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Welcome to our home page for War in the Air. This was our main theme in the Spring and early Summer of 2007 and since then we have rapidly increased our coverage of the topic.
Aerial Warfare was the Twentieth Century's unique contribution to the art of war. Ten years after the Wright Brothers' first flight in 1903, the airplane was ready to play an increasingly important role in the First World War. Fighter aces became public heroes in a war that was becoming increasingly anonymous on the ground.
Military aircraft have developed at an incredible speed. It took only fifty years to get from the improvised war planes of 1914 to the 2,000 mph Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. The Second World War saw hundreds of thousands of aircraft of hundreds of different types play a crucial role in the fighting, with some of the aircraft becoming icons in their own right.
We now have 1,419 articles and 734,900 words, covering 636 military aircraft. Our first set of articles for our War in the Air theme also included our 1,000th article, and the Short Stirling takes us over the one million words mark!
To find out what we already cover, visit our Subject Index for Aerial Warfare, look at our Book shop or check out our Links section.
No.656 Squadron was an Air Observation Post squadron that served on the Burma Front.
No.657 Squadron was an Air Observation Post squadron that served in Italy from August 1943 until the spring 1945 before being transferred to the Netherlands for the last few weeks of the war in Europe.
No.658 Squadron was an Air Observation Post squadron that served in Normandy and northern Europe before moving to India after the end of the war.
No.659 Squadron was an Air Observation Post squadron that landing in Normandy soon after D-Day and that supported the Allied armies until the end of the war in Europe.
No.660 Squadron was an Air Observation Post squadron that supported the Second Army in north-western Europe from July 1944 until the end of the Second World War.
No.651 Squadron was the first of fifteen Air Observation Post squadrons formed to provide light aircraft for artillery officers who would observe and correct the accuracy of their own guns.
No.652 Squadron was an Air Observation Post that landed in Normandy on the day after D-Day and supported the Second Army in Europe for the rest of the war.
No.653 Squadron was an Air Observation Post that landed in Normandy towards the end of June 1944 and that supported army in Europe for the rest of the war.
No.654 Squadron was an Air Observation Post squadron that supported the First Army in North Africa and the Eighth Army in Sicily and Italy.
No.655 Squadron was an Air Observation Post squadron that served in Italy from the summer of 1943 until the end of the Second World War.
No.628 Squadron was formed as a special duties squadron but spent most of its brief existence flying a mix of meteorological flights and air-sea rescue missions in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean.
No.630 Squadron was part of Bomber Command and took part in the strategic bombing campaign from its formation late in 1943 until the end of the Second World War.
No.631 Squadron was a target-towing and gun laying training squadron that was based in Wales from its formation 1943 until the end of the Second World War.
No.635 Squadron was formed as part of the pathfinder force of Bomber Command and carried out that role from its formation in March 1944 until the end of the Second World War.
No.639 Squadron was an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron that served in Cornwall from its formation in December 1943 until being disbanded in April 1945.
No.650 Squadron was a target-towing and gun-laying practice squadron that served on the eastern side of the Irish Sea from its formation in December until the end of the Second World War.
No.623 Squadron was a short-lived heavy bomber squadron that took part in Bomber Command's strategic bombing offensive for three months.
No.625 Squadron was part of Bomber Command's main force from its formation in October 1943 until the end of the Second World War.
No.626 Squadron was a heavy bomber squadron that formed part of Bomber Command's main force from its formation in November 1943 until the end of the war.
No.627 Squadron was formed on 12 November 1943 as a Mosquito squadron within No.8 Group, where it served with the Night Light Striking Force.
No.620 Squadron was formed in 1943 as a heavy bomber squadron, but after 61 missions became a transport and airborne forces squadron, flying a mix of glider towing, paratrooper and air supply missions.
No.621 Squadron was a general reconnaissance squadron that spend 1943-45 engaged in anti-submarine warfare and general maritime patrols in the seas off East Africa and in the Red Sea.
No.622 Squadron was a heavy bomber squadron that formed part of Bomber Command's main force from the summer of 1943 until the end of 1945.
No.617 Squadron is undoubtedly the most famous RAF squadron of the Second World War, earning that fame on its very first operational sortie, the famous dams raid of 16/17 May 1943. The 'dambusters' went on to become a highly accurate precision bombing squadron, reserved for special targets – either small scale, difficult to hit or that required the use of Barnes Wallis's other special bombs of the Second World War, the Tallboy and Grand Slam.
No.618 Squadron was formed to use a scaled down version of Barnes Wallis' 'bouncing bomb' as an anti-shipping weapon, but despite a great deal of effort and a transfer to the Far East the squadron never carried out an attack with its new weapon.
No.619 Squadron was a heavy bomber squadron that formed part of Bomber Command's main force from 1943 until the end of the Second World War.
No.613 (City of Manchester) Squadron had a very varied wartime career, beginning as an army cooperation squadron and flying coastal patrols, air-sea rescue missions, tactical reconnaissance and fighter-bomber missions before ending the war as a night intruder squadron.
No.615 (County of Surrey) Squadron was a fighter squadron that took part in the Battle of Britain and the early sweeps over France before moving to Burma, where it performed a mix of offensive and defensive duties for the rest of the war.
No.616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron was a fighter squadron that became the first operational squadron to use a jet aircraft when it was equipped with the Gloster Meteor during 1944.
No.610 (County of Chester) Squadron was a fighter squadron that took part in the Battle of Britain, before taking part in fighter sweeps, shipping reconnaissance duties and the anti flying-bomb campaign
No.611 (West Lancashire) Squadron was a fighter squadron that flew a mix of offensive and defensive missions, ending the war as an escort squadron.
No.612 (County of Aberdeen) Squadron served with Coastal Command throughout the Second World War, spending most of the war operating from the UK but for the first half of 1942 it was based on Iceland.
No.607 (County of Durham) Squadron was a fighter squadron that took part in the fighting in France in May 1940 and the Battle of Britain before moving to the Far East where it operated over Burma from 1942 until the end of the war.
No.608 (North Riding) Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War, the first with Coastal Command and the second as the only Auxiliary Air Force squadron to join Bomber Command.
No.609 (West Riding) Squadron began the Second World War as a fighter squadron, taking part in the Battle of Britain, before moving onto intruder operations, eventually joining Second Tactical Air Force.
No.603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron was a fighter squadron responsible for the first German aircraft to be shot down over Britain during the Second World War. It then went on to fight in the Battle of Britain and the offensive sweeps over France before moving to the Middle East where flew a mix of convoy protection, escort missions and anti-shipping strikes. Finally it returned to the UK to serve as a fighter-bomber squadron for the last months of the war in Europe.
No.604 (County of Middlesex) Squadron spent most of the Second World War as a night fighter squadron, flying a mix of defensive and offensive duties.
No.605 (County of Warwick) Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a fighter squadron that took part in the Battle of Britain before being destroyed during the early part of the war in the Pacific in 1942 and second as a home-based intruder squadron.
No.600 'City of London' Squadron was an Auxiliary Air Force squadron that spent most of the Second World War serving as a night fighter unit, first from the UK and later in the Mediterranean.
No.601 'County of London' Squadron was a fighter squadron that took part in the fighting in France in 1940, the Battle of Britain, then moved to the Mediterranean, where it fought in North Africa, Sicily and Italy.
No.602 'City of Glasgow' Squadron was a fighter squadron that took part in the Battle of Britain before going on the offensive with 2nd Tactical Air Force. It was later withdrawn to the UK to counter the V-2 rocket.
No.582 Squadron was a Lancaster-equipped Pathfinder squadron that served with Bomber Command's main force from April 1944 until the end of the Second World War.
No.587 Squadron was an anti-aircraft co-operation unit that served in the south-west of England and southern Wales from late in 1943 until the end of the war.
