Performance: Maximum speed 250 mph, Range 393 miles, Service ceiling 25,000 ft Armament: 1 x 0.303 inch machine gun Bombload none Miles Master Mk II/III Dimensions: Wingspan 39 ft, Length 29 ft 6 ins, Height 9 ft 3 ins Crew: 1 + 1 pupil Entered service: 1939 Number built: 2,350 When production of the Kestrel engine ceased, a new version of the Miles Master was designed which used an 870 hp air cooled Bristol Mercury XX radial engine. The M.19 Master II prototype flew for the first time in October 1939 and soon placed in production, with 1,748 eventually being built. When the Lend-Lease programme began to supply engines from the United States, a third version of the Master was designed. The M.27 Master III was powered by an 825 hp Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp Junior radial engine, of which 602 were built, the total production of all three marks being 3,250 aircraft. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 4,293 lbs, Maximum take-off 5,573 lbs Powerplant: One 870 hp Bristol Mercury XX radial engine Performance: Maximum speed 304 mph, Range 465 miles, Service ceiling 31,000 ft Armament: 4 x 0.303 inch machine guns located in a dorsal turret Boulton Paul Defiant Dimensions: Wingspan 39 ft 4 ins Length 35 ft 4 ins, Height 11 ft 4 ins, Crew: 2 Entered service: 1940 Number built: 1,065 The Boulton Paul Defiant was designed in the mid 1930’s to meet Air Ministry specification F.9/35, which was for a single engined two seat fighter with the main armament fitted in a powered operated turret located behind the pilot. Accepted for production they entered service in early 1940, and at first proved effective with their unique armament. However the Luftwaffe soon found the Defiant’s weaknesses, being slow and without any forward firing armament, and as a result they suffered unacceptable losses which caused them to be withdrawn from daylight operations with Fighter Command in the summer of 1940. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 6,078 lbs, Maximum take-off 8,318 lbs Powerplant: One 1,030 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin III inline engine Performance: Maximum speed 304 mph, Range 465 miles, Service ceiling 31,000 ft Armament: 4 x 0.303 inch machine guns located in a dorsal turret Boulton Paul Defiant Dimensions: Wingspan 39 ft 4 ins Length 35 ft 4 ins, Height 11 ft 4 ins, Crew: 2 Entered service: 1940 Number built: 1,065 The Boulton Paul Defiant entered service in early 1940, and was a single engined two seat fighter with the main armament fitted in a powered operated turret located behind the pilot. They were withdrawn from day operations with Fighter Command in the summer of 1940 after suffering unacceptable losses during the Battle for France. In the Autumn of 1940 the Defiant had a new lease of life when many were converted into night fighters, and at their peak equipped thirteen squadrons before they were gradually replaced in this role by more suitable aircraft from mid 1941. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 6,078 lbs, Maximum take-off 8,318 lbs Powerplant: One 1,030 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin III inline engine Performance: Maximum speed 223 mph, Range 810 miles, Service ceiling 18,000 ft Armament: 4 x 0.303 inch machine guns Bombload 240 lbs Blackburn Roc Dimensions: Wingspan 46 ft, Length 35 ft 7 ins, Height 12 ft 1 in Crew: 2 Entered service: 1940 Number built: 136 The Blackburn Roc was a further design of the turreted fighter, this time for the Royal Navy. The Roc was developed alongside the Skua, but the concept of the aircraft from the start was flawed, as it was underpowered and could only achieve a maximum level speed of just over 220 mph, and it is doubtful if they could have ever caught an enemy bomber, yet alone shoot it down. The first aircraft entered service in February 1940, but during operations over the English Channel in the summer of 1940 the Roc was seen as unsuitable for combat and relegated to air sea rescue or target towing duties. