Appendix 4: First-line Aircraft—British, German and Italian Air Forces
| Date | RAF* | German† | Italian‡ |
| 1st December 1941 | 4,287 | 5,178 | 2,212 (Nov.) |
| 1st March 1943 | 6,026 | 6,107 | 1,947 (May) |
* These figures are based on the official ‘establishment’ for the initial equipment (I.E.) of squadrons, home and overseas, and include aircraft of the Dominion and Allied air forces under RAF control. In addition there was an immediate reserve (I.R.) varying from four to five aircraft per squadron. After June 1944 this initial equipment and immediate reserve were grouped together in what became known as unit equipment (U.E.).
† The German figures, which are extracted from Luftwaffe records, are for actual strength. They include in each case a powerful force of transport aircraft—747 in December 1941 and 753 in March 1943.
‡ Official Italian totals to the nearest available date.