No.595 Squadron was an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron that operated in Wales from its formation late in 1943 until early in 1949.
No.597 Squadron was formed as a transport squadron on 10 January 1944, but no aircraft were received, and the new squadron was disbanded on 1 March 1944.
No.598 Squadron was an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron that served in the north of Scotland from the end of 1943 until the spring of 1945.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.250 was an advanced trainer designed for observers. It was similar in appearance to the M.S.230 intermediate trainer, with a swept-back parasol wing, but that had a new tail.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.251 was a more developed version of the M.S.250 advanced observer trainer.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.330 was a parasol wing trainer designed to replace the M.S.230 in French service, but that failed to live up to expectations and didn't enter production.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.331 was the designation given to a version of the unsuccessful M.S.330 trainer with a different engine
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.332 was the designation given to a version of the unsuccessful M.S.330 trainer given a Hispano-Suiza 9Qa radial engine
No.575 Squadron was an airborne forces squadron that took part in the D-Day landings, the battle of Arnhem and the crossing of the Rhine.
No.576 Squadron was a Lancaster bomber squadron that served with No.1 Group from its formation late in 1943 until the end of the Second World War.
No.577 Squadron was an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron that worked with the army and navy from its formation in December 1943 until being disbanded in June 1946.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.233 was a version of the M.S.230 parasol wing intermediate trainer produced under licence in Portugal.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.234 was the designation given to three civil versions of the M.S.230 parasol wing trainer.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.235 was a version of the M.S.230 parasol wing intermediate trainer that was powered by a 300hp Gnome-Rhône 7Kb engine
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.236 was a version of the M.S.230 parasol wing intermediate trainer produced under licence by SABCA in Belgium.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.237 was the designation given to five aircraft based on the M.S.230 intermediate parasol wing trainer that were sold into private hands.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.229 was a version of the M.S.230 two-seat intermediate trainer that was produced for Switzerland during 1931.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.230 was the most important French intermediate training aircraft of the interwar period, and was a two-seat swept-back parasol wing trainer.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.231 was the designation given to six M.S.230 intermediate trainers that were powered by 240hp Lorraine 7Mb engines
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.232 was an experimental version of the M.S.230 intermediate trainer that was powered by a 200hp Clerget 9Ca diesel engine
No.550 Squadron was a Lancaster squadron that formed part of Bomber Command's main force from his formation in November 1943 until the end of the war.
No.567 Squadron was an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron that served in the south-east of England from its formation late in 1943 until the end of the Second World War.
No.569 Squadron was a transport squadron that was never completely activated.
No.570 Squadron was an airborne forces squadron that took part in every major airborne operation from D-Day to the crossing of the Rhine, supported SOE operations in Europe and also served as a tactical bomber squadron during 1945.
No.571 Squadron was a mosquito bomber squadron that formed part of the Light Night Striking Force from its formation in April 1944 until the end of the Second World War.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.147 was a trainer produced by matching the faired fuselage and landing gear of the M.S.130 and the swept back parasol wing of the M.S.138.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.148 was the designation given to one M.S.147 swept parasol wing trainer that was powered by a 95hp Salmson 7Ac engine
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.149 was a parasol wing basic trainer that was used by the French Navy during the first half of the 1930s.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.200 was a parasol wing intermediate trainer produced in 1929 and tested but not adopted by the French navy.
No.544 Squadron was a photographic reconnaissance squadron that was split between bases in the UK at on Gibraltar when first formed, before concentrating in the UK in October 1943.
No.547 Squadron was an anti-shipping and anti-submarine warfare squadron that largely operated over the Bay of Biscay from late 1942 until the autumn of 1944, and then off the coast of Norway from then until the end of the war.
No.548 Squadron was a fighter squadron created to defend northern Australia against any Japanese air raids from the north.
No.549 Squadron was a Spitfire squadron formed to provide fighter cover in northern Australia, an area that remained within range of Japanese aircraft until surprisingly late in the Second World War.
No.540 Squadron was a long range reconnaissance unit that was formed from part of the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit, and that provided cover over most of occupied Europe.
No.541 Squadron was a photographic reconnaissance unit that was formed from part of the Photographic Reconnaissance Unit in 1942, and spent the rest of the war based at Benson and operating over occupied Europe.
No.542 Squadron was a photographic reconnaissance unit that operated the Spitfire over northern Europe from its formation in 1942 until the end of the war.
No.543 Squadron was a short-lived photographic reconnaissance unit that was disbanded in October 1943, one day short of a year after being formed.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.137 was a version of the parasol wing M.S.138 trainer that was powered by a 120hp Salmson 9Ac radial engine
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.138 was a two-seat parasol primary trainer, used by the French Air Force in the first half of the 1930s.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.139 was a version of the M.S.138 parasol wing two-seat primary trainer that was powered by a Clerget engine
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.191 was a version of the M.S.138 two-seat primary trainer that had a slightly reduced wingspan.
No.530 Squadron was one of ten Turbinlite squadrons formed in September 1942, just before the entire programme was abandoned.
No.531 Squadron was one of ten Turbinlite squadrons formed on 2 September 1942 to operate a mix of searchlight-equipped Havocs and Hurricane fighters.
No.532 Squadron was one of ten Turbinlite squadrons formed on 2 September 1942 to operate a mix of searchlight-equipped Havocs and Hurricane fighters.
No.533 Squadron was one of ten Turbinlite squadrons formed on 2 September 1942 to operate a mix of searchlight-equipped Havocs and Hurricane fighters.
No.534 Squadron was one of ten Turbinlite squadrons formed on 2 September 1942 to operate a mix of searchlight-equipped Havocs and Hurricane fighters.
No.535 Squadron was one of ten Turbinlite squadrons formed on 2 September 1942 to operate a mix of searchlight-equipped Havocs and Hurricane fighters.
No.536 Squadron was one of ten Turbinlite squadrons formed on 2 September 1942 to operate a mix of searchlight-equipped Havocs and Hurricane fighters.
No.537 Squadron was one of ten Turbinlite squadrons formed on 2 September 1942 to operate a mix of searchlight-equipped Havocs and Hurricane fighters.
No.538 Squadron was one of ten Turbinlite squadrons formed on 2 September 1942 to operate a mix of searchlight-equipped Havocs and Hurricane fighters.
No.539 Squadron was one of ten Turbinlite squadrons formed on 2 September 1942 to operate a mix of searchlight-equipped Havocs and Hurricane fighters.
No.526 Squadron was a radar calibration squadron that served in northern Scotland.
No.527 Squadron was a radar calibration squadron formed to serve in the south of England and East Anglia, but whose area of operations eventually extended up to the north of Scotland.
No.528 Squadron was a radar calibration squadron that was formed in the south-west, before moving to Lincolnshire.
No.529 Squadron was a radar calibration squadron that was formed in Cheshire, but later moved to Henley-on-Thames, where it would become the first RAF squadron to use a helicopter operationally.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.130 was a parasol wing trainer that saw most use with the French navy.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.131 was the designation given to a single M.S.130 parasol wing trainer that was fitted with a 230hp Lorraine engine
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.132 was the designation given to a single M.S.130 parasol wing trainer that was converted to use a 120hp Salmson 7Ab radial engine
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.133 was the designation given to four existing parasol wing trainers that were converted to use the 270hp Gnome-Rhone 5Kc radial.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.134 was the designation given to a version of the M.S.130 swept parasol wing trainer that was powered by an 80hp Clerget 9B rotary engine
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.136 was the designation given to a version of the M.S.130 swept parasol wing trainer that was powered by an 120hp Salmson 9Ac radial engine
No.512 Squadron was a transport squadron formed in 1943 and that spent the first half of 1944 working with the airborne forces, and took part in the D-Day landings.
No.513 Squadron was a heavy bomber squadron that was formed and disbanded during 1943, never becoming operational.
