Army Air Forces Statistical Digest,
World War II

Table 82 -- Average Unit Cost of Airplanes Authorized, By Principal Model: Fiscal Years 1939 to 1945

(Average cost per airplane is the weighted average on all programs approved during a designated fiscal year and represents the estimated cost of a complete airplane ready for flyaway, including factory installed ordnance and radio equipment.  Costs exclude equipment installed at modification centers and airplane spare parts.  Unit costs reflect renegotiation of contracts only to the extent of reductions in contract prices for future deliveries but do no reflect reductions in price effected by cash refunds.)
Type and Model 1939-1941 1942 1943 1944 1945
           
Very Heavy Bombers          
B-29   $ - $ 893,730 $     - $ 605,360 $ 509,465
Heavy Bombers          
B-17 301,221 258,949 - 204,370 187,742
B-24 379,162 304,391 - 215,516 -
B-32 - 790,433 - 790,433 -
Medium Bombers          
B-25 180,031 153,396 151,894 142,194 116,752
B-26 261,062 239,655 212,932 192,427 -
Light Bombers          
A-20 136,813 124,253 110,324 100,800 -
A-26 224,498 - 254,624 192,457 175,892
A-28 - 118,704 - - -
A-29 - 118,080 - - -
A-30 - 155,570 151,017 - -
Fighters          
P-38 134,284 120,407 105,567 97,147 -
P-39 77,159 69,534 - 50,666 -
P-40 60,562 59,444 49,449 44,892 -
P-47 113,246 105,594 104,258 85,578 83,001
P-51 - 58,698 58,824 51,572 50,985
P-61 649,584 245,327 180,711 - 199,598
P-63 - 60,277 57,379 59,966 65,914
P-70 143,076 - - - -
P-80 - - - 109,471 71,840
Reconnaissance          
OA-10 222,799 - - 216,617 207,541
Transports          
C-43 - 49,524 27,342 27,332 -
C-45 67,743 - 66,189 52,507 48,830
C-46 341,831 314,700 259,268 233,377 221,550
C-47 128,761 109,696 92,417 88,574 85,035
C-53 136,399 143,479 150,470 - -
C-54 516,553 370,492 400,831 285,113 259,816
C-60 - 126,881 113,168 - -
C-61 - 12,208 13,057 15,973 -
UC-64 - - 36,811 35,264 32,427
C-69 - - 605,457 - -
C-74 - 1,213,445 - - -
C-78 - 27,470 33,797 - -
C-82 - - - 478,549 210,233
C-87 - - - 208,780 -
Trainers          
PT-13, PT-17, PT-27 10,022 9,896 - - -
PT-19, PT-23, PT-26 9,710 12,911 11,100 15,052 -
BT-13, BT-15 25,035 23,068 - - -
AT-6 29,423 25,672 - 22,952 -
AT-7, AT-11 76,827 85,688 68,441 - -
AT-8, AT-17 41,701 34,323 - - -
AT-9 44,321 44,392 - - -
AT-10 43,501 42,688 - - -
AT-16 - 27,564 27,416 - -
AT-19 - 26,574 22,496 - -
AT-21 - 92,295 - - -
Communications          
L-1 25,419 - - - -
L-2 - 2,773 2,916 - -
L-3 - 2,236 2,460 - -
L-4 - 2,432 2,437 2,620 2,701
L-5 - 10,165 - 9,704 8,323
L-6 - - 6,065 - -
R-4 - - 43,584 - -
R-5, YR-5 - - 59,488 50,950 -
R-6 - - 47,635 - -
Source: Air Technical Service Command, Budget and Fiscal Office.