Page 472

Appendix 3: Principal United Kingdom Aircraft Programmes, 1938–44

For the purpose of these tables bombers have been classified as follows:

Heavy: Manchester, Stirling, Lancaster and Warwick.

Medium: Wellington, Hampden, Hereford, Whitley and Albemarle.

Light: Blenheim, Battle (under Scheme L only; thereafter under ‘Trainers’), Mosquito (bomber and photographic reconnaissance unit).

Table F: Scheme L (as revised in September 1938)

Ref. p. 18

Number

Total Heavy bombers Medium bombers Light bombers Fighters General reconnaissance Fleet Air Arm Trainers and miscellaneous
TOTAL 9,483 63 1,130 1,968 1,952 1,155 675 2,540
1939
Jan. 425 — 48 108 75 31 14 149
Feb. 452 — 52 117 78 31 16 158
Mar. 504 — 55 129 85 33 23 179
April 543 — 65 127 96 41 30 184
May 594 — 72 144 110 47 30 191
June 637 — 78 155 122 53 37 192
July 681 1 84 155 140 65 43 193
Aug. 615 1 89 141 126 57 54 147
Sept. 713 3 93 133 155 87 62 180
Oct. 479 4 95 131 157 110 66 186
Nov. 754 5 98 110 164 119 67 191
Dec. 732 7 99 108 153 125 70 170
1940
Jan. 757 10 77 125 173 141 67 164
Feb. 697 15 75 137 166 110 58 136
Mar. 630 17 50 148 152 105 38 120

Page 473

Table G: ‘War Potential’ Programme of July 1938, based on the hypothesis of a war commencing 1st October 1939

Ref. p. 67

Number

Total Heavy bombers Medium bombers Light bombers Fighters General reconnaissance Fleet Air Arm Trainers and miscellaneous
Total during 18 months 18,944 2,663 2,826 2,521 9,947 2,401 1,909 6,677
Total during 12 months 19,940 774 1,882 2,513 4,610 1,744 1,171 4,246
1939
Dec. 1,178 9 137 265 211 185 71 300
1940
March 1,413 27 168 250 300 199 97 372
June 1,482 87 186 140 484 93 113 379
Sept. 1,793 209 143 104 750 118 102 367
Dec. 2,006 310 164 — 899 112 122 399
1941
March 2,170 368 155 — 983 105 127 432

Page 474

Table H: ‘Harrogate’ Programme, dated 19th January 1940

Ref. p. 69

Number

Total planned monthly output Heavy bombers Medium bombers Light bombers Fighters General reconnaissance Fleet Air Arm Trainers and miscellaneous
1940:
Jan. 977 — 107 175 160 172 41 322
Feb. 1,001 2 111 155 171 167 44 351
March 1,137 3 116 150 203 205 56 404
April 1,256 5 125 150 231 190 62 493
May 1,244 6 121 145 261 179 63 469
June 2,320 10 118 145 292 184 47 524
July 2,481 16 117 145 329 188 54 632
Aug. 1,310 20 94 108 282 178 46 582
Sept. 1,675 31 129 145 392 202 67 709
Oct. 1,711 42 149 145 427 204 73 671
1941:
Jan. 1,717 80 185 164 490 176 93 529
April 1,819 126 190 128 516 187 115 557
July 1,971 167 221 120 540 179 128 616
Oct. 2,023 211 238 120 540 149 131 634
1942:
Jan. 2,179 247 288 120 621 106 138 659
April 2,287 263 354 120 650 110 101 689
July 2,425 295 402 120 723 105 31 689

