RAF Records

Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation

Records set by the RAF

This page gives brief details of international aviation records set by the RAF both intentionally and as a result of operations.

Category Record Date(s) set Pilot/Leader Aircraft

Distance Cairo -Kano return, 5,268 miles 27 Oct 1925 - 19 Nov 1925 Sqn Ldr A Coningham DH9A

Distance Cairo - Cape Town 1 Mar 1926 - 12 Apr 1926 Wg Cdr C W H Pulford Fairey IIID

Distance Plymouth - Singapore 17 Oct 1927 - 28 Feb 1928 Gp Capt H M Cave-Brown-Cave Southampton

Non-stop distance Cranwell - Persian Gulf, 3400 miles, 35 hours 1927 Flt Lt C R Carr/Flt Lt L E M Gillman Horsley

Speed 281.49 mph 1927 Fg Off S N Webster Supermarine S5

Non-stop distance Cranwell - Karachi, 4130 miles Apr 1929 Sqn Ldr A G Jones-Williams/Flt Lt N H Jenkins Fairey Long-Range Monoplane

Speed 328.63 mph 1929 Fg Off H R D Waghorn Supermarine S6

Speed 340.08 mph 1931 Flt Lt J N Boothman Supermarine S6B

Speed 400+ mph 1931 Flt Lt G H Stainforth Supermarine S6B

Non-stop distance Cranwell - Walvis Bay, 5340 miles, 37 hrs 25 min Feb 1933 Sqn Ldr O R Gayford/ Flt Lt G E Nicholetts Fairey Long-Range Monoplane

Altitude 49,967 ft Sep 1936 Sqn Ldr F R D Swain Bristol 138

Altitude 53,937 ft Jun 1937 Flt Lt M J Adams Bristol 138

Non-stop distance (formation) Cranwell - Ismailia, 4,300 miles, 32 hrs 7/8 Jul 1938 Wg Cdr O R Gayford Wellesley

Non-stop distance Ismailia - Darwin, 7,158 miles, 48 hrs 5 Nov 1938 - 7 Nov 1938 Sqn Ldr R Kellett Wellesley

Speed 606.25 mph 7 Nov 1945 Gp Capt H J Wilson Meteor F4

Speed 616.81 mph 1946 Gp Capt E M Donaldson Meteor F4

Distance/Time UK - Cape Town, 6,700 miles,     21 hrs 31 min 1947 Sqn Ldr H B Martin Mosquito

Distance/Time UK - New Zealand, 12,270 miles, 23 hrs 50 min 8 Oct 1953 10 Oct 1953 Flt Lt R L E Burton/Flt Lt D H Gannon Canberra

Distance/Time UK - New Zealand, 12,270 miles, 23 hrs 50 min 8 Oct 1953 10 Oct 1953 Flt Lt R L E Burton/Flt Lt D H Gannon Canberra

Non-stop distance UK - Cape Town, 6.060 miles,     11 hrs 28 min 9 Jul 1959 Wg Cdr M J Beetham Valiant (using Air-to-Air Refuelling)

Non-stop distance Longest jet flight, 7,400 miles,       18 hrs 5 min 2 Mar 1960 Sqn Ldr J Garstin Valiant (using Air-to-Air Refuelling)

Non-stop distance UK - Singapore, 8,110 miles, 25 - 26 May 1960 Sqn Ldr J Garstin Valiant (using Air-to-Air Refuelling)

Non-stop distance Scampton - Sydney, 11,500 miles, 20 hrs 5 min 20-21 Jun 1961 Sqn Ldr M G Beavis Vulcan (using Air-to-Air Refuelling)

Non-stop distance Waddington - Perth, 8,433 nau miles, 17 hrs 15 min 8-9 Jul 1963 Wg Cdr A Griffiths Vulcan (using Air-to-Air Refuelling)

Long Distance Recce Mission Ascension Island - South Georgia, 7000+ miles, 14 hrs 45 min 20 Apr 1982 Sqn Ldr J Elliott Victor B (K) Mk 2

Long Distance Bombing Mission Ascension Island - Port Stanley, 7860 miles 1 May 1982 Flt Lt M Withers Vulcan B Mk 2

Long Distance Recce Mission Ascension Island - Argentinean Coast, 8,300 miles, 19 hrs 5 min 15 May 1982 Wg Cdr D Emmerson Nimrod MR Mk 2

Non-stop distance Brize Norton - Perth, 15 hrs 53 min 8-9 Apr 1987 Wg Cdr J Uprichard VC10K3 ZA147 (using Air-to-Air Refuelling)

