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Quiz about World War II American Aircraft
Quiz about World War II American Aircraft

World War II American Aircraft Quiz


Test your knowledge of US fighter and bomber aircraft deployed both in Europe and the Pacific during World War II.

A multiple-choice quiz by dmiles54. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
dmiles54
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
244,618
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
20
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
12 / 20
Plays
7607
Awards
Top 5% quiz!
Last 3 plays: Guest 68 (18/20), hardcasesix (15/20), Guest 122 (7/20).
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Question 1 of 20
1. Which US fighter had its engine located in the middle of the fuselage, creating instability and a tendency for the plane to spin into the ground? Hint


Question 2 of 20
2. Which aerodynamically unstable little fighter was the first fighter plane to be used almost exclusively during the late 1930s and early 1940s by US Navy and Marine pilots in the Pacific Theater? Hint


Question 3 of 20
3. What fighter was the choice of Gen. Claire Chennault's AVG in China before the US and Japan went to war? Hint


Question 4 of 20
4. What was the first American fighter plane to fly from British bases in the European Theater of operations against the Germans? Hint


Question 5 of 20
5. Initially, the P-51 suffered from being under-powered at high altitudes. What brand of engine was originally installed in the P-51? Hint


Question 6 of 20
6. What was the P-51's "Achilles heel" in combat? Hint


Question 7 of 20
7. Which plane, flown initially by Marine pilots, was the first plane that could match the Japanese Zero in ALMOST every regard, but was more heavily armed and armored? Hint


Question 8 of 20
8. Which was the heaviest US bomber to fly in the European Theater? Hint


Question 9 of 20
9. What was the first pressurized US heavy bomber used in WWII? Hint


Question 10 of 20
10. The P-61 Black Widow was built by what American aircraft manufacturer? Hint


Question 11 of 20
11. What popular US fighter was called "The Jug" by those fighter jocks who flew and knew her best? Hint


Question 12 of 20
12. Why was the Mustang the escort fighter of choice in the ETO? Hint


Question 13 of 20
13. Which US Navy fighter was the first to match, or exceed, the Japanese Zero-sen in every performance category? Hint


Question 14 of 20
14. What German fighter was the only airplane that could keep pace with the Mustang in most facets of performance? Hint


Question 15 of 20
15. In what campaign did Marine Corsairs first use napalm canisters against entrenched Japanese troops? Hint


Question 16 of 20
16. What was the name of the B-17 that was the subject of intense press coverage as her 25th mission approached? Hint


Question 17 of 20
17. What prevented the high flying B-29s from hitting their industrial targets in Japanese cities? Hint


Question 18 of 20
18. Who was the Commanding General of the bombing squadrons that operated out of Saipan and Tinian? Hint


Question 19 of 20
19. What tactical change did US bomber command make in the Pacific in the spring of 1945? Hint


Question 20 of 20
20. What type of US fighter was responsible for shooting down Admiral Yamamoto's plane in 1943? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Oct 28 2024 : Guest 68: 18/20
Oct 26 2024 : hardcasesix: 15/20
Oct 24 2024 : Guest 122: 7/20
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Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Which US fighter had its engine located in the middle of the fuselage, creating instability and a tendency for the plane to spin into the ground?

Answer: Bell P-39 Airacobra

The P-39 was a great airplane at lower altitudes. Many US fighter jocks trained in them and loved them for their maneuverablility. However, at higher altitudes, the P-39 was under-powered, and in the hands of a less-experienced pilot, it had a tendency to get into a fatal spin. Also, the car-like entry/exit door into the cockpit made it hard for the pilot to bail out.
2. Which aerodynamically unstable little fighter was the first fighter plane to be used almost exclusively during the late 1930s and early 1940s by US Navy and Marine pilots in the Pacific Theater?

