Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation


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Aircraft of the RAF A - D


Units shown in Bold/Red indicate the first unit to be equipped with the type

Name Manufacturer Role Service Squadrons Notes
184 Short Recce Seaplane ? - 1919 219, 229, 230, 231, 234, 235, 233, 237, 238, 239, 240, 241, 242, 243, 245, 253, 263, 264, 266, 268, 269  
1½ Strutter Sopwith Fighter ? - 1918 37, 78  
IIIC Fairey Recce Seaplane 1919 229  
IIID Fairey General Purpose 1920 - 202, FAA units  
IIIF Fairey General Purpose 1927 - 1935 8, 14, 24, 35, 45, 47, 202, 207  
320 Short Recce Seaplane 1916 - 1918 253, 263,266, 268  
VII SPAD Fighter 1918 19, 30, 63, 72  
86B De Havilland Comms/Radio Trainer 1937 -    
Airacobra Bell Fighter 1941 - 1942 601 Rejected by the RAF
Albemarle Armstrong Whitworth Glider Tug 1943 - 1946 161, 295, 296, 297, 511, 570  
Aldershot Avro Bomber 1924 - 1926 99  
Andover Hawker Siddeley Transport 1966 - 1975 46, 32, 52, 60, 84 Special version was used by Queen's Flight
Andover 3 Hawker Siddeley Radar Calibration 1976 - 115  
Anson Avro General Reconnaissance, Navigation Trainer, Transport 1936 - 1968 24, 31, 48, 58, 116, 138, 161, 206, 217, 220, 224, 233, 269, 275, 276, 278, 280, 281, 320, 321, 437, 500, 502, 527, 608, 612, RAF's first aircraft to feature retractable undercarriage.
Argosy Hawker Siddeley Transport 1962 - 1977 70, 114, 105, 115, 215, 267 115 Sqn used them for Radar Calibration duties
Argus Fairchild Communications 1941 -    
Athena Avro Advanced Trainer 1950 - 1955 RAFFC  
Atlas Armstrong Whitworth Army Co-operation 1927 - 1935 2, 4, 13, 16, 26, 208 Also used as an advanced trainer and communications a/c
Audax Hawker Army Co-operation 1932 - 1941 2, 4, 5, 13, 16, 20, 26, 28, 52, 146, 208, 237, 615,  
Auster I - V British Taylorcraft Air Observation Post 1941 - 194? 651, 652, 653, 654, 655, 657, 656, 658, 659, 660, 661, 663, 664, 665, 666  
Auster  AOP 6 Auster Air Observation Post 1947 - 1957 651, 652, 656, 657, 661, 662, 663, 664, 666 These aircraft were transferred to the AAC on its formation.
Auster  AOP 9 Auster Air Observation Post 1955 - 1957 652, 656, 1900 1901, 1902, 1903, 1906, 1907, 1911, 1912, 1914 Flts These aircraft were transferred to the AAC on its formation.
Avro 504K Avro Trainer 1918 - 1933 CFS, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 FTSs, 24, 600, 601, 602, 603 Single seat conversions served with 33, 75, 76, 77, 90 on Home Defence duties
Avro 504N Avro Trainer 1927 - 1933 CFS, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 FTSs, 24, 600, 601, 602, 603  
Baby Seaplane Sopwith Anti-Submarine ? - 219, 229, 233, 246, 248, 249, 270  
BAe 125 British Aerospace Communications 1971 - Current 32  
BAe 146 British Aerospace VIP Transport 1986 - Current Queen's Flight, 32  
Balliol Boulton-Paul Advanced Trainer 195? - 1956 7 FTS, RAFC, 288, 238 OCU  
Baltimore Martin Light Bomber 1942 - 1946 13, 52, 55, 69, 203, 223, 249, 454, 459, 500, 680  
Basset Beagle Communications 1965 - 1974 26, 32, 207  
Battle Fairey Light Bomber 1937 - 1944 12, 15, 35, 40, 52, 63, 88, 98, 103, 105, 106, 142, 150, 185, 207, 218, 226, 300, 301, 304, 305 Many served in training schools
BE12 Royal Aircraft Factory Home Defence ? - 1918 33, 36, 37, 38, 39, 50, 75, 76, 77, 78, 141  
BE2e Royal Aircraft Factory Corps Recce/Home Defence ?- 1919 30, 31, 33, 37, 38, 39, 50, 75, 76, 77, 78, 114, 142  
Beaufighter Bristol Night-Fighter/Strike Fighter 1940 - 1960 FIU, 5, 17, 22, 25, 27, 29, 34, 39, 42, 45, 46, 47, 68, 84, 89, 96, 108, 125, 141, 143, 144, 153, 176, 177, 211, 217, 219, 227, 235, 236, 248, 252, 254, 255, 256, 272, 287, 307, 404, 406, 409, 410, 455, 456, 459, 488, 489, 515, 577, 600, 603, 604, 695 Also used as a Target Tug after first line service
Beaufort Bristol Torpedo Bomber 1939 - 1946 22, 39, 42, 47, 86, 217, 415,  
Belfast Short Transport 1966 - 1976 53  
Belvedere Westland Transport Helicopter 1961 - 1969 26, 66, 72  
Bermuda Brewster Target tug 1941 - 1945    
Beverley Blackburn Transport 1956 - 1968 30, 34, 47, 53, 84  
Bison Avro Fleet Spotter Recce 1922 - 423 Flt  
Blenheim I Bristol Bomber/Night Fighter 1937 - 1940 8, 11, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30, 34, 39, 44, 45, 55, 57, 60, 61, 62, 64, 68, 82, 84, 90, 92, 101, 104, 107, 108, 110, 113, 114, 139, 141, 144, 145, 203, 211, 219, 222, 223, 229, 234, 235, 236, 242, 245, 248, 600, 601,604 The first RAF aircraft to be equipped with airborne radar.

