A history of US military aircraft from WWI to today

- First flight: pre-WWI
- Manufacturer: multiple companies

The origins of aerial reconnaissance and intelligence date to pre-World War I combat with the use of observation balloons. In the Civil War, the Union Army Balloon Corps began surveying battlefields from above, and by the first World War, ballooning had reached its apex; over 100 balloon companies existed, and the other Allies and Germany incorporated their own.

- First flight: 1909
- Manufacturer: Wright Company

The Wright brothers won a competition to sell the first military airplane in the world—a two-seat observation aircraft—to the U.S. Army Signal Corps. The military purchased their Model A Military Flyer for $30,000. The wooden plane contained a 30–40 horsepower engine and used skids instead of wheels for its landing gear.

- First flight: 1917
- Manufacturer: Aeromarine Plane and Motor Company

New Jersey-based Aeromarine Plane and Motor created the first military plane to land on a moving carrier company and contracted to the Navy beginning in 1917. The 100-horsepower two-seater was used as a water- and land-based trainer.

- First flight: 1918
- Manufacturer: Glenn L. Martin Company

Also known as the Glenn Martin Bomber, the Martin MB-1 was a two-engine bomber, of which just nine were ever created. The MB-1, which was the first American-designed heavy bomber aircraft to be purchased in quantity, carried up to 2,000 pounds of ordnance, fit three to four crew members and at least five machine guns, and generated 400 horsepower.

- First flight: 1918
- Manufacturer: Dayton-Wright Airplane Company

Modern-day cruise missiles trace their lineage to Charles Kettering's Bug. Developed during WWI as an unmanned aerial torpedo, its cruising speed was just 50 mph and maxed out at around 75 miles. After a shoddy two successful test flights out of six trials, the Bug never reached the battlefield despite hundreds of thousands of dollars sunk into 45 aircraft.

- First flight: 1920
- Manufacturer: Stabilimento Costruzioni Aeronautiche

In 1921 the United States purchased the Roma from Italian manufacturer Stabilimento Costruzioni Aeronautiche for $250,000, though it only served in the American military until 1922. The final airship to be filled with hydrogen, the 410-foot-long T-34 struck high-voltage lines during a test flight in Virginia and caught fire, killing 34.

- First flight: 1923
- Manufacturer: Wittemann-Lewis Aircraft Company

The trail-blazing "Barling Bomber" was an ambitious undertaking whose success lies more in its influence on future designs than in its own creation. Wittemann-Lewis Aircraft Company constructed just one prototype of what was the largest aircraft in existence at that time. It suffered from insufficient power for its massive six-engine, tri-wing, 65-foot-long body that could fit up to nine people.

- First flight: 1924
- Manufacturer: Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company

The metal outer body of the 1924 Curtiss F6C HAWK was a forebear of 1930s aircraft evolution. The naval biplane, single-occupant, single-engine craft stemmed from an earlier Army product and inspired numerous Curtiss iterations. Its speed, power, and tapered design made it a staple on aircraft carriers.

- First flight: 1934
- Manufacturer: Kellett Autogiro Company

The Army's first practical rotary-wing aircraft made its inaugural flight in 1934, and it made the first-ever air-mail service trip for Eastern Airlines in 1939. Serving the Air Force primarily in the years leading up to World War II, the autogyros differed from helicopters in how they generated rotor power. "Instead, an 'autorotation' effect was used to develop vertical lift while an engine-driven propellor provided the needed forward push/pull," according to Military Factory.

- First flight: 1935
- Manufacturer: The Boeing Company

Boeing's B-17 played a critical role during World War II strategic bombing against German forces. Originally developed for the U.S. Army Air Corps in the 1930s, these four-engined aircraft—the third-most produced bomber—were employed in the 1940s by the England-based U.S. Eighth Air Force and Italy-based Fifteenth, popping up as well in Pacific raids against Japanese targets.

- First flight: 1935
- Manufacturer: North American Aviation

North American Aviation's single-engine training aircraft became popular during WWII among not only U.S. Air and Naval forces, but also among those of the U.K. Over 15,000 of these planes were manufactured, and several iterations followed in the ensuing decades. The T-6 was retired in the 1990s, but it remains a known participant in airshows.

