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APPENDIX V
Principal Operational Aircraft of the Royal Air Force, 1942-43

BOMBER1

AIRCRAFT NAME AND MARK MAXIMUM SPEED SERVICE CELILING 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 & III2 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"

1 See Noles on page 375.

2 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.

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FIGHTER AND FIGHTER-BOMBER1

AIRCRAFT NAME AND MARK MAXIMUM SPEED2 SERVICE CELILING2 CLIMB -- TIME TO HEIGHT ARMAMENT2
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. 6X-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 6x-50 "
Mosquito II 370 at 14,000 35,000 7 to 15,000 4 x 20-mm. 4x-303'
Mosquito VI 378 at 14,000 32,000 9.5 to 15,000 4 x 20-mm. 4x303' (4x500 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 4x-50' 4x-303'
Spitfire V-B 374 at 13,000 36,000 7.5 to 20,000 2 x 20-mm. 4X-303' (1 X500 lb. bomb)
Spitfire V-B (L/F) 357 at 6,000 35,500 1.6 to 5,000 2 x 20-mm. 4X-303' (1 X500 lb. bomb)
Spitfire IX 408 at 25,000 43,000 6.7 to 20,000 2 x 20-mm. 4x-303' (1x500 lb. and 2x250 lb. bombs)
Typhoon I-B 405 at 18,000 33,000 6.2 to 15,000 4 x 20-mm. (2x1,000 lb. bombs or 8 x60 lb. R.P.s)

1See Notes on page 375.

2Performance 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.

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COASTAL

AIRCRAFT NAME AND MARK CRUSING
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 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"

NOTES.

(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 V.L.R. 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; (V.L.R.) Very Long Range.

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