This Is America's First Military War Plane

In 1908, the Wright brothers launched the Wright Military Flyer, America’s first military warplane. During one of the early flights, a crash killed a military officer. The Wrights returned with a similar plane in 1909. The Wright planes were used mostly for observation.

This was the primary fighter for the U.S. air force in WWI. Eddie Rickenbacker, Captain of the 94th Aero Squadron, had a total of 26 kills in WWI flying the Nieuport 28. This made him America’s top ace.

One of the earliest planes used in WWI, the Army, Navy, and Marines had their own versions. The plane was used throughout most of the war for observation.

At the start of World War II, the U.S. had virtually no inventory of planes. The Warhawk was first used in combat at Pearl Harbor. Eventually, it was part of the air force of over two dozen countries.

The Mustang was used by the Army Air Force throughout most of WWII. It was used as both a single seat fighter and, with a different design, a fighter bomber. The plane shot down nearly 5,000 enemy aircraft during WWII.

Nearly 16,000 of these Thunderbolt aircraft were manufactured. The Smithsonian called it the “Beast of the Airways,” a testament to how hard it was to shoot down. The plane was the largest single-engine fighter used in WWII.

This bomber was among the most important reasons the U.S. and its allies won the war in Europe. The four-engine craft was used to bomb deep into German territory. The U.S. built almost 13,000 of these.

The Superfortress was used in the Pacific through much of WWII. It is most famous for dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki which drove Japan out of the war.

This was the first jet used in combat, starting during the Korean War. It was used in the first engagement of two jet fighters when it saw action against a Russian MiG-15 on Nov. 8, 1950.

These bombers, used during the Korean War, were based in Japan. Among their missions was to bomb North Korea. The plane was also used early in the War in Vietnam. According to Boeing, it was the only U.S. bomber used in three wars — WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

The long-range, heavy bomber was first used in 1955 and will be in service until 2050. Despite a number of attempts, the B-52 has never been replaced with a bomber that is more cost efficient and as effective. The plane can fly almost 9,000 miles without refueling.

The jet fighter was used in Vietnam. Late Sen. John McCain was flying one of these when he was shot down and captured. The Skyhawk had a top speed of 673 MPH and a range of over 1,100 miles.

One of the jets used by the military today, the F-15E Strike Eagle is used for both air-to-air and air-to-ground strikes. The latest version carries two pilots.

The stealth bomber has been a problem child for the military since it was launched in 1989. Each costs over $2 billion. It is an example of a critical military need overrun by poor execution by the manufacturer.