Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    Thursday, November 30
    Trending
    • This Day in History on November 30th
    • History Shorts: Iconic Structures Destroyed by Fire
    • December 2, 2023: Your Chance to Preview Merry Little Batman
    • This Day in History on November 29th
    • History Short: How to Protect Your Packages!
    • This Day in History on November 28th
    • History Short: What is a Pulsar?
    • This Day in History on November 27th
    History and Headlines
    • Arts & Entertainment
      • Cinema & TV
      • Games
      • Literature
      • Music
      • Sports
      • Video Games
    • Bizarre Bulletin
      • Misconceptions
      • The Bizarre
      • The Paranormal
      • The Unexplained
    • Lifestyle
      • Animals/Pets
      • Fashion
      • Food
      • Health/Medicine
      • Home Improvement
      • Horoscopes
      • Travel
    • Science & Tech
      • Inventions
      • Nature
      • Vehicles
    • Society
      • Business and Economics
      • Crime
      • Military
      • Politics
      • Religion
      • Society
    • About
      • Welcome to Our Site!
      • This Day in History (articles)
      • This Day in History (categories)
      • Table of Contents: A History of the World
      • Online History Textbooks
      • A Guide to Some of Our Favorite Scholars and Educators
      • Advance Screenings and Movie Reviews Archive
      • Schedule of Video Adaptations of Our Articles
    • Friends
      • Armchair History TV
      • Fact Fiend
      • RealClearHistory
      • Simply Charly
      • TopTenz
      • ​Unique Interpretations
    History and Headlines
    You are at:Home»August»August 19»6 Most Versatile Aircraft of All Time
    August 19

    6 Most Versatile Aircraft of All Time

    Major DanBy Major DanAugust 19, 2014Updated:May 11, 20201 Comment7 Mins Read
    Email Facebook LinkedIn Pinterest Reddit Telegram Tumblr Twitter VKontakte WhatsApp

    A Brief History

    On August 19, 1940, the B-25 Mitchell was flown for the first time.  Although its service life did not extend as long as many other airplanes, this medium bomber was adapted for a huge variety of uses and configurations, making it one of the most versatile aircraft ever.  Here 6 (well, okay, actually 7) such multi-purpose aircraft are listed in the order the author finds most interesting or exciting.  

    Digging Deeper

    6.  De Haviland DH.98 Mosquito.

    Entering service in 1941 as a high-speed unarmed bomber, the Mosquito was built mostly of wood, giving it a light airframe and allowing its twin Roll-Royce engines to power it to speeds of over 400 mph at a time when fighter planes could only manage 360 mph.  The fastest versions could even exceed 430 mph, a speed not matched until the German jet- and rocket-propelled fighters appeared.   Later fighter versions were armed with 4 x 20mm cannons and 4 x .303 caliber machine guns in the nose, giving these fighters and fighter-bombers tremendous, concentrated firepower.  The Germans were so in awe of the Mosquito that they tried to copy it but failed due to lack of a glue suitable for holding wood together.  Eventually employed by 21 countries, 7,781 of these speedsters were built and used for: reconnaissance; medium conventional bombing; tactical ground attacks; day fighting; night fighting; torpedo bombing; training; and even as target tugs. 

    5.  McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II.

    Introduced in 1960 as a high-speed, high-altitude interceptor designed to protect the U.S. fleet by catching and shooting down Soviet bombers at long range, this carrier-borne jet was so good the U.S. Air Force eagerly adopted it as its front line fighter as well.  Also flown by the Marine Corps and 11 other countries, the F-4 was even used by NASA in a variety of roles.  A total of 5,195 planes were built.  At one time, the F-4 held many speed and climbing records and could be readily adapted to carry ordnance such as bombs, precision-guided bombs and rockets totaling up to an incredible 18,000 pound’s worth.  The F-4 was also the first fighter to have “look down, shoot down” capability.  Used for: reconnaissance (visual, infrared and radar); interception; dog fighting; conventional bombing; tactical interdiction; “Wild Weasel” suppression of enemy air defense; and as unmanned drones, the F-4 is the only aircraft to have served in both the USAF “Thunderbirds” and the USN “Blue Angels” demonstration teams.  A heavyweight of a fighter, the F-4 weighed 30,000 pounds when empty and could carry as much as 20,000 pounds of fuel!

