New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol. I)
Appendix IV — Principal British and German Operational Aircraft (1939–42)
Appendix IV
Principal British and German Operational Aircraft
(1939–42)
NB: The performance figures given below are those achieved in still air. It should also be remembered that most aircraft were modified in various ways and adapted for special tasks, when their performances varied considerably from those shown.
Aircraft Type | Normal Cruising Speed | Radius of Action with Associated Bomb Load | Typical Bomb Load | Armament |
Battle I | 148 m.p.h. at 15,000 ft | 525 miles with 1000 lb. | Two 500 lb. or Four 250 lb. | Two .303 in |
Blenheim IV | 180 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 730 miles with 1000 lb. | Four 250 lb. | Five .303 m |
Boston III | 200 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 500 miles with 2000 lb. | Four 500 lb. or Two 1000 lb. | Eight .303 in |
Halifax I | 190 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 900 miles with 6750 lb. or 425 miles with 13,000 lb. | Two 2000 lb. Six 1000 lb. and six 500 lb. | Eight .303 in |
Halifax II | 195 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 950 miles with 3000 lb. or 250 miles with 13,000 lb. | Two 2000 lb. and six 1000 lb. | Eight .303 in |
Hampden I | 155 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 950 miles with 2000 lb. or 600 miles with 4000 lb. | Two 2000 lb | Six .303 in |
Lancaster I | 200 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 1200 miles with 2500 lb. or 325 miles with 12,750 lb. | Six 2000 lb. and three 250 lb. or One 4000 lb. | Eight .303 in |
Manchester I | 185 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 800 miles with 8000 lb. or 600 miles with 10,000 lb | Four 2000 lb. and two 500 lb. | Twelve-303 in |
Mosquito IV | 265 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 800 miles with 2000 lb. or 725 miles with 4000 lb | Four 250 lb. or Two 500 lb. | Nil |
Stirling I | 200 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 1025 miles with 3500 lb. or 370 miles with 14,000 lb. | Seven 2000 lb. or Twenty-four 250 lb. | Eight .303 in |
Stirling III | 200 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 1000 miles with 3500 lb. or 300 miles with 14,000 lb. | Seven 2000 lb. or Eighteen 500 lb. | Eight .303 in |
Ventura I | 200 m.p.h. at 16,000 feet | 500 miles with 2500 lb. | Four 250 lb. and three 500 lb. | Six .303 in and two .50 in |
Wellington IC | 165 m.p.h. at 10,000 feet | 1200 miles with 1000 lb. or 600 miles with 4500 lb. | One 1000 lb., four 500 lb. and one 250 lb. or Six 500 lb. and one 250 lb. | Six .303 in |
Wellington III | 175 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 1100 miles with 1500 lb. or 750 miles with 4500 lb. | One 4000 lb. or One 1000 lb., six 500 lb. and three 250 lb. | Six-303 in |
Whitley V | 150 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 825 miles with 3000 lb. or 240 miles with 7000 lb. | Two 2000 lb. and two 250 lb. | Five .303 in |
Aircraft Type | Maximum Speed | Service Ceiling | Rate of Climb | Armament |
Beaufighter I–F | 324 m.p.h. at 11,750 feet | 27,000 feet | 9.4 minutes to 15,000 feet | Four 20mm Six .303 in |
Beaufighter VI–F | 333 m.p.h. at 15,600 feet | 24,500 feet | 7–8 minutes to 15,000 feet | Four 20mm Six .303 in |
Blenheim IV–F | 260 m.p.h. at 12,000 feet | 26,500 feet | 10 minutes to 15,000 feet | Seven .303 in |
Gladiator | 245 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 32,500 feet | 7 minutes to 15,000 feet | Four .303 in |
Hurricane I | 316 m.p.h. at 17,500 feet | 33,200 feet | 6–3 minutes to 15,000 feet | Eight-303 in |
Hurricane II A | 342 m.p.h. at 22,000 feet | 37,000 feet | 8–2 minutes to 20,000 feet | Eight-303 in |
Hurricane IIB | 342 m.p.h. at 22,000 feet | 36,500 feet | 8–4 minutes to 20,000 feet | Twelve-303 in (Two 250 Ib. bombs) |
Hurricane IIC | 342 m.p.h. at 22,000 feet | 35,600 feet | 9–1 minutes to 20,000 feet | Four 20mm |
Mosquito II | 370 m.p.h. at 14,000 feet | 35,000 feet | 7 minutes to 15,000 feet | Four 20mm Four .303 in |