No.514 Squadron was a Lancaster bomber squadron that formed part of Bomber Command from its formation late in 1943 until the end of the Second World War.
No.515 Squadron began its existence as an experimental electronic counter-measures squadron, before joining No.100 Group and ending the war as a Mosquito intruder squadron.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.50 was a parasol-wing primary trainer produced in 1924, and that differed from the earlier M.S.35 in having an improved wing.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.51 was a version of the M.S.50 parasol wing primary trainer, but with an inline engine in place of the original aircraft's radial engine.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.53 was a parasol wing trainer that was produced in small numbers and sold to the Turkish Air Force.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.129 was developed from the M.S.53 parasol wing trainer, and differed mainly in having a more powerful engine.
No.501 ‘County of Gloucester’ Squadron was a fighter squadron that was originally formed as part of the Special Reserve in 1929, and that took part in the Battle of Britain, the period of offensive sweeps over occupied Europe and the anti V-1 campaign.
No.504 ‘County of Nottingham’ Squadron was formed as a Special Reserve bomber squadron in 1928, but spent the entire Second World War serving as a fighter squadron, ending the war as one of the first Meteor jet squadrons.
No.510 Squadron was a home-based transport squadron that provided communications flights in Britain from 1942 until the spring of 1944.
No.357 Squadron was a Special Duties squadron used to support guerrilla fighters and Allied agents operating behind Japanese lines in Burma, Malaya and Sumatra.
No.358 Squadron was a special duties squadron that served in the Far East from early in 1945.
No.500 ‘County of Kent’ Squadron was a pre-war Special Reserve unit that served with Coastal Command for most of the Second World War before being reformed as a bomber squadron in 1944.
No.354 Squadron was an anti-submarine and anti-shipping squadron that served in the Far East from its formation in 1943 until it was disbanded in May 1945.
No.355 Squadron was a heavy bomber squadron that operated over South-East Asia.
No.356 Squadron was a heavy bomber squadron that operated over South East Asia and that took part in the last bombing raid of the Second World War.
No.351 Squadron was a Yugoslav-manned fighter squadron that carried out ground attack missions in support of the Yugoslavian partisans.
No.352 Squadron was the first Yugoslav-manned fighter squadron formed in the Mediterranean and was used for fighter escort and ground attack missions over Yugoslavia.
No.353 Squadron was formed in India in 1942 as a reconnaissance squadron, but spent most of the war serving as a transport unit.
The Morane-Saulnier Type AR (M.S.35) was the first in a long series of Morane-Saulnier parasol wing trainers that were used by the French air services well into the 1930s.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.36 was a single-seat parasol wing advanced trainer that was ordered into production in 1917, but cancelled at the end of the First World War.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.42 was a prototype two-seat biplane intermediate trainer that entered service in modified form as the M.S.43.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S.43 was a two-seat intermediate biplane trainer that saw service in France in the late 1920s.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S. 278 was the designation given to the second M.S. 225 after it was fitted with a diesel engine.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S. 325 was the first monoplane fighter designed by the company after the First World War, but was outdated almost before the prototype was completed, and was abandoned in favour of the M.S. 405.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S. 226 was a carrier based fighter developed from the M.S. 225, itself seen as an interim design that saw service while more modern aircraft were under development.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S. 227 was the designation given to a single M.S. 225 used to test out a Hispano-Suize engine and 20mm cannon combination.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S. 275 was the last parasol wing fighter designed by the Morane-Saulnier company, and produced in response to a French air ministry specification for a single seat fighter first issued in 1930
The Morane-Saulnier M.S. 224 was a parasol wing fighter closely related to four previous designs produced as lightweight fighters, but that was significantly larger and heavier, and paved the way for limited production of the M.S. 225.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S. 225 was an interim fighter design that saw front line service between 1933 and 1936, while the Armée de l'Air waited for more modern aircraft to enter production.
No.345 (French) Squadron (GC II/2 'Berry') was a French fighter squadron that served with 2nd Tactical Air Force, taking part in the liberation of Europe in 1944-45.
No.349 (Belgian) Squadron was a fighter squadron formed for service in the Belgian Congo but that spent most of its existence operating from the UK and liberated Europe.
No.350 (Belgian) Squadron was the first Belgian-manned fighter squadron in the RAF, and spent most of the war flying offensive sweeps over occupied Europe.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S. 222 was the third in a series of parasol wing fighters produced in response to a French requirement for a lightweight fighter, and differed from the earlier M.S. 221 by having a turbo-supercharged engine.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S. 223 was the fourth in a series of parasol wing fighters produced in response to a French requirement for a lightweight fighter, and only differed from the M.S. 222 by having a new undercarriage.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S. 121 was the first fighter aircraft developed by the company after the First World War, and was designed in response to an official requirement for a light fighter.
The Morane-Saulnier M.S. 221 was the second fighter developed by the company in response to a French requirement for a lightweight fighter, but lacked speed and was superseded by the M.S. 222.
The Morane-Saulnier Type AF was a single seat biplane fighter developed in 1917, but that didn't enter large scale production.
The Morane-Saulnier Type AFH was an amphibious version of the Type AF biplane, designed to be used from the deck of French warships.
The Morane-Saulnier Type AI was a single seat parasol-wing fighter developed during 1917 and that entered service early in 1918, but had to be withdrawn after a number of wing failures.
No.341 (French) Squadron 'G.C. III/2 'Alsace' was a French-manned fighter squadron that served with 2nd Tactical Air Force, taking part in the liberation of Europe in 1944-45.
No.342 (French) Squadron G.B. I/20 'Lorraine' was a French bomber squadron that carried out daylight bombing raids from 1943-44, then day and night bombing raids to support the invasion of Europe.
No.343 Squadron was the RAF designation given to a French naval anti-submarine warfare squadron operating from Dakar.
No.344 Squadron was the RAF designation for a French-manned land based anti-submarine squadron operating from Dakar.
No.335 Squadron was a Greek manned fighter squadron that served in the Mediterranean, the Balkans and over the Aegean from 1941 until the end of the Second World War.
No.336 Squadron was a Greek manned fighter squadron that provided shopping protection from 1943 until 1944, before moving to Italy and later Greece to operate over the Balkans and the Aegean.
No.340 'Ile-de-France' Squadron was a Free French fighter squadron that spent most of its existence on offensive duties, ending the war as part of Second Tactical Air Force.
No.329 (GC I/2 'Cigognes') was a Free French squadron that served with the 2nd Tactical Air Force during the invasion of Normandy and the campaign in northern Europe.
No.333 (Norwegian) Squadron was a maritime patrol and special duties squadron that ended the war operating with the Banff strike wing.
No.334 Squadron was a short-lived unit, formed from the Mosquito wing of No.333 Squadron after the end of the war in Europe.
No.330 (Norwegian) Squadron was an anti-submarine warfare squadron manned by Norwegian personnel.
No.331 (Norwegian) Squadron was a fighter squadron that fought with Fighter Command from 1941, before joining 2nd Tactical Air Force to support the invasion of Europe.
No.332 (Norwegian) Squadron was a fighter squadron that served with Fighter Command until 1943 and then with 2nd Tactical Air Force.
No.326 Squadron was the RAF designation given to G.C. II/7 'Nice', a French fighter squadron that had served with the Vichy forces in North Africa before joining the Allies in 1943.
No.327 Squadron was the RAF designation given to G.C. I/3 'Corse', a French fighter squadron that had served with the Vichy forces in North Africa before joining the Allies in 1943.
No.328 Squadron was the RAF designation given to G.C. I/7 'Provence', a French fighter squadron that had served with the Vichy forces in North Africa before joining the Allies in 1943.