- First flight: 1938
- Manufacturer: Vought

A few decades after the first observation aircraft of WWI, the OS2U Kingfisher emerged as the key player during WWII. It's a floatplane whose takeoff was initiated via carrier catapult, and the Kingfisher's was first lifted off in 1938 before over 1,500 were produced. The floatplane was retired just 21 years later after serving the U.S. Navy, Royal Navy, Royal Australian Air Force, and Soviet Navy.

- First flight: 1938
- Manufacturer: Piper Aircraft

Piper Aircraft's J-3 Cub also made its maiden flight in 1938, before a later model was mass-produced and entered WWII as the L-4 Grasshopper. Its lightweight, simple design allowed it to handle at low speeds and over a variety of terrain (as a trainer or observation craft), and its relatively low cost of production increased popularity and drew comparisons to the philosophy behind the Model T.

- First flight: 1940
- Manufacturer: North American Aviation

Another North American Aviation commodity (see: T-6 Texan earlier), this long-range bomber escort and fighter plane seated one and saw enormous action in several WWII theaters and later the Korean War. The P-51 Mustang went through several engine transformations to achieve optimal flying altitude and efficiency to rival German air forces. They carried up to six machine guns and successfully shot down thousands of enemy aircraft during WWII alone.

- First flight: 1940
- Manufacturer: Vought

Like the P-51 Mustang, Vought's F4U Corsair fighter populated the aerial battles of WWII and the Korean War, though it was a carrier-based plane. First made for the Navy in 1940, its production didn't cease until 1953, and it was flown by the U.S. Marines, the Royal Navy, and the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

- First flight: 1941
- Manufacturer: Republic Aviation Corporation

Long Island, New York-based Republic Aviation's most famous WWII contribution, the P-47 Thunderbolt fighter was capable of carrying 2,500 pounds of bombs to complement its eight machine guns—including an armed cockpit. Also used by Allied air forces like those of the U.K. and France, the P-47 contributed mightily to both aerial combat and ground attack (aka airstrikes) in the Pacific and European theaters.

- First flight: 1942
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft

Sikorsky produced the first helicopter flown by the United States Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, and Royal Navy and Air Force in the early 1940s. Known as the R-4 in America and the Hoverfly in the U.K., the single-occupant invention of Russian-American Igor Sikorsky flew up to 75 mph, as high as 8,000 feet, and as far as 130 miles.

- First flight: 1942
- Manufacturer: designed by Waco Aircraft Company, manufactured by multiple companies

Waco's CG-4 glider employed two pilots, held up to 13 personnel, and could take off comfortably under the weight of 7,500 pounds, all contributing to its legacy as WWII's most prolific cargo/troop glider (nearly 14,000 produced). The Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force found the CG-4's plethora of benefits; for reference, instead of the 13 crew members, the glider could transport about half of them plus a jeep, or a half-dozen litters (rescue baskets/stretchers).

- First flight: 1942
- Manufacturer: The Boeing Company

One of Boeing's B-29 Superfortress bombers, the Enola Gay, is etched in world history for dropping an atomic bomb—the first aircraft to do so—and one of the very few aircraft known by a nickname. On Aug. 6, 1945, Paul Tibbets flew a crew of 12 and the bomb named Little Boy from the Northern Mariana Islands to the airspace over Hiroshima, which took a few hours, before their B-29 Superfortress released the nuclear weapon which took 43 seconds to reach the ground. The resulting blast decimated the city; three days later, a similar attack was carried out over Nagasaki, and the two events killed over 100,000. The massive 99-foot-long, 141-foot-wide bomber weighed over 70,000 pounds when empty and cruised at 220 mph.

- First flight: 1946
- Manufacturer: Bell Aircraft

The rocket engine-powered Bell X-1 became the first manned aircraft to break the speed of sound. Part of a joint experiment between the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the U.S. Army Air Forces, and the U.S. Air Force, the X-1 was eventually piloted by Chuck Yeager on Oct. 14, 1947, when it achieved supersonic speed in the California desert.

- First flight: 1949
- Manufacturer: Cessna Aircraft Company

After becoming a separate unit from the Air Force in 1947, the U.S. Army lacked its own air support. Cessna ultimately produced the post-WWII all-metal O-1 Bird Dog for the Army, and the plane immediately went into service in Korea. Over 3,000 of the 25-foot-long observation and liaison craft came into use over a near-decade of production and were active into the 1970s in Vietnam.

