List of aircraft of the United Kingdom in World War II
Here is a list of aircraft used by the British Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Army Air Corps (AAC) and British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC)[1] during the Second World War.
Fighters and fighter-bombers
- Bell Airacobra (RAF),[note 1] one example for carrier landing by RN.
- Blackburn Roc (FAA) naval turret fighter retired from combat by 1941
- Blackburn Skua (FAA) naval fighter/dive bomber retired from combat 1941
- Boulton Paul Defiant (RAF) turret fighter/night fighter until withdrawn in 1942-1943 from operational roles
- Brewster Buffalo (RAF)
- Bristol Beaufighter (RAF) strike fighter
- Bristol Blenheim (RAF) long range fighter and night fighter
- Curtiss Mohawk (RAF)
- Curtiss Kittyhawk and Tomahawk (RAF)
- de Havilland Mosquito (RAF) night fighter & fighter-bomber
- de Havilland Vampire (RAF) prototype jet fighter
- Douglas Havoc (RAF) night fighter
- Fairey Fulmar (FAA) fleet fighter
- Fairey Firefly (FAA) fleet fighter
- Gloster Gladiator (RAF, FAA)
- Gloster Sea Gladiator(FAA)
- Gloster Meteor (RAF) jet fighter
- Grumman Martlet/Wildcat (FAA)
- Grumman Hellcat (FAA)
- Hawker Hurricane (RAF, FAA)
- Hawker Sea Hurricane(FAA)
- Hawker Tempest (RAF)
- Hawker Typhoon (RAF)
- North American Mustang (RAF)
- Republic Thunderbolt (RAF)
- Supermarine Spitfire (RAF & FAA)
- Supermarine Seafire (FAA)
- Vought Corsair (FAA)
- Westland Whirlwind (RAF) twin engine fighter
- Westland Welkin (RAF) high altitude fighter
Torpedo bombers, dive bombers and army cooperation
- Avro Rota (RAF) Army cooperation autogyro
- Blackburn Skua (FAA) naval fighter/dive bomber
- Fairey Albacore (RAF, FAA) torpedo/dive bomber
- Fairey Barracuda (FAA) torpedo/dive bomber
- Fairey Swordfish (FAA) torpedo bomber
- Grumman Tarpon/Avenger (FAA) torpedo bomber
- Hawker Audax(RAF) Army cooperation biplane
- Hawker Hardy (RAF) General purpose biplane
- Hawker Hector (RAF) Army cooperation biplane
- Hawker Hind (RAF) light bomber
- North American Mustang (RAF) tactical reconnaissance and ground-attack under RAF Army Cooperation Command
- Vickers Vildebeest (RAF) torpedo bomber, retired 1942
- Westland Lysander (RAF) Army cooperation
- Westland Wapiti (RAF) general purpose biplane used in India until 1940[2]
Level bombers
- Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle (RAF)
- Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (RAF)
- Avro Manchester (RAF)
- Avro Lancaster (RAF)
- Avro Lincoln (RAF)
- Boeing Fortress (RAF)
- Boulton Paul Overstrand (RAF) withdrawn from operational service in late 1939
- Bristol Beaufort (RAF, FAA)
- Bristol Blenheim/Bisley (RAF)
- Bristol Bombay (RAF) bomber-transport
- Douglas Boston (RAF)
- Fairey Battle (RAF)
- Fairey Gordon (RAF)
- Handley Page Halifax (RAF)
- Handley Page Hampden/Hereford (RAF)
- Lockheed Hudson (RAF)
- Lockheed Ventura (RAF)
- Martin Maryland (RAF, FAA)
- Martin Marauder (RAF)
- Martin Baltimore (RAF, FAA)
- North American Mitchell (RAF, FAA)
- Short Stirling (RAF)
- Vickers Valentia (RAF) bomber-transport
- Vickers Vincent (RAF) general purpose