The Blenheim Society.

 

Blenheim IV Bristol Bomber/Night Fighter 1939 - 1942 8, 11, 13, 14, 15, 18, 21, 34, 35, 39, 40, 45, 53, 55, 57, 59, 60, 82, 84, 86, 88, 90, 101, 104, 105, 107, 108, 110, 113, 114, 139, 143, 162, 203, 211, 218, 226, 235, 236, 244, 248, 252, 254, 272, 404, 500, 600, 608, 614

The Blenheim Society.

 
Blenheim V Bristol Bomber 1942 - 1943 8, 13, 18, 34, 42, 113, 114, 139, 162, 203, 244, 454, 614  

The Blenheim Society.

Bloodhound Bristol/Farranti Surface to Air Missile 1958 - 25, 33, 41, 62, 85, 94, 112, 141, 222, 242, 247, 257, 263, 264, 266  
Bombay Bristol Bomber-transport 1939 - 1944 117, 216, 271  
Boston Douglas Light Bomber 1941 - 1946 13, 18, 23, 55, 88, 107, 114, 223, 226, 342, 418, 605  
Botha Blackburn General Reconnaissance/Torpedo Bomber 1940 - 1944 608 Withdrawn from operations after only 308 sorties and used as trainers
Brigand Bristol Light Attack Bomber 1949 - 1953 8, 45, 84 A trainer version served from 1951 until 1958
Britannia Bristol Transport 1959 - 1976 99, 511  
Buccaneer Hawker Siddeley Strike/Recce 1974 - 199? 12, 15, 16, 208, 216, 237 OCU  
Buckingham Bristol Bomber/Transport 1944 - ? TCDU  
Buckmaster Bristol Advanced Trainer 1945 - 1956    
Buffalo Brewster Fighter 1940 - 1942 60, 67, 71, 146, 243, 453, 488, 21 RAAF, 4 PRU  
Bulldog Bristol Fighter 1929 - 1937 3, 17, 19, 23, 29, 32, 41, 54, 56, 111  
Bulldog Scottish Aviation Trainer 1973 - 2001 1 FTS, CFS, UASs  
Buzzard Martinsyde Fighter 1918 - 1919 95 (not completed)  
C17 Boeing Transport 2001 - Current 99  
Camel Sopwith Fighter 1917 - 1920 3, 28, 43, 44, 45, 46, 50, 51, 54, 61, 65, 66, 70, 73, 75, 78, 80, 87, 112, 143, 150, 151, 152, 155, 187, 188, 189, 198, 201, 203, 204, 208, 209, 213, 220, 222, 225, 233  
Campania Fairey Recce Seaplane 1918 -1919 240, 241, 242  
Canberra 2, 6, 15, & 16 English Electric Bomber 1951 - 1970 6, 9, 10, 12, 15, 18, 21, 27, 32, 35, 40, 44, 45, 50, 51, 57, 59, 61, 73, 76, 90, 98, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 109, 115, 139, 149, 192, 199, 207, 245, 249, 542, 617, The RAF's first jet bomber
Canberra 6 & 8 English Electric Intruder 1955 - 1972 3, 14, 16, 59, 88, 213  
Canberra 3, 7 & 9 English Electric Photo Recce 1952 - 13, 17, 31, 32, 39, 45, 58, 69, 73, 80, 81, 82, 249, 540, 542  
Canberra 4, 11 & 19 English Electric Trainer 1954 -    
Canberra 15 English Electric Radar Calibration 1958 - 98, 100  
Canberra 17 English Electric ECM Trainer 1966 - 360  
Canberra 18 English Electric Target Tug 1970 - 7, 100  
Catalina Consolidated General Reconnaissance 1941 - 1945? 119, 190, 191, 202, 205, 209, 210, 212, 240, 259, 262, 265, 270, 321, 330, 333, 413, 422, 490, 628  

