List of aircraft of the Royal Air Force

Many aircraft types have served in the British Royal Air Force since its formation in April 1918 from the merger of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service. This is a list of RAF aircraft, including all currently active and retired types listed in alphabetic order by their RAF type name. For just those aircraft currently in service, see List of active United Kingdom military aircraft. Aircraft operated with the Fleet Air Arm from 1924 until 1939 were operated by the Royal Air Force on behalf of the Navy and are included; those operated by the Royal Navy after it re-acquired control of the aircraft used to support its operations in 1939 are not, but all aircraft operated in conjunction with the Navy are listed at List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm. Army Air Corps aircraft are not included but can be found at List of aircraft of the Army Air Corps.

For aircraft operated before the merger of the RFC and RNAS in 1918:

Regular service with the RAF edit

Aircraft impressed into RAF service edit

Civil aircraft edit

Military aircraft edit

Captured or interned edit

Captured or interned examples of the following aircraft were at one time flown by either the RAF or more normally by the Royal Aircraft Establishment for evaluation.

Argentine aircraft edit

German aircraft edit

Italian aircraft edit

Japanese aircraft edit

Schneider Trophy seaplanes edit

Aircraft used by the Royal Air Force in support of its efforts in the Schneider Trophy races, and includes aircraft used solely as trainers.

Training gliders edit

The following Gliders are or were flown by RAF training squadrons:

Airships and balloons edit

UAVs and drones edit

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ UK variant completely redesigned from Canadian original and shared few interchangeable parts.
  2. ^ Racer evaluated as K5084
  3. ^ One aircraft for training and support with Memorial Flight
  4. ^ AL2 and T3 transferred from the Army on 2 April 2019.[59] In July 2021, reported were retired from service on 30 June 2021.[60]
  5. ^ The DH-9A wasn't a variant of the DH-9, but was instead entirely redesigned by Westland.
  6. ^ Dominie was the RAF's name for the Dragon Rapide - impressed examples retained original name
  7. ^ Evaluation only, later impressed. RAF name was to have been Hertfordshire
  8. ^ Used by Queen's flight
  9. ^ Single example donated to RAF
  10. ^ Sold in 2017.[123]
  11. ^ AL1 transferred from the Army on 2 April 2019.[59] In July 2021, reported were retired from service on 30 June 2021.[60]
  12. ^ Used by Queen's flight

