Historic Royal Air Force aircraft
(For aircraft that are still active, see: List of aircraft and helicopters of the Royal Air Force )
The following aircraft were in service with the Royal Air Force (list is not exhaustive):
- Airspeed Horsa , glider 1942–1945
- Airspeed Oxford , trainer / liaison aircraft 1937–1956
- Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle , transport aircraft // tow plane 1937–1945
- Armstrong Whitworth Argosy , transport aircraft 1962–1978
- Armstrong Whitworth Whitley , Bomber 1937-1945
- Auster , liaison and observation aircraft 1942–1957
- Avro Anson , trainer / liaison aircraft 1936–1968
- Avro Lancaster , Bomber 1941-1954
- Avro Lancastrian , transport aircraft 1945–1950
- Avro Lincoln , Bomber 1945–1963
- Avro Manchester , bomber 1940-1942
- Avro Shackleton , maritime patrol 1951–1991
- Avro Vulcan , strategic bomber 1956–1984
- Avro York , transport aircraft 1943–1957
- BAC Jet Provost, trainer 1955-1993
- Beagle Basset liaison aircraft 1965–1974
- Blackburn Baffin , Marine Fighter 1932-1937
- Blackburn Botha , Maritime Recon, Torpedo Bomber 1939–1944
- Blackburn Beverley , transport aircraft 1955–1967
- Blackburn Buccaneer , ground attack aircraft 1969–1994
- Blackburn Perth , long-range reconnaissance flying boat, 1934–1938
- Blackburn Skua , naval fighter 1937-1941
- Boeing Fortress (B-17) , bombers 1941-1945
- Boeing Washington (B-29) , bomber 1950–1958
- Boulton Paul Balliol , coach 1950–1957
- Boulton Paul Defiant , fighter aircraft 1939–1945
- Brewster Buffalo , fighter plane 1940–1942
- Bristol Beaufighter , fighter-bomber 1940-1960
- Bristol Beaufort , torpedo bombers 1939-1946
- Bristol Belvedere , transport helicopter 1961–1969
- Bristol Blenheim , medium bomber 1937-1944
- Bristol Brigand , torpedo bomber, dive fighter 1946–1958
- Bristol Britannia , transport aircraft 1959–1975
- Bristol Buckingham, medium bomber, courier aircraft 1944–1950
- Bristol Buckmaster, coach 1945-1958
- Bristol Sycamore , helicopter 1952–1971
- Canadair Saber , fighter aircraft 1953–1956
- Consolidated Catalina , maritime patrol aircraft, patrol bomber 1939–1945
- Consolidated Coronado , transport aircraft 1943–1946
- Consolidated Liberator (B-24) , Bomber 1941-1947
- Curtiss Kittyhawk and Tomahawk , fighter aircraft / fighter-bomber 1940–1944
- Curtiss Mohawk , fighter aircraft 1940–1944
- De Havilland DH.98 Mosquito , fighter plane, light bomber 1941–1956
- De Havilland DH.100 Vampire , fighter plane, 1947–1955
- De Havilland DH.103 Hornet , fighter aircraft, 1945–1955
- De Havilland DH.104 Dove / Devon , light transport aircraft, 1948–1984
- De Havilland DH.106 Comet , transport aircraft, 1956–1975
- De Havilland DH.112 Venom , fighter plane 1952–1962
- De Havilland DH.114 Heron , transport aircraft, 1955–1972
- De Havilland Canada Chipmunk , coach 1949–1996
- Douglas DC-2 , transport aircraft 1941–1943
- Douglas DC-3 Dakota, transport aircraft 1942–1970
- Douglas DC-4 Skymaster, transport aircraft 1944–1946
- Douglas Havoc / Boston , medium bomber 1940–1943
- English Electric Canberra , Bomber 1951-2006
- English Electric Lightning , fighter aircraft 1959–1988
- Fairey Albacore , torpedo bomber, 1940-1944
- Fairey Barracuda , torpedo bomber, dive fighter 1943–1945
- Fairey Battle , light bomber, trainer aircraft 1937–1949
- Fairey Swordfish , Maritime Recon, Torpedo Bomber 1936–1945
- Folland Gnat , trainer 1962–1979
- General Aircraft Hamilcar , glider 1942–1950
- Gloster Gladiator , fighter aircraft 1937–1941
- Gloster Javelin , fighter aircraft 1954–1968
- Gloster Meteor , fighter aircraft 1944–1965
- Handley Page Halifax , Bomber 1940-1952
- Handley Page Hampden and Hereford, medium bomber 1938-1945
- Handley Page Harrow , heavy bomber 1937-1945
- Handley Page Hastings , transport aircraft / bomber training machine 1948–1977
- Handley Page Jetstream , Trainer 1973-2003
- Handley Page Marathon , transport aircraft 1953–1958
- Handley Page O / 400 , Bomber 1918-1920
- Handley Page Victor , strategic bomber and tanker 1956–1994
- Hawker Hunter , fighter-bomber / reconnaissance aircraft 1954–1994
- Hawker Hurricane , fighter aircraft 1936 – approx. 1950
- Hawker Tempest , fighter aircraft 1944–1951
- Hawker Typhoon , fighter / fighter-bomber 1941–1945
- Hawker Siddeley Andover , transport aircraft 1965–?