No.321 Squadron was a Dutch manned squadron that went through two incarnations during the Second World War, the first as an anti-submarine squadron, the second as a maritime patrol squadron, and in both cases built around aircraft that escaped from Axis attacks.
No.322 'Dutch' Squadron was a fighter squadron manned by Dutch personnel. It formed part of 2nd Tactical Air Force, took part in the anti V-1 campaign, and ended the war operating from the Netherlands.
No.318 'Gdanskski' Squadron was a Polish ground attack and tactical reconnaissance squadron that fought in Italy from 1944 until the end of the Second World War.
No.320 (Netherlands) Squadron was formed around a number of Fokker T-VIIIW seaplanes that escaped from the Netherlands. It spent the next three years serving as a maritime patrol and anti-shipping squadron, before becoming a daylight bomber squadron in 1943, a role it performed until the end of the war.
No.315 'Deblinski' Squadron was a fighter squadron that performed a mix of offensive and defensive duties, serving with Second Tactical Air Force, the anti V-1 campaign and briefly provided long range bomber escorts.
No.316 'Warszawski' Squadron was a Polish fighter squadron that spent most of the war flying offensive sweeps, before moving to escort duties in 1944. The squadron was formed on 15 February 1941 as a Hurricane-equipped fighter squadron, and was used to provide defensive cover for the south-west.
No.317 'Wilenski' Squadron was a Polish fighter squadron that spent most of the war flying offensive sweeps over German occupied territory.
No.311 Squadron was a Czechoslovakian squadron that served with Bomber Command from 1940-1942 and from Coastal Command from 1942 until the end of the war, sinking two U-boats during that period.
No.312 Squadron was a Czechoslovak manned fighter squadron that was formed during the Battle of Britain, and that flew a mix of fighter-bomber and bomber escort for the rest of the war.
No.313 Squadron was the third Czechoslovakian fighter squadron to be formed within the RAF. It took part on the offensive sweeps over France, formed part of Second Tactical Air Force and ended the war flying a mix of bomber escort and ground attack missions.
No.308 'Krakowski' Squadron was a Polish manned fighter squadron that performed a mix of defensive and offensive duties from 1941 to 1943, before becoming a fighter-bomber squadron in Second Tactical Air Force.
No.309 'Ziemia Czerwienska' Squadron was a Polish manned squadron formed as an army co-operation unit, but that became first a tactical reconnaissance unit and then a fighter squadron.
No.310 Squadron was a Czechoslovakian fighter squadron that fought in the Battle of Britain, the offensive sweeps over France and joined Second Tactical Air Force to support the Normandy landings.
No.305 'Weilkopolski' Squadron was a Polish manned bomber squadron than originally served as a night bomber squadron, but that converted to daylight operations in 1943 and ended the war as a low-level bomber squadron.
No.306 'Torunski' Squadron was a Polish manned fighter squadron that took part in the offensive sweeps over France, joining Second Tactical Air Force but was diverted to the anti flying bomb campaign and ended the war providing fighter escorts for Bomber Command.
No.307 'Lwowski' Squadron was a Polish manned night fighter squadron that was formed as a defensive unit but that ended the war as a night intruder squadron.
No.302 'Poznanski' Squadron was a Polish-manned fighter squadron that fought in later stages of the Battle of Britain, before becoming a fighter-bomber squadron and joining 2nd Tactical Air Force during the invasion of Europe in 1944-45.
No.303 'Warsaw-Kosciusco' Squadron was a Polish manned fighter squadron that took part in the Battle of Britain, flew offensive sweeps over France and joined Second Tactical Air Force for the invasion of Europe.
No.304 'Slaski' Squadron was a Polish-manned squadron that served with Bomber Command from 1940-1942 before transferring to Coastal Command for the rest of the war.
No.294 Squadron was an air-sea rescue squadron that served in the eastern Mediterranean from 1943 until 1945 and then in the Persian Gulf and Arabian Sea.
No.299 Squadron was an airborne forces squadron that took part in the D-Day landings Arnhem, the crossing of the Rhine and the liberation of Oslo.
No.300 'Mazowiecki' Squadron was a Polish-manned bomber squadron that served with Bomber Command for most of the Second World War, and survived until 1947.
No.289 Squadron was formed from No.13 Group Anti Aircraft Cooperation Flight in 1941 and continued to serve in that role for the rest of the Second World War.
No.290 Squadron served as an anti-aircraft cooperation squadron in Northern Ireland and Scotland, before moving to Belgium to support the advancing Allied armies.
No.291 Squadron was an anti-aircraft cooperation squadron formed to provide target towing aircraft along the East Coast of England.
No.292 Squadron was an air-sea rescue squadron that provided cover over the Bay of Bengal and off the coast of Burma.
No.293 Squadron was an air-sea rescue squadron that served in North Africa and around Italy from 1943 until early in 1946.
No.283 Squadron was an air-sea rescue squadron that served overseas. It was formed in North Africa, and spent the entire war providing cover for different parts of the Mediterranean
No.284 Squadron was an air-sea rescue squadron that was formed in the UK, but operated in the Mediterranean.
No.285 Squadron was an anti-aircraft cooperation squadron that helped Anti-aircraft command practice its aim.
No.286 Squadron was formed from No.10 Group Anti Aircraft Cooperation Flight in 1941 and continued to serve in that role for the rest of the Second World War.
No.287 Squadron was formed from No.11 Group Anti Aircraft Cooperation Flight in 1941 and continued to serve in that role for the rest of the Second World War.
No.288 Squadron was formed from No.12 Group Anti Aircraft Cooperation Flight in 1941 and continued to serve in that role for the rest of the Second World War.
No.280 Squadron was an air-sea rescue squadron that provided cover off the south-east of England, East Anglia and into the North Sea.
No.281 Squadron was an air-sea rescue squadron that served all around the British coast in a large number of detachments.
No.282 Squadron was an air-sea rescue squadron that had two incarnations during the Second World War, the first serving from Scotland and the second from the south-west of England.
Many thanks to Michael Goold for providing us with accounts of the delivery of a Spitfire from the UK to Egypt and of a Beaufighter from Egypt to Rome. Michael served with 216 group No 4 ADU (part of Transport Command) and flew eighteen types of aircraft during his service.
No.276 Squadron was an air-sea rescue unit that covered the western end of the English Channel and the Bristol Channel
No.277 Squadron was an air-sea rescue unit that covered the area between the south-east of England and the French coast, one of the busiest areas around the British coast during the Second World War.
No.278 Squadron was an air-sea rescue squadron formed to cover the coast off East Anglia, but that ended the war with responsibility for the English Channel.
No.279 Squadron was an air-sea rescue squadron that provided cover over the Bay of Biscay and Western Approaches, before moving to the north of Scotland, while also providing a detachment for service in Burma.
The Kyushu J7W Shinden (Magnificent Lighting) was the only canard configuration aircraft (with the main wings at the rear) to be ordered into production by any nation during the Second World War, but the aircraft never proceeded beyond the prototype stage.
The Kyushu Q1W Tokai (Eastern Sea) 'Lorna' was the first dedicated anti-submarine warfare aircraft to be produced for the Japanese navy, but wasn't a great success and was only produced in small numbers.
No.273 Squadron was reformed on Ceylon in 1939, and had a quiet war until the Japanese raid on the island in April 1942. Two more quiet years followed, before the squadron moved to the Burma front in 1944 to carry out ground attack and fighter escort missions.
No.274 Squadron spent most of the Second World War serving as a fighter squadron in North Africa. It then returned to Britain in 1944 where it took part in the campaign against the V-1 flying bomb, before moving to the continent to join 2nd Tactical Air Force.
No.275 Squadron was an air-sea rescue squadron that provided cover over the Irish Sea, then between England and the Normandy invasion beaches and finally over the western part of the English Channel.
The Kyushu K10W 'Oak' was an intermediate trainer based on the North American NA-16 and that replaced the Yokosuka K5Y1 in Japanese naval service.
