3714. Weight and Design Data for World War II – Era United States Military Aircraft

Paper

Abstract

Sources of weight data for World War II-era U.S. military aircraft recently were located in the U.S. Federal Archives. The data is to the level of detail found in a short group weight statement. To the author’s knowledge, the weight data has not heretofore been publicly available. It was felt to be worthwhile to electronically tabulate the data and then make it available via the SAWE.The paper begins with an introduction that identifies the groundrules and constraints associated with the material in the paper. The rest of the paper presents both weights and weight fractions for the weight empty groups and the useful load items for a wide range of aircraft. The aircraft are arranged by type (fighter, bomber, etc.), military service (Army or Navy), and, in general, chronologically by model (P-40, P-39, P-47, etc.). Also included for each aircraft are the weights of alternate fuel and payload items. For most of the aircraft, the weight empty and gross weight obtained from the archived data are validated by comparing them with weights found in open sources. Values for some of the weight-related design attributes for each aircraft are provided. Accompanying this data is a brief discussion of weight-related considerations for each aircraft.The large number of aircraft for which data are included presents a clear picture of how group and total weights and weight fractions changed with time (e.g., from the pre-war Boeing P-26 to the post-war Lockheed P-80). The data also permit comparison of the differences between, for example, radial-engined and in-line-engined fighters, between Army and Navy fighters, between Navy dive bombers and torpedo bombers, and between biplane and monoplane trainers, to mention just a few of the possibilities.