Page 475

Table I: Mr. Hennessy’s ‘Target’ Programme, dated 2nd October 1940

Ref. p. 124

Number

Total Heavy bombers Medium bombers Light bombers Fighters General reconnaissance Fleet Air Arm Trainers and miscellaneous
TOTAL 37,973 1,572 5,510 3,026 14,835 1,154 1,665 10,211
1940:
Sept. 1,620 9 185 186 547 97 63 533
Oct. 1,748 20 222 186 631 88 63 538
Nov. 1,955 31 263 187 697 88 70 619
Dec. 2,111 48 278 235 727 73 81 669
1941:
Jan. 2,177 56 292 186 805 73 91 674
Feb. 2,253 65 311 186 847 68 100 676
March 2,375 78 318 186 912 69 109 703
April 2,489 95 337 186 962 69 117 723
May 2,468 102 357 186 1,010 70 126 617
June 2,565 109 380 186 1,050 67 133 630
July 2,601 113 397 186 1,067 63 135 640
Aug. 2,635 124 410 186 1,090 64 131 630
Sept. 2,705 150 435 186 1,105 65 122 642
Oct. 2,737 173 450 186 1,110 66 113 639
Nov. 2,762 194 445 186 1,125 67 106 639
Dec. 2,782 205 430 186 1,150 67 105 639

Page 476

Table J: Revised Draft ‘Target’ Programme, dated 3rd July 1941

Ref. p. 124

Number

Total Heavy bombers Medium bombers Light bombers Fighters General reconnaissance Fleet Air Arm Trainers and miscellaneous
TOTAL 50,766 6,971 4,464 1,649 19,263 1,005 4,240 13,174
1941:
July 2,019 70 262 145 772 25 135 610
Aug. 2,116 81 264 140 824 24 136 647
Sept. 2,150 85 275 125 836 27 142 660
Oct. 2,146 84 281 95 837 35 137 677
Nov. 2,164 102 287 86 838 41 138 672
Dec. 2,187 125 284 82 846 44 134 672
1942:
Jan. 2,157 152 283 80 827 44 136 635
Feb. 2,195 188 277 80 854 45 141 610
March 2,158 225 270 85 856 45 127 550
April 2,135 253 260 85 866 45 95 531
May 2,110 271 257 83 847 45 92 515
June 2,078 285 226 80 817 45 110 515
July 2,011 306 192 70 769 45 114 515
Aug. 2,026 332 169 55 771 45 139 515
Sept. 2,042 357 146 43 770 45 166 515
Oct. 2,071 382 130 35 771 45 193 515
Nov. 2,092 404 105 35 772 45 216 515
Dec. 2,123 418 100 35 770 45 240 515
1943:
Jan. 2,105 439 95 35 770 45 256 465
Feb. 2,113 451 80 35 770 45 267 465
March 2,133 472 71 35 770 45 275 465
April 2,131 485 50 35 770 45 281 465
May 2,174 497 50 35 770 45 285 465
June 2,157 507 50 35 770 45 285 465

Page 477

Table K The ‘Bomber’ Programme, dated December 1941

Ref. p. 306

Number

Total Heavy bombers Medium bombers Light bombers Fighters General reconnaissance Fleet Air Arm Trainers and miscellaneous
TOTAL 56,205 9,748 6,841 2,188 21,801 1,061 4,655 9,911
1941:
Dec. 1,992 79 280 64 777 35 122 635
1942:
Jan. 1,975 91 280 82 793 32 118 579
Feb. 1,980 105 283 88 787 41 117 559
March 2,001 132 287 101 806 36 105 534
April 2,031 161 274 105 816 36 97 542
May 2,070 193 282 105 838 39 80 533
June 2,102 226 285 105 865 37 79 505
July 2,098 267 282 115 864 36 80 454
Aug. 2,107 304 268 120 867 42 97 409
Sept. 2,097 335 266 103 865 42 127 359
Oct. 2,131 368 253 80 879 42 159 350
Nov. 2,167 387 234 80 897 42 182 345
Dec. 2,210 418 230 80 898 42 207 335
1943:
Jan. 2,269 450 230 80 906 42 233 328
Feb. 2,305 476 235 80 913 47 250 304
March 2,330 5115 245 80 882 47 260 305
April 2,381 523 260 80 888 47 268 315
May 2,343 538 285 80 800 47 278 315
June 2,490 559 305 80 905 47 279 315
July 2,484 573 287 80 916 47 266 315
Aug. 2,483 590 290 80 916 47 245 315
Sept. 2,518 603 300 80 925 47 248 315
Oct. 2,531 611 300 80 928 47 250 315
Nov. 2,545 623 300 80 927 47 253 315
Dec. 2,565 625 300 80 943 47 255 315

