![]() Dive Bomber - Dive bombers carried bombs that would be dropped on top of a ship or target.Torpedo Bomber - Torpedo bombers carried a torpedo that would be dropped into the water to try and sink another carrier or enemy warship.Fighter - The fighter plane's main job was to protect the carrier from attacking bombers and to protect the carrier's bombers from other fighter planes.Most aircraft carriers in World War II carried three types of planes. Pilots had to be very skilled and specially trained to make this kind of difficult landing. This wire would help the plane to slow down and land on the short runway without running right off the end of the ship. ![]() ![]() When landing, the hook would catch on to a wire on the landing strip. Each plane would have a tailhook installed at the end of the plane. Landing on an aircraft carrier was even more difficult. The aircraft carrier had a catapult that would slingshot the plane, giving it the boost of speed needed to get airborne before it hit the ocean. ![]() In order to keep the deck clear for take offs and landings, many of the planes were stored below the deck and would be brought up by an elevator.īecause the planes only had a short distance to take off, they needed help to get up to the speed needed to take off. The top of the ship was a large flat area that acted as the runway and landing strip for the planes. Thousands of sailors were needed to crew these large ships and to keep all the planes in order. The largest of them in World War II were around 800 feet long, 90 feet wide, and carried around 100 planes. Source: Kure Maritime Museum How big were they?Īircraft carriers were huge. ![]()
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