Answer: Brewster F2A-2 Buffalo

The Brewster Buffalo, the predecessor of the F4F Wildcat, was introduced into Naval squadrons in 1938. It was unstable, under-powered, under-armed, and had a very poor rate of climb and poor turning capability. The Japanese Zero completely outclassed it, except in a dive.
3. What fighter was the choice of Gen. Claire Chennault's AVG in China before the US and Japan went to war?

Answer: The Curtis P-40 Warhawk

The P-40 was a great plane in a dive: heavily armed (with six 50-caliber machine guns) and armored. It could not turn with, or out-climb, the Japanese Zero-sen. However, it could take a tremendous beating and keep flying, something that Japanese planes could never do.

The pilots of the AVG painted the nose and cowling of the P-40 with a tiger shark's eyes and mouth, including teeth. The pilots were known henceforth as "The Flying Tigers".
4. What was the first American fighter plane to fly from British bases in the European Theater of operations against the Germans?

Answer: Lockheed P-38 Lightning

Several pilots flew (and loved) the P-38, due to its heavy armament and great speed. Its rate-of-climb was also superior to that of every German aircraft -- even the FW-190. Still, it could not out-turn either the FW-190 or even the Me-109.
5. Initially, the P-51 suffered from being under-powered at high altitudes. What brand of engine was originally installed in the P-51?

Answer: Curtis-Allison V-12

The P-51's original engine was the under-powered Curtis-Allison, which performed very well at low altitudes. The US originally wanted to sell the Mustang to the RAF, but the British didn't want it -- until a brilliant RAF engineer suggested replacing the Curtis-Allison with a super-charged Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. The improvement in performance was phenomenal.
6. What was the P-51's "Achilles heel" in combat?

Answer: Its radiator was located in the belly.

After D-Day, the P-51 was used a lot in air-to-ground attacks. Because of the location of its radiator and coolant supply (in its belly), one bullet in the plane's radiator would cause the engine to overheat quickly, and the plane to crash. Mustang pilots hated going "down on the deck".
7. Which plane, flown initially by Marine pilots, was the first plane that could match the Japanese Zero in ALMOST every regard, but was more heavily armed and armored?

Answer: The Chance-Vought F4U Corsair

The Corsair, flown initially by Marine fighter squadrons in the Solomon Islands campaign, was designed to give close ground support for the Marines on the ground. However, its gull-wing design made it highly maneuverable at all altitudes. It had greater speed in level flight as well as in a dive. It outclassed the Zero in almost every regard.
8. Which was the heaviest US bomber to fly in the European Theater?

Answer: Consolidated B-24 Liberator

Although the B-17 was best known for its daylight raids over Germany, the B-24 was heavier than the B-17; it could carry a slightly heavier bombload and it had slightly greater range.
9. What was the first pressurized US heavy bomber used in WWII?

Answer: Boeing B-29 Superfortress

The B-29, originally designed to complete high-altitude, precision-bombing raids over the Japanese home islands, was the only heavy US bomber to have pressurized crew quarters.
10. The P-61 Black Widow was built by what American aircraft manufacturer?

Answer: Northrop

Northrup brought the P-61 on-line in the summer of 1944. It operated as a nightfighter in both the Pacific and European Theaters. In Europe, it was often used to shoot down German V-1 buzz bombs. In the Pacific, it was used to shoot down the Japanese bombers that raided American airfields at night.
11. What popular US fighter was called "The Jug" by those fighter jocks who flew and knew her best?

Answer: The P-47 Thunderbolt

Because of the huge Pratt and Whitney engine it contained under its rounded cowling and its ungainly appearance on the ground, the Thunderbolt received this affectionate nickname from US fighter jocks serving in England. The P-47 was a monster, by far the heaviest and most heavily armed and armored single-engine fighter in the US Army Air Corps.

She might not have been pretty on the ground, but she was feared by the Nazi ground forces, who called her the "Jabbo", a variant of the German word "Jaeger", which means "hunter" ("fighter").
12. Why was the Mustang the escort fighter of choice in the ETO?

