Summary P-47 Thunderbolt was a versatile high altitude and ground attack fighter with 15,600 units built, claimed 4,000 enemy aircraft. De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito, a plywood framed aircraft, was versatile as a light bomber, fighter, and reconnaissance aircraft.
Aside from Lockheed's P-38 Lightning being versatile in combat, it is renowned for its distinctive twin-boom design. Aircraft may be designed to be multirole aircraft, while others are designed for specific missions but are then found to be useful for a range of missions. This was also true of aircraft in World War II .
The Axis and Allies produced military aircraft in numbers never seen before or since, while the US Air Force (technically the USAAF) grew to be the largest it has ever been (and the largest in the world) . Here are five of the most versatile aircraft of WWII. 1 Republic P-47 Thunderbolt Over 15,600 P-47 Thunderbolts were built Role: High altitude fighter, ground attack fighter, escort fighter First flight: 1941 Years of operation: 1942 to 1966 (retired by Peruvian Air Force) The Republic P-47 Thunderbolt is regarded as one of the toughest Allied planes of the war.
It boasted the most firepower from its eight .50 caliber machine guns (with 3,400 rounds). It was well suited for the ground attack role and could carry as much as 3,000 lbs of external ordnance (even though it was originally conceived as a lightweight interceptor).
The P-47 had a reputation for ruggedness and the ability to absorb severe bat.