The United States manufactured about 300,000 military aircraft just prior to, and during, World War II. Total US aircraft production totaled 324,750, with main aircraft types as follows:
Type of Airplane |
Number Built |
Bombers |
97,810 |
Fighters |
99,950 |
Transport |
23,929 |
Trainers |
57,623 |
Total |
279,312 |
Total aircraft production of major bomber types:
Type of Bomber |
Number Built |
B-17 Flying Fortress |
12,731 |
B-24 Liberator |
18,493 |
B-25 Mitchell |
9,890 |
B-29 Superfortress |
3,970 |
Total |
45,084 |
This page summarizes production numbers for frequently used bombers during the war, including the B-17 Flying Fortress, B-24 Liberator, B-25 Mitchell, and the B-29 Superfortress.
Production of the B-17 ended in May 1945 and totaled 12,731. They were built by Boeing in Seattle (BO), Douglas Aircraft Co. (DL) in Long Beach, CA and Vega Aircraft Corp. (VE) in Burbank, CA.
The table shown below represents a recap of B-17 Flying Fortress production by model, and by manufacturing plant.:
B-17 Model |
Boeing Seattle (BO) |
Douglas Long Beach (DL) |
Vega Burbank (VE) |
Production Numbers |
299, YB-17, B-17A |
15 |
15 |
||
B-17B |
39 |
39 |
||
B-17C |
38 |
38 |
||
B-17D |
42 |
42 |
||
B-17E |
512 |
512 |
||
B-17F |
2,300 |
605 |
500 |
3,405 |
B-17G |
4,035 |
2,395 |
2,250 |
8,680 |
Total |
6,981 |
3,000 |
2,750 |
12,731 |
B-17E Flying Fortress 41-9061 |
A total of 18,493 Liberators were built, more than any other aircraft in World War II. Several factories produced the Liberator:
The table shown below represents a recap of B-24 Liberator production by model, and by manufacturing plant. Numbers represent our best research on the subject; there are minor variations in numbers reported by other sources and outlets.
B-24 Model |
Consol-idated San Diego (CO) |
Consol-idated Fort Worth (CF) |
Ford Willow Run (FO) |
North American Dallas (NT) |
Douglas Tulsa (DT) |
Total Number Built |
Early Models (XB-24, YB-24, B-24A, etc.) |
34 |
34 |
||||
B-24D | 2,381 |
305 |
10 |
2,696 |
||
B-24E | 144 |
490 |
167 |
801 |
||
B-24G | 430 |
430 |
||||
B-24H | 738 |
1,780 |
582 |
3,100 |
||
B-24J | 2,792 |
1,558 |
1,587 |
536 |
205 |
6,678 |
B-24L | 417 |
1,250 |
1,667 |
|||
B-24M | 916 |
1,677 |
2,593 |
|||
Liberator I | 20 |
20 |
||||
Liberator II | 139 |
139 |
||||
Liberator III | 260 |
260 |
||||
LB-30 | 75 |
75 |
||||
TOTAL | 7,034 |
2,745 |
6,784 |
966 |
964 |
18,493 |
Consolidated B-24 assembly line at Fort Worth |
Of the 9,890 B-25s built during WWII, there are more than one hundred surviving aircraft around the world, most of which are located in the United States.
The table shown below represents a recap of B-25 Mitchell production by model, and by manufacturing plant:
B-25 Model |
North American Inglewood, CA |
North American Kansas City, KS |
Production Numbers |
NA-40 |
1 |
11 |
|
B-25 |
24 |
24 |
|
B-25A |
40 |
40 |
|
B-25B |
120 |
120 |
|
B-25C |
1,620 |
1,690 |
|
B-25D |
2,290 |
2,290 |
|
B-25G |
405 |
405 |
|
B-25H |
1,000 |
1,000 |
|
B-25J |
4,390 |
4,390 |
|
Total |
3,210 |
6,680 |
9,890 |
Early production model of the B-25 Mitchell |
The Martin B-26 Marauder was an American twin-engined medium bomber that was designed and built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. The bomber was assembled at plants in Baltimore, Maryland, and Omaha, Nebraska.
A total of 5,288 Marauders were built between 1941 and 1945. After the Marauder was retired, the unrelated Douglas A-26 Invader assumed the "B-26" designation, which led to confusion between the two aircraft.
A total of 3,970 production B-29s were built, at these locations:
Prototypes |
Production |
|||||||
Aircraft Manufacturer |
Plant Location |
Plant Code |
XB-29 |
YB-29 |
B-29 |
B-29A |
B-29B |
Production B-29s Built |
Boeing | Seattle, Washington | BO |
3 |
|||||
Boeing | Renton, Washington | BN |
1,122 |
1,122 |
||||
Boeing | Wichita, Kansas |
BW |
14 |
1,644 |
1,644 |
|||
Bell Aircraft Co. | Atlanta (Marietta), Georgia |
BA |
357 |
311 |
668 |
|||
Glenn L. Martin Co. | Omaha, Nebraska |
MO |
536 |
536 |
||||
Total Production
|
2,537 |
1,122 |
311 |
3,970 |
Inside the Boeing Wichita Kansas Plant, B-29 Superfortress assembly line |
At the time of cancellation of the contract by the USAAF, Consolidated Fort Worth had produced 74 B-32s and 40 TB-32s, and San Diego had built one aircraft.
A total of 300 B-32s were ordered, but only 118 were delivered to the USAAF. A total of 130 were flyable, and 170 more cancelled. Orders for an additional 1,099 B-32-CFs and 499 B-32-COs were cancelled after VJ-Day.
The table shown below represents a recap of B-32 Dominator production by model, and by manufacturing plant. Numbers represent our best research on the subject; there are minor variations in numbers reported by other sources and outlets.
B-32 Model |
Consolidated San Diego (CO) |
Consolidated Fort Worth (CF) |
Total Number Built |
XB-32 | 3 |
0 |
3 |
B-32 | 1 |
74 |
75 |
TB-32 | 0 |
40 |
40 |
TOTAL | 4 |
114 |
118 |
Consolidated TB-32 Dominator assembly line in Fort Worth, Texas |