The Airplanes
WarBirds aircraft fly like their real life counterparts did. Unlike the typical computer flight simulator, The WarBirds simulation engine models real world physics… the forces that act upon an airplane in flight are present and accounted for. The result is the most realistic flight simulator experience you can have on a personal computer.

WarBirds currently models the following aircraft, with others to follow soon...

Chance-Vought F4U Corsair  
A marriage of the biggest most powerful 
engine available and the smallest airframe 
that could hold it, the “Hawg” was a 
fearsome weapon. It quickly earned the 
nickname “Ensign Eliminator” as pilots 
discovered just how much torque its big 
radial engine could produce. Although 
originally designed for aircraft carrier duty,
its poor forward visibility and tremendous 
torque delayed its acceptance in that role.

The WarBirds Corsair is true to its 
namesake. Big, fast, and tough, its six fifty 
calibre machine guns pack a punch… but 
it’s best left to experienced pilots that can 
deal with its tremendous torque and 
somewhat poor low-speed handling.

                          Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk

One of the most recognizable fighters of WWII, the Curtiss P40 was already facing superior opponents early in the conflict. Somewhat underpowered, and saddled with poor climb performance, its main advantages were its roll rate and excellent diving ability. The AVG (American Volunteer Group) flying their “shark mouth” P40’s under the leadership of Claire Chennault aided China in her struggle against Japanese invasion, and earned a place in history for themselves and the P40, often prevailing against great odds.

The Warbirds P40 is the “E” variant, carrying six 50 caliber machine guns. While it will likely be outclassed by many of the later-war planes, in the right hands it will still be a threat. It will probably see the most use in historical scenarios, but don’t be surprised to see a few in the general arenas too. Hit and run attacks are the safest in this plane, use it’s dive performance to escape a tighter turning foe.

Mitsubishi A6M Rei-Sen  Zero)
The mainstay of the Imperial Japanese 
forces for the duration of the War, the
“Zeke” ran circles around anything the 
allies could bring to bear against it in the 
early years.
Lightly built and carrying no armor, its 
pilots relied on extraordinary 
maneuverability to defeat their opponents.

WarBirds models two Rei-sen variants, the
A6M3 model 32 "Hamp", and the later
A6M5 model 52 "Zeke".  The 32 is a bit
lighter, and is the best turning plane in the
WarBirds arena. The 52 is a bit faster, 
carries a bit of armor, and its cannons are
the later high muzzle velocity 20mm.
Neither of these planes can take much
punisment... fly them with care.

New for WarBirds 1.11 is the A6M2 model 21 Zero. Lightest of all the Zeros, it will be the best dogfighter of the three, but low top speed and fragility will make it a veritable deathtrap in the arena.

                                  Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Gale)

The Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Gale) was one of the best performing fighters of the war. Code named Frank by the U.S., it could outperform almost any of the American fighters that it opposed. Reliability problems and a lack of sufficient numbers prevented it from having a greater effect on the outcome of the war.

The WarBirds Ki should make an excellent arena plane. Two 20mm cannons and a pair of cowl-mounted 12.7mm machine guns command an opponent’s respect. The Ki is not a low speed dogfighter, with its great speed it performs best at energy-style fighting and interception.

                                         Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa

Code-named “Oscar” by the allies, the Ki-43 was flown by the Japanese Army. Small and light, it was one of the most maneuverable aircraft of the Pacific Theatre. Weak armament was a disadvantage… early Ki-43’s made do with one 12.7mm machine gun and one 7.7mm. Later variants sported a pair of 12.7’s. 

The WarBirds Ki-43 carries two 12.7mm guns and is probably the most maneuverable plane you can fly. Its light armament won’t often produce the multiple-kill sorties that many pilots seek, but its maneuverability and excellent low speed handling should prove invaluable for point-defense tasks.

                                                             Nakajima B5N2 "Kate"

The Nakajima B5N2 was the IJN’s principal shipboard torpedo bomber through most of the war. Code named “Kate” by the U.S. forces, it carried no forward firing armament and a single 7.9mm tail gun. The Long Lance torpedo made this plane a dire threat to shipping in the Pacific.

The WarBirds “Kate” should be an effective anti-ship weapon. Unescorted Kates will be easy prey for most fighters, but one that gets to the target will stand a very good chance of scoring a hit with its torpedo. The Kate is also equipped with a bombsight for high altitude level bombing missions.

                                  Aichi D3A2 "Val"

Code named "Val" by the Allies, The Aichi D3A was the IJN’s first all metal low wing monoplane, and also the first Japanese aircraft encountered in combat by U.S. forces. Despite its outdated appearance, the “Val” was extremely successful in the Pacific during the war. During the course of its career, the Aichi D3A sank more Allied warships than any other IJN bomber.

