Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

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Aircraft of the RAF (M - T)

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

 
Name Manufacturer Role Service Squadrons Notes
M1C Monoplane Bristol Fighter ? - 1919 72, 150  
Magister Miles Trainer 1937 CFS, EFTSs - 3, 4, 8, 11, 15, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 39, 40, 44 Mk 1 declared obsolete by AMO N1244/46, dated 8 Dec 1949
Manchester Avro Bomber 1940 - 1942 49, 50, 61, 83, 97, 106, 207, 408, 460 This aircraft was a failure but it lead to the development of the Lancaster
Marathan Handley Page Navigation Trainer 1953 - 1958 ANS, 1 ANS, 2 ANS  
Marauder Martin Medium Bomber 1942 - 1946 14, 39 Mks IA, II & III declared obsolete by AMO N496/46, dated 30 May 1946
Mariner Martin General Recce 1943 524 Mk I & II declared obsolete by AMO N495/46, dated 30 May 1946
Martinet Miles Target Tug 1942 - 269, 285, 286, 287, 289, 290, 291, 567, 587, 595, 598, 631, 679, 691. 695  
Maryland Martin Recce-Bomber 1940 - 1942 22, 39, 69, 203, 223 OTU, 431 Flt  
Master Miles Advanced Trainer 1939 - 1950    
Mentor Miles Trainer/Comms 1938 - 24  
Merlin Westland/Augusta Transport Helicopter 2001 - Current 28  
Messenger Miles Communications      
Meteor I - IV Gloster Fighter 1944 - 1, 41, 43, 56, 63, 66, 74, 91, 92, 124, 222, 234, 257, 263, 266, 500, 600, 611, 615, 616 Mk I declared obsolete by AMO N489/47, dated 12 Jun 1947
Meteor 7 Gloster Trainer 1949 - 1957 AFS's  
Meteor 8 Gloster Fighter 1950 - 1977 1, 19, 34, 41, 43, 54, 56, 63, 64, 65, 66, 72, 74, 92, 111, 222, 245, 247, 257, 263, 500, 504, 600, 601, 604, 609, 610, 611, 615, 616 After front line service many were used as target tugs
Meteor 9 & 10 Gloster Fighter/Photo Recce 1950 - 1961 2, 13, 79, 81, 208, 541  
Meteor NF 11 - 14 Armstrong Whitworth Night Fighter 1951 - 1968 25, 29, 33, 46, 64, 72, 85, 125, 151, 152, 153, 264  
Mitchell North American Light Bomber 1942 - 1944 98, 180, 226, 305, 320, 342, 681, 684, 3 PRU Mk II & III Declared obsolete by AMO N68/46, dated 17 Jan 1946
Mohawk Curtiss Fighter 1940 - 1944 5, 146, 155,  
Mosquito I, IV, VIII, IX, XVI, PR32, PR34 & PR35 De Havilland Photo Reconnaissance 1941 - 1955 4, 13, 58, 81, 140, 540, 544, 680, 684, PDU, 1 PRU PR Mk 32 declared obsolete by AMO N40/47, dated 16 Jan 1947

PR Mk XVI declared obsolete by AMO N377/47, dated 8 May 1947
Mosquito

III, VI, XIII, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XXX, NF36, NF38

 De Havilland Fighter/ Fighter Bomber 1942 - 1951 4, 11, 14, 18, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 36, 39, 45, 47, 55, 68, 82, 84, 85, 89, 96, 107, 110, 125, 141, 143, 151, 157, 169, 176, 219, 235, 239, 248, 249, 254, 255, 256, 264, 268, 305, 307, 333, 334, 404, 406, 409, 410, 418, 456, 464, 487, 488, 600, 604, 605, 608, 609, 613, 616,

NF Mk XIII declared obsolete by AMO N144/46, dated 7 Feb 1946 

FB Mk XVIII declared obsolete by AMO N221/46, dated 7 Mar 1946

FB Mk 26 declared obsolete by AMO N490/47, dated 12 Jun 1947
Mosquito IV, IX, XVI, XX, XXV & B35

 