- First flight: 1952
- Manufacturer: The Boeing Company

Boeing's strategic bomber has serviced the Air Force since the 1950s. The long-range, jet-powered B-52 Stratofortress can engage in combat up to a radius of 4,000 miles (without refueling) and carry 70,000 pounds of weaponry. According to Military Factory, the B-52 served "throughout the heightened periods of the Cold War as a nuclear deterrent... a dedicated bomber and reconnaissance platform in the Vietnam War," and recently in Afghanistan (2001) and Iran (2003).

- First flight: 1955
- Manufacturer: Ryan Aeronautical Company

In the 1950s, the Air Force wanted to test the viability of vertical takeoff and landing and horizontal flight. The turbojet-powered Ryan X-13 Vertijet became a successful prototype for the technology, but with no real military or financial impetus. The first and its successor had already retired to a pair of museums by the end of the decade.

- First flight: 1955
- Manufacturer: Lockheed Corporation

Designed in secret during the height of the Cold War, Lockheed's U-2 spy plane performed crucial reconnaissance missions. Military Factory describes their integral role in "photographing key installations for the safety of the American homeland and interests abroad," and how the "U-2 system was largely responsible for the discovery of Soviet nuclear missiles on the Cuban mainland during the Cuban Missile Crisis." The aircraft remains in service today.

- First flight: 1956
- Manufacturer: The Boeing Company

The midway point of this list of aircraft—many of which have been praised for their flight range—is the perfect opportunity to highlight a vital logistical-support/refueling plane. Boeing produced its KC-135 Stratotanker from 1955 to 1965 to offer the Air Force "unparalleled war-planning capabilities and logistics support through in-flight refueling and transportation," per Military Factory.

- First flight: 1958
- Manufacturer: Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation (later Grumman Aerospace Corporation)

Grumman designed this "airborne early warning" aircraft for the Navy in at-sea use, the first of its kind. The E-1 Tracer's radar system contributed to its pivotal role—particularly in Vietnam—in surveillance, arranging ground strikes, relaying enemy position, and directing fighters.

- First flight: 1962
- Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and Boeing Defense, Space & Security

The second refueling plane on this list, Lockheed Martin's KC-130 Hercules, can simultaneously fuel two aircraft and offload up to 57,500 pounds. The Marine Corps initially purchased the KC-130 to assist in several duties: delivering ground troops, providing air support and resupply to battle areas, and executing medevac operations.

- First flight: 1962
- Manufacturer: Boeing Defense, Space & Security

Still in service today, the recognizable CH-47 Chinook is powered by two engines and two rotors at either end of its 98-foot body. Boeing's large cargo/transport helicopter can carry between three and six dozen troops with a 24,000-pound capacity. It originally saw action in Vietnam in the 1960s, then in Iran and Libya in the 1970s, and more recently in Afghanistan and Iraq.

- First flight: 1964
- Manufacturer: Lockheed Corporation (now Lockheed Martin Aeronautics), Skunk Works division

Less than 60 years after the Wright Brothers' Model A observation plane, Lockheed developed the SR-71 Blackbird—the fruits of a highly classified defense project to produce an innovative aerial reconnaissance craft. The high-altitude (80,000 feet), long-range (3,250 miles) Blackbird served the Air Force for over 30 years (1964–98), revolutionizing the ability to outmaneuver both radar and missiles, traveling up to 2,200 mph.

- First flight: 1967
- Manufacturer: Hawker Siddeley

The first practical vertical take-off and landing aircraft, British manufacturer Hawker Siddeley's Harrier saw combat action in the Falklands War (1982). Military Factory explains that "the Harrier family line of aircraft has gone down as further proof of the ingenuity and innovation of British aircraft engineers." Developed in the 1960s, the Harrier was intended to achieve flight in the shortest time possible, and provided reconnaissance and attacking capabilities—including for the U.S. Marine Corps.

- First flight: 1974
- Manufacturer: Beechcraft

Beechcraft, since acquired by Raytheon, introduced the C-12F Huron in 1974 as a short-range cargo/personnel aircraft that serviced the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marines. Two turboprop engines power this compact, low-wing aircraft that can reach altitudes of 35,000 feet.

