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List of aircraft of the United Kingdom in World War II facts for kids

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Here is a list of aircraft used by the British Royal Air Force (RAF), Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm (FAA), Army Air Corps (AAC) and British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) during the Second World War.

Fighters and fighter-bombers

The Royal Air Force in Britain, April 1941 TR139
Supermarine Spitfire Mk.II
The Royal Air Force in Malta, June 1943 TR1075 (cropped)
de Havilland Mosquito NF.II night fighter
Hurricane IIC 87 Sqn RAF in flight 1942
Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc night fighter

Torpedo bombers, dive bombers and army cooperation

A Fairey Swordfish in Flight TR1138
Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber
  • Avro Rota (RAF) Army cooperation autogyro
  • Blackburn Skua (FAA) naval fighter/dive bomber
  • Fairey Albacore (RAF, FAA) torpedo/dive bomber
  • Fairey Barracuda (FAA) torpedo/dive bomber
  • Fairey Swordfish (FAA) torpedo bomber
  • Grumman Tarpon/Avenger (FAA) torpedo bomber
  • Hawker Audax (RAF) Army cooperation biplane
  • Hawker Hardy (RAF) General purpose biplane
  • Hawker Hector (RAF) Army cooperation biplane
  • Hawker Hind (RAF) light bomber
  • North American Mustang (RAF) tactical reconnaissance and ground-attack under RAF Army Cooperation Command
  • Vickers Vildebeest (RAF) torpedo bomber, retired 1942
  • Westland Lysander (RAF) Army cooperation
  • Westland Wapiti (RAF) general purpose biplane used in India until 1940

Level bombers

Handley Page Hampden in the air
Handley Page Hampden
The Royal Air Force in Britain, 29 September 1942 TR197 (cropped)
Formation of Avro Lancaster Mk.Is
  • Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle (RAF)
  • Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (RAF)
  • Avro Manchester (RAF)
  • Avro Lancaster (RAF)
  • Avro Lincoln (RAF)
  • Boeing Fortress (RAF)
  • Boulton Paul Overstrand (RAF) withdrawn from operational service in late 1939
  • Bristol Beaufort (RAF, FAA)
  • Bristol Blenheim/Bisley (RAF)
  • Bristol Bombay (RAF) bomber-transport
  • Douglas Boston (RAF)
  • Fairey Battle (RAF)
  • Fairey Gordon (RAF)
  • Handley Page Halifax (RAF)
  • Handley Page Hampden/Hereford (RAF)
  • Lockheed Hudson (RAF)
  • Lockheed Ventura (RAF)
  • Martin Maryland (RAF, FAA)
  • Martin Marauder (RAF)
  • Martin Baltimore (RAF, FAA)
  • North American Mitchell (RAF, FAA)
  • Short Stirling (RAF)
  • Vickers Valentia (RAF) bomber-transport
  • Vickers Vincent (RAF) general purpose
  • Vickers Warwick (RAF) prototypes only, most used for maritime reconnaissance and air-sea rescue
  • Vickers Wellesley (RAF)
  • Vickers Wellington (RAF)

Maritime patrol and coastal reconnaissance

Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Short S.25 Sunderland CH21574 (cropped)
Coastal Command Short Sunderland
Consolidated Liberator GR Mk.VI - The Battle of the Atlantic 1939-1945 CA122 (cropped)
Coastal Command Consolidated Liberator, the type that closed the Mid-Atlantic gap
  • Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (RAF)
  • Avro Anson (RAF, FAA)
  • Boeing Fortress (RAF)
  • Blackburn Botha (RAF)
  • Bristol Beaufort (RAF, FAA)
  • Consolidated Catalina (RAF)
  • Consolidated Liberator (RAF)
  • Fairey Seal (RAF, FAA) obsolete by 1943
  • Fairey Seafox (FAA) floatplane
  • Fokker T.VIII (RAF) 1940, ex-Dutch floatplane
  • Handley Page Hampden (RAF)
  • Lockheed Hudson (RAF)
  • Lockheed Ventura (RAF)
  • Martin Maryland (RAF)
  • Saro London (RAF) retired 1941
  • Saro Lerwick (RAF) retired 1942
  • Short Empire (RAF) two aircraft
  • Short Seaford (RAF) 1945, after VE Day
  • Short Singapore (RAF) retired 1941
  • Short Sunderland (RAF)
  • Supermarine Walrus (FAA, RAF) for air-sea rescue
  • Supermarine Sea Otter (RAF and FAA) air-sea rescue
  • Supermarine Stranraer (RAF) retired 1942
  • Vickers Warwick (RAF)
  • Vickers Wellington (RAF)
  • Vought Kingfisher (FAA)
  • Westland Lysander (RAF)

Photo reconnaissance

De Havilland Mosquito PR Mk XVI of No. 544 Squadron RAF based at Benson, Oxfordshire, December 1944. CH14259 (cropped)
RAF 544 Squadron de Havilland Mosquito PR.XVI

