Famous Bombers of WWII

First flown in 1939, the Lancaster was the most versatile of the British heavy bombers. It could carry a payload of up to 18,000 pounds and had a range of up to 3,000 miles.

First designed in 1934, the B-17 was deployed in 1939. During the war it quickly became the mainstay of the 8th Air Force in Europe.

Originally designed in 1939, the Liberator was first deployed in 1940 by the British. After successive design changes it was finally adopted by the USAAF as a long-range bomber and saw extensive use in the European theater of operations.

First flown in 1940, the Mitchell saw extensive use in both the Pacific and European theaters of operations. A medium-range bomber, it carried a payload of 2,000 pounds and was heavily armed.

The Marauder first flew in February 1940. Its first military deployment was in April 1942, in the Australian theater of operations.

Used primarily in the Pacific theater of operations, the B-29 Superfortress was designed as a long-range heavy bomber capable of reaching the Japanese islands from bases in China and the Pacific. The B-29 had a bomb capacity of more than 20,000 pounds and a range of more than 4,000 miles.

First deployed in 1939, the Wellington served in a variety of roles in the European and Middle Eastern theaters. Used primarily as a bomber in attacks on Germany, the Wellington also found use for convoy protection, mine laying, and anti-submarine warfare.