Chinook

Boeing-Vertol Transport Helicopter 1981 - Current 7, 18, 27  
Chipmunk De Havilland Trainer 1950 - 199? UAS's, RFS's, RAFC, EFTS  
Cirrus Moth De Havilland Trainer/Comms ? - 1930 CFS, 24  
Cleveland Curtiss Communications 1940 - 24 Only 5 received
Clive Handley Page Transport 1931 - 1934 Bomber Transport Flight  
Cloud Saro Trainer 1933 - 1936 48  
Comet De Havilland Transport 1956 - 1975 51, 192, 216 51 (192) used it for Electronic recce
Cornell Fairchild Trainer 1943 - 1945    
Coronado Consolidated Transport Flying Boat 1943 - 231  
Cuckoo Sopwith Torpedo Bomber 1918 - 1923 210  
Dakota Douglas Transport 1943 - 1970 21, 24, 31, 48, 52, 62, 70, 76, 78, 96, 110, 117, 147, 187, 194, 204, 209, 215, 216, 233, 238, 243, 267, 271, 353, 357, 435, 436, 437, 510, 512, 525, 575,  
Defiant Boulton-Paul Turret Fighter 1939 - 1942 85, 96, 125, 141, 151, 153, 255, 256, 264, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 307, 409, 410, 456, 515, 667, 691 Used as Target Tug and for ASR duties after withdrawal from front line.
Demon Hawker Fighter 1931 - 1939 6, 23, 25, 29, 41, 64, 65, 74, 600, 601, 604, 607, 608  
Devon De Havilland Communications 1948 - 1984 31, 32, 207  
DH 4 De Havilland Bomber 1917 - 1920 18, 25, 55, 57, 125, 202, 211, 212, 217, 226, 227, 273  
DH 6 De Havilland Anti-Submarine 1918 236, 244, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 258, 272  
DH 9 De Havilland Bomber 1918 - 1920 17, 27, 47, 49, 98, 99, 103, 104, 107, 108, 109, 110, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 132, 137, 144, 202, 206, 211, 212, 218, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 250, 273  
DH9A De Havilland Bomber 1918 - 1931 3, 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 27, 30, 35, 39, 45, 47, 55, 57, 60, 84, 100, 101, 110, 120, 207, 212, 221, 273, 501, 600, 601, 602, 603, 604, 605,  
DH10 Amiens De Havilland Bomber 1918 - 1923 60, 97, 104, 216  
Dolphin Sopwith Fighter 1918 - 1919 19, 23, 79, 87, 90  
Dominie Hawker Siddeley Navigation trainer 1965 - Current 1 ANS, 6 FTS, 55R  
Dominie De Havilland Radio/Navigation Trainer 1939 - ? 24, Radio Schools,  
Don De Havilland Trainer/Comms 1937 - 1939 24, FTSs  
Dragonfly Westland Casevac/Comms Helicopter 1950 - 1956 Casualty Evacuation Flight, 194  

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