- First flight: 1974
- Manufacturer: General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin

The recognizable F-16 fighter was developed for the Air Force, made its maiden flight in 1974, and notably engaged in combat in Operation Desert Storm (1991) and served in Afghanistan (2001) and Iraq (2003). Still in active duty today, the Fighting Falcon has been produced over 4,000 times.

- First flight: 1977
- Manufacturer: Fairchild Republic

Developed for close-air support, the A-10C Thunderbolt II is a "legend" in military aviation. Capable of attacking tanks and providing swift ground support, Fairchild Republic's creation has served since the 1970s and, most recently, in the Middle East in the last decade. The raised cockpit allows the pilot excellent sight and is protected by titanium carbon.

- First flight: 1979
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft

A key aerial player in numerous nations, the UH-60 Black Hawk is a twin-engine, four-blade helicopter that has seen action for several decades. It debuted in combat for the U.S. in the Invasion of Grenada, and two of them were infamously gunned down in the Battle of Mogadishu. The Black Hawk has continued to serve in the Middle East.

- First flight: 1983
- Manufacturer: Lockheed Corporation (now Lockheed Martin Aeronautics)

No longer in use, Lockheed's F-117 Nighthawk was a secret-project stealth attack aircraft designed for the Air Force in the early 1980s—the first developed around stealth technology for operational flight. Most well known for its use in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, the ground-attack plane was retired by the U.S. in 2008.

- First flight: 1986
- Manufacturer: Hughes Helicopters (1975–1984); McDonnell Douglas (1984–1997); Boeing Defense, Space & Security (1997–present)

This versatile two-seat attack helicopter, according to Military.com, is "designed to endure front-line environments and to operate during the day or night and in adverse weather via its avionics and onboard sensor suites." Originally manufactured by Hughes, and today by Boeing, the AH-64 Apache first entered American service in 1986 and has been produced 2,000 times.

- First flight: 1986
- Manufacturer: Bell Textron Inc.

The AH-1W Super Cobra, the first attack helicopter in the world, has been a central figure for the Marine Corps since 1986. It can hold over a dozen rockets and contains a three-barrelled Gatling cannon. Other armies such as those of Iran, China, and Turkey have flown the Super Cobra.

- First flight: 1988
- Manufacturer: Northrop Corporation (now Northrop Grumman Corporation)

Boeing created the first unique-looking B-2 stealth bomber in 1988 and sent it into flight the following year. By 1993 the first Spirit Bomber had joined the Air Force's fleet, beginning to demonstrate its ability to defeat anti-aircraft defense systems. It can carry out attacks at altitudes of 50,000 feet and house up to 40,000 pounds of nuclear or conventional armament. The expensive B-2 has recently seen action in the Middle East and has been produced just 21 times.

- First flight: 1989
- Manufacturer: Bell Helicopter and Boeing Defense, Space & Security

Boeing notes its V-22 Osprey was the first aircraft developed to serve all four branches of the military. Extremely unique is its combination of vertical takeoff and landing—similar to that of a helicopter—and horizontal turboprop airplane flight at high speeds and altitudes. Utilized in search-and-rescue and long-range troop transport, the V-22 is a massive 30 tons with a capacity of 32 troops, and its rotors fold in for storage.

- First flight: 1994
- Manufacturer: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems

A 1990s offspring of aerial reconnaissance evolution, the MQ-1 Predator, was remotely piloted and contained a series of sensors and cameras. The unmanned aircraft, used by the Air Force and CIA, saw recent action in the wars in Afghanistan and North-West Pakistan, the Libyan Civil War, and the intervention in Syria.

- First flight: 1997
- Manufacturer: McDonnell Aircraft Corporation

Another advanced unmanned aircraft, the BAe QF-4 drew inspiration from Vietnam-era F-4 fighters and became a reusable target drone. First in action in 1997, the QF-4 is capable of Mach 2 speed and a 1,300-mile range. Military Factory points out, however, that as of 2013, 250 of these drones have been shot down.

- First flight: 1997
- Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and Boeing Defense, Space & Security

While Lockheed Martin constructed the frame and weapons systems of the F-22, Boeing finished off the wings and fuselage, the two companies sending the first of these stealth tactical fighters into Air Force service in 2005. The Raptor pushed the envelope of 21st-century air combat performance, able to achieve Mach 2.25 (1,500 mph) speed and high-altitude supercruise (sustained supersonic flight) while carrying six air-to-air missiles.