The Kyushu K11W Shiragiku was a single-engined crew training aircraft that was also used as an anti-submarine warfare aircraft.
The Kyushu Q3W1 Nankai was a dedicated anti-submarine warfare aircraft based on the K11W trainer.
The Kyushu K9W Momiji was a licence-built version of the Bücker Bü 131B Jungman basic trainer produced in Japan for use by the Imperial Japanese Navy.
The Kokusai Ki-86 was a version of the Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann produced under licence for the Japanese Army.
The Bücker Bü 180 Student was a commercially unsuccessful two-seat touring aircraft that was more significant as the direct precursor to the Bü 181 Bestmann, one of the most important training aircraft used by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War
The Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann was a two-man basic trainer produced in vast numbers for the Luftwaffe, as well as in Sweden, Holland, Czechoslovakia and Egypt.
The Bücker Bü 182 Kornett was a single-seat training aircraft that like the Bü 181 Bestmann developed from the earlier Bü 180, but that didn't enter mass production.
The Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann was a biplane primary trainer that played an important role in the growth of the Luftwaffe, before seeing limited active service as a night harassment aircraft late in the Second World War
The Bücker Bü 133 Jungmeister was a very successful single seat aerobatic trainer used as an advanced trainer by the Luftwaffe and as an aerobatic display aircraft after the war.
The Bücker Bü 134 was the Bücker Company's first monoplane, and was a rare failure for the company.
No.270 Squadron was a flying boat squadron that provided anti-submarine cover off the coast of West Africa.
No.271 Squadron was formed in 1940 as a transport squadron, and served in that role until 1944, when it became an airborne forces squadron, taking part in the D-Day landings, the battle of Arnhem and the crossing of the Rhine.
No.272 Squadron was formed as a home-based shipping escort squadron during 1940, but spent most of the war serving as a long range fighter squadron in the Mediterranean theatre.
The Kawanishi N1K Kyofu (Mighty Wind) was a floatplane fighter designed to support amphibious assaults in areas out of the range of land-based or carrier aircraft.
The Kawanishi N1K-J Shiden (Violet Lightning) was one of the best fighters to see service with the Imperial Japanese Navy, and in skilled hands was more than capable of holding its own against the American fighters that were increasingly dominating the Pacific skies.
No.267 Squadron was a transport squadron that served in the Mediterranean from its formation in 1940 until early 1945, and then moved to Burma to help support the final Allied offensive in that country.
No.268 Squadron was formed as an army co-operation squadron in 1940, but spent most of the war serving as a tactical reconnaissance unit, ending the war with 2nd Tactical Air Force.
No.269 Squadron began the war as a home based coastal reconnaissance squadron, but spent the second half of the war serving overseas, first as a anti-submarine warfare squadron based on Iceland and then as an air-sea rescue and meteorological squadron operating from the Azores.
The Kawanishi E15K Shiun (Violet Cloud) was a reconnaissance float-plane designed to be able to operate in areas dominated by enemy fighters, and that would thus be too dangerous for more conventional float-planes.
The Kawanishi H8K 'Emily' was the fastest and most heavily armed flying boat to enter service in significant numbers during the Second World War, and was considered by Allied pilots to be the hardest Japanese aircraft to shoot down.
The Kawanishi J3K1 was a land based interceptor designed for the Japanese navy, but that was abandoned early in the design stage.
The Kawanishi J6K1 Jinpu was a purpose-built land based interceptor designed for the Japanese navy, but that didn't enter production because of the success of the same company's N1K2-J.
No.263 Squadron began the Second World War as a fighter squadron equipped with the Gloster Gladiator biplane which it used in Norway, and ended it as a Typhoon squadron in the Second Tactical Air Force.
No.265 Squadron was a flying boat squadron that was formed in 1943 to provide patrols over the India Ocean and that continued in that role until it was disbanded in April 1945.
No.266 'Rhodesia' Squadron was a fighter squadron that operated the Spitfire during 1940 and 1941 before converting to the Hawker Typhoon at the start of 1942, using that aircraft with Second Tactical Air Force during the liberation of Western Europe.
The Kawanishi E5K was a reconnaissance float plane that was produced in small numbers before being replaced in service by the Kawanishi E7K.
The Kawanishi E7K 'Alf' was a long range reconnaissance floatplane that was obsolescent by the start of the Pacific War, but that remained in front line service until 1943.
The Kawanishi H3K was a long range reconnaissance seaplane designed by Shorts and produced under licence in Japan by Kawanishi.
The Kawanishi H6K 'Mavis' was a long range flying boat that demonstrated that Kawanishi could complete with the best in the world, and that despite its lack of protection remained in front line service throughout the Second World War.
The Mitsubishi A5M 'Claude' was the first monoplane fighter to enter service with the Imperial Japanese Navy, and helped Japan to win air superiority over China in 1937-39, but had largely been replaced in front line units by the start of the Pacific War.
The Nakajima G8N Renzan (Mountain Range) was a four engined long range bomber designed from 1943 and that only reached the prototype stage before the end of the Second World War.
No.260 Squadron was a fighter squadron that briefly served in Scotland, before moving to the Mediterranean, where it remained for the rest of the war, acting as a fighter-bomber squadron.
No.261 Squadron was the fighter squadron responsible for the defence of Malta in 1940-41. It was later reformed in Iraq, and served in Palestine, Cyprus and Burma, ending the war as a fighter-bomber squadron.
No.262 Squadron was a flying boat squadron that was based in South Africa from 1942 until it was transferred to the S.A.A.F. in 1945. The squadron was formed on 29 September 1942 at Liverpool, and its personnel immediately set sail for South Africa.
No.257 Squadron was a Typhoon squadron that took part in the campaign against German fighter-bomber raids on the south coast before joining Second Tactical Air Force to serve as a fighter-bomber squadron during the invasion of Western Europe.
No.258 Squadron was a fighter squadron that served in Britain until 1941, when it was moved to the Far East. After taking part in the disastrous defence of Singapore, Sumatra and Java the squadron was reformed in India, and spent the rest of the war fighting on the Burma front.
No.259 Squadron served as an anti-submarine warfare squadron over the Indian Ocean, from its formation in 1943 until the end of the Second World War.
No.254 Squadron was formed as a shipping protection squadron, and spent the first half of the war on largely defensive duties, before becoming a torpedo bomber squadron with the North Coates strike wing from 1942 until the end of the war.
No.255 Squadron served as a night fighter squadron through the Second World War, first in a home based defensive role, then in North Africa and Sicily and finally as a night intruder squadron operating over the Balkans.
No.256 Squadron was a home based defensive night fighter squadron from 1940 until 1943, when it moved to the Mediterranean, ending the war flying intruder missions over the Balkans.
The Mitsubishi K3M 'Pine' was a single-engined crew trainer that also saw service as a light liaison aircraft during the Pacific War.
The Mitsubishi Ki-7 was the designation given to two K3M training aircraft produced for the Japanese Army.
No.251 Squadron was reformed on 1 August 1944 by the renumbering of No.1407 Flight at Reykjavik, and served as an air-sea rescue and meteorological squadron for the rest of the war.
No.252 Squadron was reformed on 21 November 1940, and was the first squadron in Coastal Command to be equipped with the Bristol Beaufighter.
No.253 Squadron was a fighter squadron that fought in the Battle of Britain, before moving to the Mediterranean, ending the war operating from a base in Yugoslavia.
No.248 Squadron was formed as a night fighter unit, but spend most of the war serving with Coastal Command, ending the war with the Banff Strike Wing.
No.249 Squadron was a fighter squadron that took part in the Battle of Britain, where one of its pilots won Fighter Command's first Victoria Cross, before moving to Malta and the Mediterranean.
