Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

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Aircraft of the RAF (E - L)

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

 
Name Manufacturer Role Service Squadrons Notes
Elephant Martinsyde Fighter/Bomber ? - 1919 30, 51, 72,  
Expeditor Beech Transport     Mks I & II declared obsolete by AMO N645/47, dated 31 Jul 1947
F 2A Felixstowe General Recce ? - 1923 228, 230, 231, 232, 238, 240, 247, 249, 257, 259, 261, 267  
F 3 Felixstowe General Recce ? - 1921 231, 232, 234, 247, 249, 259, 261, 263, 265, 267, 271,  
F2b (Fighter) Bristol Fighter 1917 - 1932 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 20, 22, 24, 28, 31, 33, 34, 36, 39, 48, 51, 62, 75, 76, 88, 100, 105, 111, 114, 138, 139, 140, 141, 208 Bristol Fighters of No 22 Sqn made the first sorties of the RAF on 1 April 1918.
F5 Felixstowe General Recce 1918 - 1925 230, 231  
Fawn Fairey Bomber 1924 - 1929 11, 12, 100, 503, 602  
FE 2 Royal Aircraft Factory Fighter/Bomber 1916 - 1919 6, 11,12, 16, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 28, 33, 35, 36, 38, 45, 51, 57, 58, 64, 75, 78, 83, 90, 100, 101, 102, 148, 149, 166, 191, 192, 246  
Firefly Seaplane Fairey Training Seaplane 1931 RAF High Speed Flight Used for training
FK 8 Armstrong Whitworth Corps Recce ? - 1919 2, 8, 10, 17, 35, 39, 47, 50, 82, 142, 143  
Flamingo De Havilland Transport 1940 - King's Flight, 24  
Fleetwing Fairey Training Seaplane 1931 RAF High Speed Flight Used for training
Flycatcher Fairey Fleet Fighter     Seaplane version used by RAF High Speed Flight in 1929
Fortress Boeing Bomber/General Reconnaissance 1941 - 1946 59, 90, 206, 214, 223, 220, 251, 519, 521 Used in Electronic counter measures role by Bomber Command.

Mks I, II & IIA declared obsolete by AMO N241/46, dated 14 Mar 1946

Mk III declared obsolete by AMO N494/46, dated 30 May 1946
Fox Fairey Bomber 1926 - 1931 12  
Fury I Hawker Fighter 1931 - 1939 1, 25, 43 First RAF fighter to exceed 200 mph
Fury II Hawker Fighter 1931 - 1939 25, 41, 43, 73, 87, 2 FTS, 3 FTS, 6 FTS, 7 FTS, 8 FTS, 8 FTS, 9 FTS, 10 FTS, RAFC  
Gamecock Gloster Fighter 1926 - 1933 3, 17, 23, 32, 43  
Gauntlet Gloster Fighter 1935 - 1940 6, 17, 19, 32, 33, 46, 54, 56, 65, 66, 74, 79, 80, 111, 112, 151, 213, 504, 601, 602, 615, 616  
Gazelle Westland/Aerspatiale Training Helicopter 1973 - 2 FTS, 32 Some were used for communications
Genet Moth De Havilland Trainer 1927 - CFS  
Gipsy Moth De Havilland Trainer 192? - 193? 24, 601, 604, 5 FTS, CFS, 15 ERFTS, 17 ERFTS  
Gladiator Gloster Fighter 1937 - 1942 3, 6, 25, 33, 54, 56, 65, 72, 73, 79, 80, 85, 87, 94, 112, 127, 152, 247, 261, 263, 267, 274, 521, 602, 603, 605, 607, 615, The RAF's last  biplane fighter
Gloster I Gloster Racing Seaplane 1925 - 1927 RAF High Speed Flight  
Gloster III Gloster Racing Seaplane 1925 - 1927 RAF High Speed Flight  
Gloster IV Gloster Racing Seaplane 1926 - 1927 RAF High Speed Flight  
Gloster VI Gloster Racing Seaplane 1929 - 1931 RAF High Speed Flight Also called the Golden Arrow
Gnat Hawker Siddeley (Folland) Advanced Trainer 1962 - 1978 CFS, 4 FTS  
Goose Grumman Communications 1943 - 24, ATA Mk IA declared obsolete by AMO N107/46, dated 31 Jan 1946
Gordon Fairey General Purpose 1931 - 1939 6, 14, 35, 40, 45, 47, 207,  
Grebe Gloster Fighter 1923 - 1929 19, 25, 29, 32, 56, 111* *1 flight only
Hadrian Waco Transport Glider 1943 - 1945 668, 669, 670, 671, 672, 673 Mks I & II declared obsolete by AMO N616/46, dated 18 Jul 1946
Halifax I - VII Handley Page Bomber/Transport 1940 - 1952 10, 35, 47, 51, 58, 76, 77, 78, 96, 102, 103, 113, 138, 147, 148, 158, 161, 171, 178, 187, 190, 192, 199, 202, 224, 246, 295, 296, 297, 298, 301, 304, 346, 347, 405, 408, 415, 419, 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, 431, 432, 433, 434, 460, 462, 466, 502, 517, 518, 519, 520, 521, 578, 614, 620, 624, 640, 644