 De Havilland Bomber 1941 - 1953 14, 55, 69, 98, 105, 109, 128, 139, 142, 162, 163, 180, 192, 249, 502, 571, 578, 608, 613, 618, 627, 692, 693

B Mk IV, B Mk IX declared obsolete by AMO N144/46, dated 7 Feb 1946

B Mk XX declared obsolete by AMO N735/46, dated 29 Aug 1946

B Mk 25 declared obsolete by AMO N490/47, dated 12 Jun 1947

B Mk 16 declared obsolete by AMO N343/49, dated 14 Apr 1949
Mosquito III, T29 De Havilland Trainer     T Mk 29 declared obsolete by AMO N378/47, dated 8 May 1947
Mustang       I & II North American Fighter Recce 1942 - 2, 4, 16, 26, 63, 168, 169, 170, 171, 225, 231, 239, 241, 268, 309, 400, 414, 430, 516, 613  
Mustang    III & IV North American Fighter Bomber 1943 - 1947 19, 64, 65, 112, 118, 122, 126, 129, 154, 165, 213, 234, 249, 250, 260, 303, 306, 309, 315, 316, 441, 442, 611 Mks III & IV declared obsolete by AMO N429/47, dated 22 May 1947
N3P-B Northrop General Recce 1941 - 1942 330  
Neptune Lockheed Maritime Recce 1952 - 1957 36, 203, 210, 217 4 operated in the AEW role with Fighter Command
Nieuport Scout Nieuport Fighter 1916 - 1918 111, Various models used - 17, 23, 24, 27
Nighthawk Miles Trainer/Comms   24  
Nighthawk Nieuport Fighter 1923 - 1, 8 These squadrons only used small trial batches
Nightjar Nieuport Fighter 1923 203  
Nimrod Hawker Siddeley Maritime Recce 1969 - Current 42, 51, 120, 201, 203, 206, 236 OCU 51 Sqn operate the R1 in the ECM role
O/400 Handley Page Bomber ? - 1921 58, 97, 115, 207, 214, 215, 216  
Overstrand Boulton-Paul Bomber 1935 - 1940 101  
Oxford Airspeed Advanced Trainer 1937 - 1954   Mk V declared obsolete by AMO N650/47, dated 31 Jul 1947
Panther Parnall Fighter Recce 1920 - 205, 441 Flt  
Pembroke Hunting Percival Communications 1954 - 1988 21, 32, 60, 70, 81, 152, 207, 267  
Perth Blackburn General Reconnaissance 1934 - 1936 209  
Petrel   Communications 1939 - 24  
Phantom McDonnell Fighter 1968 - 199? 2, 6, 14, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 41, 43, 54, 56, 64R, 92, 111, 228 OCU  
Pioneer Scottish Aviation Transport/Comms 1954 - 1970 20, 78, 209, 215, 230, 267  
Prentice Percival Trainer 1948 - 1956+   Used for pilot training until 1953, but used for signaller training after that.
Proctor Percival Trainer/Comms 1940 - 1955   Mks I & II declared obsolete by AMO N669/47, dated 7 Aug 1947
Provost Hunting Percival Trainer 1953 - 1969 CFS, RAFC, 1 FTS, 2 FTS, 3 FTS, 4 FTS, 6 FTS  
Puma Westland/ Aerspatiale Transport Helicopter 1971 - Current 33, 230, 1563 Flt  
Queen Bee De Havilland Radio Controlled target 1935 - 1947   Remote control version of Tiger Moth