The WarBirds “Val” will likely see the most use in historical scenarios. It’s performance is roughly the equivalent of the Douglas SBD Dauntless, but the Val’s lighter armament will make the Dauntless a more likely choice for the general arenas.

Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat The first naval fighter in the U.S. inventory 
that was clearly superior to the Zero in almost 
every regard , Grumman’s F6F helped turn the 
tide in the Pacific theater. Fast, maneuverable 
and well armored, it was arguably the best 
carrier-borne fighter of the period. The F6F
Hellcat had a 19-1 kill ratio over its adversaries
in the Pacific theatre, one of the most 
impressive records of any fighter of the era.

The WarBirds Hellcat lives up to its reputation.
Combining strength with maneuverability, it is 
equally at home in a low speed turning fight or 
a high speed diving attack. Its excellent low 
speed handling qualities and good forward 
visibility make the Hellcat an especially good 
choice for carrier operations.

Grumman F4F/General Motors FM2  Wildcat

The Grumman Wildcat was the U.S. Navy’s primary carrier-borne fighter through most of the war. Outclassed by the Japanese fighters of the day, the Wildcat relied on armor and tactics to make up for its shortcomings. 

Warbirds models two Wildcat variants, the Grumman built F4F, and the General Motors built FM2. The later FM2 variant is a better performer, but to reduce weight its armament was cut from six 50 caliber machine guns to four.

Lockheed P-38 Lightning  Nicknamed the “Fork-Tailed Devil” by its 
foes, the Lockheed P-38 Lightning was highly 
regarded by the pilots that made it famous. 
One of the few American fighters to mount a 
cannon, the Lightning had an additional 
gunnery advantage… all of its weapons 
mounted in the nose, largely eliminating 
convergence issues.  

WarBirds models two Lightning variants, the 
P38F and the P38J. Both are well balanced 
machines, combining speed and agility. Their 
twin engines tend to negate any torque effect, 
making them excellent choices for newer pilots 
or anyone flying without the benefit of rudder 
pedals. The later 38J, with its boosted ailerons 
and uprated engines outperforms the F model 
in most regards.

Bell P-39 Airacobra   The Bell P-39 Airacobra was not 
very popular with American and 
British pilots, who quickly dubbed it
the “Iron Dog” due to its poor power
to weight ratio. 
It found its niche in the hands of 
Soviet attack pilots who found its 
37 mm spinner mounted cannon very
effective against armored vehicles.

The WarBirds 39 does not see much 
use… most any plane in the game 
can outperform it in a dogfight. Only 
a dedicated P-39 driver will spend the
time needed to learn how to use it
effectively in the arenas. Those who 
do take the time to learn its ways are
rewarded with the most potent gun 
on any WarBirds plane. One or two
hits from a 39 are usually fatal.

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt

Hailed as one of the best attack aircraft of all time, The P-47 earned a reputation for getting her pilots home in spite of tremendous amounts of damage. Excellent high altitude performance coupled with its near-legendary toughness made this plane equally at home in high altitude escort and low level attack roles. Eight fifty caliber machine guns and a variety of ordnance types effectively shredded anything in a P-47’s path.
 
The WarBirds “Jug” is one of the best performers at high altitude. Its eight fifty caliber guns will chew most aircraft to pieces in short order, but it’s no dogfighter… get into a slow turning engagement in it and you’ll find out if it’s as resistant to damage as it’s claimed to be. Several P-47’s should be able to lay waste to any airfield.

North American P-51D Mustang  Perhaps the best known American fighter of 
World War II, the North American P-51 
Mustang combined a Packard built Rolls 
Royce Merlin engine with an advanced 
laminar flow wing to deliver great speed 
and endurance. One of the only fighters 
able to escort B-17’s all the way to their 
targets, its presence often made the 
difference between a return home and 
destruction at the hands of the Luftwaffe 
for grateful bomber crews.

The Warbirds “Pony” is the fastest plane 
you can fly. Use its speed to your advantage 
and you’ll be a very tough opponent to 
bring down. Make the mistake of engaging 
in a slow turning fight, and you’ll likely find 
yourself returning to the ground via parachute.
Remember, in the 51, speed is life.

                                           Messerschmitt Bf109 

The Luftwaffe employed more 109’s than any other type throughout the war. Leading aces like Erich Hartmann and Hans Marseille racked up tremendous numbers of kills in this machine.

Three variants of the Bf109 series are now represented. The F4 is the lightest of the three, and makes a deadly dogfighter. The faster and better-climbing G6 carries more firepower, but it’s weight is a handicap in a tight turning encounter. The K4 is the fastest of the three, a good choice for high altitude BUF-hunting.