Page 478

Table L: The ‘Consolidated’ Programme, dated July 1942

Ref. p. 306

Number

Total Heavy bombers Medium bombers Light bombers Fighters General reconnaissance Fleet Air Arm Trainers and miscellaneous
TOTAL 80,993 15,534 10,196 1,504 31,965 1,877 7,861 12,056
1942:
July 2,168 229 306 73 915 54 80 511
Aug. 2,207 247 312 78 926 56 108 480
Sept. 2,306 286 313 84 941 66 142 474
Oct. 2,352 320 323 90 947 72 154 446
Nov. 2,405 344 320 88 960 72 179 442
Dec. 2,429 370 320 85 943 72 204 435
1943:
Jan. 2,465 403 310 75 957 72 233 415
Feb. 2,503 434 300 70 972 72 261 394
March 2,538 458 282 65 995 72 285 381
April 2,580 473 292 30 1,030 72 305 378
May 2,656 492 313 31 1,058 72 317 373
June 2,721 517 330 30 1,071 69 326 378
July 2,735 536 335 30 1,063 67 326 378
Aug. 2,803 557 336 35 1,102 67 323 383
Sept. 2,828 574 344 40 1,117 67 298 388
Oct. 2,845 586 343 40 1,121 67 300 388
Nov. 2,853 603 342 40 1,113 67 303 388
Dec. 2,872 612 345 40 1,119 67 301 388
1944:
Jan. 2,853 620 350 40 1,086 67 302 388
Feb. 2,868 623 355 40 1,093 67 302 388
March 2,887 625 365 40 1,097 67 305 388
April 2,896 625 365 40 1,106 67 305 388
May 2,901 625 370 40 1,116 57 305 388
June 2,912 625 375 40 1,132 47 305 388
July 2,899 625 375 40 1,144 47 280 388
Aug. 2,897 625 375 40 1,147 47 275 388
Sept. 2,901 625 375 40 1,166 47 260 388
Oct. 2,911 625 375 40 1,176 47 260 388
Nov. 2,901 625 375 40 1,176 47 260 378
Dec. 2,901 625 375 40 1,176 47 260 378

Page 479

Table M: The ‘Realistic’ Programme1 dated January 1943

Ref. p. 307

Number

Total Heavy bombers Medium bombers Light bombers Fighters General reconnaissance Transports Naval Trainers
1943:
Jan. 2,141 284 283 69 877 78 — 113 437
Feb. 2,105 290 265 55 876 88 — 117 414
March 2,234 337 288 55 905 103 — 127 419
April 2,235 342 273 50 909 102 1 143 415
May 2,358 389 282 50 969 106 3 141 418
June 2,256 388 222 52 939 105 5 129 416
July 2,319 387 269 33 949 96 8 156 421
Aug. 2,280 401 261 33 874 110 6 172 424
Sept. 2,534 466 294 37 983 111 14 204 425
Oct. 2,625 487 309 40 1,012 112 17 221 427
Nov. 2,659 497 309 40 1,011 109 20 242 431
Dec. 2,493 456 287 36 916 101 18 246 433
1944:
Jan. 2,564 491 304 37 918 100 19 265 430
Feb. 2,507 476 291 37 900 98 18 263 424
March 2,700 531 327 40 956 102 20 310 414
April 2,625 511 307 37 938 97 19 307 409
May 2,650 521 311 37 941 96 19 321 404
June 2,662 566 289 38 966 75 9 320 399
July 2,631 525 324 38 980 41 4 339 380
Aug. 2,527 525 315 38 919 43 — 318 369
Sept. 2,753 588 345 38 1,034 42 — 357 349
Oct. 2,765 602 340 40 1,037 42 — 360 344
Nov. 2,779 600 334 40 1,051 45 — 360 349
Dec. 2,573 544 288 36 977 43 — 331 354