No.250 Squadron spent the entire Second World War operating in or around the Mediterranean, taking part in the battles in the Western Desert and the invasions of Sicily and Italy.
The Mitsubishi A7M Reppu (Hurricane) 'Sam' was designed to be the replacement for the A6M Zero, but despite a great deal of effort over several years only one production aircraft was completed before the end of the Second World War.
The Mitsubishi J8M/ Ki-200 was a rocket plane based on the German Me 163B but that was developed in Japan in less than a year despite the lack of any detailed plans of the German original.
No.244 Squadron served in the Middle East for the entire Second World War, first as a patrol and army co-operation squadron and later as an anti-submarine squadron.
No.245 Squadron served with Fighter Command from 1939 until 1943, before joining 2nd Tactical Air Force to take part in the D-Day invasion.
No.247 Squadron was a fighter squadron that alternated between defensive duties and offensive sweeps over France, ending the war with 2nd Tactical Air Force.
The Mitsubishi J2M Raiden (Thunderbolt) 'Jack' was a land-based interceptor that emphasised performance and pilot protection rather than manoeuvrability, and that would have been of great value to the Japanese Navy if its combat debut hadn’t been delayed until 1944.
The Mitsubishi J4M1 was an advanced interceptor produced for the Japanese Navy but that never progressed beyond the design stage.
The Mitsubishi B1M was a Japanese Navy torpedo bomber that was designed by Herbert Smith, formerly of Sopwith, and that served well into the 1930s.
The Mitsubishi F1M 'Pete' was designed as an observation float plane, but saw service as an impromptu fighter, diver bomber and patrol aircraft.
No.241 Squadron was reformed in 1940 as an army co-operation squadron, but saw most of its active service as a ground attack and reconnaissance squadron in North Africa and Italy.
No.242 Squadron went through three incarnations during the Second First World War, the first as Douglas Bader's fighter squadron during the Battle of Britain, the second as a fighter squadron in North Africa and Italy and the third as a transport squadron.
No.243 Squadron had three incarnations during the Second World War, first as a fighter squadron at Singapore, second as a fighter squadron in the Mediterranean and finally as a transport squadron in the Pacific.
No.238 Squadron was a fighter squadron that took part in the Battle of Britain before moving to the Mediterranean, where it took part in the fighting in North Africa, the invasion of Sicily and the invasion of Italy. It was then reformed as a transport squadron, and took part in the invasion of Burma.
No.239 Squadron served as an army co-operation squadron and a tactical reconnaissance and ground attack squadron, before ending the war as a night intruder squadron supporting Bomber Command.
No.240 Squadron was a flying boat squadron that spend the first half of the war serving in Home Waters and the second half operating from India.
The Mitsubishi B5M 'Kate' was a torpedo bomber developed alongside the more successful Nakajima B5N, but that also entered production and saw some limited front line service.
The Nakajima B5N 'Kate' was the most successful Japanese torpedo bomber of the Second World War, playing a major part in every victory in the year after Pearl Harbor.
The Nakajima B6N Tenzan (Heavenly Mountain) 'Jill' was designed to replace the Nakajima B5N 'Kate', but delays meant that it didn't enter service until 1943, two years after originally planned, and too late for it to have any real impact on the fighting in the Pacific.
The Nakajima Ki-62 was a design for a fighter to be powered by the Japanese version of the Daimler-Benz DB 601A engine, produced in case the Kawasaki Ki-61 design failed.
The Nakajima Ki-63 was the designation given to a version of the Nakajima Ki-62 that would have been powered by the 1,050hp Mitsubishi Ha-102 radial engine.
The Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Gale) was the best Japanese fighter aircraft to see front line service in significant during the Second World War, and the last in a series of radial engine powered fighters produced by the Nakajima company.
The Mansyu Ki-79 was an advanced trainer based on the Nakajima Ki-27 fighter.
The Mansyu Ki-98 was a ground-attack aircraft that was designed by the Mansyu company in Manchuria.
The Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Peregrine Falcon) was the most numerous Japanese Army Air Force fighter aircraft of the Second World War.
The Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki (Demon) was an unusual fighter by Japanese standards, with high speed and a good rate of climb emphasised at the expense of manoeuvrability.
The Nakajima A3N was a two-seat training aircraft based on the Nakajima A2N Navy Type 90 Carrier Fighter.
The Nakajima A4N was the final biplane fighter to see service with the Japanese Navy and was an interim design produced to fill the gap before the first monoplane fighters entered service.
The Nakajima Ki-27 'Nate' was the first monoplane fighter to enter service with the Japanese Army Air Force, and was still numerically the most important fighter in Army service in December 1941.
The Nakajima A1N was designed in Britain as the Gloster Gambet, but saw service with the Imperial Japanese Navy as the Type 3 Carrier-Based Fighter, replacing the Gloster Sparrowhawk.
The Nakajima A2N was a naval fighter designed to replace the Nakajima A1N in the Imperial Japanese Navy.
The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien (Swallow) was the only inline-engined fighter aircraft to see service in Japan during the Second World War, and was designed around a licence-built version of the German Daimler-Benz DB 601A engine.
The Kawasaki Ki-100 was a successful fighter aircraft produced by fitting a radial engine into the airframe of the Ki-61 Hien, after American bombing destroyed the factory producing the inline engine used in the older fighter.
The Potez 63.11 was a three-seat army co-operation aircraft based on the general Potez 63 design, but with a completely crew compartment and nose.
The Potez 63.12 was the designation given to a single Potez 631 that was re-engined to use Pratt & Whitney radial engines.
The Potez 63.16 was a version of the Potez 63.11 that was given a larger wing.
The Potez 637 A3 was a three-seat reconnaissance aircraft that served in small numbers with the Armée de l'Air during the Battle of France, but that was already being phased out in favour of the Potez 63.11.
The Potez 639 AB2 was a two-seat attack bomber ordered as part of an order for ten evaluation aircraft in the Potez 63 family.
The Potez 633 B2 was a light bomber version of the Potez 63 twin engined design. Although it was initially ordered in large numbers for the Armée de l'Air, these orders were soon cancelled and only these aircraft ordered for export were built.
The Potez 634 was an alternative designation given to ten two-seat training aircraft ordered in the first production contract for the Potez 631 fighter.
The Potez 636 C3 was a three-seat fighter designed to be licence-built in Czechoslovakia.
The Potez 631 was the main French night fighter during the Battle of France, but a lack of any useable system for intercepting German raiders meant that it saw little combat at night.
The Potez 632 was the designation given to a single Potez 633 light bomber ordered by Switzerland.
The Potez 63 was the overall designation for a series of aircraft that between them were the most numerous in French service, acting as night fighters, day fighters, light bombers, reconnaissance aircraft and army co-operation aircraft.
The Potez 630 was a twin-engined fighter powered by troublesome Hispano-Suiza engines and that was produced in small numbers to make up for slow production of the more reliable Gnome-Rhone powered Potez 631.
The Kawasaki Ki-78 was a high-speed research aircraft that failed to live up to expectations, but that did introduce a number of features new to the Japanese aircraft industry.
The Kawasaki Ki-119 was a design for a single-engined light bomber that would have been used in the defence of the Japanese homeland.
The Kawasaki Ki-56 was a twin-engined transport aircraft developed for the Japanese Army and closely based on the Lockheed 14.
The Kawasaki Ki-66 was a twin-engined dive bomber designed after the German successes in Poland and France in 1939-40, but that never entered production.
The Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 456 was a short-lived designation for a special naval version of the LeO 451 medium bomber.
The Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 457 was to be a high-altitude version of the LeO 451 medium bomber.
The Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 458 was a version of the LeO 451 that was to be powered by the Wright Twin Cyclone engine.
The Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 454 was a version of the LeO 451 medium bomber that was to be powered by two Bristol Hercules II engines.