Answer: Its external tanks, its range, speed and high altitude performance

The Mustang was a superior airplane in all regards.
13. Which US Navy fighter was the first to match, or exceed, the Japanese Zero-sen in every performance category?

Answer: Grumman F6F Hellcat

Initially, the Naval aviators flew the Wildcat, but it could not climb, or turn, with the Zero. The Corsair was found unsuitable for use by the US Navy carriers because of its handling characteristics. The P-38 was never flown by Naval aviators. These were land-based fighters.

In 1943, the Hellcat replaced the Wildcat, and the F6F could outclimb, outdive, and out-turn a Zero. It was also faster and more heavily armed, and armored, than the Zero. It showed this superiority during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, also known as "The Great Marianas Turkey Shoot".
14. What German fighter was the only airplane that could keep pace with the Mustang in most facets of performance?

Answer: FW190 (Dora)

The 109 was a good plane, but it could not out-turn, out-dive, or outrun a P-51. The Mustang was also faster and more heavily armed and armored. The Me-262 was faster, but it was not a dog-fighter. It was designed to shoot down US bombers. The Me-110 was not a good fighter aircraft.

The only German plane that was nearly equal to the P-51 was the FW-190. Why the Germans did not build more of these instead of the Me-109 is a mystery.
15. In what campaign did Marine Corsairs first use napalm canisters against entrenched Japanese troops?

Answer: Peleliu

The 72-day battle for this tiny island in September-November of 1944 was, in many ways, worse than the Marines' horrible experience on Betio in the Tarawa atoll in November of 1943. Japanese soldiers had honeycombed three limestone ridges with caves and fortified bunkers. Marine Corsairs dropped jellied gasoline cannisters onto the ridges in an effort to cover the advance of Marines on foot.

They cleared these bunkers with satchel charges, liquid gasoline, grenades, and flamethrowers.
16. What was the name of the B-17 that was the subject of intense press coverage as her 25th mission approached?

Answer: Memphis Belle

In the early days of 8th Air Force ops over Germany, planes and crew members were rotated to the States after 25 missions. However, bomber losses were so high before the introduction of long-range escort fighters, that no B-17s had reached the magic 25 until "Hell's Angels" and then "Memphis Belle" did it. Later, once P-51s began to escort the heavies to the target and back, the mission total was increase to 35, to the outrage of B-17 and B-24 crews throughout the ETO.
17. What prevented the high flying B-29s from hitting their industrial targets in Japanese cities?

Answer: The Jet Stream

The 29s were flying at an altitude of between 25,000 and 30,000 feet, which is where the Jet Stream is. This air current, which moves from west to east, blows at about 150 mph. All the bombs that were dropped from that altitude were literally blown off course by the Jet Stream.
18. Who was the Commanding General of the bombing squadrons that operated out of Saipan and Tinian?

Answer: Gen. Curtis LeMay

Curtis LeMay moved from the ETO to the Pacific in the spring of 1945. He was instrumental in fixing the tactical errors that the Army Air Corps was committing in the bombing campaign over Japan.
19. What tactical change did US bomber command make in the Pacific in the spring of 1945?

Answer: Switched to low-level carpet bombing, using incendiaries.

Because of the inaccuracy of high altitude bombing, LeMay ordered B-29s stripped of most of their machine guns. He loaded them with extra incendiaries and high explosive bombs, sending them over Japan by the hundreds and even thousands. The effect on the wooden Japanese cities was similar to the raids on Hamburg and Dresden: firestorms and massive loss of life.
20. What type of US fighter was responsible for shooting down Admiral Yamamoto's plane in 1943?

Answer: The Lockheed P-38 Lightning

Due to brilliant code breaking on the part of US Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), P-38 Lightnings based on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, attacked Admiral Yamamoto's airplane over Bougainville (the largest island in the Solomon chain), sending it down into the jungle in flames. No one survived the crash. This was a huge tactical victory for the US.
Source: Author dmiles54

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