Page 480

Table N: The ‘Realistic’ Programme, as revised in April 1943

Ref. p. 308

Number

Total Heavy bombers Medium bombers Light bombers Fighters General reconnaissance Transports Naval Trainers
1943:
April 2,211 360 254 51 908 92 — 139 407
May 2,327 414 255 48 955 96 1 140 418
June 2,297 420 252 45 943 99 2 129 407
July 2,256 424 230 10 914 96 2 159 421
Aug. 2,278 409 235 10 925 109 4 171 415
Sept. 2,521 486 260 10 1,014 111 8 198 425
Oct. 2,588 508 272 10 1,033 111 11 216 427
Nov. 2,648 530 281 10 1,042 109 13 232 431
Dec. 2,484 484 272 10 939 104 15 236 424
1944:
Jan. 2,551 514 283 10 941 99 16 258 430
Feb. 2,511 504 276 10 924 97 18 258 424
Mar. 2,673 552 297 10 973 102 20 305 414
April 2,607 527 288 10 957 96 20 305 404
May 2,620 531 290 10 956 96 20 318 399
June 2,689 570 300 10 973 94 20 323 399
July 2,582 524 285 10 930 83 20 380 380
Aug. 2,493 515 275 10 952 43 20 309 369
Sept. 2,721 591 300 10 1,052 42 20 357 349
Oct. 2,747 607 295 10 1,067 44 20 360 344
Nov. 2,766 613 281 10 1,086 47 20 360 349
Dec. 2,564 565 234 10 1,007 43 20 331 354
1945:
Jan. 2,612 600 213 10 1,047 17 20 344 361
Feb. 2,531 586 186 10 1,015 16 20 331 367
March 2,714 645 190 10 1,096 20 20 360 373
April 2,585 619 160 10 1,044 18 20 340 374
May 2,580 623 140 10 1,046 18 20 340 374
June 2,684 682 140 10 1,083 17 20 353 379

Page 481

Table O: The ‘Realistic’ Programme, as revised in September 1943

Ref. p. 308

Number

Total Heavy bombers Medium bombers Light bombers Fighters General reconnaissance

Transports and ASR2

 Naval Trainers
1943:
Sept. 2,481 460 261 10 1,007 111 40 177 415
Oct. 2,241 480 260 10 1,007 111 47 204 422
Nov. 2,568 485 255 10 1,000 112 51 225 430
Dec. 2,430 446 255 10 930 102 51 233 403
1944:
Jan. 2,572 486 272 10 973 96 57 248 430
Feb. 2,578 486 265 10 971 95 60 254 437
March 2,770 529 297 11 1,043 97 61 295 437
April 2,684 499 285 12 1,021 94 50 301 422
May 2,685 521 289 14 1,021 97 40 312 391
June 2,816 581 305 17 1,074 95 36 331 377
July 2,488 535 261 19 903 54 20 327 369
Aug. 2,592 521 273 22 1,106 20 20 306 324
Sept. 2,849 618 2590 23 1,169 19 20 359 351
Oct. 2,865 629 285 26 1,183 17 20 371 334
Nov. 2,766 613 267 27 1,155 13 — 362 329
Dec. 2,601 587 231 28 1,084 11 — 356 304
1945:
Jan. 2,752 621 223 29 1,168 12 — 375 324
Feb. 2,672 614 196 28 1,124 11 — 370 329
March 2,861 674 191 30 1,214 14 — 404 334
April 2,698 638 160 29 1,149 15 — 381 326
May 2,691 645 150 29 1,133 18 — 384 332
June 2,846 698 150 30 1,196 21 — 398 353
July 2,512 642 130 25 954 19 — 383 359
Aug. 2,638 636 115 30 1,176 23 — 349 309
Sept. 2,909 748 140 30 1,198 23 — 411 359
Oct. 2,911 745 140 30 1,201 25 — 411 359
Nov. 2,795 705 133 29 1,152 24 — 395 357
Dec. 2,666 673 126 28 1,097 23 — 380 339

