WWII: maximum payloads carried by bomber planes 1939-1945

In aerial warfare during the Second World War, the Allied powers developed their air fleets around long-range heavy bombers, whereas the Axis powers focused more on developing fighter aircraft and short range bombers to support ground or naval forces. The Allies developed several four-engine bombers that could carry payloads weighing up to six metric tons. The British and Americans used these aircraft to great effect in the bombing of Germany and Japan. Soviet efforts were concentrated on the ground, and their heavy bombers saw significantly less action than the Western Allies. The largest German bomber was the two-engine He-177, which could carry four metric tons of payload - however, development of this plane was significantly delayed due to engine difficulties.