How To Identify Different US Fighter Jets

Besides their KATN (Kick A$$ and Take Names) performances in combat, one of the cool things about US fighter planes in the Second World War was their distinctive individual appearances. ‘Twas easy enough to tell a North American P-51 Mustang from a Republic P-47 Thunderbolt from a Lockheed P-38 Lightning from a Curtiss P-40 Warhawk from a Vought F4U Corsair from a Brewster Buffalo. (It could be slightly trickier telling a Grumman F4F Wildcat from a Grumman F6F Hellcat, or a Bell P-39 Airacobra from a Bell P-63 Kingcobra, but eh, what the heck).