WarBirds 1.11 swaps the G6's 30mm cannon for a 20mm. Also added is a G6R6 variant, eith a pair of 20mm underwing cannon gondolas.

Focke-Wulf FW190 The Focke-Wulf Fw190 
“Wuerger” was a fearsome 
combination of firepower 
and speed. Designed as a 
high altitude bomber 
interceptor, it’s four 20mm 
cannons. and two 7.9 mm. 
machine guns made short 
work of any airplane 
unlucky enough to be
caught in its gunsight. 

WarBirds now models three
Focke-Wulf variants, the 
familiar A-4, and the later A-8 and D-9 models. The A-8 carries some extra firepower. The low velocity outboard wing cannon are replaced by a pair of high velocity MG-151’s. The 7.9mm cowl-mounted machine guns are replaced by a pair of 13mm MG131’s, making the A-8 the undisputed firepower champ among the single seat fighters. The liquid cooled D-9 might well be the best performer of the three, especially at high altitude, but with only two cannon, it lacks the pure hitting power of the A series machines.

Junkers Ju-88

The Ju 88 was one of the Luftwaffe’s most versatile aircraft.. It began its career as a medium bomber and later saw nightfighter and torpedo bomber duty as well. 

WarBirds models the Ju-88A4 variant, which in addition to its bomber capabilities can also carry a pair of torpedoes for shipping attacks. The Ju-88 is equipped with a bombsight for high altitude level bombing runs, or it can be used as a dive bomber.

Supermarine Spitfire MkV & MkIX The Supermarine Spitfire was Great Britain’s 
answer to the Luftwaffe. Armed with 30 calibre 
machine guns and twenty mm cannons, the Spit 
combined firepower with speed and agility. 
Many  of the RAF’s leading aces earned their 
victories in this plane.

The Warbirds Spitfire MkIX is a plane that does 
almost everything well. Fast and nimble, it also 
packs a strong punch thanks to its twin cannons 
and machine guns. An excellent energy fighter, it 
can also get in close and mix it up when the 
situation demands it. Its disadvantage is its ammo 
capacity. Don’t waste your ammo in the Spit, 
you don’t get much.

The MkV variant (Seafire II) is a recent addition 
to the WarBirds lineup. Somewhat lighter than 
the MkIX, with a less potent engine, it excels in low altitude turning fights. Its top speed and climb performance fall a bit short of the MkIX, but it will turn inside any plane in the game except the Zeke.

Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless Although the SBD was obsolete by the 
beginning of WWII, it remained the U.S 
Navy’s principal dive bomber thanks to 
a combination of durability, honest flight 
characteristics, and the highest accuracy 
of any dive bomber of the era. It was the 
only U.S. aircraft to participate in all five
carrier to carrier engagements of the war.

The WarBirds Dauntless is the SBD-5 
variant, having slightly more horsepower 
than the more prevalent SBD-3. It’ll 
never win any races, but it can maneuver 
with some fighters, and its twin rearward 
firing .30 caliber guns can surprise 
unwary attackers.

The WarBirds Dauntless can carry a
maximum of three bombs online.

Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress  The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was the 
premier heavy bomber in the European 
Theatre. Although able to withstand 
terrible punishment, many “Forts” never 
returned home from their missions. The 
crews that flew these planes into battle 
against terrible odds are regarded by many 
as the most courageous in the history of 
aerial warfare.

The WarBirds B-17 is the only heavy 
bomber in the arena. An accomplished B-17 
pilot/bombardier can often destroy every 
structure at an airfield in one pass. Six 
“robo-gunners” help keep attackers at bay, 
but a skilled fighter pilot is often more than 
a match for them. Total bomb capacity is
twelve bombs when online.

North American B-25H Mitchell
The North American B25  Mitchell medium bomber 
saw action in every theater 
of the war, and in its many 
variations fulfilled a wide 
spectrum of roles, from high
altitude level bombing, to 
ground attack and close
 support. The B25H variant 
combined eight forward 
firing .50 caliber machine
 guns with a 75mm cannon 
for a devastating punch.

The WarBirds B-25 carries the most destructive firepower of any plane in the arena. Bristling with fifty caliber machine guns (eight forward firing, a twin mount in the top and tail turrets, and a single at each waist position) it should prove a tough target to kill. Rockets, bombs, and the 75mm cannon make ground attack a joy… two or three of these planes should be able to capture any field with ordnance to spare. Its only drawback is the solid nose… the lack of a bombsight means you’ll have to get down on the deck to deliver your weapons accurately.

Joining the solid nosed B25H in 1.10 is the glass nosed B25J. The J won’t have the tremendous forward firepower of the H, but it does carry a Norden bombsight, making it a viable choice for high altitude level bombing. Don’t forget to grab the new B-25H artwork, or you won’t be able to use the bombsight in the “J”.