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–?

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

[1] Francillon, René: McDonnell Douglas Aircraft since 1920: Volume I, p. 172

[2] Air Britain: RAF Aircraft DA100 – DZ999, 2008

[3] Air Britain: RAF Aircraft HA100 – HZ999, 1998

[4] Thetford, Owen: Aircraft of the Royal Air Force since 1918, London 1979, p. 542

[5] Air Britain: RAF Aircraft KA100 – KZ999, Tonbridge 1990

Historic Royal Air Force aircraft

See also

Individual evidence