- Hawker Siddeley HS-125 Dominie T1 , liaison and training aircraft, 1965-2015
- Hawker Siddeley Harrier , ground attack aircraft, also used as a reconnaissance aircraft 1969–2010
- Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR1, MR2, R1 , Maritime and Electronic Reconnaissance 1969–2011
- Hunting Percival Pembroke , transport plane, 1953–1988
- Lockheed Hercules C1 / W2 / C3 (C-130K) , tactical transporter, also for special missions 1966–2013 (the only W2 flew for the Met Office )
- Lockheed Hudson , light bomber, maritime patrol 1939–1945
- Lockheed Lodestar , transport aircraft, 1941–?
- Lockheed Neptune , maritime patrol 1952–1957
- Lockheed Tristar , Transport Airplane and Tanker, 1984-2013
- Lockheed Ventura , light bomber, maritime patrol 1942–1946
- Martin Baltimore , medium bomber 1941-1946
- Martin Marauder , medium bomber 1942–1945
- Martin Mariner , maritime patrol aircraft, patrol bomber 1943–1947
- Martin Maryland , medium bomber 1940-1943
- McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1 (F-4J), FGR.2 (F-4K), F-4J (UK) , fighter-bomber and interceptor 1969-1992
- North American Harvard , coach 1939-1955
- North American Mitchell , medium bomber 1942-1950
- North American Mustang , fighter aircraft 1942–1946
- Panavia Tornado GR1, GR4 , fighter-bomber 1982-2019
- Panavia Tornado F2, F3 , fighter aircraft 1986–2011
- Percival Prentice , coach 1947-1953
- Percival Proctor , trainer, liaison aircraft 1939–1955
- Percival Provost , coach 1953-1969
- Republic Thunderbolt , fighter plane / fighter-bomber 1944–1945
- Saunders-Roe Skeeter , light helicopter 1958–1964
- Scottish Aviation Bulldog , Trainer 1972-2001
- Scottish Aviation Pioneer , liaison aircraft 1953–1969
- Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer , transport aircraft 1958–1969
- SEPECAT Jaguar , fighter-bomber 1974-2007
- Short Belfast , transport aircraft 1966–1976
- Short Stirling , bomber / tow plane 1940–1946
- Short p. 25 Sunderland , Seefernaufklärer 1938–1959
- Supermarine Seafire , naval fighter 1942–1951
- Supermarine Sea Otter , observation and sea rescue aircraft 1943–1949
- Supermarine Spitfire , interceptor 1936 – approx. 1950
- Supermarine Swift , fighter / reconnaissance aircraft, 1954–1961
- Supermarine Walrus , observation and sea rescue aircraft 1936–1947
- Vickers Valetta , transport aircraft 1948–1969
- Vickers 667 Valiant , strategic bomber and tanker 1955–1964
- Vickers Varsity , Trainer 1951-1976
- Vickers VC10 C1 / C1K / K2 / K3 / K4 , transport and tanker aircraft 1966–2013
- Vickers Viking , transport aircraft 1946–1959
- Vickers Warwick , bomber / submarine fighter 1943–1946
- Vickers Wellesley , light bomber 1937–1942
- Vickers Wellington , Bomber 1938-1953
- Vultee Vengeance , dive fighter 1942–1948
- Vultee-Stinson Reliant , liaison aircraft? -?
- Vultee-Stinson Vigilant , liaison and observation aircraft 1941–?
- Waco Hadrian , glider 1943–1947
- Westland Lysander , liaison aircraft 1938–1946
- Westland Welkin , interceptor 1944–1944
- Westland Whirlwind , fighter aircraft 1940–1943
- Westland Whirlwind , helicopter 1955–?
- Westland Wessex , helicopter 1961–?
See also
- British aircraft in World War II , for aircraft types of British design
Individual evidence
- ^ Francillon, René: McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920: Volume I, p. 172
- ^ Air Britain: RAF Aircraft DA100 – DZ999, 2008
- ^ Air Britain: RAF Aircraft HA100 – HZ999, 1998
- ^ Thetford, Owen: Aircraft of the Royal Air Force since 1918, London 1979, p. 542
- ^ Air Britain: RAF Aircraft KA100 – KZ999, Tonbridge 1990