American bombing capabilities grew by leaps and bounds in the years leading up to, and in particular all the way through, the war years with Germany and the Empire of Japan. Bombers ranged from light-strike carrier-based dive bombers in the Pacific Theater to the medium and heavy class types used throughout Germany. The likes of the North American B-25 Mitchell, the all-mighty B-17 Flying Fortress, the oft-overlooked Consolidated B-24 Liberator and the ultimate Boeing B-29 Superfortress all became emblazoned into the psyches of aviation aficionados for years to come. Not only are the stories of how these aircraft came to be of the utmost interest, but the stories of their aircrews and ground crews banding together solidified their place in American war history.
To that end, the bomber was developed and used to good effect throughout World War One by other countries. Developments made in the post-war years and throughout the inter-war years produced new technologies and capabilities to further push the envelope of bomber design. With World War Two already underway throughout Europe and the United States adopting a policy of neutrality until December 7th, 1941, US bombers were limited to development for the Lend-Lease Act - an effort to fit the forces of Britain, France and the Soviet Union with "borrowed" American equipment. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor would change all that and put the American industrial might to the ultimate test. The result would be a host of twin and four-engine bombers, armed to the teeth with .50 caliber defensive armaments throughout. Large internal bomb loads would put the focus of the American war effort on two fronts - Europe and the Pacific. Ultimately, groups like the "Mighty 8th" would gain notoriety as they pummeled the German infrastructure. Bomber production would reach feverish peaks throughout the major years of the war for America, and bombers would be produced by the hundred and in a plethora of variants.
German bomber production was limited to the mentality that fighter-bombers were the key to success. As such, the German Luftwaffe was limited to a handful of designs, mostly in the light and medium category types. Japan produced their best bomber efforts towards the end of the war where production would limit their effectiveness and carrier-based designs were found to have no carriers available to them thanks to the Allied Pacific Fleet. Nations like the United Kingdom and the United States had now cornered the market on bomber design and, more importantly, bomber production.
The Boeing-design B-29 Superfortress heavy bomber would be charged with the dropping of two atomic bombs on the island of Japan, effectively forcing the surrender of the Pacific Empire. Post-war use of these famed bombers would be limited, especially by the time of the Korean War, though some of these aircraft would still be utilized for their original intended roles and other in newly-specialized roles for the Cold War. To that end, the bomber was solidified as a viable and most important tool in managing a war effort to one's own advantage. The consistent attention paid to the German and Japanese railways, factories and shipyards would prove to bea most decisive factor in achieving "Victory in Spite of All Terror". |
