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Heavy Bomber Aircraft


Military Aviation | History

The Heavy Bomber saw an evolution after World War 1 and peaked during the Cold War - today's move being towards ballistic missiles, multirole aircraft and precision strike.

The Heavy Bomber is a special classification of military aircraft designed with extended range and an expanded bomb-carrying capability. Prior to the rise of intercontinental ballistic missiles, national powers fielded a bevy of large aircraft - initially prop-powered and then jet-powered - to bring heavy ordnance loads onto enemy targets. Such early platforms saw use during World War 1 when taking the place of the vulnerable airship and continued their evolution during World War 2. The Cold War years eventually saw the heavy bomber peak as a viable,cost-effective delivery platform and only a few notable types remain in use today - including the faithful Boeing B-52 Stratofortress.

There are a total of [ 98 ] Heavy Bomber Aircraft entries in the Military Factory. Entries are listed below in alphanumeric order (1-to-Z). Flag images indicative of country of origin and not necessarily the primary operator.




1
Picture of the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
National Flag Graphic
1937
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
Twin-Engine Heavy Bomber Aircraft
2
Picture of the Avro 529
National Flag Graphic
1917
Avro 529
Long-Range Heavy Bomber Biplane
3
Picture of the Avro Lancaster
National Flag Graphic
1942
Avro Lancaster
Four-Engined Heavy Bomber / Reconnaissance Aircraft
4
Picture of the Avro Lincoln
National Flag Graphic
1945
Avro Lincoln
Four-Engined Long-Range Heavy Bomber Aircraft
5
Picture of the Avro Manchester
National Flag Graphic
1940
Avro Manchester
Twin-Engine Heavy Bomber Aircraft
6
Picture of the Bloch MB.162
National Flag Graphic
1943
Bloch MB.162
Four-Engined Heavy Bomber Prototype
7
Picture of the Blohm and Voss Bv P.188
National Flag Graphic
1946
Blohm and Voss Bv P.188
Jet-Powered Heavy Bomber Proposal
8
Picture of the BMW Strahlbomber I / P.1
National Flag Graphic
1944
BMW Strahlbomber I / P.1
Jet-Powered Heavy Bomber Concept
9
Picture of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
National Flag Graphic
1937
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
Four-Engined Heavy Bomber Aircraft
10
Picture of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress
National Flag Graphic
1943
Boeing B-29 Superfortress
Strategic Long-Range, High-Altitude Heavy Bomber Aircraft
11
Picture of the Boeing B-47 Stratojet
National Flag Graphic
1951
Boeing B-47 Stratojet
Strategic Medium / Heavy Bomber Aircraft
12
Picture of the Boeing B-50 Superfortress
National Flag Graphic
1948
Boeing B-50 Superfortress
Heavy Bomber / Long-Range Reconnaissance Platform
13
Picture of the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
National Flag Graphic
1955
Boeing B-52 Stratofortress
High-Altitude, Long-Range Strategic Heavy Bomber
14
Picture of the Boeing B-54 (Ultrafortress)
National Flag Graphic
1947
Boeing B-54 (Ultrafortress)
Four-Engine, High-Altitude, Long-Range Heavy Bomber Proposal
15
Picture of the Boeing Washington (B-29)
National Flag Graphic
1950
Boeing Washington (B-29)
High-Altitude, Long-Range Strategic Heavy Bomber Aircraft
16
Picture of the Boeing XB-15 (XBLR-1 / Grandpappy)
National Flag Graphic
1937
Boeing XB-15 (XBLR-1 / Grandpappy)
Long Range Heavy Bomber Prototype
17
Picture of the Boeing XB-38 Flying Fortress
National Flag Graphic
1943
Boeing XB-38 Flying Fortress
