WWII: range of combat aircraft 1939-1945

The range (takeoff to landing) of aircraft was incredibly important for conducting strategic bombing missions deep behind the frontline or across bodies of water during the Second World War. By dividing an aircraft's range in two, we can roughly estimate the maximum distance it could travel to conduct a mission before returning to its starting point.

During the war, several heavy bombers had a maximum range exceeding 3,000 kilometers (roughly 1,850 miles), meaning that they could hypothetically travel 1,500km behind enemy lines before returning to base. However, other factors affected the maximum range of aircraft such as weight, weather, and altitude. For example, a bomber's payload could weigh several tons, which would require more fuel and therefore shorten its range, and the difference in weight before and after dropping a payload would also have to be considered when choosing targets. Range was not the most important factor when selecting bombers; for example, the B-24 Liberator and B-17 Flying Fortress were the most widely used U.S. bombers in the Western Theater; while the B-24 could fly almost 2,000km further, the B-17 was preferred by most as it was more heavily defended, more robust against anti-aircraft defenses, and was more maneuverable in the air.