The U.S. Marine Corps hit a milestone this December by establishing its first F-35C Lightning II stealth fighter squadron on the East Coast after reactivating the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251. As reported by Stars & Stripes, an independent news outlet serving the military community, the unit was first activated in World War II. Pilots from the squadron flew the F4F Wildcat, an aircraft carrier-based fighter, during the battles of Santa Cruz, Luzon, the southern Philippines, and more. While the squadron was inactivated in 2020, the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 is excited and humbled to carry on the legacy of historic fighters from the past. (Here’s how the Allies turned the tides in World War II.)
Carrier-based aircraft played an incredibly important role in U.S. military strategy during World War II. These aircraft could extend naval power beyond the traditional range of battleships. This allowed the U.S. to assert naval superiority during that era. To identify every carrier-based aircraft the United States used during WWII, 24/7 Wall St. referenced U.S. naval aircraft in the WWII era from the online military equipment database Military Factory, an online database of military vehicles, aircraft, arms, and more. The planes were listed in ascending order on production totals. We excluded prototype aircraft or those with limited production runs were excluded. Supplemental information about the aircraft’s type, crew size, top speed, roles, and year entered service also came from the Military Factory.
Why We’re Covering This
Although land-based aircraft have many advantages, the use of aircraft carriers with their planes far outweighs the disadvantages. America has a lot of enemies and potential threats relatively far away from land bases. The use of aircraft carriers therefore makes much more sense in these scenarios. Especially in our modern world, with ever-shifting alliances and emerging threats to national security, the United States seeks to maintain combat readiness. The planes used on aircraft carriers are specially adapted for these conditions. As of April 2024, the United States has 11 large nuclear-powered fleet carriers — carrying around 80 fighters each. The production of these aircraft and ships is an important part of the weapons manufacturing business in the US.
These are the most mass-produced carrier-based aircraft used by the U.S. during WW2:
20. Douglas BTD Destroyer
- Number built: 30
- Year entered service: 1944
- Type: Torpedo/dive bomber
- Crew: 1
- Top speed: 334 mph
- Roles: Ground attack (bombing, strafing), anti-ship
19. Ryan FR Fireball
- Number built: 66
- Year entered service: 1945
- Type: Mixed-power fighter
- Crew: 1
- Top speed: 426 mph
- Roles: Air-to-air combat fighter, interception
18. Douglas TBD Devastator
- Number built: 130
- Year entered service: 1937
- Type: Navy torpedo bomber
- Crew: 3
- Top speed: 206 mph
- Roles: Ground attack (bombing, strafing), anti-ship
17. Martin AM Mauler
- Number built: 151
- Year entered service: 1948
- Type: Attack aircraft
- Crew: 1
- Top speed: 384 mph
- Roles: Close-air support
16. Consolidated Vultee TBY Sea Wolf
- Number built: 180
- Year entered service: 1944
- Type: Torpedo bomber
- Crew: 3
- Top speed: 306 mph
- Roles: Ground attack (bombing, strafing)
15. Curtiss SBC Helldiver
- Number built: 257
- Year entered service: 1938
- Type: Naval dive bomber/fighter
- Crew: 2
- Top speed: 237 mph
- Roles: Air-to-air combat fighter, ground attack (bombing, strafing), anti-ship
14. Vought SB2U Vindicator
- Number built: 260
- Year entered service: 1937
- Type: Dive bomber
- Crew: 2
- Top speed: 251 mph
- Roles: Ground attack (bombing, strafing), anti-ship, training
13. Brewster F2A (Buffalo)
- Number built: 509
- Year entered service: 1939
- Type: Single-seat, single-engine monoplane fighter
- Crew: 1
- Top speed: 321 mph
- Roles: Air-to-air combat fighter
12. Brewster F3A (F4U-1) Corsair
- Number built: 600
- Year entered service: 1943
- Type: Single-engine fighter
- Crew: 1
- Top speed: 416 mph
- Roles: Air-to-air combat fighter, interception, ground attack (bombing, strafing), close air support, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance
11. Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
- Number built: 739
- Year entered service: 1943
- Type: Long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft
- Crew: 11
- Top speed: 300 mph
- Roles: Ground attack (bombing, strafing), anti-submarine, anti-ship, search & rescue, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance
10. Brewster SB2A Buccaneer
- Number built: 771
- Year entered service: 1941
- Type: Scout bomber
- Crew: 2
- Top speed: 273 mph
- Roles: Ground attack (bombing, strafing), intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance
9. Grumman F8F Bearcat
- Number built: 1,266
- Year entered service: 1945
- Type: Fighter/interceptor
- Crew: 1
- Top speed: 421 mph
- Roles: Air-to-air combat fighter, interception
8. Douglas SBD Dauntless
- Number built: 5,936
- Year entered service: 1938
- Type: Dive bomber
- Crew: 2
- Top speed: 255 mph
- Roles: Ground attack (bombing, strafing), anti-ship
7. Curtiss SB2C Helldiver
- Number built: 7,140
- Year entered service: 1943
- Type: Dive bomber/reconnaissance aircraft
- Crew: 2
- Top speed: 260 mph
- Roles: Ground attack (bombing, strafing), anti-ship, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance
6. Grumman F4F Wildcat
- Number built: 7,722
- Year entered service: 1940
- Type: Single-seat, single-engine monoplane fighter
- Crew: 1
- Top speed: 332 mph
- Roles: Air-to-air combat fighter, ground attack (bombing, strafing)
5. de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito
- Number built: 7,781
- Year entered service: 1942
- Type: Multirole heavy fighter/fighter-bomber
- Crew: 2
- Top speed: 407 mph
- Roles: Air-to-air combat fighter, interception, ground attack (bombing, strafing), close air support, anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance, training
4. North American B-25 Mitchell
- Number built: 9,816
- Year entered service: 1941
- Type: Twin-engine medium bomber
- Crew: 5
- Top speed: 272 mph
- Roles: Ground attack (bombing, strafing), close-air support, anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship, transport, VIP service, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance, training
3. Gruman TBF Avenger
- Number built: 9,835
- Year entered service: 1942
- Type: Torpedo bomber
- Crew: 3
- Top speed: 271 mph
- Roles: Air-to-air combat fighter, ground attack (bombing, strafing), airborne early warning, anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship, electronic warfare, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance
2. Grumman F6F Hellcat
- Number built: 12,272
- Year entered service: 1943
- Type: Fighter-bomber
- Crew: 1
- Top speed: 380 mph
- Roles: Air-to-air combat fighter, interception, ground attack (bombing, strafing), close air support
1. Vought F4U Corsair
- Number built: 12,571
- Year entered service: 1942
- Type: Fighter-bomber
- Crew: 1
- Top speed: 446 mph
- Roles: Air-to-air combat fighter, interception, ground attack (bombing, strafing), close-air support, intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance
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