Page 482

Table P: The First ‘Manpower Allocation’ Programme, dated 1944

Ref. p. 309

Number

Total Heavy bombers Medium bombers Light bombers Fighters General reconnaissance

Transports and ASR3

 Naval Trainers
1944:
March 2,588 475 223 11 1,012 122 105 267 373
April 2,463 461 198 17 970 112 99 269 337
May 2,513 477 213 24 973 113 106 283 324
June 2,554 494 225 32 979 110 104 301 309
July 2,378 468 194 19 900 107 91 302 297
Aug. 2,330 442 200 22 997 111 84 245 229
Sept. 2,522 512 226 23 1,026 88 101 286 260
Oct. 2,563 529 220 26 1,058 93 90 299 248
Nov. 2,507 513 206 27 1,047 85 84 298 247
Dec. 2,375 499 187 28 999 80 71 288 223
1945:
Jan. 2,476 517 181 29 1,060 83 73 294 239
Feb. 2,389 514 162 28 1,034 66 62 282 241
March 2,557 570 172 30 1,119 57 62 306 241
April 2,408 540 156 29 1,055 53 47 302 226
May 2,422 557 148 29 1,052 48 53 308 227
June 2,566 618 149 30 1,087 49 52 333 248
July 2,359 586 137 25 947 46 41 323 254
Aug. 2,248 544 97 30 1,017 44 44 273 199
Sept. 2,627 662 130 30 1,101 52 46 352 254
Oct. 2,658 670 130 30 1,115 48 41 370 254
Nov. 2,536 636 124 29 1,067 39 37 357 252
Dec. 2,386 608 117 28 1,014 27 24 334 234

Page 483

Table Q: The Second ‘Manpower Allocation’ Programme, dated August 1944

Ref. p. 309

Number

Total Heavy bombers Medium bombers Light bombers and fighters General reconnaissance

Transports and ASR4

 Naval Trainers
1944:
Aug. 2,068 461 216 863 87 68 213 160
Sept. 2,218 489 210 953 92 79 256 139
Oct. 2,204 500 198 944 96 75 262 129
Nov. 2,131 481 184 920 90 80 259 117
Dec. 2,021 457 162 879 95 71 243 114
1945:
Jan. 2,076 468 151 925 104 74 245 109
Feb. 1,969 458 131 874 97 75 230 104
March 2,106 512 132 953 82 84 243 100
April 2,001 480 117 931 63 69 243 98
May 2,033 491 107 958 63 65 243 106
June 2,156 549 103 1,025 68 56 257 98
July 1,871 471 68 925 59 35 222 91
Aug. 2,017 530 88 968 75 44 226 86
Sept. 2,232 585 88 1,085 75 42 266 91
Oct. 2,251 594 88 1,083 71 40 284 91
Nov. 2,164 569 84 1,031 68 37 285 90
Dec. 2,063 550 79 973 63 34 276 88
1945:
Jan. 2,182 588 84 1,022 64 33 301 90
Feb. 2,075 563 79 972 54 25 294 88
March 2,251 636 88 1,030 50 20 336 91
April 2,134 601 82 974 46 19 323 89
May 2,290 657 88 1,031 43 20 360 91
June 2,162 622 82 964 37 19 349 89
July 1,966 536 66 883 34 15 341 91
Aug. 2,097 647 88 853 38 20 366 85
Sept. 2,300 679 88 956 38 20 428 91
Oct. 2,298 681 88 935 38 20 445 91
Nov. 2,194 644 84 878 38 19 441 90
Dec. 2,086 609 79 831 36 18 425 88

Page 484

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