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Operations Index

Category	Record	Date(s) set	Pilot/Leader	Aircraft
Distance	Cairo -Kano return, 5,268 miles	27 Oct 1925 - 19 Nov 1925	Sqn Ldr A Coningham	DH9A
Distance	Cairo - Cape Town	1 Mar 1926 - 12 Apr 1926	Wg Cdr C W H Pulford	Fairey IIID
Distance	Plymouth - Singapore	17 Oct 1927 - 28 Feb 1928	Gp Capt H M Cave-Brown-Cave	Southampton
Non-stop distance	Cranwell - Persian Gulf, 3400 miles, 35 hours	1927	Flt Lt C R Carr/Flt Lt L E M Gillman	Horsley
Speed	281.49 mph	1927	Fg Off S N Webster	Supermarine S5
Non-stop distance	Cranwell - Karachi, 4130 miles	Apr 1929	Sqn Ldr A G Jones-Williams/Flt Lt N H Jenkins	Fairey Long-Range Monoplane
Speed	328.63 mph	1929	Fg Off H R D Waghorn	Supermarine S6
Speed	340.08 mph	1931	Flt Lt J N Boothman	Supermarine S6B
Speed	400+ mph	1931	Flt Lt G H Stainforth	Supermarine S6B
Non-stop distance	Cranwell - Walvis Bay, 5340 miles, 37 hrs 25 min	Feb 1933	Sqn Ldr O R Gayford/ Flt Lt G E Nicholetts	Fairey Long-Range Monoplane
Altitude	49,967 ft	Sep 1936	Sqn Ldr F R D Swain	Bristol 138
Altitude	53,937 ft	Jun 1937	Flt Lt M J Adams	Bristol 138
Non-stop distance (formation)	Cranwell - Ismailia, 4,300 miles, 32 hrs	7/8 Jul 1938	Wg Cdr O R Gayford	Wellesley
Non-stop distance	Ismailia - Darwin, 7,158 miles, 48 hrs	5 Nov 1938 - 7 Nov 1938	Sqn Ldr R Kellett	Wellesley
Speed	606.25 mph	7 Nov 1945	Gp Capt H J Wilson	Meteor F4
Speed	616.81 mph	1946	Gp Capt E M Donaldson	Meteor F4
Distance/Time	UK - Cape Town, 6,700 miles, 21 hrs 31 min	1947	Sqn Ldr H B Martin	Mosquito
Distance/Time	UK - New Zealand, 12,270 miles, 23 hrs 50 min	8 Oct 1953 10 Oct 1953	Flt Lt R L E Burton/Flt Lt D H Gannon	Canberra
Distance/Time	UK - New Zealand, 12,270 miles, 23 hrs 50 min	8 Oct 1953 10 Oct 1953	Flt Lt R L E Burton/Flt Lt D H Gannon	Canberra
Non-stop distance	UK - Cape Town, 6.060 miles, 11 hrs 28 min	9 Jul 1959	Wg Cdr M J Beetham	Valiant (using Air-to-Air Refuelling)
Non-stop distance	Longest jet flight, 7,400 miles, 18 hrs 5 min	2 Mar 1960	Sqn Ldr J Garstin	Valiant (using Air-to-Air Refuelling)
Non-stop distance	UK - Singapore, 8,110 miles,	25 - 26 May 1960	Sqn Ldr J Garstin	Valiant (using Air-to-Air Refuelling)
Non-stop distance	Scampton - Sydney, 11,500 miles, 20 hrs 5 min	20-21 Jun 1961	Sqn Ldr M G Beavis	Vulcan (using Air-to-Air Refuelling)
Non-stop distance	Waddington - Perth, 8,433 nau miles, 17 hrs 15 min	8-9 Jul 1963	Wg Cdr A Griffiths	Vulcan (using Air-to-Air Refuelling)
Long Distance Recce Mission	Ascension Island - South Georgia, 7000+ miles, 14 hrs 45 min	20 Apr 1982	Sqn Ldr J Elliott	Victor B (K) Mk 2
Long Distance Bombing Mission	Ascension Island - Port Stanley, 7860 miles	1 May 1982	Flt Lt M Withers	Vulcan B Mk 2
Long Distance Recce Mission	Ascension Island - Argentinean Coast, 8,300 miles, 19 hrs 5 min	15 May 1982	Wg Cdr D Emmerson	Nimrod MR Mk 2
Non-stop distance	Brize Norton - Perth, 15 hrs 53 min	8-9 Apr 1987	Wg Cdr J Uprichard	VC10K3 ZA147 (using Air-to-Air Refuelling)