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New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vol. II)
Appendix IV — Principal British and German Operational Aircraft (1943–45)
page 463
Appendix IV
page 464
page 465
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Appendix IV
Principal British and German Operational Aircraft
(1943–45)
[The performance figures given below are those achieved in still air. It should also be remembered that aircraft were often modified in various ways and adapted for special tasks, when their performances varied from those shown.]
| Aircraft Type and Mark | Normal Cruising Speed | Radius of Action with Associated Bomb Load | Typical Bomb Load | Armament |
| Boston III | 200 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 500 miles with 2000 lb. | Four 500 lb. | Eight .303 in |
| Boston IV | 210 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 750 miles with 2000 lb. 350 miles with 4000 lb. | Four 500 lb. | Five .5 in |
| Halifax III | 215 m.p.h. at 20,000 feet | 1000 miles with 7000 lb. 520 miles with 13,000 lb. | Two 2000 lb. and six 1000 lb. or One 8000 lb. | Nine .303 in |
| Halifax VI | 218 m.p.h. at 20,000 feet | 1080 miles with 7400 lb. 600 miles with 13,000 lb. | As above or Two 4000 lb. | Nine .303 in |
| Lancaster I and III | 210 m.p.h. at 20,000 feet | 1200 miles with 5500 lb. 500 miles with 14,000 lb. | Fourteen 1000 lb. or Six 2000 lb. and three 250 lb. | Nine .303 in |
| Lancaster I, III, and X | 220 m.p.h. at 25,000 feet | 1250 miles with 10,000 lb. 840 miles with 14,000 lb. 500 miles with 22,000 lb. | One 4000 lb. and six 500 lb. or One 8000 lb. or one 12,000 lb. | Eight .303 in |
| Mitchell II | 225 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 820 miles with 4000 lb. 475 miles with 6000 lb. | Six 500 lb. or Four 1000 lb. | Six .5 in |
| Mosquito IV | 265 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 800 miles with 2000 lb. 725 miles with 4000 lb. | Four 500 lb. or One 4000 lb. | Nil |
| Mosquito IX and XVI | 245 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 900 miles with 2000 lb. 700 miles with 5000 lb. | Four 500 lb. or One 4000 lb. | Nil |
| Mosquito XX | 265 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 935 miles with 2000 lb. 700 miles with 5000 lb. | As above | Nil |
| Stirling III | 200 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 1000 miles with 3500 lb. 300 miles with 14,000 lb. | Seven 2000 lb. or Eighteen 500 lb. | Eight .303 in |
| Wellington X | 180 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 1050 miles with 1500 lb. 600 miles with 4500 lb. | Sixteen 250 lb. or Two 2000 lb. | Six .303 in |
| Aircraft Type | Cruising Speed and Endurance | Associated Bomb or Depth-charge Load | Armament |
| Beaufighter | 180 knots-41/2 hours | 1 torpedo or 8 RP or two 500 lb. and two 250 lb. | Four 20 mm |
| Catalina III | 100 knots-141/2 hours | 2000 lb. | Five .303 in |
| Catalina IV (L/L) | 106 knots-151/2 hours | 1000 lb. | Five .303 in |
| Fortress II | 140 knots-103/4 hours | 1750 lb. | Six .5 in |
| Halifax II | 130 knots-101/2 hours | 2000 lb. | Nine .303 in |
| Halifax III | 145 knots-10 hours | 5500 lb. | Nine .303 in |
| Liberator III | 145 knots-111/2 hours | 3000 lb. | Six .5 in |
| Liberator III and V (VLR) | 150 knots-16 hours | 2000 lb. | Three .5 in |
| Liberator VIII | 138 knots-101/2 hours | 3500 lb. | Six .5 in |
| Liberator VIII (L/L) | 138 knots-13 hours | 2000 lb. | Four .303 in |
| Mosquito VI | 210 knots-31/4 hours 210 knots-5 hours | Eight RP 1000 lb. | Four 20 mm Four .303 in |
| Sunderland III | 110 knots-111/2 hours | 2000 lb. | Seven .303 in |
| Sunderland V | 110 knots-131/2 hours or 15 hours | 2000 lb. 1000 lb. | Seven .303 in |
| Wellington XII (L/L) | 140 knots-81/4 hours | 2400 lb. | Seven .303 in |
| Wellington XIV | 140 knots-10 hours or 8 hours | 1500 lb. 3200 lb. | Seven .303 in |
Note: (a) Catalina and Sunderland were flying boats.
