Six pilots who died after two World War II-era planes collided mid-air during a commemorative Veterans Day show in Dallas have been pictured for the first time.

Five of the pilots were travelling on board a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress bomber when it struck a P-63 Kingcobra, sending debris falling to the ground.

They have been named as Captain Terry Barker, Captain Len Root, Major Curtis Rowe, Kevin Michels and Dan Ragan.

Meanwhile Captain Craig Hutain has been identified as the pilot in control of the P-63.   

The tragedy happened at the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) ‘Wings Over Dallas’ World War II Air Show at Dallas Executive Airport, about 10 miles from the city centre, at around 1.30pm local time on Saturday.

Thousands of horrified onlookers witnessed the devastating incident after the B-17 apparently approached the blindspot of the fighter plane.

Women and children could be heard screaming in the background as the carnage unfolded, with many capturing the tragedy on their phones.  

Footage of the collision shows the tail being ripped of the bomber as both aircrafts nosedive to the ground and burst into flames.

B-17 Pilot Len Root is survived by his wife and three daughters (Picture: Facebook)

B-17 Pilot Terry Barker (Picture: Facebook)

Captain Barker, a husband, father and Army veteran, and Captain Root, a married dad-of-three, were identified by the Allied Pilots Association (APA).

Both worked as American Airlines pilots and were members of the Gulf Coast Wings Texas Raiders – as were Mr Ragan and Mr Michels.

Major Curtis Rowe (Picture: A James Himes)

Major Rowe was a veteran of the Civil Air Patrol’s Ohio Wing.

Captain Hutain previously worked as a pilot for United Airlines.

Dan Ragan (left) and Kevin Michels (Picture: CAF Gulf Coast Wing’s B-17 Texas Raiders/Facebook)

Captain Craig Hutain (Picture: Facebook)

Six crosses have now been placed near the crash scene in memory of the victims.

Up to 6,000 people are believed to have been in attendance at the event, billed as ‘America’s Premier World War II Airshow’.

The Allied Pilots Association tweeted: ‘We are saddened to report that former APA members CA Terry Barker and CA Len Root were among the crewmembers lost on B-17 Flying Fortress during the Wings Over Dallas airshow today.

‘Our hearts go out to their families, friends, and colleagues past and present.’

The APA is offering professional counselling services at its HQ in Fort Worth, Texas, on Sunday and Monday.

CAF president and CEO, Hank Coates, told reporters the jets were ‘safe’ and ‘very well-maintained’ while the pilots were ‘very well-trained’.

‘This is not about the aircraft. It’s just not,’ Mr Coates said, adding: ‘It’s difficult for me to talk about it, because I know all these people, these are family, and they’re good friends.’ 

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said the crash as a ‘terrible tragedy in our city’ and described footage as ‘heartbreaking’.

‘Please, say a prayer for the souls who took to the sky to entertain and educate our families today.’

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have now launched an investigation.

The mayor of Dallas has described the incident as a ‘terrible tragedy in our city’.