- Vickers Warwick (RAF) prototypes only, most used for maritime reconnaissance and air-sea rescue
- Vickers Wellesley (RAF)
- Vickers Wellington (RAF)
Maritime patrol and coastal reconnaissance
- Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (RAF)
- Avro Anson (RAF, FAA)
- Boeing Fortress (RAF)
- Blackburn Botha (RAF)
- Bristol Beaufort (RAF, FAA)
- Consolidated Catalina (RAF)
- Consolidated Liberator (RAF)
- Fairey Seal (RAF, FAA) obsolete by 1943
- Fairey Seafox (FAA) floatplane
- Fokker T.VIII (RAF) 1940, ex-Dutch floatplane
- Handley Page Hampden (RAF)
- Lockheed Hudson (RAF)
- Lockheed Ventura (RAF)
- Martin Maryland (RAF)
- Saro London (RAF) retired 1941
- Saro Lerwick (RAF) retired 1942
- Short Empire (RAF) two aircraft
- VE Day
- Short Singapore (RAF) retired 1941
- Short Sunderland (RAF)
- Supermarine Walrus (FAA, RAF) for air-sea rescue
- Supermarine Sea Otter (RAF and FAA) air-sea rescue
- Supermarine Stranraer (RAF) retired 1942
- Vickers Warwick (RAF)
- Vickers Wellington (RAF)
- Vought Kingfisher (FAA)
- Westland Lysander (RAF)
Photo reconnaissance
- Bristol Blenheim (RAF)
- de Havilland Mosquito (RAF)
- Lockheed Hudson (RAF)
- North American Mustang (RAF)
- Supermarine Spitfire (RAF)
Trainers and target tugs
- Airspeed Oxford (RAF) bomber trainer
- Avro 626 (RAF)
- Avro Anson (RAF, FAA) multi-engine navigation and bomber crew trainer
- Avro Tutor (RAF, FAA)
- Blackburn B-2 (RAF) to 1942, most used by civilian training schools
- Blackburn Botha (RAF) RAF target tug, retired 1944
- Blackburn Shark (FAA) after withdrawn from use as torpedo bomber
- Boulton Paul Defiant (RAF) gunnery trainer from 1942 to 1945
- Boulton Paul Overstrand (RAF) obsolete bomber used as gunnery trainer to 1941
- Cierva C.30 (RAF) Army cooperation training
- Curtiss Cleveland (RAF) ground instructional training
- de Havilland Tiger Moth (RAF, FAA) primary trainer
- de Havilland Dominie(RAF) radio trainer
- de Havilland Don (RAF) ground instructional training
- Fairey III.F (FAA) obsolete bomber used as target tug until 1941
- Fairey Gordon (RAF) obsolete bomber used as trainer and target tug
- Fairey Seal (RAF) obsolete bomber used as trainer and target tug until 1942
- General Aircraft Cygnet (RAF) tricycle undercarriage trainer
- General Aircraft Owlet (RAF) tricycle undercarriage trainer
- Handley Page Heyford (RAF) obsolete bomber used as trainer to 1941
- Hawker Demon(RAF) obsolete fighter used as trainer
- Hawker Hart (RAF) obsolete bomber used as trainer and target tug
- Hawker Henley (RAF) target tug
- Hawker Osprey(FAA) obsolete fighter used as trainer
- Miles Magister (RAF) primary trainer
- Miles Martinet (RAF)
- Miles Master (RAF) target tug
- North American Harvard (RAF, FAA) advanced pilot trainer
- Percival Proctor (RAF, FAA) radio trainer
- Sikorsky Hoverfly (RAF) helicopter
- Vickers Wellington (RAF) bomber trainer
- Westland Lysander (RAF) target tug
- Westland Wallace (RAF) obsolete bomber used as target tug after withdrawn from general use, to 1943
Transport and communications
Model name | Introduction | Retired | Built | Operator |
---|---|---|---|---|
Airspeed Envoy | 1934 | 1952 | 52 | RAF |