    4.  Boeing 747 and Boeing 707.

    Both of these ultra-reliable planes were the largest jet airlines in their day, and both were state of the art when introduced (707 in 1958, 747 in 1970).  Used for both civilian and military purposes, both planes have also served as Air Force One, transporting the President of the United States.  1,500 of the giant 747s have been built, and more are in the works, while about 2,000 of the 707s were made, almost half for military use.  The 707 was used for the E-3 Sentry (AWACS), the E-6 Mercury and the E-8 Joint Stars, as well as the C-135 Stratolifter cargo hauler and KC-135 Stratotanker.   A specialty model named the NC-135 was used for a variety of purposes, ranging from airborne astronomy to airborne labs for the evaluation of nuclear fallout.  A version called the RC-135 Rivet Joint was made for reconnaissance.  An NC-135 was also used as an experimental laser weapon-carrying plane that was to have the intended purpose of shooting down missiles.  The 747 military and government variants include: the C-19 (cargo); VC-25 (VIP transport); E4-B (Electronic warfare); YAL-1 (laser weapon); C-33 (cancelled tanker); KC-33A (tanker version flown by Iran); CMCA (cancelled cruise missile carrier); Space Shuttle Carrier; and the incredible concept of the AAC aircraft-carrier mother ship that was carry 10 small fighter planes.  The 747 has also been adapted for firefighting and astronomy.

    3.  Lockheed C-130 Hercules.

     This versatile cargo plane has had the longest production run (1956 – present) of any military aircraft.  Over 2,300 planes have been built, and the Lockheed C-130 Hercules has been flown by an unbelievable 72 countries.  The 4 turbo-prop cargo plane is also used for transporting airborne parachute troops to battle and, as the AC-130 Spectre, it is the most heavily armed gunship in aviation history.  It is also used for: fighting fires; electronic warfare; weather reconnaissance (hurricane hunting); search and rescue; various scientific purposes; medical evacuation; drone carrying and control, aerial refueling of fixed wing planes and helicopters; and even as a bomber capable of dropping the gigantic MOAB (Massive Ordnance Air Blast, or more commonly, the “Mother of All Bombs”), a 22,600-pound bomb too big for regular bombers.

    2.  Bell UH-1 “Huey” Iroquois. 

    An astounding 16,000+ of these helicopters were produced from 1956 to 1986.  They officially began service in 1960.  Mostly associated with the Viet Nam War, these versatile birds were used by all branches of the US military as well as by other branches of government.  At least 48 countries have used the UH-1, and 35 of them still do.  With a crew of 1 to 4 and the ability to carry up to 14 troops or 6 stretchers, the initial use of the Huey was as a combat taxi for troops and medical evacuation.  Of course, the UH-1 was also used for just about all the general-purpose roles a helicopter can be used for, such as search and rescue, cargo hauling and aerial reconnaissance.  Both the Army and Navy/Marine Corps developed gunship versions (UH-1C), armed with a variety of machine guns and rockets, the first helicopter gunships designed specifically for that role.  Variants for battlefield surveillance with radar for electronic warfare were also produced.  Of course, such a useful aircraft could also readily be used for civilian purposes.  The Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter was derived from the UH-1, and with over 1,100 built, it is still going strong. 

    1.  North American B-25 Mitchell.

    First flown in 1940 and already available for service when the U.S. entered World War II, 11,000 of these medium bombers were built and flown by the USAAF, USN, USMC, RAF, RCAF, RAAF, USSR, by China, the Netherlands (in exile), Brazil and the Free French.  The only U.S. military airplane named after an actual person, the Mitchell was easy to fly, incredibly rugged and could even stay aloft with 1 of its 2 engines out.  Specially configured to fly off the deck of an aircraft carrier, 16 B-25s led by Jimmy Doolittle stunned the Japanese in 1942 with a retaliatory raid for Pearl Harbor.  No land-based medium bomber would have been capable of that.  Also configured with a solid nose instead of clear plexiglass, the B-25 could be loaded up with 8 x .50 caliber machine guns in the nose, 2 x .50 cals on the “cheeks” and 2 x .50 cals on the top turret, all of which could be fired forward, giving the B-25 gunship an incredible 12 forward-firing .50 cals, the most of any aircraft ever used for combat purposes. (The plane also had maximum total of 18 machine guns!)  The nose could also be fitted with a 75mm gun, the largest forward-firing gun ever mounted on an airplane.  The Mitchell could also be adapted for “skip” bombing as well as for conventional bombing.  It was used for battlefield interdiction and as a gunship.  Navy and Marine Corps “search and patrol” versions were equipped with search radar and had heavy rockets for attacking ships.  Other versions were used for: weather reconnaissance “hurricane hunters;” VIP transport; general transport; anti-submarine patrol; and training.

