Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol. I)

Appendix IV — Principal British and German Operational Aircraft (1939–42)

page 389

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.

RAF Bombers
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
page 390
RAF Fighters And Fighter-Bombers
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
RAF Coastal Command
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
page 391
German Bomber And Reconnaissance Aircraft
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.

German Fighters
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.