Also widely used by Coastal Command and Transport Command

 

B Mks II & V declared obsolete by AMO N142/46, dated 7 Feb 1946

B Mk VII  declared obsolete by AMO N143/46, dated 7 Feb 1946

B Mk III, GR Mk III & Met Mk III  declared obsolete by AMO N696/46, dated 15 Aug 1946

A Mk III  declared obsolete by AMO N39/47, dated 16 Jan 1947

C Mk 6 declared obsolete by AMO N318/49, dated 7 Apr 1949

C Mk 7 declared obsolete by AMO N319/49, dated 7 Apr 1949
Halifax VIII - IX Handley Page Airborne Forces Transport 1945 - 1946 47, 113, 147, 295, 296, 297, 301, 304, 620, 644 C Mk VIII  declared obsolete by AMO N59/47, dated 23 Jan 1947
Hamilcar General Aircraft Transport Glider 1942 - 1945    
Hampden Handley Page Bomber 1938 - 1943 7, 4 , 49, 50, 61, 76, 83, 106, 144, 185, 207, 408, 415, 420, 455, 489, 517, 519, 521  
Hardy Hawker Army Co-operation 1935 - 1941 6, 30, 237  
Harrier GR1 - 3 British Aerospace Ground-Attack Fighter 1969 - ? 1, 3, 4, 20 Also a trainer version (T2/4)
Harrier GR5 - 7 British Aerospace Ground-Attack Fighter 1987 - Current 1, 3. 4, 20, 233 OCU Also a trainer version (T10)
Harrow Handley Page Bomber 1937 - 1945 37, 75, 93, 115, 214, 215, 271, After service as a bomber many were used as transports
Hart Hawker Bomber 1930 - 1939 6, 11, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 33, 39, 40, 57, 60 142, 600, 601, 602, 603, 605, 609, 610, 611  
Hart Trainer Hawker Advanced Trainer 1935 - 1939    
Harvard North American Advanced Trainer 1938 - 1955   Mk I declared obsolete by AMO N1012/46, dated 28 Nov 1946

