Bombers were inadequate, especially older French models The British single-engine Fairey “Battle” and twin-engine Bristol “Blenheim” were shot out of the sky in large numbers “Hamden,” “Whitley,” and “Wellington” twin-engine bombers fared somewhat better, but were still inadequate to the evolving strategic role envisioned by RAF Bomber Command These older models were phased out as new four-engine heavy bombers were brought into production Nearly 4,000 “Sterling IIIs” became operational after February 1941 The first of 6,176 operational “Halifax VIs” rolled off the assembly line the next month, followed by 7,377 “Lancaster Is” from March 1942 In German street slang, these British heavy bombers and their U.S counterparts lumbering across Germany’s skies were called “dicke Autos” (“fat cars”) The British also built 7,781 De Havilland “Mosquitos” from May 1942 These fast, twin-engined light bombers found a special role as pathfinder aircraft They also served as daytime tactical strike bombers Differently armed, they proved excellent heavy fighters and effective long-range night-fighters The RAF also developed the “Typhoon” as an effective fighter-bomber after 1941 The USAAF built 12,731 four-engine heavily armed B-17s starting in 1935 The B-17 “Flying Fortress” had a relatively small bomb load at just 6,000 lbs at shorter ranges, or 4,000 lbs for a run over Germany from bases in Britain If a B-17 was fitted with special external racks its bomb payload rose significantly About 7,400 two-engine medium Douglas A-20s were built; in British units, these Lend-Lease aircraft were called “Boston IVs.” The single most numerous USAAF bomber was the B-24 “Liberator.” Over 18,300 of these four-engine heavies were produced from 1942 to 1945 They were joined by 11,400 four-engine B-25 “Mitchells” starting in February 1942 Over 5,100 B-26 “Marauders” were built and deployed from April 1942 Finally, 3,970 B-29 “Superfortresses” were constructed specifically to reach Japan Originally conceived as a Japan bomber in 1939 but not built until several years later, they were used only in the Pacific theater of operations The program was well funded and widely publicized, but also plagued with design and engine problems B-29s finally rolled off the assembly line in large numbers in late 1944 They mined waters around Japan’s home islands and burned out Japanese cities during 1945, culminating in delivery of two atomic bombs in early August The United States also commissioned two true intercontinental bombers in 1941 for use against Germany should Britain be knocked out of the war: the B-32 “Dominator” and B-36 “Peacemaker.” Fewer than 120 B-32s were built owing to the success of the B-29 Only a handful reached the Pacific, to fly a few missions against Japan in mid-1945 The B-36 prototype was not ready until 1946 The USAAF also developed a series of highly effective fighter-bombers, notably the P-47 “Thunderbolt” and the remarkably powerful and long-range P-51 “Mustang.” In addition to superlative performance as a fighter in Europe and the Pacific, the P-51 could carry a 2,000 lb bomb and place it precisely on target or use wing-mounted rockets in a tank-busting role The U.S Navy deployed a variety of torpedo and dive bombers that improved in capability as the war progressed They were highly effective in destroying Japanese warships, merchantmen, and tankers 178