Jump to content

List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 122.56.209.62 (talk) at 11:12, 4 January 2021 (→‎Torpedoes). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

This is a list of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA).

Fleet Air Arm Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber

On 1 April 1918 the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was merged with the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) to form the Royal Air Force (RAF) which directly operated and controlled all naval aircraft. On 1 April 1924 the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force was created as a distinct component of the RAF, which existed until 24 May 1939 when command of the Fleet Air Arm was transferred back to Royal Navy control. Coastal Command patrol aircraft, including most large seaplanes, remained with the RAF despite their operations in a naval environment. Prototypes were largely under the control of the Air Ministry and not the Fleet Air Arm until their introduction into service.

Aircraft

Acronyms in table

ASW; Anti-submarine warfare
AEW; Airborne Early Warning
ECM; Electronic counter measures
EW; Electronic Warfare aircraft
Model (listed by model name) Role Origin In service Withdrawn Notes
Fairey IIID & F Spotter/target tug UK 1918 1940
Avro 652 Transport UK 1941 1942 2 impressed airliners
Fairey Albacore Torpedo/dive bomber UK 1940 1943
Avro Anson Trainer/Communications UK 1942 1955
Supermarine Attacker Fighter/fighter-bomber UK 1951 1957
Hawker Audax Trainer UK 1941 1945 4 ex-RAF
Grumman Avenger/Tarpon Torpedo bomber/ASW/EW US 1943 1962 Lend-lease and MDAP
British Aerospace BAe 125 VIP transport UK ? n/a
Blackburn Baffin Torpedo bomber UK 1934 1946
Martin Baltimore Medium bomber US 1944 1946 14 ex-RAF
Fairey Barracuda Torpedo/dive bomber UK 1943 1953 2,607 built
Fairey Battle Trainer UK 1939 1944 3 ex-RAF
Bristol Beaufighter Torpedo bomber UK 1943 1946
Bristol Beaufort Torpedo bomber/trainer UK 1943 1946
Avro Bison Spotter UK 1922 1929
Brewster Bermuda Dive bomber US 1942 1943 5 for evaluation only
Blackburn Blackburn Spotter UK 1923 1931
Bristol Blenheim Trainer UK 1941 1944 ex-RAF
Douglas Boston Medium bomber US 1943 1945 ex-RAF
Blackburn Buccaneer Strike UK 1962 1978
Brewster Buffalo Fighter US 1940 1941 ex-Belgian
English Electric Canberra Trainer/target tug/drone UK 1950s 1992
Vought-Sikorsky Chesapeake Torpedo bomber/trainer US 1941 1944
De Havilland Chipmunk Trainer UK 1965 ? ex-RAF
Curtiss Cleveland Dive bomber US 1940 1940 1 for evaluation only
Vought Corsair Fighter US 1943 1947 Lend-lease
Douglas Dakota Transport US 1944 1946 3 aircraft
Blackburn Dart Torpedo bomber UK 1922 1935 117 aircraft
Douglas Dauntless Dive bomber US 1944 1946 9 evaluated but not used
Eurocopter AS.365N-2 Dauphin 2 Trainer helicopter France 1999 n/a
Boulton Paul Defiant Target tug UK 1943 1946 295 aircraft
De Havilland DH.86 Transport/trainer UK 1940 1945 6 impressed/ex-RAF
De Havilland Dominie Trainer/transport UK 1940 1963 Some impressed
Westland Dragonfly Air-sea rescue helicopter UK 1951 1960 72 aircraft
Airspeed Envoy Transport/trainer UK 1941 1941 1 ex-RAF
Beechcraft Expeditor/Navigator Transport US 1943 1954 Lend-lease
Miles Falcon Six Communications UK 1940 1941 1 impressed
Blackburn Firebrand Torpedo-fighter UK 1944 1956
Fairey Firefly Fighter/night fighter/ASW/trainer UK 1943 1956 1702 aircraft
De Havilland Flamingo Transport UK 1940 1946 2 impressed
Fairey Flycatcher Fighter UK 1923 1934
De Havilland Fox Moth Communications UK 1941 1943 1 impressed
Fairey Fulmar Fighter/night fighter UK 1940 1945 600 aircraft
Fairey Gannet & Gannet AEW.3 ASW/AEW/transport/EW/trainer UK 1954 1979 342 including 44 AEW
Westland Gazelle Trainer/utility helicopter UK 1974 2010 40 aircraft
De Havilland Gipsy Moth Trainer UK 1940 1943 1 impressed
Gloster Gladiator Fighter UK 1938 1945
Grumman Goose Transport US 1942 1946 Lend-lease
British Aerospace Harrier II Strike UK 2006 2011
Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow Transport UK 1942 1943 9 ex-RAF
Hawker Hart/Hart Trainer Trainer UK 1939 1942 8 ex-RAF
North American Harvard Trainer US 1943 1955
Douglas Havoc Medium Bomber US 1941 1943 9 ex-RAF
Hawker Siddeley Hawk Trainer UK 1994 n/a
Grumman Hellcat/Gannet Fighter/night fighter US 1943 1946 1, 182 aircraft
Curtiss Helldiver Dive bomber US 1943 1945 Lend-lease 26 for evaluation
Hawker Henley Target tug UK 1939 1944 7 ex-RAF
De Havilland Hornet Moth Communications UK 1939 1945 1 impressed & 4 from Canada
Vought-Sikorsky Hoverfly I Training/rescue/utility helicopter US 1944 1948? 24 aircraft
Vought-Sikorsky Hoverfly II training/deck landing evaluation/liaison helicopter US 1945 1950s
Hiller HT Trainer/communications US 1963 1975
Lockheed Hudson Transport US 1944 1945 4 ex-RAF
