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Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress

Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, a four-engined heavy bomber in service since 1935 with the USAAF with exports made to Nordmark. Dimensions 103.9/ 74.4/ 19.1/ 1,420 sq ft; four 1,200hp Wright R-1820 Cyclone radials; max speed 290mph; service ceiling 35,800ft; range 2,000 miles with 6,000lb bomb load; armament ten .50in Browning MGs (1 nose, 3 dorsal, 2 beam, 2 ventral, 2tail) and up to 6,000lbs of bombs.
Variants and production figures:
13 YB-17 prototypes first flown in December 1933
1 YB-17A prototype with turbocharged Wright GR-1820-51 engines
39 B-17B service version of YB-17A from 1935 armed with five .30in MGs and 4,800lb bomb load. Also exported to Nordmark
38 B-17C with 1,200hp R-1820-65 engines and seven MGs
42 B-17D entered service 1937 with self-sealing fuel tanks and crew armour added in light of Nordish combat experience
51 B-17E entered service 1939 with a new larger tail for improved stability at altitude, powered dorsal and ventral turrets added and a new tail gunners station for a total of 10 .50in Browning MGs and bomb load increased to 6,000lbs
Boeing F-9, four photo-reconnaissance aircraft converted from B-17D bombers in 1941 with three cameras in the nose and additional fuel tanks in the bomb bay

Douglas B-18

Douglas B-18, a bomber based on the DC-2 design using an identical wing with a new and fatter fuselage. Dimensions 89.6/ 57.10/ 15.2/ 959 ft; two 1,000hp Wright R-1820-53 Cyclone radials; max speed 215mph; cruising speed 167mph; service ceiling 23,900ft; range 1,150 miles; armament three 0.30in Browning MG in nose, dorsal, and ventral positions and up to 4,400lbs of bombs (2,200lbs normal).
Variants and production figures: 133 B-18, 217 B-18A

North American B-21

North American B-21, a twin-engined medium bomber in service since 1935 but now largely used for training. Dimensions 95/ 61.9/ 14.9/ 1,120 sq ft; two 1,200hp Pratt & Whitney R-2180-1 radials; max speed 220mph at 10,000ft; service ceiling 25,000ft; range 1,960 miles with 2,200lbs of bombs; armament one.30in Browning MG in each nose and tail turret and one manually-controlled at each beam and one ventral positions and up to 4,000lbs of bombs.
Variants and production figures: 111 B-21

Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Consolidated B-24 Liberator, a four-engined heavy bomber designed for superior performance over the B-17. It has a high aspect-ratio wing of constant taper derived from the Model 31 to cut drag to increase range and speed. It has twin fins, tricycle undercarriage and overall is very similar in layout to the Model 31. Fowler flaps are fitted and roller bomb bay doors help cut drag. The prototype XB-24 first flew in December 1937. Dimensions 110/ 67.2/ 18/ 1,048 sq ft; four 1,200hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 Twin Wasp; max speed 290mph; cruising speed 215mph; service ceiling 28,000ft; max range 2,100 miles; armament eight .50in Browning MGs (two in nose, two each in dorsal and tail turrets and one on each beam) and a bomb load of up to 8,000lbs.
Variants and production figures:
1 XB-24 prototype first flown in December 1937
7 YB-24 service test aircraft
36 B-24A initial service standard without powered turrets (one nose .50in Browning, two beam 0.50in and one tail .50in)
1 XB-24B the XB-24 prototype upgraded with self-sealing fuel tanks, armour and turbocharged R-1830-41 engines in new oval-shaped cowlings
7 B-24C production version of XB-24B with nose and tail powered turrets added
122 B-24D entered service 1940 with further improvements, R-1830-43 engines, extra fuel in outer wings and underwing bomb racks for two 4,000lb bombs