(b) L/L = Leigh Light; VLR = Very Long Range; RP = Rocket Projectile.
| Aircraft Name and Mark | Maximum Speed | Service Ceiling | Rate of Climb | Armament |
| Beaufighter VI-F | 333 m.p.h. at 15,600 feet | 24,500 feet | 7.8 minutes to 15,000 feet | Four 20 mm Six .303 in |
| Meteor I (Jet) | 445 m.p.h. at 30,000 feet | 42,000 feet | 15 minutes to 30,000 feet | Four 20 mm |
| Meteor III (Jet) | 476 m.p.h. at 30,000 feet | 44,000 feet | 14 minutes to 30,000 feet | Four 20 mm |
| Mosquito VI | 378 m.p.h. at 14,000 feet | 32,000 feet | 9.5 minutes to 15,000 feet | Four 20 mm Four .303 in (Four 500 lb. bombs) |
| Mosquito XII (NF) | 370 m.p.h. at 14,000 feet | 35,000 feet | 7 minutes to 15,000 feet | Four 20 mm |
| Mosquito XXX (NF) | 400–407 m.p.h. at 26/28,000 feet | 37/38,000 feet | 7.5 minutes to 15,000 feet | Four 20 mm |
| Mustang I | 390 m.p.h. at 8000 feet | 32,000 feet | 8.1 minutes to 15,000 feet | Four .5 in Four .303 in |
| Mustang III | 442–450 m.p.h. at 24,500–28,000 feet | 41,500 feet | 10.5 minutes to 20,000 feet | Four .5 in (Two 500 lb. bombs) |
| Spitfire IX (HF) | 416 m.p.h. at 27,500 feet | 44,000 feet | 6.4 minutes to 20,000 feet | Two 20 mm and Four .303 in or Two 20 mm and Two .5 in |
| Spitfire IX (LF) | 404 m.p.h. at 21,000 feet | 41,500 feet | 6.4 minutes to 20,000 feet | Two 20 mm and Four .303 in or Two 20 mm and Two .5 in (One 500 lb. and two 250 lb. bombs) |
| Spitfire XIV | 448 m.p.h. at 26,000 feet | 43,500 feet | 7 minutes to 20,000 feet | As above |
| Spitfire XXI | 454 m.p.h. at 26,000 feet | 43,000 feet | 8 minutes to 20,000 feet | Four 20 mm (One 500 lb. Two 250 lb. bombs) |
| Tempest V | 435 m.p.h. at 19,000 feet | 36,000 feet | 5 minutes to 15,000 feet | Four 20 mm |
| Typhoon I-B | 405 m.p.h. at 18,000 feet | 33,000 feet | 6.2 minutes to 15,000 feet | Four 20 mm (Two 1000 lb. bombs or Eight 60 lb. RP Units) |
Note: NF = Night Fighters. HF = High Flying. LF = Low Flying.