Hawker Hunter Trainer/drone UK ? 1994
Hawker Hurricane Fighter UK 1941 1945
BAe Jetstream Trainer UK 1979 2011 16 ex-RAF
Beechcraft Super King Air Avenger Trainer US 2011 n/a
Vought Kingfisher Reconnaissance US 1942 1943 Lend-lease
Avro Lancaster Heavy bomber UK 1945 1947 3 ex-RAF
De Havilland Leopard Moth ? UK 1940 1946 2 impressed
Lockheed Martin Lightning Fighter US 2023 n/a 809 Naval Air Squadron
Westland Lynx ASW/air-sea rescue/transport helicopter UK 1976 n/a
Westland Lysander Target tug UK 1940 1944 67 ex-RAF
Miles Magister Trainer UK 1937 1945
Miles Martinet Target tug UK 1943 1947
Martin Maryland Medium bomber/target tug US 1940 1944 7 ex-RAF
Miles Master Trainer UK 1940 1948
Westland Merlin ASW/Transport UK 2000 n/a
Gloster Meteor Trainer/target tug UK 1940s 1960s?
North American Mitchell Medium bomber US 1943 1943 1 for evaluation only
Miles Monitor Target tug UK 1945 1955 ex-RAF
De Havilland Mosquito various UK 1944 ?
De Havilland DH.60M Moth Trainer UK 1939 1943 6 impressed/ex-RAF
Gloster Nightjar Fighter UK 1920 1924
Hawker Nimrod Fighter/utility UK 1932 1942
Hawker Osprey Fighter/reconnaissance UK 1931 1940
Airspeed Oxford Trainer UK 1942 1954 ex-RAF
Bellanca Pacemaker Communications US 1939 1940 1 impressed
Parnall Panther Spotter UK 1919 1926
Parnall Peto Submarine-borne reconnaissance UK 1926 1932
Percival Petrel Transport UK 1939 1944 4 impressed/ex-RAF
McDonnell Douglas Phantom Fighter/ground attack US 1968 1978
Parnall Plover Fighter UK 1923 1924 Operational evaluation
Percival Proctor Trainer UK 1939 ?
De Havilland Puss Moth Communications UK 1940 1943 1 impressed
De Havilland Queen Bee Target drone UK 1941 1946 5 examples
Miles Queen Martinet Target drone UK 1945 1946 3 examples
Stinson Reliant Trainer/communications US 1944 1946 Lend-lease
Blackburn Ripon Torpedo bomber/reconnaissance UK 1929 1935
Blackburn Roc Fighter UK 1938 1943
Supermarine Scimitar Fighter/tanker UK 1957 1970
Boulton Paul Sea Balliol Trainer UK 1952 1963
De Havilland Sea Devon Transport UK 1955 1981
Hawker Sea Fury Fighter UK 1947 1962
Gloster Sea Gladiator Fighter/communications UK 1939 1945
British Aerospace Sea Harrier Fighter/reconnaissance/ground attack/trainer UK 1979 2006
Hawker Sea Hawk Fighter/fighter-bomber/ground attack UK 1953 1969
de Havilland Sea Heron Transport UK 1961 1981 Bought second hand
de Havilland Sea Hornet Fighter/night-fighter/reconnaissance UK 1947 1954 198 aircraft
Hawker Sea Hurricane Fighter UK 1941 1944
Westland Sea King ASW/AEW/air-sea rescue/transport UK 1969 n/a
De Havilland Sea Mosquito Strike/target tug UK 1946 1950s
Supermarine Sea Otter Air-sea rescue/reconnaissance/spotting UK 1944 1950
Hunting Sea Prince Trainer/transport UK 1953 1978
de Havilland Sea Vampire Fighter/trainer UK 1948 1968
de Havilland Sea Venom Fighter/electronic countermeasures UK 1954 1961
de Havilland Sea Vixen Fighter UK 1958 1972
Supermarine Seafire Fighter/reconnaissance UK 1942 1954
Fairey Seafox Spotting/reconnaissance UK 1937 1943
Fairey Seal Spotter/reconnaissance UK 1933 1943
Curtiss Seamew Reconnaissance US 1944 1945 Never used operationally
Short Seamew ASW UK 1956 1957 Evaluation only
Blackburn Shark Torpedo bomber/target tug UK 1934 1944
Blackburn Skua Fighter/dive bomber/target tug UK 1938 1941
Douglas Skyraider Airborne Early Warning US 1951 1960
Supermarine Spitfire Fighter UK 1942 1945
Short Sturgeon Target tug UK 1951 1959
Fairey Swordfish Torpedo bomber UK 1936 1946
Grumman Tigercat Fighter US 1944 1945 2 for evaluation only
De Havilland Tiger Moth Trainer/communications UK 1939 1965 113 ex-RAF
Beech Traveller Communications US 1944 1946 Lend-lease
Avro Tutor Trainer UK 1937 1942
Grob G 115 Tutor Trainer Germany 2000s n/a
Hawker Typhoon Fighter/ground attack UK 1943 1943 1 for evaluation only
de Havilland Vampire Fighter/fighter-bomber UK 1948 1950s
Percival Vega Gull Communications UK 1939 1945 7 impressed
Vultee Vengeance Dive bomber/target tug US 1944 1947 Lend-lease
Lockheed Ventura Medium bomber US 1942 1942 1 for evaluation only
Supermarine Walrus Spotter/air-sea rescue/ UK 1936 1946
Westland Walrus Spotter/reconnaissance UK 1921 1925
Westland Wasp ASW UK 1963 1980
Vickers Wellington Trainer/transport UK 1942 1946 Ex-RAF
Westland Wessex ASW/air-sea rescue/transport UK 1961 1983
Sikorsky Whirlwind ASW/transport/air-sea rescue US 1952 1969 MDAP
Westland Whirlwind ASW/air-sea rescue/transport UK 1956 1977
Miles Whitney Straight Communications UK 1940 1943 1 impressed
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Trainer/transport UK 1942 1947
Grumman Widgeon Transport US 1943 1946
AgustaWestland Wildcat Attack UK 2015 n/a 28 ordered
Grumman Wildcat/Martlet Fighter US 1940 1944 992 of various marks Lend-lease
Westland Wyvern Torpedo/strike UK 1953 1958 127 including 10 two-seat trainers
Supermarine Seafang Fighter UK 1946 Evaluation only