Strategic Heavy Bomber Aircraft Prototype
18
Picture of the Boeing XB-39 (Spirit of Lincoln)
National Flag Graphic
1944
Boeing XB-39 (Spirit of Lincoln)
Heavy Strategic Bomber Prototype Aircraft
19
Picture of the Boeing Y1B-20
National Flag Graphic
1938
Boeing Y1B-20
Experimental Heavy Bomber Aircraft
20
Picture of the Breguet Br.480 (series)
National Flag Graphic
1947
Breguet Br.480 (series)
Four-Engined Heavy Strategic Bomber Prototype
21
Picture of the Bristol Type 159 (Beaubomber)
National Flag Graphic
1939
Bristol Type 159 (Beaubomber)
Four-Engine Heavy Bomber Aircraft Proposal
22
Picture of the Caproni Ca.1
National Flag Graphic
1915
Caproni Ca.1
Heavy Biplane Day-Bomber Aircraft
23
Picture of the Caproni Ca.3
National Flag Graphic
1917
Caproni Ca.3
Heavy Biplane Bomber Aircraft
24
Picture of the Caproni Ca.4
National Flag Graphic
1918
Caproni Ca.4
Triple-Engine Heavy Bomber Triplane Aircraft
25
Picture of the Caudron G.4
National Flag Graphic
1915
Caudron G.4
Heavy Bomber Biplane Aircraft
26
Picture of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator
National Flag Graphic
1941
Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Four-Engined Strategic Heavy Bomber Aircraft
27
Picture of the Consolidated B-32 Dominator
National Flag Graphic
1945
Consolidated B-32 Dominator
Four-Engined Heavy Bomber Aircraft
28
Picture of the Consolidated LB-25 (series)
National Flag Graphic
1940
Consolidated LB-25 (series)
Heavy Bomber Design Study / Proposal
29
Picture of the Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
National Flag Graphic
1943
Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
Long-Range Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft
30
Picture of the CONVAIR B-36 Peacemaker
National Flag Graphic
1949
CONVAIR B-36 Peacemaker
Long-Range Strategic Heavy Bomber Aircraft
31
Picture of the Dassault Mirage IV
National Flag Graphic
1963
Dassault Mirage IV
Supersonic Strategic Heavy Bomber Aircraft
32
Picture of the Dornier Do 217
National Flag Graphic
1941
Dornier Do 217
Twin-Engine Multi-role Medium Bomber Aircraft
33
Picture of the Douglas Model 423
National Flag Graphic
1944
Douglas Model 423
Heavy Bomber Design Proposal
34
Picture of the Douglas XB-19 (XBLR-2)
National Flag Graphic
1941
Douglas XB-19 (XBLR-2)
Heavy Bomber Aircraft Prototype
35
Picture of the Douglas XB-31 (Raidmaster) (Model 332)
National Flag Graphic
1944
Douglas XB-31 (Raidmaster) (Model 332)
Super-Heavy Bomber Aircraft Design Proposal
36
Picture of the Fairey Hendon
National Flag Graphic
1936
Fairey Hendon
Heavy Night-Bomber
37
Picture of the Farman F.211
National Flag Graphic
1932
Farman F.211
Day-Night Four-Engined Heavy Bomber Prototype
38
Picture of the Farman F.220 (Series)
National Flag Graphic
1935
Farman F.220 (Series)
Four-Engined Heavy Day-Night Bomber
39
Picture of the Focke-Wulf Ta 400 (Amerika Bomber)
National Flag Graphic
1945
Focke-Wulf Ta 400 (Amerika Bomber)
Long Range Strategic Heavy Bomber
40
Picture of the Gotha G.IV
National Flag Graphic
1916
Gotha G.IV
Strategic Twin-Engine Heavy Bomber Biplane
41
Picture of the Gotha G.V
National Flag Graphic
1917
Gotha G.V
Twin-Engine Heavy Bomber Biplane
42
Picture of the Handley Page Halifax
National Flag Graphic
1940
Handley Page Halifax
Heavy Bomber / Night Bomber Aircraft
43
Picture of the Handley Page Heyford
National Flag Graphic
1934
Handley Page Heyford
Heavy Night-Bomber / Crew Trainer Aircraft
44
Picture of the Handley Page HP.54 Harrow
National Flag Graphic
1937
Handley Page HP.54 Harrow
Heavy Bomber Aircraft
45
Picture of the Handley Page Type O
National Flag Graphic
1918
