Although propeller fighters have been supplanted by jet fighters, they still have a fascination for many people.
Other than the jet engine, propeller-driven aircraft have been the dominant type of aircraft for the entirety of military aviation. For example, the first propeller fighter was the Sopwith Camel, the first true “fighter” plane to enter service in 1917. The propeller fighter is an aircraft powered by one or more reciprocating engines connected to rotary propellers. The key advantage of the propeller is that it allows greater thrust to be obtained from smaller engines than from the jet (which uses only the jet engine).
Pushing the frontiers of technology during World War II (WW2), Germany engineered and manufactured the most advanced and fastest propeller fighter planes ever. So whether a fighter plane aficionado or civil airplane history buff, you're here for one reason — to learn about the fastest propeller fighter planes of World War II.
The Supermarine Spitfire, a British fighter plane of World War II and the Battle of Britain, had a maximum speed faster than that of today’s commercial jets. However, the name ‘Spitfire’—shared by the daughter of Supermarine’s chairman—was originally disliked by designer R J Mitchell.
While the official maximum speed of the Spitfire is 606mph, in April 1944, one pilot reached 620mph when a fault in the equipment designed to limit its speed failed. As a result, the propeller ripped off, and the diving aircraft reached more than Mach 0.92 (92% of the speed of sound).
The Hornet F1, developed by de Havilland in 1946, was the highest-performance piston plane ever built in Britain. Eric ‘Winkle’ Brown—who flew more planes than anyone else—said it was like flying a Ferrari in the sky and you could do ‘anything you wanted using just one of the Hornet’s engines, let alone using both.’
The Mosquito was known for its high speeds and strength and was the fastest fighter in World War II. The Mosquito’s successor, the Vampire, was built for long-range operations in the Far East, but the conflict ended before it was formally introduced in 1946. Although it didn’t see service, the plane still had a lengthy combat career and was a success in later conflicts.
The Do 335 was nicknamed ‘The Arrow’, and it was the fastest piston aircraft of its time. The engines were arranged in an unusual ‘push-pull’ configuration—that is, one engine was located on the front of the plane and another behind it. This eliminated unpleasant torque effects often experienced in propeller-driven aircraft.
The Arrow's unique design made it difficult to eject a pilot from the plane. In order to solve this problem, the Arrow's designers jettisoned the tailfin and rear propeller so that the pilot could bail out without his parachute getting caught in the rotor blades.
The Corsair was the first fighter to exceed 400mph and accrued an impressive combat record in the Pacific. The distinctive ‘gull wings’ made it easier to keep the plane stable while providing sufficient ground clearance for the huge propeller.
The F4U Corsair fighter plane was known as both the ‘Angel of Okinawa’ to Infantrymen and the ‘Bent-wing B*stard’ to pilots. The airplane's large engine produced massive amounts of torque, which could easily twist the plane upside down at low speeds. In addition, the visibility from the cockpit was terrible and made landing on a carrier deck difficult.
The F4U has been nicknamed the "Ensign Eliminator" because many inexperienced pilots were killed operating the aircraft. Despite this, the aircraft's excellent roll rate, high speed and maneuverability made it one of the best fighters of World War II and it is still used by many aerobatics teams today.
Mustang pilots during World War II believed it was difficult to shake a Mustang once it got on your tail. This opinion is shared by most other airmen who flew the plane. The Mustang had speed and agility that made it one of America’s most astounding wartime fighters.
The P-51 Mustang was a long-range fighter with a capacity to carry 2000 lb of bombs, and an incredible range of 2200 km. It was effective in protecting bombers on bombing runs and overturned the previous failures of the Allies' aerial bombing.
Named after the wild ponies that roamed the American West, this plane was an exceptionally capable machine after being upgraded to the British-made Merlin 61 engine. That switch earned it the nickname “the plane that won the war.”
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Nicknamed the “Jug”, the P-47 Thunderbolt should have been named the ‘cockroach’ because its durability was comparable to that of a cockroach. Able to withstand considerable battle damage and remain airworthy, only 0.7% were lost in action!
This fighter, which came into service in 1942, was the heaviest in the skies and packed a punch. At 10.6 tons, it was double the size and weight of the P-51 but could still match its speed. What’s more, it could fly at altitudes over 40,000ft and could out-dive any plane in Europe.
Nicknamed the fork-tailed devil, The P-38 Lightning was a formidable fighter plane. It had four 50-caliber machine guns and a 20-mm cannon, and weighed over 10 tons fully loaded. Despite its massive weight, its two supercharged engines gave it a wide range of 1150 miles and an amazing 3000ft per minute rate of climb.
The P-38 Lightning was hugely successful in the Pacific War, shooting down more Japanese airplanes than any other fighter and flying over 130,000 missions around the world.
The FW190 made its debut in 1941. It was a versatile fighter plane, capable of carrying out interception and ground attack missions. As the best (german) aircraft of World War 2, it is still widely considered one of the best fighter planes ever made.
The British were unaware of the Fw-190’s existence until a German pilot landed his plane on an Allied airstrip by accident (mistaking Wales for somewhere on the Constantin Peninsula). Its capture was a huge benefit to the British, who stole many of its features for future designs, such as the Hawker Fury.
To compete with Allied planes, the Germans developed the long-nosed ‘Dora’ model. Its skill as a high-altitude interceptor was so great that most of its pilots considered it better than the P-51 Mustang.
Although propeller fighters have definitely been left behind by the jet age, they are still fun to look at and discuss. The propeller fighters of WWII remain an intriguing subject of study today, as they relied on fairly simple designs that proved to be surprisingly effective. As a result, these planes did their job well, doing the best that could be expected from a fighter at the time. Even now in 2012, the planes serve as a reminder of how aviation technology has evolved over time. Thanks for reading!
| Rank | Company | Country |
|---|---|---|
| #1 |  Volkswagen |
Germany |
| #2 |  Toyota |
Japan |
| #3 |  Stellantis |
Netherlands |
| #4 |  Mercedes-Benz Group |
Germany |
| #5 |  Ford Motor |
United States |
| Rank | Company | Country |
|---|---|---|
| #1 |  Michelin |
France |
| #2 |  Bridgestone |
Japan |
| #3 |  Continental |
Germany |
| #4 |  Goodyear |
United States |
| #5 |  Sumitomo |
Japan |