The Loiré-et-Olivier LeO 455 was a version of the LeO 451 medium bomber that was powered by two supercharged Gnome & Rhone engines.
The Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 452 was the designation given to a version of the LeO 45 medium bomber that was to be powered by two Hispano-Suiza 14 AA 12/13 engines
The Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 453 was the designation given to a number of LeO 451 medium bombers that were given Pratt & Whitney radial engines in the late 1940s.
The Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 450 was the designation given to a version of the LeO 45 medium bomber that was to powered by two 1,080hp Hispano-Suiza 14 A 06/07 engines.
The Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 451 was considered to be the best medium bomber in French service during the Battle of France in 1940, but it wasn't available in large enough numbers to make any real difference to the course of the fighting.
The Farman F.224 was a passenger aircraft based on the F.222 bomber, originally built for Air France but that served with the Armée de l'Air as a paratrooper transport.
The Lioré-et-Olivier LeO 45 was the overall name given to the series of medium bombers that saw service with the French Armée de l'Air in the form of the LeO 451.
The Farman F.222 was the only four-engined bomber to be in front line service with any Allied air force at the start of the German invasion of the west in May 1940.
The Farman NC.223 was the most advanced entry in the F.221/F.222 series to see active service during the Second World War, and carried out the first Allied bombing raid on Berlin.
The Farman F.220 was a prototype four-engined bomber that was the basis for the F.221 and F.222, the only four engined bombers in Allied service at the start of the Second World War.
The Farman F.221 was the first four-engined bomber to enter service with the French Armée de l'Air, and was still in service in small numbers at the start of the Second World War.
The Farman F.211 was a prototype four-engined bomber that was developed just before the large and more successful but otherwise similar F.221/ F.222.
The Farman F.212 was an improved version of the F.211 four-engined heavy bomber.
The Polikarpov R-1 was the first military aircraft to be produced in the Soviet Union and was a redesigned version of the de Havilland DH-9, mainly powered by the Soviet-built M-5 version of the American Liberty Engine.
The Polikarpov MR-1 was a maritime floatplane based on the R-1 reconnaissance aircraft, a modified version of the de Havilland D.H.9 designed by Polikarpov.
The Polikarpov R-5 was a biplane reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber that was produced in vast numbers in the Soviet Union in the pre-war years, but that had largely disappeared from front line units during 1941.
The Polikarpov Ivanov was a design for a two-seat reconnaissance aircraft and lighter bomber, produced as an entry in a design competition intended to produce a replacement for Polikarpov's own R-5.
The Polikarpov ITP was a promising design for a cannon-armed fighter that was delayed by problems with the different engines used to power it and that never entered production.
The Polikarpov P-2 was a unsuccessful transitional trainer largely based on the Moiseenko P-1 (2U-B3).
The Moiseenko P-1 (2U-B3) was a two-seat training aircraft that was ordered into production before being cancelled in favour of the very similar Polikarpov P-2.
The Polikarpov I-19 was developed from the I-17, but would have been powered by a radial engine.
The Polikarpov I-17 was a rare example of a Polikarpov fighter powered by an inline engine, and was developed in an attempt to improve on the speed of radial engined fighters.
The Polikarpov I-16 was the last of Nikolai Polikarpov's fighter designs to enter production, and was the most important fighter aircraft in the Red Air Force by 1940. It was also the first monoplane fighter with an enclosed cockpit and retractable undercarriage to enter front line service anywhere in the world
The Polikarpov TIS was a long range heavy fighter of which two prototypes were built but that never entered production.
The Polikarpov I-187 was a design for a modified version of the I-185, to be powered by a 2,200hp M-71F engine.
The Polikarpov I-188 was the last design to be based on the I-185, and was intended to use a smaller, lighter but less powerful engine than the original aircraft.
The Polikarpov VIT-1 was a cannon-armed ground attack aircraft produced in response to a Red Air Force specification for an aircraft capable of attacking tanks or other small but high value battlefield targets.
The Polikarpov SVB-1 was a dive bomber that was one of three different prototypes based on the same TsKB-44 design.
The Polikarpov MPI-1 was a heavy fighter based on the TsKB-44, a design for a multi-purpose ground attack aircraft.
The Polikarpov I-180 was designed in an attempt to improve on the I-16, but all three prototypes were lost in crashes, and the type was abandoned after ten pre-production aircraft had been built.
The Polikarpov I-185 was a high performance fighter that almost entered production, before problems with its engine caused the project to be cancelled.
No.235 Squadron served with Coastal Command for most of the Second World War, serving as an anti-shipping force from 1940-1943 and 1944 to the end of the war, and as a fighter squadron over the Bay of Biscay in 1943-44.
No.236 Squadron spent most of the Second World War serving with Coastal Command, forming part of the North Coates strike wing from its formation in November 1942 until the end of the war.
No.237 (Rhodesian) Squadron began the Second World War as an army co-operation squadron based in Kenya, and took part in the invasion of Italian East Africa, the campaign in the Western Desert and the invasions of Italy and Southern France.
The Battle of Britain (10 July-31 October 1940) was one of the decisive battles of the Second World War, and saw the RAF defeat a German attempt to gain air superiority over southern England in preparation for Operation Sealion, the planned invasion of Britain. The battle was also the first major defeat to be suffered by the Germans during the Second World War, and by keeping Britain in the war denied Hitler the quick victory that he had expected.
No.232 Squadron went through three incarnations during the Second World War, first as a fighter squadron that was caught up in the disasters in the Far East early in 1942, then as a fighter squadron in the Mediterranean and finally as a transport squadron in the Far East.
No.233 Squadron performed two very different role during the Second World War, first as a maritime reconnaissance and then anti-submarine warfare squadron in Coastal Command, and second as a transport squadron working with airborne forces.
No.234 Squadron was a fighter squadron that served in the United Kingdom throughout the Second World War, taking part in the Battle of Britain and the offensive sweeps across France.
No.229 Squadron was formed as a shipping protection squadron, but spent most of the Second World War as a single-engined fighter squadron, taking part in the Battle of Britain, the fighting in the Middle East and the invasion of Europe in 1944-45.
No.230 Squadron was a flying boat squadron that served in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean during the Second World War.
No.231 Squadron served as an army co-operation and reconnaissance squadron from 1940 until 1943 when it briefly joined Second Tactical Air Force before being disbanded at the start of 1944
No.225 Squadron was a tactical reconnaissance squadron that was home-based from 1939 until 1942, before moving to the Mediterranean where it took part in the campaigns in North Africa, Sicily, Italy and the Balkans.
No.227 Squadron went through three active incarnations during the Second World War, the first two as anti-shipping and maritime reconnaissance squadrons in the Mediterranean and the last as a Lancaster squadron in Bomber Command
No.228 Squadron was a flying boat squadron in Coastal Command that served in the Mediterranean from the summer of 1940 until the summer of 1941, but spent most of the rest of the war operating from Britain.
No.222 Squadron was a fighter squadron that took part in the Dunkirk evacuations, the Battle of Britain and the invasion of North West Europe, before becoming one of the first jet fighter squadrons in the RAF in the summer of 1945.
No.223 Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a medium/ light bomber squadron in the Middle East and second as an electronic counter-measures squadron in Bomber Command.
No.224 Squadron was a Coastal Command squadron that began the Second World War as a maritime reconnaissance squadron, before becoming one of the most successful anti-submarine warfare squadrons from 1942 until the end of the war.
No.219 Squadron was a night fighter unit that took part in the Battle of Britain then spent two years on defensive duties before moving to North Africa during 1943. It returned to Britain in 1944 to join 2nd Tactical Air Force and operated as an offensive night fighter squadron during the invasion of Europe.
No.220 Squadron was a Coastal Command squadron that concentrated on anti-shipping duties until 1942 before becoming one of the few RAF squadrons to operate the Boeing Fortress.