Handley Page Type O
Twin-Engine Heavy Bomber Biplane Aircraft
46
Picture of the Handley Page V/1500
National Flag Graphic
1918
Handley Page V/1500
Four-Engine Strategic Heavy Biplane Bomber
47
Picture of the Heinkel He 177 Greif (Griffin)
National Flag Graphic
1942
Heinkel He 177 Greif (Griffin)
Four-Engine Heavy Bomber Aircraft
48
Picture of the Heinkel He 274 (Amerika Bomber)
National Flag Graphic
1945
Heinkel He 274 (Amerika Bomber)
High-Altitude, Long-Range Heavy Bomber Prototype
49
Picture of the Heinkel He 277 (Amerika Bomber)
National Flag Graphic
1943
Heinkel He 277 (Amerika Bomber)
Four-Engine Heavy Bomber Aircraft Project
50
Picture of the Huff-Daland XHB-1 Cyclops
National Flag Graphic
1927
Huff-Daland XHB-1 Cyclops
Heavy Bomber Prototype Aircraft
51
Picture of the Junkers Ju 287
National Flag Graphic
1944
Junkers Ju 287
Jet-Powered Heavy Bomber Prototype
52
Picture of the Junkers Ju 290
National Flag Graphic
1942
Junkers Ju 290
Transport / Heavy Bomber / Maritime Patrol Aircraft
53
Picture of the Junkers Ju 390 (New York Bomber)
National Flag Graphic
1943
Junkers Ju 390 (New York Bomber)
Long-Range Heavy Bomber / Transport Aircraft Prototype
54
Picture of the Junkers Ju 488
National Flag Graphic
1944
Junkers Ju 488
Heavy Strategic Bomber Prototype Aircraft
55
Picture of the Junkers Ju 89
National Flag Graphic
1938
Junkers Ju 89
Strategic Heavy Bomber Prototype
56
Picture of the Junkers Ju EF 140 (Amerika Bomber)
National Flag Graphic
1945
Junkers Ju EF 140 (Amerika Bomber)
Jet-Powered Long-Range Heavy Bomber Proposal
57
Picture of the Kalinin K-7
National Flag Graphic
1933
Kalinin K-7
Heavy Bomber / Passenger Airliner Prototype
58
Picture of the Kawanishi TB (Toyo Bakugeki) / (KX-9)
National Flag Graphic
1945
Kawanishi TB (Toyo Bakugeki) / (KX-9)
Four-Engine Strategic Heavy Bomber Proposal
59
Picture of the Kawasaki Ki-91
National Flag Graphic
1945
Kawasaki Ki-91
Heavy Bomber Aircraft Proposal
60
Picture of the Martin MB-2 / NBS-1
National Flag Graphic
1920
Martin MB-2 / NBS-1
Night Bomber Aircraft
61
Picture of the Martin Model 194
National Flag Graphic
1943
Martin Model 194
Four-Engined, Long-Range Heavy Bomber Proposal
62
Picture of the Martin XB-16 (Model 145)
National Flag Graphic
1935
Martin XB-16 (Model 145)
Long-Range, High-Altitude Heavy Bomber Proposal
63
Picture of the Martin XB-33 Super Marauder (Model 189)
National Flag Graphic
1942
Martin XB-33 Super Marauder (Model 189)
Proposed High-Altitude Medium / Heavy Bomber
64
Picture of the Mitsubishi Ki-20 (Army Type 92)
National Flag Graphic
1932
Mitsubishi Ki-20 (Army Type 92)
Four-Engined Long-Range Heavy Bomber Aircraft
65
Picture of the Mitsubishi Ki-90
National Flag Graphic
1940
Mitsubishi Ki-90
Four-Engined Heavy Bomber / Military Transport Aircraft
66
Picture of the Myasishchev M-4 / 3M (Bison)
National Flag Graphic
1955
Myasishchev M-4 / 3M (Bison)
Strategic Heavy Bomber
67
Picture of the Nakajima G10N Fugaku (Mount Fuji)
National Flag Graphic
1944
Nakajima G10N Fugaku (Mount Fuji)
Very-Long-Range Heavy Bomber Proposal
68
Picture of the Nakajima G5N Shinzan (Deep Mountain)
National Flag Graphic
1941
Nakajima G5N Shinzan (Deep Mountain)
Four-Engine Heavy Bomber Prototype
69
Picture of the Nakajima G8N Renzan (Rita)
National Flag Graphic
1945
Nakajima G8N Renzan (Rita)
Four-Engine Heavy Bomber Aircraft
70
Picture of the North American NA-116
National Flag Graphic
1943
North American NA-116
Four-Engined Heavy Bomber Proposal
71
Picture of the North American XB-70 Valkyrie
National Flag Graphic
1964
North American XB-70 Valkyrie
Prototype Supersonic Strategic Bomber