Mk II declared obsolete by AMO N509/47, dated 19 Jun 1947
Hastings Handley Page Transport 1948 - 1977 24, 36, 47, 48, 53, 70, 99, 114, 116, 202, 297, 511 202 Sqn used the Hastings for Met duties
Havoc Douglas Night Fighter/Intruder 1941 - 1943 23, 85, 93, 530, 531, 532, 533, 534, 535, 536, 537, 538, 539, 418, 605  
Hawk British Aerospace Advanced trainer 1976 - Current 4 FTS, 19, 63, 74, 79, 92, 100, 151, 234, Red Arrows Most squadrons are reserve units within 4 FTS
Hector Hawker Army Co-operation 1937 - 1942 2, 4, 13, 26, 53, 59, 296, 602, 612, 613, 614, 615 Used as glider tugs after first line service
Hendon Fairey Bomber 1936 - 1939 38, 115  
Henley Hawker Target Tug 1938 - 1945 587, 595, 631, 639, 695  
Hercules Lockheed Transport/Tanker 1966 - Current 24, 30, 36, 47, 48, 70, 242 OCU  
Heron De Havilland Communications 1955 - Queen's Flight  
Heyford Handley Page Bomber 1933 - 1941 7, 9, 10, 38, 78, 97, 99, 102, 148, 149, 166  
Hinaidi Handley Page Bomber 1929 - 1935 10, 99, 503  
Hind Hawker Bomber 1935 - 1939 12, 15, 18, 21, 34, 40, 44, 49, 50, 52, 57, 62, 63, 83, 88, 90, 98, 103, 104, 106, 107, 108, 110, 113, 114, 139, 142, 185, 211, 218, 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 602, 603, 605, 609, 610, 611, 613, 616  
Hornet De Havilland Fighter 1946 - 1955 19, 33, 41, 45, 64, 65, 80 PR Mk II declared obsolete by AMO N780/47, dated 18 Sep 1947
Horsa Airspeed Transport Glider 1942 - 1945    
Horsley Hawker Bomber/Torpedo Bomber 1927 - 1935 11, 15, 33, 36, 100, 504  
Hotspur Airspeed Training Glider 1941 - 1945 1 GTS, 2 GTS, 3 GTS, 4 GTS, 5 GTS Mks 1, 2 & 3 declared obsolete by AMO N320/49, dated 7 Apr 1949
Hoverfly I Sikorsky Helicopter 1945 HTF, 529  
Hoverfly II Sikorsky Helicopter 1946 - 657  
Hudson Lockheed Maritime Recce/Transport 1939 - 1945 8, 48, 53, 59, 62, 117, 139, 161, 163, 194, 200, 216, 217, 206, 220, 224, 233, 251, 267, 269, 279, 280, 285, 287, 288, 289, 320, 353, 357, 407, 459, 500, 517, 519, 520, 521, 608 Lockheed XIVA declared obsolete by AMO N448/47, dated 29 May 1947
Humming Bird De Havilland Communications 1924 - 24  
Hunter 1 - 6 Hawker Fighter 1954 - 1962 1, 3, 4, 14, 19, 20, 26, 34, 41, 43, 54, 56, 63, 65, 66, 67, 71, 74, 92, 93, 98, 111, 112, 118, 130, 208, 222, 234, 245, 247, 257, 263  
Hunter 7 Hawker Advanced Trainer 1958 - 198? 229 OCU (63, 79, 145, 234), TWU, 237 OCU, 4 FTS  All Hunter squadrons also used them.
Hunter 9 & 10 Hawker Fighter/Fighter Recce 1960 - 1976 1, 2, 4, 8, 20, 28, 43, 45, 54, 58, 62, 66, 79, 208, 234, 1417 Flt  
Hurricane Hawker Fighter 1937 - 1947 1, 3, 5, 6, 11, 17, 20, 28, 30, 32, 33, 34, 42, 43, 46, 56, 60, 63, 67, 71, 73, 74, 79, 80, 81, 85, 87, 94, 96, 111, 113, 116, 121, 123, 126, 127, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 145, 146, 151, 164, 174, 175, 176, 182, 184, 185, 186, 208, 213, 225, 229, 232, 237, 238, 239, 241, 242, 245, 247, 249, 250, 253, 255, 257, 258, 260, 261, 263, 273, 274, 285, 286, 287, 288, 289, 290, 302, 303, 310, 306, 308, 309, 312, 315, 316, 317, 318, 331, 335, 336, 351, 401, 402, 417, 438, 439, 440, 451, 486, 501, 504, 516, 521, 527, 567, 577, 587, 595, 601, 607, 615, 631, 639, 667, 679, 680, 681, 691, 695 First RAF fighter to exceed 300 mph

