Twin-engined monoplane bomber. The Whitley was one of the
first heavy night bombers of the RAF, and the first RAF aircraft with a
stressed-skin fuselage. It had a characteristic nose-down flying attitude,
because of the high incidence of the wing. Performance was mediocre, and
from 1942 onwards it was used as trainer and glider tug.
Avro 683 Lancaster
Lancaster, also known as "Lanc" - the most used
British heavy bomber of WWII. Lancasters flew 156,000 missions. The
Lancaster was a development of the unsatisfactory twin-engine Manchester.
It had a rectangular fuselage, mid-set wing and twin tail fins and
rudders. It was able to carry very heavy bombs and bulky 'special'
weapons; with modifications to the bomb-bay even 10.000kg bombs were
carried.
Fairey Swordfish
Little different from the biplanes of World War I and
totally obsolete by World War II, the Fairey Swordfish remarkably remained
operational until after 1945. Slow and almost defenceless, it was a
successful torpedo bomber against light opposition. Swordfish crippled the
italian fleet at Tarente and helped to sink the German Bismarck. Its main
advantage was strength, ease of maintenance, and viceless flying
qualities. Swordfish could be flown from aircraft carriers, even in rough
seas. By the end of 1941, the wartime Swordfish was confined mainly to
anti-submarine operations.
Bristol Beaufort
Twin-engined torpedo bomber, based on Blenheim experience
(more heavy, because crew was four men). It was the standard torpedo
bomber from 1940 until 1943, but was never considered a really successful
type (but attacked also German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau).
From 1939 built also in Australia with Pratt&Whitney Twin Wasp engines
(1,200 HP) - succesful by attacks before Japanese ships
Handley Page H.P.57 Halifax
Heavy bomber, less known than the Lancaster but almost as
important. It was built both with Rolls-Royce Merlin liquid-cooled and
Bristol Hercules radial engines. The Halifax was a mid-wing aircraft with
twin fins and rudders and a fuselage of rectangular cross-section.
Halifaxes flew 75532 missions during WWII. They were also used as glider
tug and transport. A nickname was "Halibag".
Vickers Wellington
Twin-engined medium bomber of geodetic construction. It was
the main British bomber during the first part of WWII, but the RAF was
soon forced to abandon daylight attacks because of its vulnerability. The
Wellington was in production until the end of the war. After its
replacement in Bomber Command by the new four-engined bombers it was flown
on numerous other duties, and some were used until 1953. The Mk.X
introduced a fuselage structure of light alloy, instead of steel. There
were also prototypes and a small production series (about 60) of the Mk.V
and Mk.VI, with early cabin pressurisation systems, which did not enter
service.
Bristol Beaufighter
The Beaufighter was designed as a long-range heavy fighter,
with many components in common with the Bristol
Beaufort torpedo bomber. It saw service as a night fighter, a torpedo
bomber, a ground attack fighter and an anti-shipping aircraft. In addition
to operations in Europe, it also served in the Middle East and Far East.
By September 1945 a total of 5 564 had been built in a variety of models
and many continued in front-line service into the end of 1950s.
Havilland D.H.98 Mosquito
The Mosquito was a twin-engined aircraft of plywood
monocoque construction, designed originally as a fast, unarmed light
bomber. This concept was regarded as an aberration by the authorities, but
the performance of the Mosquito silenced the critics. At night it operated
with impunity over Germany to the end of the war, because the Luftwaffe
never had a nightfighter fast enough to intercept it. The Mosquito also
served with distinction as fighter-bomber, recconaissance aircraft and
nightfighter. It was one of the finest aircraft of WWII, with a
versatility only matched by the German Junkers Ju 88.
Gloster G.41 Meteor
The first allied jet fighter. Its combat use in WWII was
limited to intercepting V-1's. The Meteor was of conventional layout, with
engines in mid-wing nacelles, and it was capable of accepting many types
of engine. The flexible design allowed a long development history after
the war, and the Meteor introduced jet engines to many airforces. A
two-seat night fighter with a long radar nose was developed by Armstrong
Whitworth and entered service in 1950. The last were retired from service
in 1961.
Hawker Hurricane, Sea Hurricane
The Hurricane was the first monoplane fighter produced by
Hawker, and was available in substantial numbers at the beginning of World
War II. Hurricanes played a decisive role in the Battle of Britain and
went on to fly on more fronts than any other British fighter. Canadian Car
and Foundry manufactured 1 451 Hurricanes between 1938 and 1943. With
increasingly heavy armament, Hurricanes served to the end of the war.
Hurricanes were used in Canada for training and coastal patrols.
Supermarine Spitfire
An uncompromised, fast and maneuvrable fighter. The
remarkable thin elliptical wing made the Spitfire capable of very high
speeds, but it had to be reinforced several times to retain aileron
effectiveness. The Spitfire served as first-line fighter throughout WWII
in increasingly fast and powerful versions, first with the Merlin, later
with the Griffon engine. The Spitfire was continously changed to meet all
kinds of threats and demands, as low- and high altitude fighter,
tropicalized, navalized, or equipped as unarmed photo-reconaissance
aircraft. Probably the most famous military aircraft ever.Production ended
in October 1947 (Mk.24), 20,334 built. The RAF retired its last Spitfires
- PR Mk. 19 recce aircraft - in 1954.
Westland Whirlwind
A small, fast twin-engined fighter, one of the first to be
armed with four 20mm cannon. The Whirlwind was a fine fighter that could
combat single-engined fighters with success. It had the misfortune that
the development and production of the R.R. Peregrine engine was halted,
and no alternative was available. The Whirlwind was tailored to this
engine and the original specification. When the Hurricane and Spitfire
proved to be able to carry the 20mm cannon, and the Beaufighter filled in
the heavy fighter role, interest in the Whirlwind faded. Another defiency
was its short range, with a radius of action of only 240km. It served in
small numbers as fighter-bomber.
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