Appendix 5: Principal Operational Aircraft of the Royal Air Force, 1942-43
Bomber*
| Aircraft Name and Mark | Maximum Speed | Service Ceiling | Range and Associated bomb load | Armament |
| m.p.h., feet | feet | miles lb. | ||
| Halifax II | 260 at 18,500 | 21,800 | 1,900—3,000 or 500—13,000 | 8 x .303” |
| Halifax II-IA | 260 at 19,000 | 21,000 | 1,900—4,000 or 600—13,000 | 9 x .303” |
| Halifax V | 260 at 18,500 | 21,000 | 1,900—4,500 or 650—13,000 | 9 x .303” |
| Lancaster I & III† | 270 at 19,000 | 22,200 | 2,350—5.500 or 1,000—14,000 | 9 x .303” |
| Stirling III | 270 at 14,500 | 17,000 | 2,010—3,500 or 590—14,000 | 8 x .303” |
| Wellington III | 255 at 12,500 | 19,500 | 2,200—1,500 or 1,540—4,500 | 8 x .303” |
| Wellington X | 255 at 14,500 | 19,600 | 2,085—1,500 or 1,470—4,500 | 6 x .303” |
| Mosquito IV | 380 at 14,000 | 33,000 | 1,620—2,000 or 1,450—4.000 | Nil |
| Mosquito IX | 408 at 26,000 | 36,000 | 11,870—1,000 or 1,370—5,000 | Nil |
| Baltimore III | 302 at 11,000 | 22,000 | 950—2,000 | 10 x .30” 4 x .303” |
| Boston III | 304 at 13,000 | 24,250 | 1,020—2,000 | 8 x .303” |
| Mitchell II | 292 at 15,000 | 20,000 | 1,635—4,000 or 950—6,000 | 6 x .50” |
* See Notes on page 375.
† The essential difference between the Lancaster Marks I and III was in the power units, the former incorporating Merlin XX engines, the latter Merlin 28 (identical with the XX) built in America by Packard.
Fighter and Fighter-Bomber*
| Aircraft name and Mark | Maximum Speed† | Service Ceiling† | Climb†—time to height | Armament† |
| m.p.h., feet | feet | minutes feet | ||
| Beaufighter VI-F | 333 at 15,600 | 26,500 | 7.8 to 15,000 | 4 x 20-mm. 6 x .303” |
| Hurricane II-C | 339 at 22,000 | 35,600 | 9.1 to 20,000 | 4 x 20-mm. |
| Hurricane II-D | 316 at 19,000 | 33,500 | .75 to 2,000 | 2 x 40-mm. 2 x .303” |
| Kittyhawk I | 350 at 15,000 | 29,000 | 8.7 to 15,000 | 4 or 6 x .50” |
| Mosquito II | 370 at 14,000 | 35,000 | 7 to 15,000 | 4 x 20-mm. 4 x .303” |
| Mosquito VI | 378 at 14,000 | 32,000 | 9.5 to 15,000 | 4 x 20-mm. 4 x .303” (4 x 500 lb. bombs) |
| Mosquito XII (N/F) | 370 at 14,000 | 35,000 | 7 to 15,000 | 4 x 20-mm. |
| Mustang I | 390 at 8,000 | 32,000 | 8.1 to 15,000 | 4 x .50’ 4 x .303’ |
| Spitfire V-B | 374 at 13,000 | 36,000 | 7.5 to 20,000 | 2 x 20-mm. 4 x .303’ (1 x 500 lb. bomb) |
| Spitfire V-B (L/F) | 357 at 6,000 | 35,500 | 1.6 to 5,000 | 2 x 20-mm. 4 x .303’ (1 x 500 lb. bomb) |
| Spitfire IX | 408 at 25,000 | 43,000 | 6.7 to 20,000 | 2 x 20-mm. 4 x .303’ (1 x 500 lb. and 2 x 250 lb. bombs) |
| Typhoon I-B | 405 at 18,000 | 33,000 | 6.2 to 15,000 | 4 x 20-mm. (2 x 1,000 lb. bombs or 8 x 60 lb. R.P.s) |
* See Notes on page 375.
† Performance data in this table relate to the aircraft operating in a short-range fighter role. When bombs, rockets or drop tanks were added these figures were reduced. The bomb weights are those which could be carried when the aircraft operated as a fighter-bomber.
Coastal
| Aircraft name and mark | Cruising speed and endurance | Associated bomb (or depth charge) load | Armament |
| Knots—hours | lb. | ||
| Catalina I (F.B.) | 100—17.6 | 2,000 | 6 x .303” |
| or 25 | Nil | ||
| Catalina III | 100—14.5 | 2,000 | 5 x .303” |
| Fortress II | 140—10.7 | 1,750 | 9 x .50” |
| or 12.9 | Nil | ||
| Halifax II | 135—10.4 | 2,250 | 9 x .303” |
| or 13.3 | 1,500 | ||
| Hampden (T/B) | 120—7.25 | 1 x 18” torpedo | 6 x .303” |
| Hudson VI | 140—6.9 | 1,000 | 7 x .303” |
| Liberator I (VLR) | 150—16.1 | 2,000 | 4 x 20-mm. 6 x .30” |
| Liberator III | 145—11.6 | 3,000 | 6 x .50” |
| Liberator V | 150—15.3 | 1,500 | 6 x .50’ |
| Wellington I-C | 120—9.3 | 2,000 | 6 x .303” |
| Whitley VII | 105—10.3 | 2,000 | 5 x .303” |
| Wellington VIII | 120—8.8 | 1,000 | 6 x .303” |
| Wellington x II | 140—8.3 | 2,400 | 7 x .303” |
| Sunderland II (F.B.) | 110—11.6 | 2,000 | 7 x .303” |
| Sunderland III (F.B.) | 110—11.9 | 2,000 | 7 x .303” |
(i) MAXIMUM SPEED was only possible for an extremely limited period. Apart from tactical manoeuvring, bomber and fighter aircraft, in the main, flew at speeds between ‘most economical cruising’ and ‘maximum continuous cruising’. Varying with the different aircraft, these speeds were respectively between 55-80% and 80-90% of the maximum speed.
(ii) SERVICE CEILING. The height at which the rate of climb has a certain defined low value (in British practice 100 feet per minute) . Ceilings quoted are for aircraft with full load.
(iii) RANGE AND ASSOCIATED BOMB LOAD. The main purpose of this table is to give some idea of the relative performances of the various aircraft. The figures quoted relate to aircraft flying at ‘most economical cruising’ speed at the specified height, i.e. the speed and height at which the greatest range could be obtained. Allowance is made for take-off but not for landing, the range quoted being the maximum distance the aircraft could cover in still air ‘flying to dry tanks’. Furthermore in the planning of operations a reduction of range of about 25% had to be made for navigational errors, tactical manoeuvring, weather conditions and other factors.
(iv) ENDURANCE. The time an aircraft can continue flying under given conditions without refuelling. This being a vital factor of Coastal Command operations an economical cruising speed, consistent with maximum safe endurance as determined under normal operational conditions, is quoted.
(v) A number of Liberators Marks III and V were modified to achieve a performance similar to that of the VLR Liberator Mark I.
(vi) The Catalina Mark III (amphibian) was known as the Canso.
(vii) ABBREVIATIONS. (N/F) Night-Fighter; (L/F) Low Flying; (R.P.) Rocket Projectile; (F.B.) Flying Boat; (T/B) Torpedo-Bomber; (VLR) Very Long Range.