The P-40 earned undying fame as the "Flying Tiger" of World War 2 when flown by General Claire Chennault's Volunteer Group fighting the Japanese in China and Burma. It also saw much service in the Middle East where it was used by Britain's R.A.F. and nicknamed the Tomahawk and Kittyhawk. When World War 2 broke out, the P-40 was the only fighter available in quantity to the U.S.A.A.F., it being the first American single-seat plane to be manufactured in the U.S. on a mass production basis. By the end of the war, over 14,000 planes had been delivered to fighting theatres.

Although it had a radial engine, the German Focke-Wulf Fw-109 was one of the most beautifully proportioned fighters of World War 2. The pride of Marshall Goering, the 190 maintained superiority over the British Spitfire 5 for almost two years because it could out fly its opponent on nearly every count. Approximately 20, 000 Focke-Wulf's were produced and, in various versions, were used as day and night fighters, fighter-bombers and in ground attack roles. One feature of the 190 was its wide track under carriage, which gave it, improved ground stability over the BF-109's.

Successor to the Grumman Wildcat, the F6F Hellcat made history in 1942 when it decisively whipped the Japanese carrier based fighters opposing it in the Pacific during World War 2. First Flown on July 26th of that year, the Hellcat was the result of specifications laid down by a large group of fighter pilots polled by the officials of the Grumman Aircraft Company. In addition to its duty as a carrier-based fighter, the Hellcat served with the U.S. Marine Corps as a potent fighter-bomber.

The Supermarine Spitfire was Britain's most successful fighter of the second World War. The creation of designer, Reginald J. Mitchell, it's original development started in 1925, which resulted in the famous Schneider Trophy contest racers. Eventually, it was developed into a fighter that sustained British hopes during the darkest hours of the Battle of Britain. The prototype Spitfire fighter was first tested on March 5, 1936 and in June of the same year was first placed in production. The Spitfires were in the forefront of the fighting on every front, and in every major action fought by the R.A.F. No combat fighter is more deserving of its legendary reputation the one truly immortal warplane to emerge from World War 2.

The Messerschmitt BF-109 was a standard German Luftwaffe single seat fighter for nearly a decade. It is believed that more than 33,000 of these fighters were produced between 1936 and the end of World War 2. During the war, the BF-109 fought on every front in which the Luftwaffe was engaged. The BF-109 first saw actual combat during the Spanish Civil War where it proved to be an effective weapon against the Russian Fighters of the Republic forces. The BF-109 was considered an excellent fighter since it handled well and possessed excellent low speed control response. The BF-109's were produced in quantity right up to the end of the war in 1945.

During the famous Battle of Britain, more than three-fifths of the R.A.F. Fighter Command's squadrons used Hawker Hurricanes. This immortal partner of the Supermarine Spitfire destroyed the German bombers while the Spitfires engaged the Messerschmitt BF-109's. The Hurricane was the first combat aircraft capable of exceeding 300 M.P.H., and it became the most versatile single-seat warplane to emerge from World War 2. This plane was used in the Western Desert conflict as a fighter-bomber and a modified version, called the Sea Hurricane, became the first single-seat fighter to serve with the Fleet Air Arm.

The Japanese Navy ordered the NAKAJIMA A6M2-N seaplane an adaptation of the Mitsubishi Zero-fighter plane, in early 1940. The first delivery was made in December 1941 and a total of 320 were built before production ceased in 1943. It was named the "Rufe" by the Allies and served in both the north and south Pacific theatres from the Aleutian Islands to the Solomon’s. Its role was more defensive than offensive although it was well armed with two wing-mounted cannon and two machine guns in the top front of the engine cowling.

The Stuka was specifically designed for a vertical bomb run, or as popularly known as "dive-bombing". The 87-B model was the most widely used of the Stuka's and first saw service during the 1939 Polish Campaign. In May 1940, it successfully lead the German invasion of France and the Low Countries but, later in the year, had to be withdrawn from battle when it suffered heavy losses at the hands of Britain's Royal Air Force during the air "blitz" of southern England. The nickname Stuka is an abbreviation of "Stukampfglugzeug"- the designation given this plane by the Immelmann Dive-bomber group.

The Grumman TBF initial production order for 286 planes was placed in the latter part of 1940 and, between 1942 and the end of the 1943, 2, 293 Avenger were built and delivered to the U.S. Navy. It became the Navy standard torpedo-bomber of World War 2 and first saw action on June 4, 1942, at the historic Battle of midway. Used right up to 1954, Avenger also saw service with the Royal Navy, Canadian Royal Navy and the French Aeronavale.