Spitfire I | 355 m.p.h. at 18,000 feet | 34,000 feet | 6–2 minutes to 15,000 feet | Eight-303 in |
Spitfire V–B | 375 m.p.h. at 13,000 feet | 36,000 feet | 7–5 minutes to 20,000 feet | Two 20 mm Four-303 in |
Spitfire IX | 408 m.p.h. at 25,000 feet | 43,000 feet | 6–7 minutes to 20,000 feet | Two 20mm Four 03 in |
Typhoon I–B | 405 m.p.h. at 18,000 feet | 33,000 feet | 6–2 minutes to 15,000 feet | Four 20mm |
Aircraft Type | Cruising Speed and Endurance | Associated Bomb or Depth-charge Load | Armament |
Anson I | 103 knots-51/2 hours | 200 Ib. | Four .303 in |
Beaufort I | 150 knots-6 hours | 1500 Ib. or one 18 in torpedo | Four .303 in |
Blenheim-IVF | 150 knots-6 hours | Six-303 in | |
Catalina I (FB) | 100 knots-171/2 hours or 25 hours | 2000 Ib. nil | Six .303 in |
Fortress II | 140 knots-103/4 hours | 1750 Ib. | Six .30 in |
Hampden | 120 knots-71/4 hours | One 18 in torpedo or 1500 Ib. | Six .303 in |
Hudson I | 125 knots-6 hours | 750 Ib. | Seven .303 in |
Hudson VI | 140 knots-7 hours | 1000 Ib. | Seven .303 in |
Liberator I | 150 knots-16 hours | 2000 Ib. | Four 20mm Six .30 |
Sunderland I (FB) | 115 knots-12 hours | 2000 Ib. | Seven .303 in |
Sunderland II (FB) | 110 knots-111/2 hours | 2000 Ib. | Seven .303 in |
Wellington IC | 125 knots-101/2 hours | 1500 Ib. | Six .303 in |
Wellington VIII (LEIGH LIGHT) | 120 knots-83/4 hours | 1000 Ib. | Six .303 in |
Whitley V | 110 knots-9 hours | 1500 Ib. | Five .303 in |
Vildebeeste IV | 82 knots-41/4 hours | One 18 in torpedo or 1000 Ib. | Two .303 in |
Aircraft Type and Mark | Normal Cruising Speed | Radius of Action with Associated Bomb Load | Typical Bomb Load | Armament |
Dornier 17 | 215 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 450 miles with 2200 Ib. | Two 550 Ib. or Twenty 110 Ib | Seven 7.9 mm One 20 mm |
Dornier 215 | 235 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 450 miles with 2200 Ib. | Two 550 Ib. or Twenty 110 Ib. | Seven 7.9 mm One 20 mm |
Dornier 217E | 240 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 585 miles with 4400 Ib. | Four 1100 Ib. or Two 2200 Ib. and four 110 Ib. | Four 7.9 mm Four 13 mm One 15 mm |
Focke-Wulf 200 (Condor) | 210 m.p.h. at 16,000 feet | 1350 miles on recce without bombs or 1075 miles with 3600 Ib. | Three 1100 Ib. or Five 550 Ib. | Three 15.20 mm and Three 13 mm |
Heinkel III | 210 m.p.h. at 17,000 feet | 760 miles with 2200 Ib. | Four 550 Ib. | Seven 7.9 mm Two 20 mm |
Heinkel 115 (Float Plane) | 160 m.p.h. at 10,000 feet | 800 miles with 1100 Ib. | One 1100 Ib. or One 1650 Ib. torpedo or One mine | Four 7.9 mm One 15 mm |
Junkers 87B | 200 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 180 miles with 1100 Ib. | One 1100 Ib. or One 550 Ib. and | Three 7.9 mm four 110 Ib. |
Junkers 88-A4 | 255 m.p.h. at 16,400 feet | 640 miles with 4400 Ib. | Four 1100 Ib. and ten 154 Ib. | Seven 7.9 mm One 20 mm |
Junkers 88-B3 | 277 m.p.h. at 18,000 feet | 640 miles with 2200 Ib. | Four 550 Ib. or Four 550 Ib. and ten 154 Ib. | Six 7.9 mm or Two 7′9 mm and Two 13 mm |
Messerschmitt 110 | 275 m.p.h. at 18,000 feet | 450 miles with 2640 Ib. | Two 1100 Ib. and four 110 Ib. | Six 7.9 mm Two 20 mm |
Note: With the exception of the four-engined FW200 all the above were twin-engined aircraft.
Aircraft Type and Mark | Maximum Speed | Service Ceiling | Rate of Climb | Armament |
Focke-Wulf 190 | 385 m.p.h. at 19,000 feet | 36,000 feet | 6.5 minutes to 18,000 feet | Two 7.9 mm Four 20 mm |
Junkers 88C-6 | 295 m.p.h. at 14,000 feet | 24,200 feet | 13.8 minutes to 16,500 feet | Seven 7.9 mm Three 20 mm |
Messerschmitt 109E | 355 m.p.h. at 18,000 feet | 35,000 feet | 6.2 minutes to 16,500 feet | Two 7.9 mm Two 20 mm |
Messerschmitt 109F | 395 m.p.h. at 22,000 feet | 36,500 feet | 5.75 minutes to 17,000 feet | Two 7.9 mm Three 20 mm |
Messerschmitt 109G | 400 m.p.h. at 22,000 feet | 38,500 feet | 6 minutes to 19,000 feet | Two 7.9/13 mm Three 20 mm |
Messerschmitt 110 | 60 m.p.h. at 20,000 feet | 34,000 feet | 8.5 minutes to 18,000 feet | Six 7.9 mm Two 20 mm |
Note: Ju88 and Mel 10 were twin-engined.