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 237–238, 243–245, 587
  2. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 130–131
  3. ^ "Royal Air Force".
  4. ^ "UK's Royal Air Force ends BAe 146 operations".
  5. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 604
  6. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 44–47
  7. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 98–99
  8. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 34–35
  9. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 48–49
  10. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 574
  11. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 370–372
  12. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 53–58
  13. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 576
  14. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 368–369
  15. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 586
  16. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 25–27
  17. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 326–327
  18. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 39–43, 159–160
  19. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 39–43, 159–160
  20. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 121–122
  21. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 401–402
  22. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 96–97
  23. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 252–255
  24. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 140–145
  25. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 138–139
  26. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 465–466
  27. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 561–562
  28. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 578
  29. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 106–107
  30. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 573
  31. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 132–135, 146–147
  32. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 136–137
  33. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 224–226
  34. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 104–105
  35. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 152–154
  36. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 125–126
  37. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 157–158
  38. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 377–378
  39. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 148–149
  40. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 150–151
  41. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 123–124
  42. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 127–129
  43. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 443–444
  44. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 596
  45. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 605
  46. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 229–236
  47. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 161–162
  48. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 611–612
  49. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 210–211
  50. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 582
  51. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 579
  52. ^ a b c Thetford, 1978, p. 592
  53. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 43–434
  54. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 220–221
  55. ^ Thetford, 1978, p. 587
  56. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 606
  57. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 227–228
  58. ^ a b "Avionic Upgrades for the RAF's Britten-Norman Islanders". Britten-Norman (Press release). 23 July 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
  59. ^ a b Jennings, Gareth (2 April 2019). "UK transfers Defender and Islander special mission aircraft from AAC to RAF". Jane's Defence Weekly. Retrieved 23 February 2020.
  60. ^ a b "Farewell Islander/Defender". Scramble. Dutch Aviation Society. 11 July 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  61. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 118–120
  62. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 324–325
  63. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 585
  64. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 580
  65. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 177–178
  66. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 179–180
  67. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 583
  68. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 185–186
  69. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 372–373
  70. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 584
  71. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 607
  72. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 554–555
  73. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 572
  74. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 577
  75. ^ a b c Thetford, 1978, p. 597
  76. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 239–240
  77. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 588
  78. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 589
  79. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 256–257
  80. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 108–111
  81. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 241–242
  82. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 322–323, 335–336
  83. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 261–262
  84. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 263–264
  85. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 568–569
  86. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 181–182
  87. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 265–266
  88. ^ "First of four Boeing C-17s is handed over to the UK RAF". Flight International: 6. 22–28 May 2001.
  89. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 366–367
  90. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 248–249
  91. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 258–260
  92. ^ Thetford, 1978, p. 623
  93. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 296–303
  94. ^ Thetford, 1978, p. 622
  95. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, pp.292-295
  96. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 330–331
  97. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 374–376
  98. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 289–291
  99. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 320–321, 328–329
  100. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 415–416
  101. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 304–306
  102. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 222–223
  103. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 381–382
  104. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 337–338
  105. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 250–251
  106. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 347–348
  107. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 397–398
  108. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 287–288
  109. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 285–286
  110. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 332–334
  111. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 204–205
  112. ^ Thetford, 1978, p. 620
  113. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 316–317
  114. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 603
  115. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 387–392
  116. ^ Thetford, 1978, p. 581
  117. ^ Wingspan, January 1996, p. 52
  118. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 358–365
  119. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 339–346
  120. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 283–284
  121. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 100–101
  122. ^ "Islander BN2T CC Mk2". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 4 April 2012.
  123. ^ Warnes, Alan (12 August 2017). "RAF Islanders Replaced by Civilian-Contracted Aircraft". Warnesy's World of Military Aviation. Archived from the original on 7 July 2018.
  124. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 447–448
  125. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 277–280
  126. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 91–95
  127. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 445–446
  128. ^ Thetford, 1978, p. 594
  129. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 61–66
  130. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 575
  131. ^ a b Air-Britain: Royal Air Force Aircraft SA100 - VZ999, 1985
  132. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 437–438
  133. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 163–170
  134. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 82–88
  135. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 595
  136. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 69–70
  137. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 435–436
  138. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 246–247
  139. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 549–551
  140. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 407–408
  141. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 59–60
  142. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 307–308
  143. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 403–404
  144. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 411–412
  145. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 399–400
  146. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 409–410
  147. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 598
  148. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 267–276
  149. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 36–38
  150. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 419–420
  151. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 171–172
  152. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 187–203
  153. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 417–418, 421–422
  154. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 395–396
  155. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 413–414
  156. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 379–380, 613–614
  157. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 599
  158. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 116–117
  159. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 18–19
  160. ^ Hamlin 2001, p. 21
  161. ^ Hamlin 2001, p. 61
  162. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 385–386
  163. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 102–103
  164. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 601
  165. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 405–406
  166. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 439–440
  167. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 429–430
  168. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 427–428
  169. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 383–384
  170. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 566–567
  171. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 449–450
  172. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 423–424
  173. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 475–476
  174. ^ Thetford, 1978, p. 570
  175. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 497–498
  176. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p.609
  177. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 71–76
  178. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 114–115
  179. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 451–452
  180. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 20–24
  181. ^ Thetford, 1978, p. 602
  182. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, pp.
  183. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 469–470
  184. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 481–496
  185. ^ Thetford, 1978, p. 608
  186. ^ Squirrel HT1
  187. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 459–464
  188. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 479–480
  189. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 453–458
  190. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 499–503
  191. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 155–156
  192. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 353–357
  193. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 431–432
  194. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 183–184
  195. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 173–176
  196. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 318–319
  197. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 425–426
  198. ^ "Race through the skies in an RAF Tornado". BBC Reel. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  199. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 50–52
  200. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 441–442
  201. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 349–352
  202. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 519–520
  203. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 535–537
  204. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 540–541
  205. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 206–209, 212–215
  206. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 538–539
  207. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 89–90
  208. ^ flightglobal.com - RAF VC10s to make last operational flight
  209. ^ Thetford, 1978, p. 600
  210. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp.542-543
  211. ^ Air Britain: RAF Aircraft KA100 - KZ999, Tonbridge 1990
  212. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 216–219
  213. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 393–394
  214. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 506–507
  215. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 309–313
  216. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 513–514
  217. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp.608
  218. ^ Air-Britain: Viking - Valetta - Varsity, 1975
  219. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 515–516
  220. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 504–505
  221. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 508–512
  222. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 77–81
  223. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 546–548
  224. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p.610
  225. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 477–478
  226. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 544–545
  227. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 531–534
  228. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 112–113
  229. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 521–522
  230. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 523–530
  231. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 563–565
  232. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 552–553
  233. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 556–560
  234. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 28–33
  235. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 314–315
  236. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 67–68
  237. ^ "RAF - Civil Aircraft in WWII Service". Archived from the original on 5 August 2011.
  238. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Thetford, 1978, p. 616
  239. ^ Moss 1962, p. 20
  240. ^ Moss 1962, p. 28
  241. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Thetford, 1978, p. 617
  242. ^ Francillon, René: McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920: Volume I, p. 172
  243. ^ Air Britain: RAF Aircraft DA100 - DZ999, 2008
  244. ^ Air Britain: RAF Aircraft HA100 - HZ999, 1998
  245. ^ Moss 1964, p. 110
  246. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Thetford, 1978, p. 618
  247. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 590
  248. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, p. 591
  249. ^ Thetford, 1978, pp. 471–472
  250. ^ a b Thetford, 1978, pp. 473–474
  251. ^ Thetford, 1978, p. 411

References edit

  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Hamlin, John F. The Oxford, Consul & Envoy File. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2001. ISBN 0 85130 2890
  • Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Moss, Peter W, Impressments Log Volume 1 United Kingdom. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1962.
  • Moss, Peter W, Impressments Log Volume 3 United Kingdom. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1964.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 2nd edition 1976. ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
  • Owen Thetford: Aircraft of the Royal Air Force since 1918 7th edition. Putnam & Co., London 1978, ISBN 0-370-30186-2.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald & Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (2nd edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
  • Unknown (January 1996). "DH 53 Humming Bird". Wingspan & Planes. Wingspan: 52.

External links edit