- First flight: 1998
- Manufacturer: Raytheon Aircraft Company (now called Beechcraft Defense Company)

This military trainer aircraft features "stepped-tandem" cockpit seating for two crew (one in front of the other; trainer and student) and a 1,100-horsepower turboprop engine that pushes it to 18,000 feet in under six minutes. The T-6 Texan II has served in the Junior Primary Pilot Training program since 2000.

- First flight: 2000
- Manufacturer: Bell Textron Inc.

The AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter represents the best and latest iteration of the 1960s Vietnam-era AH-1 Cobra. Two turboshaft engines drive the main four-blade rotor as well as the one on the tail, and the tandem-seat cockpit positions the weapons officer in the front and the pilot in the rear. The Viper has serviced the Marine Corps since 2010.

- First flight: 2001
- Manufacturer: General Atomics

The MQ-9 is a remote-piloted weapons aircraft that is slightly larger than previous Predator series UAVs. Introduced to service in 2007, the "Predator B" features outward-cranked upturned tail fins, which distinguishes it from the earlier MQ-1 "Predator A" model, which has downturned tail fins. Known as a "hunter/killer" aircraft, the MQ-9 is able to be broken down for transport by a Lockheed C-130 or comparable transport craft, allowing it to be deployed anywhere in the world.

- First flight: 2002
- Manufacturer: AAI Corporation

The next unmanned aircraft appearing on this list, the AAI RQ-7 Shadow is also unarmed but flew in both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. The Army, Navy, and Marine Corps utilize this reconnaissance vehicle for surveillance, damage assessment, and target acquisition. AAI Corporation has manufactured over 500.

- First flight: 2003
- Manufacturer: AeroVironment

AeroVironment developed this small (3 feet x 4.5 feet) unmanned aerial vehicle for American military forces, but nearly a dozen other international armies utilize the RQ-11 Raven. More than 13,000 of the little aircraft have been produced. Military Factory notes that the aircraft "can fulfill various aerial duties for both military and civilian markets but is best known for its military uses where it has been used to visually acquire targets of interest, gather area intelligence, or reconnoiter a location."

- First flight: 2007
- Manufacturer: Honeywell

Honeywell designed this unmanned micro air vehicle as a support drone for the U.S. Army's platoons, though it also plays a vital role in the Navy's Explosive Ordinance Division. The RQ-16 T-Hawk debuted in Iraq in 2007 and has since provided service in several areas such as aerial search, damage assessment, road scanning, inspecting and identifying suspicious targets, and defeating IEDs.

- First flight: 2008
- Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

The B variety of Lockheed's F-35 stealth fighters employs short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) technology. Military Factory calls the F-35B the "most distinct of the trio" and notes it was the first supersonic-capable vertical-takeoff-and-landing design in the history of aviation. The Marine Corps introduced it into service in 2015.

- First flight: 2009
- Manufacturer: Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

The F-35C Lightning II is one of three variants of a versatile stealth combat fighter; this one has foldable wingtips for maximum compact storage aboard aircraft carriers. The first F-35 (conventional takeoff-and-landing "A" variety) entered flight in 2006 and today is used by not only the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, and Navy, but also by the Royal Air Force. The other "B" version is a short takeoff-and-vertical-landing model.

- First flight: 2015
- Manufacturer: Sikorsky Aircraft

Lockheed Martin claims its Sikorsky S-97 Raider prototype "will redefine helicopter flight during the 21st century." The high-speed, light tactical aircraft took flight in 2015 and remains in testing. Its latest tech allows it to fly at extremely high speeds in high altitudes and heat. Lockheed's plan for the Raider is to have it meet the requirements of the Army's Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft (FARA) and ultimately serve in Special Ops as well as the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps.

- First flight: 2015
- Manufacturer: Boeing

Boeing's KC-46 Pegasus is a combat-ready air refueling plane utilized by the U.S. Air Force. The aircraft—touted by Boeing as the "world's most advanced multirole aerial refueler"—is replacing an older model called the KC-135. Compared to its predecessor, the Pegasus can carry 30% more passengers, twice as many patients requiring aeromedical evacuation, and three times as many pallets containing equipment and supplies. It is capable of deploying defensive countermeasures and is integrated with the Advanced Battle Management System—a system using secure cloud environments to share data across various weapons systems and leverage artificial intelligence for faster decision-making.