Here’s a list of eight heavy bomber types that still exist today:
8. Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress
12,731 B-17s were built between 1936 and 1945 with the last leaving Brazilian Air Force service in 1967.
Today, only 45 B-17s still exist with four considered airworthy.
7. Boeing B-29 Superfortress
3,970 B-29s were built between 1943 and 1946. There are only 22 that still exist with two examples airworthy.
6. Avro Lancaster
Britain and Canada built 7,377 Lancasters with the last leaving service in 1964 in Canada. Only 17 remain in existence with only two airworthy.
There are also two more in taxable condition with one in the UK hoping to be returned to flight in the next couple of years.
5. Consolidated B-24 Liberator
A staggering 18,188 of these bombers were built between 1940 and 1945 serving both the US Army Air Force, the US Navy and the Royal Air Force, and the Royal Canadian Air Force.
In 2023, there are 13 surviving Liberators and two still airworthy.
4. Heinkel He III
The Germans built 6,508 between 1935 and 1944. Today, just five 111s still exist with none airworthy.
3. Avro Lincoln
Known to be the British successor to the Lancaster, the Avro Lincoln first flew in 1944 and became operational during the last month of the war in August 1945. 604 were built serving the RAF.
Today, only four survivors still exist with none flying.
2. Handley Page Halifax
6,176 were built equipping the RAF, the Royal Canadian Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force, and the Free French Air Force.
In 2023, only three Halifaxes still exist, none in flying condition.
1. Savoia-Marchetti SM.82 Marsupiale
The rarest surviving WWII-era heavy bomber is the Italian Savoia-Marchetti SM.82 Marsupiale. A heavy bomber and transport plane, 727 were built between 1939 and 1944 and primarily used by the wartime Italian Air Force, the German Luftwaffe, and later the Italian Republic Air Force.
Only one SM.82 still exist, a static exhibit of the Italian Air Force Museum.