Hurricane Website

Mks IIC & IV declared obsolete by AMO N427/47, dated 22 May 1947
Hydrabad Handley Page Bomber 1925 - 1934 10, 99, 502, 503  
Invader I Douglas       Declared obsolete by AMO N108/46, dated 31 Jan 1946
Iris Blackburn General Reconnaissance 1930 - 1934 209 Flying boat
Jaguar Sepecat Tactical Support 1973 - Current 2, 6, 14, 17, 20, 31, 41, 54, 226 OCU  
Javelin Gloster All Weather Fighter 1956 - 1968 3, 5, 11, 23, 25, 29, 33, 41, 46, 60, 64, 72, 85, 87, 89, 96, 141, 151  
Jet Provost 1 Hunting Percival Trainer 1955 - 2 FTS, CFS  
Jet Provost 3, 4 & 5 BAC (Hunting) Trainer 1959 - 199? 1 FTS, 2 FTS, 3 FTS, 6 FTS  
Jetstream Scottish Aviation Advanced Trainer 1973 - Current 6 FTS (METS), 45 R  
Kangaroo Blackburn Anti-Submarine 1918 - 1919 246  
Kestrel Hawker Siddeley Fighter 1964 - 1965 Kestral Evaluation Squadron Used to prove the concept which lead to the Harrier
Kirby Cadet Slingsby Training Glider      
Kittyhawk Curtiss Fighter 1942 - 1945 94, 112, 250, 260, 450 Mk I, IA, II, III & IV declared obsolete by AMO N109/46, dated 31 Jan 1946
Lancaster Avro Bomber 1941 - 1954 7, 9, 12, 15, 18, 35, 37, 38, 40, 44, 49, 50, 57, 61, 70, 75, 82, 83, 90, 97, 100, 101, 103, 104, 106, 115, 120, 138, 148, 149, 150, 153, 156, 160, 166, 170, 178, 179, 186, 189, 195, 203, 207, 210, 224, 279, 214, 218, 227, 300, 405, 408, 409, 419, 420, 424, 425, 426, 427, 428, 429, 431, 432, 433, 434, 460, 463, 467, 514, 541, 550, 576, 582, 617, 619, 621, 622, 625, 626, 630, 635, 683 Used for General Reconnaissance and Photo Reconnaissance, post-war.

Mk X declared obsolete by AMO N60/47, dated 16 Jan 1947
Lancastrian Avro Transport 1946 - 1947 24, 231, 232 Mk IV declared obsolete by AMO N302/47, dated 17 Apr 1947

C Mk 2 declared obsolete by AMO N1203/49, dated 24 Nov 1949
Lerwick Saro General Recce 1939 - 1942 209, 402  
Liberator Consolidated General Reconnaissance/Bomber/Transport 1941 - 1947 8, 37, 40, 53, 59, 70, 86, 99, 102, 104, 108, 120, 148, 159, 160, 178, 200, 203, 206, 215, 220, 223, 224, 231, 232, 246, 301, 511, 547, 614

B Mks III, IV, VI & VIII declared obsolete by AMO N514/46, dated 6 Jun 1946

GR Mks III, V & VI declared obsolete by AMO N514/46, dated 6 Jun 1946

C Mk IX declared obsolete by AMO N514/46, dated 6 Jun 1946

C Mks IV, V, VI & VIII declared obsolete by AMO N806/46, dated 19 Sep 1946

Mks I & II declared obsolete by AMO N375/47, dated 8 May 1947

C Mk VII declared obsolete by AMO N376/47, dated 8 May 1947

GR Mk VIII declared obsolete by AMO N399/47, dated 15 May 1947
Lightning BAC (English Electric) Interceptor 1960 - 198? 5, 11, 19, 23, 29, 56, 74, 92, 111  
Lincoln Avro Bomber 1945 - 1963 7, 9, 12, 15, 35, 44, 49, 50, 57, 58, 61, 75, 83, 90, 97, 100, 101, 115,116,  138, 145, 149, 151, 192, 199, 207, 214, 527, 617, B Mk 1 declared obsolete by AMO N129/49, dated 10 Feb 1949
Lodestar Lockheed Transport 1942 - 1944 162, 173 Mks I, IA & II declared obsolete by AMO N649/47, dated 31 Jul 1947
London Saro General Recce 1936 - 1940 201, 202, 204, 240  
Long Range Monoplane Fairey Experimental 1928 - 1933    
Lysander Westland Army Co-operation 1938 - 1946 2, 4, 6, 13, 16, 20, 26, 28, 116, 138, 161, 208, 225, 231, 237, 239, 241, 268, 275, 276, 277, 278, 285, 287, 288, 289, 309, 357, 400, 414, 598, 613, 614, Flts - 1403, 1433, 1419 Heavily used in the ASR role and for special duties, droppings agents behind enemy lines

Mk III (SD & TT) and Mk IIIA (SD & TT) declared obsolete by AMO N110/46, dated 31 Jan 1946

This entry was last updated on 05/04/26©

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