Helicopters to support the Royal Marines

Airships and balloons

UAVs and drones

Gliders

Weapons of the Fleet Air Arm

Air-to-air missiles

  • AMRAAM: Medium-range air-to-air missile - Carried by the Sea Harrier.
  • Firestreak: Air-to-air missile - Carried by the Sea Venom and Sea Vixen (retired).
  • Red Top: Air-to-air missile - Carried by the Sea Vixen (retired).
  • Sidewinder: Short-range air-to-air missiles - Carried by the Buccaneer. Phantom, Scimitar and Sea Harrier.
  • Sparrow: Medium-range air-to-air missile - Carried by the Phantom

Air-to-surface missiles

  • AS.11: air-to-surface anti-tank, anti-ship missile. Carried by the Wessex and Wasp helicopter (retired).
  • AS.12: Air-to-surface anti-ship missile. Carried by the Wasp and Wessex helicopters (retired).
  • Bullpup: Air-to-surface missile - Carried by the Scimitar and Sea Vixen (retired).
  • Lightweight Multirole Missile
  • Martel - Carried by the Buccaneer and Sea Harrier.
  • Sea Eagle: Anti-ship missile, carried by the Buccaneer and Sea Harrier.
  • Sea Skua: Anti-ship missile, normally carried by the Lynx.
  • Sea Venom: Anti-ship missile, on order for use on the Wildcat.

Nuclear weapons 1950 to 2000

Unguided rockets

  • SNEB - 68-mm (2.7-inch) air-to-surface rocket. Carried by the Buccaneer, Phantom, Sea Harrier and Sea Vixen.
  • RP-3 - 3-inch (76-mm) air-to-surface rocket. Carried by the Attacker. Firefly, Scimitar, Sea Fury, Sea Hawk, Sea Hurricane, Sea Vixen, Swordfish, Tarpon/Avenger.

Torpedoes

Free fall bombs

See also

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_aircraft_of_the_Fleet_Air_Arm&oldid=998226333"