List of aircraft of the United Kingdom in World War II
Appearance
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.
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Fighters and fighter-bombers
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b3/The_Royal_Air_Force_in_Britain%2C_April_1941_TR139.jpg/220px-The_Royal_Air_Force_in_Britain%2C_April_1941_TR139.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0a/The_Royal_Air_Force_in_Malta%2C_June_1943_TR1075_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-The_Royal_Air_Force_in_Malta%2C_June_1943_TR1075_%28cropped%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/80/Hurricane_IIC_87_Sqn_RAF_in_flight_1942.jpg/220px-Hurricane_IIC_87_Sqn_RAF_in_flight_1942.jpg)
- 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- Boulton Paul Defiant (RAF) turret fighter/night fighter until withdrawn in 1942-1943 from operational roles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 Meteor (RAF) jet fighter
- Gloster Sea Gladiator (FAA)
- 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
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8e/A_Fairey_Swordfish_in_Flight_TR1138.jpg/220px-A_Fairey_Swordfish_in_Flight_TR1138.jpg)
- 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
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/29/Handley_Page_Hampden_in_the_air.jpg/220px-Handley_Page_Hampden_in_the_air.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9a/The_Royal_Air_Force_in_Britain%2C_29_September_1942_TR197_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-The_Royal_Air_Force_in_Britain%2C_29_September_1942_TR197_%28cropped%29.jpg)
- Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle (RAF)
- Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (RAF)
- Avro Manchester (RAF)
- Avro Lancaster (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
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cf/Aircraft_of_the_Royal_Air_Force_1939-1945-_Short_S.25_Sunderland_CH21574_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Aircraft_of_the_Royal_Air_Force_1939-1945-_Short_S.25_Sunderland_CH21574_%28cropped%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Consolidated_Liberator_GR_Mk.VI_-_The_Battle_of_the_Atlantic_1939-1945_CA122_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Consolidated_Liberator_GR_Mk.VI_-_The_Battle_of_the_Atlantic_1939-1945_CA122_%28cropped%29.jpg)
- 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
- Short Seaford (RAF) 1945, after 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
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ef/De_Havilland_Mosquito_PR_Mk_XVI_of_No._544_Squadron_RAF_based_at_Benson%2C_Oxfordshire%2C_December_1944._CH14259_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-De_Havilland_Mosquito_PR_Mk_XVI_of_No._544_Squadron_RAF_based_at_Benson%2C_Oxfordshire%2C_December_1944._CH14259_%28cropped%29.jpg)
- Bristol Blenheim (RAF)
- de Havilland Mosquito (RAF)
- Lockheed Hudson (RAF)
- North American Mustang (RAF)
- Supermarine Spitfire (RAF)
Trainers and target tugs
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bc/Avro_Anson_c._1940_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Avro_Anson_c._1940_%28cropped%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/American_Aircraft_in_RAF_Service_1939-1945-_North_American_Na-16_and_Na-66_Harvard._CH606_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-American_Aircraft_in_RAF_Service_1939-1945-_North_American_Na-16_and_Na-66_Harvard._CH606_%28cropped%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a5/Miles_M.27_Master_MkIII_W8667%2C_No.5_SFTS._IWM-COL198.jpg/220px-Miles_M.27_Master_MkIII_W8667%2C_No.5_SFTS._IWM-COL198.jpg)
- 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 1044
- 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
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/88/Avro_York.jpg/220px-Avro_York.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/HP_Harrow_ExCC.jpg/220px-HP_Harrow_ExCC.jpg)
Experimental and other
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f3/IWM-CH14832A_Gloster_E28-39_205210674.jpg/220px-IWM-CH14832A_Gloster_E28-39_205210674.jpg)
- 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
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Royal_Air_Force_Brewster_Bermuda_I_%28sn_FF741%29.jpg/220px-Royal_Air_Force_Brewster_Bermuda_I_%28sn_FF741%29.jpg)
- 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
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Martin-Baker_M.B.5_prototype.jpg/220px-Martin-Baker_M.B.5_prototype.jpg)
- General Aircraft GAL.47 (RAF) Army cooperation
- General Aircraft GAL.55 (RAF) training glider
- Gloster F.9/37 (RAF) heavy fighter
- 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 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
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/Horsa_glider_%28cropped%29.jpg/220px-Horsa_glider_%28cropped%29.jpg)
- 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
- Owen Thetford: Aircraft of the Royal Air Force since 1918 6th edition. Putnam & Co., London 1976, ISBN 0-370-10056-5.