| Aircraft Type and Mark | Maximum Speed | Service Ceiling | Rate of Climb | Armament |
| Arado 234B (Jet) | 490 m.p.h. at 25,000 feet | 38,000 feet | 8 minutes to 20,000 feet | Four or five 15–20 mm |
| Dornier 217J | 328 m.p.h. at 20,000 feet | 33,000 feet | 13.8 minutes to 18,000 feet | Four 7.9 mm Two 13 mm .Four 20 mm |
| Focke-Wulf 190A | 385 m.p.h. at 19,000 feet | 38,000 feet | 6.5 minutes to 18,000 feet | Two 7.9 mm Four 20 mm |
| Focke-Wulf 190D | 420 m.p.h. at 21,500 feet | 36,000 feet | 7 minutes to 19,500 feet | Four 20 mm |
| Junkers 88c-5 | 345 m.p.h. at 20,000 feet | 33,000 feet | 10.3 minutes to 18,500 feet | Three 7.9 mm Three 7.9–13 mm Three 20 mm |
| Messerschmitt 109G | 400 m.p.h. at 22,000 feet | 40,000 feet | 6 minutes to 19,000 feet | Two 7.9–13 mm Three 20 mm |
| Messerschmitt 110G | 368 m.p.h. at 19,000 feet | 36,800 feet | 7.3 minutes to 18,000 feet | Six 7.9 mm and five 20 mm or One 37 mm, two 30 mm, and two 7.9 mm |
| Messerschmitt 262 (Jet) | 500–550 m.p.h. at 29,000 feet | 39,500 feet | 5 minutes to 32,000 feet | Four 30 mm and 24 rockets |
Note: Ju88 and Me110 were twin-engined. They were also the principal German night fighters.
| Aircraft Type and Mark | Normal Cruising Speed | Radius of Action with Associated Bomb Load | Typical Bomb Load | Armament |
| Dornier 217E | 240 m.p.h. at 15,000 feet | 585 miles with 4400 lb | Four 1100 lb. or Two 2200 lb. and four 110 lb. | Four 7.9 mm Four 13 mm One 15 mm |
| Dornier 217-M1 | 300 m.p.h. at 18,000 feet | 500 miles with 4400 lb. | Two 2200 lb. and four 110 lb. | Four 7.9 mm Six 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 lb. | Three 1100 lb. or Five 550 lb. | Three 15–20 mm and three 13 mm |
| Heinkel 111 | 210 m.p.h. at 17,000 feet | 760 miles with 2200 lb. | Four 550 lb. | Seven 7.9 mm Two 20 mm |
| Heinkel 177 | 260 m.p.h. at 17,000 feet | 550 miles with 12,100 lb. 1300 miles with 2200 lb. | Six 550 lb. and four 2200 lb. or Four 1650 lb. torpedoes or Two HS 293 glider bombs | Five 13 mm Four 13–20 mm |
| Henschel 129 (Ground-attack aircraft) | 215 m.p.h. at 6500 feet | 350 miles with 220 lb. 220 miles with 770 lb. | Two 110 lb. | Two 7.9 mm Four 15–20 mm One 30 mm |
| Junkers 88-B3 | 277 m.p.h. at 18,000 feet | 640 miles with 2200 lb. | Four 550 lb. or Four 550 lb. and ten 154 lb. | Six 7.9 mm or Two 7.9 mm and two 13 mm |
| Junkers 88–S1 | 290 m.p.h. at 18,000 feet | 350 miles with 1980 lb. | Eighteen 110 lb. or Eighteen 154 lb. | One 7.9 mm One 13 mm |
| Junkers 188 | 255 m.p.h. at sea level | 600 miles with 4400 lb. | Ten 154 lb. and either four 1100 lb. or two 2200 lb. | Three 13 mm One 15–20 mm |
| Messerschmitt 110G | 280 m.p.h. at 18,000 feet | 440 miles with 2640 lb. 360 miles with 4000 lb. | Four 110 lb. and two 1100 lb. or One 1110 lb. and one 2200 lb. | Six 7.9 mm Two 20–30 mm |
| Messerschmitt 210 | 315 m.p.h. at 19,000 feet | 675 miles with 1100 lb. | Two 550 lb. | Two 7.9 mm Two 13 mm Two 20 mm |
| Messerschmitt 410 | 330 m.p.h. at 19,000 feet | 1000 miles with 1100 lb. | Two 550 lb. | Two 7.9 mm Two 13 mm Two 20 mm |