Airspeed Courier | 1933 | 1947 | 16 | RAF[note 2] |
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle | 1940 | 1945 | 602 | RAF |
Armstrong Whitworth Ensign | 1938 | 1946 | 14 | BOAC |
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley | 1937 | 1945 | 1814[note 3] | RAF |
Avro Lancastrian | 1945 | 1960 | 91 | RAF, BOAC |
Avro York | 1944 | 1964 | 259 | RAF |
Beechcraft Expeditor | 1937 | unk. | 9000 | RAF, FAA |
Boeing Clipper | 1939 | 1946 | 3 | BOAC |
Bristol Bombay | 1939 | 1944 | 51 | RAF |
Bristol Buckingham | 1943 | 1945 | 119 | RAF |
Consolidated PB2Y Coronado | 1937 | 1946 | 10 | RAF |
Consolidated Liberator | 1943 | 1945 | 200 | RAF |
de Havilland Albatross | 1938 | 1943 | 7 | Imperial Airways, BOAC, RAF[note 2] |
de Havilland Express | 1934 | 1941 | 62 | RAF, FAA[note 2] |
de Havilland Dragon Rapide | 1934 | 1958 | 731 | RAF, FAA[note 2] |
de Havilland Dragonfly | 1936 | 1945 | 67 | RAF[note 2] |
de Havilland Flamingo | 1939 | 1950 | 14 | RAF, FAA, BOAC |
de Havilland Hornet Moth | 1934 | unk. | 164 | RAF[note 2] |
de Havilland Leopard Moth | 1933 | unk. | 133 | RAF[note 2] |
de Havilland Mosquito | 1941 | 1963 | 7781 | BOAC |
de Havilland Moth Minor | 1937 | unk. | 140 | RAF, FAA |
de Havilland Puss Moth | 1930 | unk. | 140 | RAF[note 2] |
Douglas Dakota | 1942 | unk. | 1900+ | RAF, BOAC |
Douglas Skymaster | 1942 | 1975 | 22 | RAF |
Fairchild Argus | 1932 | 1948 | 831 | RAF |
Foster Wikner Warferry | 1936 | unk. | 10 | RAF[note 2] |
Grumman G-21 Goose | 1935 | unk. | 49 | RAF, FAA |
Grumman Gosling | 1940 | unk. | 15 | RAF, FAA |
Handley Page Halifax | 1940 | 1961 | 6176[note 3] | RAF |
Handley Page H.P.42 | 1931 | 1940 | 4 | RAF[note 2] |
Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow | 1937 | 1945 | 100 | RAF |
Hawker Hardy | 1934 | 1941 | 8 | RAF |
Heston Phoenix | 1936 | 1952 | 6 | RAF[note 2] |
Percival Petrel | 1938 | 1947 | 27 | RAF[note 2] |
Percival Proctor | 1939 | 1955 | 1147 | RAF |
Percival Vega Gull | 1935 | 1945 | 90 | RAF[note 2] |
Lockheed Lodestar | 1940 | unk. | 625 | RAF, BOAC |
Messerschmitt Aldon | 1939 | 1950s | 4 | RAF[note 2] |
Miles Mentor | 1938 | 1950 | 45 | RAF |
Miles Mercury | 1941 | 1946 | 6 | RAF |
Miles Messenger | 1942 | unk. | 21 | RAF |
Short C-Class Empire | 1939 | RAF, BOAC[note 2] | ||
Short Hythe |
1942 | 1946 | 29 | BOAC |
Short S.26 G-Class Empire | 1939 | 1947 | 3 | RAF, BOAC[note 2] |
Short Stirling | 1941 | 1946 | 2,371[note 3] | RAF |
Short Scylla | 1934 | 1940 | 2 | BOAC |
Sikorsky Hoverfly | 1945 | 1946 | 52 | RAF |
Stinson Reliant | 1937 | 1943 | 500 | RAF, FAA |
Stinson L-5 Sentinel | 1942 | 1945 | 100 | RAF |
Stinson L-1 Vigilant | 1941 | unk. | 30-71 | RAF, FAA |
Taylorcraft Auster | 1942 | 1965 | 1630 | RAF |
Vickers Type 264 Valentia | 1934 | 1944 | 82 | RAF |
Vickers Warwick | 1939 | 1945 | 842[note 3] | RAF |
Westland Lysander | 1938 | 1946 | 1,786[note 3] | RAF |
Experimental and other
- Baynes Bat (RAF) tailless tank carrying glider
- Boulton Paul P.92 (RAF) turret fighter half scale prototype
- Bristol Type 138 (RAF) high-altitude research
- Folland Fo.108 engine testbed (operated by engine manufacturers)