    Question for students (and subscribers): What types of planes would you include on the list?  Please let us know in the comments section below this article.

    If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our patrons!

    For another interesting event that happened on August 19, please see the History and Headlines article: “The Samlesbury Witches.”

    Your readership is much appreciated!

    Historical Evidence

    For more information, please see…

    Jackson, Robert.  The Encyclopedia of Aircraft: Over 3,000 Military and Civil Aircraft from the Wright Flyer to the Stealth Bomber.  Thunder Bay Press, 2004.

    Share. Email Facebook LinkedIn Pinterest Reddit Telegram Twitter Tumblr
    Previous ArticleAugust 19, 1612 and 1692: Another Bad Day to Be A Witch! (Samlesbury and Salem)
    Next Article August 20, 1940: Churchill Names “The Few”
    Major Dan
    Major Dan

      Major Dan is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War and has traveled to many countries around the world. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Cleveland State University, having majored in sociology. Following his military service, he worked as a police officer eventually earning the rank of captain prior to his retirement.

      Related Posts

      History Shorts: Iconic Structures Destroyed by Fire

      November 30, 2023

      History Short: Assassination Meets the Space Age

      November 27, 2023

      Animated Map of the 2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine (through November 24th, 2023)

      November 24, 2023

      <span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="3925 http://www.crackedhistory.com/?p=3925">1 Comment

      1. Avatar
        Phil on April 18, 2015 8:42 pm

        The other great versatile plane missing here is the Douglas A-1 Skyraider, which after being declared obsolete right on the drawing board, went to serve for 20 years in different theaters of combat. Thai included Vietnam, where it served right next to the most advanced jets of the time, including the F4 Phantom, included in the above list. When it was time to replace it, the Navy needed 4 (that’s FOUR) different new aircraft. The only reason production stopped was because a new, short run batch sounded too costly for the Navy. It was used by the Air Force as well, who kept taking it out of mothballs to press it into service. It could carry ANY kind of ordinance, including nuclear. It could serve as passenger and cargo carrier. It guarded and helped recover 3,800 downed pilots. It looks like the King of Aircraft Versatility to me.

        Reply

      Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

      Follow Us!
      • Facebook
      • Twitter
      • YouTube
      • Patreon
      Sign Up For Our Newsletter!
      Most Recent

      This Day in History on November 30th

      November 30, 2023

      History Shorts: Iconic Structures Destroyed by Fire

      November 30, 2023

      December 2, 2023: Your Chance to Preview Merry Little Batman

      November 29, 2023

      This Day in History on November 29th

      November 29, 2023

      History Short: How to Protect Your Packages!

      November 29, 2023
      This Day in History Video

      Advertisements




      Amazon Affiliate Disclosure Statement

      As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases via links in the “Historical Evidence” sections of articles.

      About HistoryAndHeadlines.com

      Thanks for visiting History and Headlines!  This site exists primarily for educational purposes and is intended as a resource for Dr. Zar’s students.  Articles are mostly written by either Dr. Zar or his dad (Major Dan).  To any guest readers, please keep that in mind when commenting on articles.   Thank you!

      We try to present our students with historical topics that are both diverse and a bit out of the ordinary.  Our motto is “We try until we succeed!”

      Contact us at admin@historyandheadlines.com

      Guidelines and Policies for Images used on This Site, as well as for Guest and Sponsored Articles, and Other Terms of Use

      Privacy Statement

      © 2023 History and Headlines

      All-Time Most Commented

      July 28, 1866: 18 Year Old Girl Wins Commission to Sculpt Statue of Lincoln (A Truly Great American Woman)

      July 28, 2014

      December 24, 1865: Birth of the Ku Klux Klan

      December 24, 2015

      December 25, 1868: President Johnson Pardons all Confederate Veterans

      December 25, 2015

      February 5, 1909: First Plastic Invented was called Bakelite!

      February 5, 2014

      November 23, 1876: “Boss” Tweed Turned Over to Authorities

      November 23, 2013
      Recommended Book
      © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

      Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

      We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

      You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in .

      History and Headlines
      Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
      Privacy Overview

      This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

      Strictly Necessary Cookies

      Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

      If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.