Trainers and target tugs

Avro Anson c. 1940 (cropped)
Avro Anson trainer
American Aircraft in RAF Service 1939-1945- North American Na-16 and Na-66 Harvard. CH606 (cropped)
North American Harvard Mk.I
Miles M.27 Master MkIII W8667, No.5 SFTS. IWM-COL198
Miles Master trainer
  • Airspeed Oxford (RAF) bomber trainer
  • Avro 626 (RAF)
  • Avro Anson (RAF, FAA) multi-engine navigation and bomber crew trainer
  • Avro Tutor (RAF, FAA)
  • Blackburn B-2 (RAF) to 1942, most used by civilian training schools
  • Blackburn Botha (RAF) RAF target tug, retired 1944
  • Blackburn Shark (FAA) after withdrawn from use as torpedo bomber
  • Boulton Paul Defiant (RAF) gunnery trainer from 1942 to 1945
  • Boulton Paul Overstrand (RAF) obsolete bomber used as gunnery trainer to 1941
  • Cierva C.30 (RAF) Army cooperation training
  • Curtiss Cleveland (RAF) ground instructional training
  • de Havilland Tiger Moth (RAF, FAA) primary trainer
  • de Havilland Dominie (RAF) radio trainer
  • de Havilland Don (RAF) ground instructional training
  • Fairey III.F (FAA) obsolete bomber used as target tug until 1941
  • Fairey Gordon (RAF) obsolete bomber used as trainer and target tug
  • Fairey Seal (RAF) obsolete bomber used as trainer and target tug until 1942
  • General Aircraft Cygnet (RAF) tricycle undercarriage trainer
  • General Aircraft Owlet (RAF) tricycle undercarriage trainer
  • Handley Page Heyford (RAF) obsolete bomber used as trainer to 1941
  • Hawker Demon (RAF) obsolete fighter used as trainer
  • Hawker Hart (RAF) obsolete bomber used as trainer and target tug
  • Hawker Henley (RAF) target tug
  • Hawker Osprey (FAA) obsolete fighter used as trainer
  • Miles Magister (RAF) primary trainer
  • Miles Martinet (RAF)
  • Miles Master (RAF) target tug
  • North American Harvard (RAF, FAA) advanced pilot trainer
  • Percival Proctor (RAF, FAA) radio trainer
  • Sikorsky Hoverfly (RAF) helicopter
  • Vickers Wellington (RAF) bomber trainer
  • Westland Lysander (RAF) target tug
  • Westland Wallace (RAF) obsolete bomber used as target tug after withdrawn from general use, to 1943

Transport and communications

Avro York
Avro York - LV633 Ascalon, Churchill's personal aircraft.
HP Harrow ExCC
No. 115 Squadron RAF Handley Page Harrow transport
Model name Introduction Retired Built Operator
Airspeed Envoy 1934 1952 52 RAF
Airspeed Courier 1933 1947 16 RAF
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle 1940 1945 602 RAF
Armstrong Whitworth Ensign 1938 1946 14 BOAC
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley 1937 1945 1814 RAF
Avro Lancastrian 1945 1960 91 RAF, BOAC
Avro York 1944 1964 259 RAF
Beechcraft Expeditor 1937 unk. 9000 RAF, FAA
Boeing Clipper 1939 1946 3 BOAC
Bristol Bombay 1939 1944 51 RAF
Bristol Buckingham 1943 1945 119 RAF
Consolidated PB2Y Coronado 1937 1946 10 RAF
Consolidated Liberator 1943 1945 200 RAF
de Havilland Albatross 1938 1943 7 Imperial Airways, BOAC, RAF
de Havilland Express 1934 1941 62 RAF, FAA
de Havilland Dragon Rapide 1934 1958 731 RAF, FAA
de Havilland Dragonfly 1936 1945 67 RAF
de Havilland Flamingo 1939 1950 14 RAF, FAA, BOAC
de Havilland Hornet Moth 1934 unk. 164 RAF
de Havilland Leopard Moth 1933 unk. 133 RAF
de Havilland Mosquito 1941 1963 7781 BOAC
de Havilland Moth Minor 1937 unk. 140 RAF, FAA
de Havilland Puss Moth 1930 unk. 140 RAF
Douglas Dakota 1942 unk. 1900+ RAF, BOAC
Douglas Skymaster 1942 1975 22 RAF
Fairchild Argus 1932 1948 831 RAF
Foster Wikner Warferry 1936 unk. 10 RAF
Grumman G-21 Goose 1935 unk. 49 RAF, FAA
Grumman Gosling 1940 unk. 15 RAF, FAA
Handley Page Halifax 1940 1961 6176 RAF
Handley Page H.P.42 1931 1940 4 RAF
Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow 1937 1945 100 RAF
Hawker Hardy 1934 1941 8 RAF
Heston Phoenix 1936 1952 6 RAF
Percival Petrel 1938 1947 27 RAF
Percival Proctor 1939 1955 1147 RAF
Percival Vega Gull 1935 1945 90 RAF
Lockheed Lodestar 1940 unk. 625 RAF, BOAC
Messerschmitt Aldon 1939 1950s 4 RAF
Miles Mentor 1938 1950 45 RAF
Miles Mercury 1941 1946 6 RAF
Miles Messenger 1942 unk. 21 RAF
Short C-Class Empire 1939 RAF, BOAC
Short Hythe 1942 1946 29 BOAC
Short S.26 G-Class Empire 1939 1947 3 RAF, BOAC
Short Stirling 1941 1946 2,371 RAF
Short Scylla 1934 1940 2 BOAC
Sikorsky Hoverfly 1945 1946 52 RAF
Stinson Reliant 1937 1943 500 RAF, FAA
Stinson L-5 Sentinel 1942 1945 100 RAF
Stinson L-1 Vigilant 1941 unk. 30-71 RAF, FAA
Taylorcraft Auster 1942 1965 1630 RAF
Vickers Type 264 Valentia 1934 1944 82 RAF
Vickers Warwick 1939 1945 842 RAF
Westland Lysander 1938 1946 1,786 RAF