No.221 Squadron was a Wellington-equipped maritime patrol squadron that operated from Britain until the start of 1942, then moved to the Mediterranean where it spent the rest of the war.
General Adolf Galland (1911-1994) was the leading German fighter ace of the Battle of Britain, and went on to serve as General of the Fighter Arm from November 1941 until the start of 1945.
Sir Keith Park (1892-1975) is best known as the commander of No.11 Group in the south-east of England during the Battle of Britain, but he also played a major part in the Dunkirk evacuation, the successful defence of Malta and the British and Commonwealth offensive in Burma in 1945.
No.213 Squadron was a fighter squadron that took part in the fighting over Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain before moving to the Middle East, where it supported the 8th Army during 1942 and 1943, ending the war operating with the Balkan Air Force over Yugoslavia and Albania.
No.216 Squadron began the Second World War as a bomber-transport squadron located in the Middle East, but soon lost its bombing role and from 1941 until the end of the war served as a transport squadron.
No.217 Squadron began the Second World War as a home-based maritime reconnaissance squadron, spent 1941 and the first part of 1942 serving as an anti-shipping squadron, before moving to the Far East (via Malta) where it remained for the rest of the war.
Han Jeschonnek (1899-1943) was the Chief of Staff of the Luftwaffe from 1939 until his suicide in 1943.
Ernst Udet (1896-1941) was the Director of Air Armament for the Luftwaffe early in the Second World War, despite having little technical knowledge or enthusiasm for the task.
No.210 Squadron had two incarnations during the Second World War, both as home-based anti-submarine warfare squadrons, achieving most of its successes during its second incarnation.
No.211 Squadron had two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a bomber squadron that served in the Middle East and in the disastrous early campaigns in the Far East, and second as a fighter-bomber squadron operating on the Burma front.
No.212 Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War, the first a short-lived period as a reconnaissance unit in 1940, the second as a Catalina squadron operating in the seas around India.
No.193 Squadron was a Typhoon squadron that served as a fighter squadron in 1943 before becoming a fighter-bomber squadron and joining Second Tactical Air Force at the start of 1944.
No.208 Squadron was an army co-operation and reconnaissance squadron that was based in the Middle East for most of the Second World War, before spending the period from March 1944 to the end of the war serving as a fighter-bomber squadron in Italy.
No.209 Squadron was a flying boat squadron that flew maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine patrols from British bases from 1939 until 1942, and then operated over the India Ocean for most of the rest of the war, before taking part in the final stages of the offensive in Burma in 1945.
General Frederick Pile (1884-1976) served as the head of Antiaircraft Command for the entire duration of the Second World War, and played a major part in the defence against the London Blitz in 1940-41 and the campaign against the V-1 flying bomb in 1944-46.
Field Marshal Hugo Sperrle (1885-1953) was a senior Luftwaffe officer best known as the commander of Luftflotte 3 during the Battle of Britain.
No.204 Squadron was a Sunderland squadron in Coastal Command that spend most of the Second World War flying anti-submarine patrols off the coast of West Africa.
No.205 Squadron was a flying boat squadron that became the first RAF squadron to be based in the Far East.
No.206 Squadron was a Coastal Command squadron that began and ended the Second World War as an anti-submarine warfare squadron, as well as serving in the anti-shipping role between 1940 and 1941.
No.201 Squadron was a flying boat squadron that served with Coastal Command throughout the Second World War, sinking five U-boats, all in the period between March 1943 and August 1944.
No.202 Squadron was a flying boat squadron that served in the Mediterranean from 1929 until September 1944 when it moved to Northern Ireland to fly coastal patrols.
No.203 Squadron began the Second World War as a flying boat squadron, but converted to the Blenheim fighter in 1939, and went on to serve as a reconnaissance, bomber, coastal patrol and anti-submarine warfare squadron at different times during the war.
No.197 Squadron was a Typhoon-equipped ground attack squadron that fought with 2nd Tactical Air Force during the campaign in north-western Europe.
No.198 Squadron was a Typhoon equipped fighter squadron that began life in Fighter Command operating against German fighter-bombers, before joining 2nd Tactical Air Force and taking part in the liberation of Europe.
No.200 Squadron was a maritime patrol squadron that flew anti-submarine warfare patrols off West Africa from 1942 to 1944 before moving to India to operate over the Indian Ocean.
No.194 Squadron began life as a transport unit based in India, before becoming an airborne forces unit and helping to keep the army fighting in Burma supplied from the air.
No.195 Squadron had two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a fighter-bomber squadron and then as a Lancaster squadron in Bomber Command
No.196 Squadron served with Bomber Command from November 1942 to November 1943, before becoming an airborne support squadron, taking part in the D-Day invasion, the Arnhem operation and the crossing of the Rhine.
No.186 Squadron had two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a fighter-bomber squadron, and second as a Lancaster squadron in Bomber Command.
No.189 Squadron was a Lancaster bomber squadron in Bomber Command that formed in the autumn of 1944, and didn't become operational until November.
No.191 Squadron was a maritime reconnaissance squadron that operated from bases in India and modern Pakistan from 1943 until it was disbanded in June 1945.
No.182 Squadron was a ground attack squadron that helped support the D-Day landings before moving to Europe and following the advancing armies into Germany.
No.183 Squadron was a fighter-bomber squadron that operated with Second Tactical Air Force, taking part in the Battle of Normandy and advance into Germany.
No.184 Squadron was a fighter-bomber squadron that served with Second Tactical Air Force, taking part on the Battle of Normandy and the advance into Germany.
No.147 Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a Liberator bomber squadron that never received any aircraft and second as a home based transport squadron.
No.159 Squadron was a heavy bomber squadron formed for service in the Far East but that was delayed in the Middle East for most of 1942, before spending the rest of the war operating over Burma and more distant areas.
No.181 Squadron was one of the first squadrons to receive the Hawker Typhoon, and flew that aircraft to the end of the Second World War, helping to turn it from a flawed fighter into an excellent fighter-bomber.
No.176 Squadron was a defensive night fighter squadron that operated from bases in India from 1943 until the end of the Second World War.
No.177 Squadron was a Beaufighter-equipped ground attack squadron that operated over Burma from early in 1943 until the end of the Second World War.
No.179 Squadron was an anti-submarine squadron that served in the Mediterranean before returning to the UK in April 1944.
No.173 Squadron was a communications squadron that operated in the Middle East from the summer of 1942 until early in 1944.
No.174 Squadron was a ground attack and fighter-bomber squadron that was formed in 1942 and took part in the D-Day landings before moving to Europe to support the advancing armies.
No.175 Squadron was a ground attack squadron that took part in the D-Day landings and the advance across north-western Europe.
No.168 Squadron served as an army cooperation and ground attack squadron from its formation in 1942 until it was disbanded early in 1945.
No.170 Squadron had two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a tactical reconnaissance squadron and second as a Lancaster bomber squadron.
No.172 Squadron was the first squadron to be equipped with the Leigh Light Wellington, and played a major role in the early development of Coastal Command, having a particularly successful year during 1943.
No.164 'Argentine-British' Squadron was a fighter-bomber squadron that served from the UK until after the D-Day landings when it moved to Europe to support the advancing armies.
No.165 'Ceylon' Squadron was a home based fighter squadron that was operational from the spring of 1942 until the end of the Second World War.
No.167 'Gold Coast' Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a largely Dutch manned fighter squadron and second as a transport squadron.
No.160 Squadron was a heavy bomber squadron that was formed for service in the Far East but that was detained in the Middle East during 1942 and only reached India in 1943.
No.162 Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a radar calibration squadron in the Middle East and second as a Mosquito squadron in the Light Night Striking Force.
No.163 Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a transport squadron in East Africa and second as a Mosquito night bomber squadron.
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