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List of aircraft of the United Kingdom in World War II

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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)[1] during the Second World War.

Fighters and fighter-bombers

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Supermarine Spitfire Mk.II
de Havilland Mosquito NF.II night fighter
Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc night fighter

Torpedo bombers, dive bombers and army cooperation

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Fairey Swordfish torpedo bomber

Level bombers

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Handley Page Hampden
Formation of Avro Lancaster Mk.Is

Maritime patrol and coastal reconnaissance

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Coastal Command Short Sunderland
Coastal Command Consolidated Liberator, the type that closed the Mid-Atlantic gap

Photo reconnaissance

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RAF 544 Squadron de Havilland Mosquito PR.XVI

Trainers and target tugs

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Avro Anson trainer
North American Harvard Mk.I
Miles Master trainer

Transport and communications

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Avro York - LV633 Ascalon, Churchill's personal aircraft.
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[note 2]
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle 1940 1945 602 RAF
Armstrong Whitworth Ensign 1938 1946 14 BOAC
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley 1937 1945 1814[note 3] 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[note 2]
de Havilland Express 1934 1941 62 RAF, FAA[note 2]
de Havilland Dragon Rapide 1934 1958 731 RAF, FAA[note 2]
de Havilland Dragonfly 1936 1945 67 RAF[note 2]
de Havilland Flamingo 1939 1950 14 RAF, FAA, BOAC
de Havilland Hornet Moth 1934 unk. 164 RAF[note 2]
de Havilland Leopard Moth 1933 unk. 133 RAF[note 2]
de Havilland Mosquito 1941 1963 7781 BOAC
de Havilland Moth Minor 1937 unk. 140 RAF, FAA
de Havilland Puss Moth 1930 unk. 140 RAF[note 2]
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[note 2]
Grumman G-21 Goose 1935 unk. 49 RAF, FAA
Grumman Gosling 1940 unk. 15 RAF, FAA
Handley Page Halifax 1940 1961 6176[note 3] RAF
Handley Page H.P.42 1931 1940 4 RAF[note 2]
Handley Page H.P.54 Harrow 1937 1945 100 RAF
Hawker Hardy 1934 1941 8 RAF
Heston Phoenix 1936 1952 6 RAF[note 2]
Percival Petrel 1938 1947 27 RAF[note 2]
Percival Proctor 1939 1955 1147 RAF
Percival Vega Gull 1935 1945 90 RAF[note 2]
Lockheed Lodestar 1940 unk. 625 RAF, BOAC
Messerschmitt Aldon 1939 1950s 4 RAF[note 2]
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[note 2]
Short Hythe 1942 1946 29 BOAC
Short S.26 G-Class Empire 1939 1947 3 RAF, BOAC[note 2]
Short Stirling 1941 1946 2,371[note 3] 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[note 3] RAF
Westland Lysander 1938 1946 1,786[note 3] RAF

Experimental and other

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Gloster E.28/39 jet engine testbed

Prototypes & trials

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Brewster Bermuda I
Martin-Baker M.B.5

Gliders

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Airspeed Horsa troop glider

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ used by No. 601 Squadron RAF
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p impressed
  3. ^ a b c d e all types produced

Citations

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  1. ^ Used for logistics support with RAF crews.
  2. ^ "No. 5 Squadron (RAF): Second World War". History of War. Retrieved 23 April 2020.

Bibliography

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  • O. Thetford: Aircraft of the Royal Air Force since 1918 6th edition. Putnam & Co., London,UK, 1976, ISBN 0-370-10056-5.
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