- General Aircraft GAL.56 (RAF) tailless swept wing glider
- Gloster E.28/39 (RAF) jet propelled aircraft
- Gloster Gauntlet (RAF) obsolete fighter used for meteorological flights
- Handley Page Manx (RAF) flying wing
- Hillson Bi-mono (RAF) slip wing testbed
- Miles M.3E Gillette Falcon (RAF) high speed airfoil testing
- Miles M.30 (RAF) blended-wing testbed
- Miles M.35 Libellula (RAF) canard testbed
- Miles M.39B Libellula (RAF) canard testbed
- Saro Shrimp half scale development testbed for R.5/39 Sunderland replacement
- Vickers Type 470 and Type 486 Wellington (RAF) flying test beds for Whittle turbojet
Prototypes & trials
- Airspeed Cambridge (RAF) trainer
- Airspeed Fleet Shadower (RAF) maritime patrol
- Blackburn B-20 (RAF) maritime patrol seaplane
- Blackburn Firebrand (FAA) torpedo fighter
- Brewster Buccaneer (FAA) dive bomber rejected for service after trials
- Bristol Brigand (RAF) bomber
- Bristol Buckingham (RAF) bomber
- Curtiss Cleveland (RAF) dive-bomber diverted from French but not used
- Curtiss Helldiver (FAA) dive bomber rejected for service after trials
- de Havilland Hornet (RAF) twin engine fighter
- de Havilland Sea Hornet (FAA) twin engine fighter
- de Havilland Vampire (RAF) jet fighter prototype
- Fairey Spearfish (FAA) torpedo/dive bomber
- General Aircraft Fleet Shadower (RAF) maritime patrol
- General Aircraft GAL.47 (RAF) Army cooperation
- General Aircraft GAL.55 (RAF) training glider
- Gloster F.9/37 (RAF) heavy fighter
- Hafner Rotabuggy (RAF) developed as a way of air-dropping vehicles
- Hawker Hotspur (RAF) turret fighter
- Hawker Fury (monoplane) (RAF) fighter
- Hawker Tornado (RAF) fighter
- Lockheed Lightning (RAF) evaluation only before order cancelled
- Martin-Baker MB 2 (RAF) fighter
- Martin-Baker MB 3 (RAF) fighter
- Martin-Baker MB 5 (RAF) fighter
- Martin Mariner (RAF) tested October–December 1943, then rejected
- Miles M.18 (RAF) trainer
- Miles M.20 (RAF) fighter
- Reid and Sigrist R.S.3 Desford (RAF) rejected trainer
- Supermarine B.12/36 (Type 317)
- Supermarine Type 322 (FAA) torpedo/dive bomber
- Supermarine Spiteful (RAF) fighter
- Vickers Type 432 (RAF) high-altitude fighter
- Vickers Windsor (RAF) bomber
- Vought Chesapeake (FAA) dive bomber diverted from French but not used
- Vultee Vengeance (RAF) dive bomber rejected for service after trials
Gliders
- Airspeed Horsa (RAF, Army Air Corps)
- General Aircraft Hamilcar (RAF, Army Air Corps)
- General Aircraft Hotspur (RAF, Army Air Corps) training glider
- Slingsby Hengist (RAF)
- Waco Hadrian (RAF, Army Air Corps)
See also
- List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force
- List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm
- List of Fleet Air Arm aircraft in World War II
- List of aircraft of World War II
References
Notes
Citations
- ^ Used for logistics support with RAF crews.
- ^ "No. 5 Squadron (RAF): Second World War". History of War. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
Bibliography
- O. Thetford: Aircraft of the Royal Air Force since 1918 6th edition. Putnam & Co., London,UK, 1976, ISBN 0-370-10056-5.