aircraft that fought the Battle of Pearl Harbor:
P-26 Peashooter
- 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)
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Type: Two-seat fighter
- Manufacturer: North American
- Year introduced: 1936
- Top speed: 209 mph
- Armament: 7.62mm machine guns
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
- 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)
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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)
- 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
- 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)
- 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
- 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)
- 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
- 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
- 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)
- Type: Carrier-borne bomber
- Manufacturer: Nakajima
- Year introduced: 1941
- Top speed: 236 mph
- Armament: 7.7mm machine guns, maximum bombload of 1,760 lbs
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