Declared obsolete by AMO N430/47, dated 22 May 1947
Queen Martinet Miles       Declared obsolete by AMO N6/47, dated 9 Jan 1947
Rangoon Short General Recce 1931 - 1936 203, 210  
RE 8 Royal Aircraft Factory Corps Recce 1916 - 1920 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 30, 34, 42, 52, 53, 59, 63, 105, 106, 113, 208  
Reliant Stinson       Declared obsolete by AMO N432/47, dated 22 May 1947
Rota Avro Army Co-operation 1934 - 1945 529, 1448 Flt, Sch of AC  
S5 Supermarine Racing Seaplane 1927 RAF High Speed Flight Competed in 1927 Schneider Trophy
S6/S6B Supermarine Racing Seaplane 1929 - 1931 RAF High Speed Flight S6 - Competed in 1929 Schneider Trophy, S6B in 1931
Sabre North American Fighter 1953 - 1955 3, 4, 20, 26, 66, 67, 72, 92, 93, 112, 130, 234  
Scapa Supermarine General Recce 1935 - 1938 202, 204, 228, 240  
Scout Bristol Home Defence 1918 36  
SE 5A Royal Aircraft Factory Fighter 1917 - 1920 1, 24, 29, 32, 37, 39, 40, 41, 50, 56, 60, 61, 64, 72, 74, 84, 85, 92, 93, 94, 111, 143, 145, 150  
Sea King Westland SAR Helicopter 1978 - Current 22, 202, 78  
Sea Otter Supermarine Air Sea Rescue 1944 - 1945 278, 281, 282, Flts - 1347, 1348, 1349, 1350, 1351, 1352  
Seaford Short General Recce 1946 201 (trials only)  
Sedburgh Slingsby Training Glider      
Sentinel Vultee-Stinson Casevac 1945 194 Declared obsolete by AMO N449/47, dated 29 May 1947
Sentry Boeing Airborne Early Warning 1991 - Current 8, 23 Purchased following the failure of the Nimrod AEW project
Shackleton AEW 2 Avro Airborne Early Warning 1972 - 199? 8  
Shackleton MR 1-3 Avro Maritime Reconnaissance 1951 - 1972 37, 38, 42, 120, 203, 204, 205, 206, 210, 220, 224, 228, 240, 269  
Sidestrand Boulton-Paul Bomber 1929 - 1935 101  
Singapore III Short General Recce 1935 - 1941 203, 205, 209, 210, 228, 230, 240,  
Sioux Bell Training Helicopter 1965 - ? CFS, 2 FTS  
Siskin III Armstrong Whitworth Fighter 1924 - 1927 41, 111  
Siskin IIIA Armstrong Whitworth Fighter 1926 - 1932 1, 17, 19, 25, 29, 32, 41, 43, 54, 56, 111  
Skeeter Saro Training Helicopter ? - 1964 CFS  
Skymaster Douglas Transport 1944 - 232, 246 Declared obsolete by AMO N431/47, dated 22 May 1947 
Snipe Sopwith Fighter 1918 - 1926 1, 3, 17, 19, 23, 25, 29, 32, 37, 41, 43, 56, 70, 78, 80, 111, 112, 143, 201, 208, Used by training schools after this date
Southampton Supermarine General Recce 1925 - 1936 201, 203, 204, 205, 210, 480 Flt  
Spitfire I, II, IV, V, VI, VIII, VIII, IX XI, XVI (Merlin) Supermarine Fighter 1938 - 1951 1, 2, 4, 5, 16, 17, 19, 20, 26, 28, 32, 33, 41, 43, 54, 56, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 71, 72, 73, 74, 80, 81, 87, 91, 92, 93, 94, 111, 118, 121, 122, 123, 124, 126, 127, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 136, 140, 145, 152, 154, 155, 164, 165, 167, 185, 208, 212, 222, 225, 229, 232, 234, 237, 241, 242, 243, 249, 253, 266, 302, 303, 306, 308, 310, 312, 313, 315, 316, 317, 318, 322, 329, 331, 332, 340, 341, 345, 349, 350, 400, 401,402, 403, 411, 412, 414, 416, 417, 421, 441, 442, 443, 451, 452, 453, 457, 485, 501, 504, 521, 541, 542, 543, 544, 548, 595, 601, 602, 603, 607, 609, 610, 611, 612, 614, 615, 616,  680, 681, 682, 683, 1435 RAF's first stressed skin aircraft

F Mk VII & HF Mk VII declared obsolete by AMO N41/47, dated 16 Jan 1947

F Mk VIII, HF Mk VIII & LF Mk VIII declared obsolete by AMO N670/47, dated 7 Aug 1947