Experimental and other

IWM-CH14832A Gloster E28-39 205210674
Gloster E.28/39 jet engine testbed
  • Baynes Bat (RAF) tailless tank carrying glider
  • Boulton Paul P.92 (RAF) turret fighter half scale prototype
  • Bristol Type 138 (RAF) high-altitude research
  • Folland Fo.108 engine testbed (operated by engine manufacturers)
  • General Aircraft GAL.56 (RAF) tailless swept wing glider
  • Gloster E.28/39 (RAF) jet propelled aircraft
  • Gloster Gauntlet (RAF) obsolete fighter used for meteorological flights
  • Handley Page Manx (RAF) flying wing
  • Hillson Bi-mono (RAF) slip wing testbed
  • Miles M.3E Gillette Falcon (RAF) high speed airfoil testing
  • Miles M.30 (RAF) blended-wing testbed
  • Miles M.35 Libellula (RAF) canard testbed
  • Miles M.39B Libellula (RAF) canard testbed
  • Saro Shrimp half scale development testbed for R.5/39 Sunderland replacement
  • Vickers Type 470 and Type 486 Wellington (RAF) flying test beds for Whittle turbojet

Prototypes & trials

  • Airspeed Cambridge (RAF) trainer
  • Airspeed Fleet Shadower (RAF) maritime patrol
  • Blackburn B-20 (RAF) maritime patrol seaplane
  • Blackburn Firebrand (FAA) torpedo fighter
Royal Air Force Brewster Bermuda I (sn FF741)
Brewster Bermuda I
  • Brewster Buccaneer (FAA) dive bomber rejected for service after trials
  • Bristol Brigand (RAF) bomber
  • Bristol Buckingham (RAF) bomber
  • Curtiss Cleveland (RAF) dive-bomber diverted from French but not used
  • Curtiss Helldiver (FAA) dive bomber rejected for service after trials
  • de Havilland Hornet (RAF) twin engine fighter
  • de Havilland Sea Hornet (FAA) twin engine fighter
  • de Havilland Vampire (RAF) jet fighter prototype
  • Fairey Spearfish (FAA) torpedo/dive bomber
  • General Aircraft Fleet Shadower (RAF) maritime patrol
Martin-Baker M.B.5 prototype
Martin-Baker M.B.5
  • General Aircraft GAL.47 (RAF) Army cooperation
  • General Aircraft GAL.55 (RAF) training glider
  • Gloster F.9/37 (RAF) heavy fighter
  • Hafner Rotabuggy (RAF) developed as a way of air-dropping vehicles
  • Hawker Hotspur (RAF) turret fighter
  • Hawker Fury (monoplane) (RAF) fighter
  • Hawker Tornado (RAF) fighter
  • Lockheed Lightning (RAF) evaluation only before order cancelled
  • Martin-Baker MB 2 (RAF) fighter
  • Martin-Baker MB 3 (RAF) fighter
  • Martin-Baker MB 5 (RAF) fighter
  • Martin Mariner (RAF) tested October–December 1943, then rejected
  • Miles M.18 (RAF) trainer
  • Miles M.20 (RAF) fighter
  • Reid and Sigrist R.S.3 Desford (RAF) rejected trainer
  • Supermarine B.12/36 (Type 317)
  • Supermarine Type 322 (FAA) torpedo/dive bomber
  • Supermarine Spiteful (RAF) fighter
  • Vickers Type 432 (RAF) high-altitude fighter
  • Vickers Windsor (RAF) bomber
  • Vought Chesapeake (FAA) dive bomber diverted from French but not used
  • Vultee Vengeance (RAF) dive bomber rejected for service after trials

Gliders

Horsa glider (cropped)
Airspeed Horsa troop glider
  • Airspeed Horsa (RAF, Army Air Corps)
  • General Aircraft Hamilcar (RAF, Army Air Corps)
  • General Aircraft Hotspur (RAF, Army Air Corps) training glider
  • Slingsby Hengist (RAF)
  • Waco Hadrian (RAF, Army Air Corps)

See also

  • List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force
  • List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm
  • List of Fleet Air Arm aircraft in World War II
  • List of aircraft of World War II
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