North American B-25 Mitchell

North American B-25 Mitchell, a twin-engined fast medium bomber with a mid-set wing and twin fins and five crewmembers. First flown in August 1937, no prototype being built. Dimensions 67.7/ 52.11/ 16.4/ 610 sq ft; two 1,300hp Wright R-2600-13 radials; max speed 265mph; cruising speed 230mph; service ceiling 24,200ft; range 1,350 miles; armament one.30in Browning MG the nose and two 0.50in Browning MGs each in one dorsal and one retractable ventral turret and up to 3,000lbs of bombs.
Variants and production figures:
24 B-25 with three 0.30in MGs (one each nose, dorsal and ventral)
40 B-25A with self-sealing tanks and increase in armour
120 B-25B with two powered turrets
63 B-25C with autopilot and underwing racks for two torpedoes or up to 5,200lb total bomb load including bombs in bomb bay
1 XB-25E with engine exhaust hot-air de-icing
1 XB-25F with electrically heated de-icing elements

Martin B-26 Marauder

Martin 179 B-26 Marauder, a twin-engined high-speed medium bomber designed to replace the B-18/21. It has a cantilever shoulder-mounted wing with small wing area, twin engines and a circular cross-section fuselage for seven crewmen and a tricycle undercarriage. Entry into USAAF service was during 1940, there was no prototype. Dimensions 71/ 56.1/ 20.4/ 658 sq ft; two 1,920hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-41 Twin Wasp; max speed 280mph at 5,000ft; service ceiling 19,800ft; range 1,100 miles; armament one nose-mounted .50in Browning MGs and two in each dorsal and tail position and up to 5,800lbs of bombs.
Variants and production figures:
62 B-26 first production aircraft used for trials etc. with 1,850hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-5 engines and only one tail 0.50in MG
139 B-26A with 1,850hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-9 or -39 engines
B-26B with 1,920hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800-41, total of 188 on order from 1942

Boeing B-29 Superfortress

Boeing B-29, a four-engined long-range bomber built under the VLR project with advanced features such as pressurised cabins, high aspect-ratio wings and remote-control defensive armament. The XB-29 first flew on 21 September 1940 with service entry planned in 1943. In competition with the XB-32. Dimensions 141.3/ 99/ 29.7/ 1,736 sq ft; four 2,200hp Wright R-3350-23 Cyclone radials; max speed 358mph; cruising speed 230mph; service ceiling 31,850ft; range 3,250 miles; armament eight 0.50in MGs in four remotely-controlled barbettes and one 20mm cannon and two 0.50in MGs in tail turret and up to 20,000lbs of bombs.
Variants and production figures:
3 XB-29 prototypes
1 XB-29 prototype fitted with four Allison V-3420-11 24-cyl liquid-cooled engines
14 YB-29 service test aircraft, first flown June 1941
B-29 total of 150 on order for delivery from 1942
F-13 reconnaissance variant with cameras and flash bombs, 40 on order for delivery in 1944
1 XB-39 an XB-29 fitted with four Allison 2,600hp V-3420-11 24-cyl liquid-cooled engines and first flown in July 1941; max speed 405mph; service ceiling 35,000ft; range 6,290 miles
B-39 potential order from 1943

Consolidated B-32 Dominator

Model 33 B-32, a four-engined long-range bomber built under the VLR project based on the overall design of the B-24 with advanced features such as pressurised cabins and remote-control defensive armament. A large single fin is fitted but overall the XB-32 looks like a bigger B-24. The XB-29 first flew on 7 September 1940 with service entry planned in 1942. In competition with the XB-29. Dimensions 135/ 83.1/ 33/ 1,422 sq ft; four 2,200hp Wright R-3350-23 Cyclone radials; max speed 357mph at 25,000ft; service ceiling 35,000ft; range 3,800 miles; armament two 20mm cannon (one in each nose and tail turret), four 0.50in MGs in to two dorsal turrets and up to 20,000lbs of bombs.
Variants and production figures:
3 XB-32
B-32 total of 115 on order
TB-32 total of 40 training bombers on order without remotely-controlled turrets