F Mk 9, H Mk 9 & LF Mk 9 declared obsolete by AMO N193/49, dated 3 Mar 1949
Spitfire XII, XIV, F/FR18, PR19, F21, F22, F24 (Griffon) Supermarine Fighter 1943 - 1954 1, 2, 11, 17, 20, 26, 28, 32, 41, 60, 73, 81, 91, 122, 130, 132, 152, 155, 208, 268, 322, 350, 401, 402, 414, 430, 502, 541, 542, 600, 602, 603, 607, 608, 610, 611, 612, 613, 614, 615, 682  Mk XII declared obsolete by AMO N145/46, dated 7 Feb 1946
Stirling I - III Short Heavy Bomber 1940 - 1945 7, 15, 75, 90, 138, 148, 149, 161, 171, 190, 196, 199, 214, 218, 295, 299, 513, 570, 620, 622, 623, 624  
Stirling IV - V Short Transport 1945 - 1946 46, 51, 158, 196, 242, 299 Mk IV & V declared obsolete by AMO N617/46, dated 18 Jul 1946
Stranraer Supermarine General Recce 1937 - 1941 201, 209, 228, 240  
Sunderland Short General Recce 1938 - 1959 88, 95, 119, 201, 202, 204, 205, 209, 210, 228, 230 240, 246, 330, 343, 422, 423, 461, 490 Mk III declared obsolete by AMO N78/47, dated 30 Jan 1947 
Swift 1 - 4 Supermarine Fighter 1954 - 1955 2 (2 a/c), 56, 79 (2 a/c)  
Swift 5 Supermarine Fighter Recce 1956 - 1961 2, 79  
Swift 7 Supermarine Fighter 1957 - 1958 No 1 GWDS Used for guided missile trials
Sycamore Bristol SAR Helicopter 1952 - 1972 32, 103, 110, 118, 194, 225, 228, 275, 284 First British designed helicopter to serve in the RAF
T 8W Fokker General Recce 1940 320 Brought to Britain by their Dutch crews after the invasion of Holland
Tempest II Hawker Fighter-Bomber 1945 - 1951 5, 16, 20, 26, 30, 33, 54, 152, 183, 247,  
Tempest V & VI Hawker Fighter-Bomber 1944 - 1949 3, 6, 8, 33, 39, 56, 80, 174, 213, 222, 249, 274, 287, 349, 486, 501 Used as a target tug until 1955
Thor Douglas Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile 1958 - 1963    
Thunderbolt Republic Fighter Bomber 1944 - 1946 5, 30, 34, 42, 60, 79, 81, 113, 123, 131, 134, 135, 146, 258, 261, 615 Mks I & II declared obsolete by AMO N433/47, dated 22 May 1947
Tiger Moth De Havilland Trainer 1932 - 1951    
Tomahawk Curtiss Tactical Recce Fighter 1941 - 1943 2, 4, 16, 26, 112, 168, 171, 208, 231, 234, 239, 241, 250, 260, 268, 400, 403, 414, 430, 613  
Tomtit Hawker Trainer 1929 - 1935 24, 3 FTS, CFS  
Tornado 

1 & 4

 Panavia Tactical Strike 1980 - Current 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 27, 31, 45R, 617, TTTE, TWCU  
Tornado

2 & 3

 Panavia Fighter 1987 - Current 5, 11, 25, 29, 43, 65R, 111, 229 OCU  
Traveller Beech Communications     Declared obsolete by AMO N469/47, dated 5 Jun 1947
Tristar Lockheed Transport/Tanker 1983 - Current 216  
Tucano Short Tranier 1988 - Current 1 FTS, 7 FTS, CFS  
Tutor Avro Trainer 1933 - 1939   Declared obsolete by AMO N837/47, dated 9 Oct 1947
Twin Pioneer Scottish Aviation Transport 1958 - 1968 21, 78, 152, 209, 230  
Typhoon Hawker Fighter-Bomber 1941 - 1945? 1, 3, 4, 56, 137, 164, 168, 174, 175, 181, 182, 183, 184, 186, 193, 195, 197, 198, 245, 247, 257, 263, 268, 266, 438, 439, 440, 486, 609, Mks IA, IB & FR IB declared obsolete by AMO N961/46, dated 14 Nov 1946 and N200/47 dated 6 Mar 1947s

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

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