72
Picture of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit
National Flag Graphic
1997
Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit
Strategic Heavy Bomber / Stealth Bomber
73
Picture of the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider
National Flag Graphic
2028
Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider
Sixth Generation Long Range Strategic Stealth Bomber
74
Picture of the Petlyakov Pe-8 (TB-7)
National Flag Graphic
1940
Petlyakov Pe-8 (TB-7)
Long-Range Strategic Heavy Bomber Aircraft
75
Picture of the Piaggio P.108
National Flag Graphic
1942
Piaggio P.108
Four-Engine Heavy Bomber
76
Picture of the Rockwell B-1 Lancer
National Flag Graphic
1986
Rockwell B-1 Lancer
Long-Range Strategic Heavy Bomber Aircraft
77
Picture of the Rumpler G (Series)
National Flag Graphic
1915
Rumpler G (Series)
Biplane Bomber Aircraft
78
Picture of the Short Stirling
National Flag Graphic
1941
Short Stirling
Four-Engine Strategic Heavy Bomber Aircraft
79
Picture of the Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII
National Flag Graphic
1919
Siemens-Schuckert R.VIII
Heavy Bomber Biplane Aircraft
80
Picture of the Sikorsky Ilya Mourometz (Series)
National Flag Graphic
1913
Sikorsky Ilya Mourometz (Series)
Heavy Bomber / Reconnassaince Aircraft
81
Picture of the Sukhoi T-4 (Sotka)
National Flag Graphic
1972
Sukhoi T-4 (Sotka)
Prototype Supersonic Strategic Bomber / High-Speed Reconnaissance Aircraft
82
Picture of the Supermarine B.12/36 (Type 316)
National Flag Graphic
1937
Supermarine B.12/36 (Type 316)
Heavy Bomber Prototype Aircraft
83
Picture of the Tupolev PAK DA
National Flag Graphic
2032
Tupolev PAK DA
5th Generation Strategic Stealth Bomber
84
Picture of the Tupolev TB-1 (ANT-4)
National Flag Graphic
1929
Tupolev TB-1 (ANT-4)
Twin-Engine Heavy Bomber Aircraft
85
Picture of the Tupolev TB-3
National Flag Graphic
1932
Tupolev TB-3
Four-Engine Heavy Bomber Aircraft
86
Picture of the Tupolev Tu-142 (Bear)
National Flag Graphic
1972
Tupolev Tu-142 (Bear)
Long-Range Anti-Submarine Warfare Bomber
87
Picture of the Tupolev Tu-160 (Blackjack)
National Flag Graphic
1989
Tupolev Tu-160 (Blackjack)
Strategic Long-Range Heavy Supersonic Bomber Aircraft
88
Picture of the Tupolev Tu-4 (Bull)
National Flag Graphic
1949
Tupolev Tu-4 (Bull)
Strategic Heavy Bomber Aircraft
89
Picture of the Tupolev Tu-80
National Flag Graphic
1949
Tupolev Tu-80
Heavy Bomber Prototype Aircraft
90
Picture of the Tupolev Tu-85
National Flag Graphic
1951
Tupolev Tu-85
Heavy Bomber Prototype Aircraft
91
Picture of the Tupolev Tu-95 (Bear)
National Flag Graphic
1956
Tupolev Tu-95 (Bear)
Strategic Reconnaissance / Heavy Bomber Aircraft
92
Picture of the Tupolev Tu-98 (Backfin)
National Flag Graphic
1956
Tupolev Tu-98 (Backfin)
Swept-Wing, Supersonic Strategic Bomber Prototype Aircraft
93
Picture of the Vickers Vimy
National Flag Graphic
1919
Vickers Vimy
Heavy Biplane Bomber Aircraft
94
Picture of the Vickers Warwick
National Flag Graphic
1939
Vickers Warwick
Multirole Heavy Bomber Aircraft
95
Picture of the Vickers Windsor
National Flag Graphic
1943
Vickers Windsor
Heavy Bomber Prototype
96
Picture of the Witteman-Lewis XNBL-1 (Barling Bomber)
National Flag Graphic
1923
Witteman-Lewis XNBL-1 (Barling Bomber)
Strategic Heavy Triplane Bomber Prototype
97
Picture of the Xian H-20
National Flag Graphic
2025
Xian H-20
Subsonic Strategic Stealth Bomber Project
98
Picture of the Zeppelin-Staaken R-series
National Flag Graphic
1917
Zeppelin-Staaken R-series
Heavy Bomber Aircraft
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