1945 U.S. Aircraft Production
In mid 1945 Army bomber aircraft production was focused on two types, the B-29 and A-26. Production had ceased for the wartime workhorses, B-17, B-24, and B-26. North American’s B-25 plant at Kansas City was planned to be converted to P-80 production. Large enough stocks (thousands) of these models remained, so that active units in the Pacific and garrison units in Europe would suffer no shortage of these models for the foreseeable future.
Army fighter production centered on the P-47 and P-51. A portion of the P-51 production was supplied allied air forces for use in the Pacific war. In addition Australia was beginning local production of the P-51. Lockheed’s Burbank “B” plant was gearing up for the P-80, displacing P-38 production which moved to a plant in Nashville. The Far East Air Force had five groups of P-38s and General Kenny like the two engine fighter for its advantages in long over water missions. Night fighter production focused on the P-61 and modified P-38s. The P-82 “Twin Mustang” was on the horizon with upgraded capability in both those roles; its first acceptances were in 1946.
Reconnaissance aircraft production focused on the F-6, the photo version of the P-51. The F-2 was a limited production version of the C-45. Other reconnaissance aircraft in service included the F-5 (P-38), F-7 (B-24), F-9 (B-17), F-13 (B-29), and F-15 (P-61).
The C-54 was the main four engine transport in production and was replacing the C-87 (modified B-24). The C-69 was the military version of the Constellation and in low level production.
Both the C-46 and C-47 were twin engine transports in mass production. The naval versions were R5C and R4D. The C-82 was planned as a replacement, but it was not yet fully mission capable. The C-45 “Twin Beach” was a common light duty transport.
1945 Navy fighter production centered on the FM(F4F), F6F, and F4U (FG), but this was changing. The F8F was entering service and would replace the FM and F6F as a partner to the F4U. Grumman’s twin engine F7F was also entering service with the Marine Corps and was to be produced in sufficient numbers to equip half of the Corps fighter and attack squadrons as well as its night fighter and photo squadrons.
The navy and marines would continue to use the SB2C and TBM for most of 1946. These would be replace by the AM and/or the AD which were under development at the end of the war. A number of TBM aircraft were being modified to server as carrier borne Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft. As of July 1945, six AEW units of for aircraft were being prepared for the fleet.
The PBM was in the process of replacing the PBY and PB2Y in active USN seaplane patrol squadrons. The PBY was still in wide use in the AAF and allied air forces. The PV and PBJ were the Navy and Marines twin engine search/patrol bombers. The PB4Y-2 was the Navy’s four engine patrol bomber that was keeping Consolidated San Diego’s B-24 production line in operation. At the end of the war the Navy had one land based squadron of PB (B-17) Airborne Early Warning aircraft.
January-August 45, Production quantities by Company, Model, and Plant
ARMY AIR FORCE MODELS
Bell 447 B-29 Atlanta, GA
Martin 415 B-29 Omaha, NE
Boeing 859 B-29 Renton, WA
Boeing 786 B-29 Wichita, KA
Consolidated 102 B-32 Fort Worth, TX Limited production run, mass production unlikely.
Douglas 753 A-26 Long Beach, CA
Douglas 976 A-26 Tulsa, OK
North American 1,460 B-25 Kansas City, KA
The USMC version was the PBJ, This factory was to produce the P-80
Ford 1,486 B-24 Willow Run, MI
Production terminated, Last acceptance June 1945.
Consolidated 593 B-24 San Diego, CA
Consolidated continued production of the naval version, PB4Y-2.
Boeing 309 B-17 Seattle, WA
B-17 Production terminated, Last acceptance July 1945.
Lockheed 551 B-17 Burbank, CA "A"
Douglas 692 B-17 Long Beach, CA
Martin 176 B-26 Baltimore, MD
B-26 production terminated, Last acceptance April 1945.
Republic 1,997 P-47 Evansville, IN
Republic 1,562 P-47 Farmingdale, NY
North American 1,835 P-51 Dallas, TX
North American 225 F-6 Dallas, TX
North American 3,276 P-51 Inglewood, CA
Northrop 199 P-61 Hawthorne, CA
Lockheed 110 P-80 Burbank, CA "B"
Lockheed 1,553 P-38 Burbank, CA "B"
Production to terminate in favor of the P-80
Vultee 113 P-38 Nashville, TN
New production site to maintain existing Fighter groups.
Beach 613 C-45/F-2 Wichita, KA
Curtiss 1,123 C-46 Buffalo, NY
Curtiss 273 C-46 Louisville, KY
Curtiss 27 C-46 St. Louis, MO
Douglas 1,491 C-47 Oklahoma City, OK
Douglas 393 C-54 Chicago, IL
Douglas 242 C-54 Santa Monica, CA
Lockheed 10 C-69 Burbank, CA "B"
Fairchild 2 C-82 Hagerstown, MD
Piper 819 L-4 Lock haven, PA
Vultee 1,103 L-5 Wayne, MI
NAVY MODELS
Eastern 1,337 FM Linden, NJ
Eastern to produce version of F8F (F3M)
Grumman 3,516 F6F Bethpage, NY
Grumman 183 F7F Bethpage, NY
Grumman 151 F8F Bethpage, NY
F8F taking over quantity production from F6F
Chance-Vought 1,932 F4U Stratford, CT
Goodyear 1,455 FG Akron, OH Goodyear produced Corsair
Eastern 2,929 TBM Trenton, NJ
Vultee 172 TBY Allentown, PA
Limited production run, further production unlikely.
Curtiss 1,503 SB2C Columbus, OH
Carr 306 SBW Fort William, PQ Carr version of SB2C
Fairchild 100 SBF Montreal, PQ Fairchild version of SB2C
Douglas 20 BTD El Segundo, CA
Limited production run. Superior AM and AD in the pipeline.
Consolidated 170 PBY New Orleans, LA
Boeing 12 PB2B Vancouver, BC Boeing version of PBY
Naval Aircraft 19 PBN Philadelphia, PA Naval Aircraft version of PBY
Vickers 25 OA-10 Montreal, PQ Vickers version of PBY for Army Air Force
Martin 357 PBM Baltimore, MD
Consolidated 38 PB4Y-1 San Diego, CA Naval version of B-24
Consolidated 428 PB4Y-2 San Diego, CA Naval version of B-24 with single tail.
Consolidated 23 RY-3 San Diego, CA Naval Transport version of B-24
Lockheed 403 PV-2 Burbank, CA "A"