Originally Posted by
stilton
Most RAF aircraft seem to have used in line engines in WW2, the Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster are a few examples of this
The USAF still used radials in many of their types however, the P47, B17 and B29 etc, curious as to why this was
A Lot of RAF/FAA British Aircraft in WWII didn't use In-line Engines,
Most versions of the Wellington
Most versions of the Beaufighter (the merlin powered version was a dog)
The most successful version of the Halifax
Stirling
Sunderland
Anson
Lysander
Beaufort
Most versions of the Master
Martinet
Botha
Gladiator
Albemarle
Swordfish
Albacore
One version of the Tempest
Harrow
Bombay
Most of the USAAF Fighters did use in-line engines
P-38
P-39
P-40
P-51
P-63
The US use of Radials Would have been because that was what powered most of their civil airliners in the pre war period. The British civil market was a cottage industry in comparison.