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 6,121 lbs, Maximum take-off 7,950 lbs Powerplant: One 890 hp Bristol Perseus XII radial engine Performance: Maximum speed 314 mph, Range 470 miles, Service ceiling 32,800 ft Armament: 4 x 0.30 inch machine guns Bombload none Koolhoven FK.58 Dimensions: Wingspan 36 ft 1¼ ins, Length 28 ft 6¾ ins, Height 9 ft 10 ins Crew: 1 Entered service: 1940 Number built: 20 The Koolhoven FK.58 was outwardly a modern aircraft, with a retractable undercarriage, enclosed cockpit, and an armament of four 0.30 inch machine guns mounted in two blisters beneath the wings. In January 1939 the Armée de l'Air placed an order for 50 aircraft from the Dutch company, and by May 1940 thirteen were operational and manned by expatriate Polish pilots. They patrolled the Avignon to Marseille area, then around Clermont-Ferrand, but made no contact with the enemy. Their service life was short lived, as only around 50 operational sorties were recorded before they were grounded through lack of spares. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 4,255 lbs, Maximum take-off 6,063 lbs Powerplant: One 1,038 hp Gnome-Rhône radial engine Performance: Maximum speed 329 mph, Range 1,025 miles, Service ceiling 36,000 ft Armament: 5 x 7.5 mm machine guns Bombload 880 lbs Bloch MB.174 Dimensions: Wingspan 58 ft 9½ ins, Length 40 ft 1½ ins, Height 11 ft 7¾ ins Crew: 3 entered service: 1940 Number built: 230+ Work on the MB.170 series began in 1936, and was designed as a twin engined aircraft that could serve in several different roles and fill the gap between medium bombers and twin engined fighters and light attack aircraft. The MB.174 was the first of the series that was put into production in early 1939, the first production aircraft taking to the air in November 1939. They were first used operationally in early 1940, but by the time of the Battle of France in May only 52 had been delivered, although these played an important role during those chaotic days when they carried out strategic reconnaissance missions. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 14,122 lbs, Maximum take-off 17,750 lbs Powerplant: Two 1,035 hp Gnome-Rhône 14N-20/21 radial engines Performance: Maximum speed 249 mph, Range 1,100 miles, Service ceiling 17,500 ft Armament: 3 x 0.303 inch machine guns Bombload 2,000 lbs Blackburn Botha Dimensions: Wingspan 59 ft, Length 51 ft 1½ ins, Height 14 ft 7½ ins Crew: 4 Entered service: 1940 Number built: 580 The Blackburn Botha was designed to meet specification M.15/35, for a three man, twin engined, land based torpedo bomber/reconnaissance aircraft. The aircraft was designed to use the 850 hp Bristol Perseus radial engine, but in 1936 the Air Ministry altered the specification to include a fourth crew member. The weight increase was sufficient to make the Perseus engine inadequate, but more suitable engines were required elsewhere. Despite its problem the aircraft was placed in production and entered service in 1940. They gained a bad reputation over their high accident rate and were withdrawn in 1943. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 11,830 lbs, Maximum take-off 18,450 lbs Powerplant: Two 930 hp Bristol Perseus radial engines
Performance: Maximum speed 360 mph, Range 800 miles, Service ceiling 30,300 ft Armament: 4 x 20 mm Hispano cannons, Bombload 1,000 lbs
Westland Whirlwind
Dimensions: Wingspan 45 ft, Length 32 ft 3 ins, Height 11 ft Crew: 1 Entered service: 1940 Number built: 116
The Westland Whirlwind was designed as a high performance fighter armed with four 20 mm cannons and first flew in October 1938. They entered R.A.F. service with No. 263 Squadron during the autumn of 1940, and from the summer of 1941 were deployed in offensive sweeps and interdiction raids across the English Channel. The Peregrine engines however proved to be a nightmare, while the aircraft needed considerable maintenance to keep them airworthy, and as a result they began to be withdrawn in the summer of 1943. The only other unit to operate the Whirlwind was No. 137 Squadron. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 8, 310 lbs, Maximum take-off 11,445 lbs Powerplant: Two 885 hp Rolls-Royce Peregrine I inline engines Performance: Maximum speed 398 mph, Range 510 miles, Service ceiling 39,400 ft Armament: 2 x 7.62 mm machine guns 1 x 12.7 mm machine gun Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG 3 Dimensions: Wingspan 33 ft 5 ins, Length 27 ft 1 ins, Height 10 ft 9¾ ins Crew: 1 Entered service: 1941 Number built: 3,322 The prototype MiG-1 first flew in early April 1940 and immediately placed in production. The aircraft was very fast with a speed of 400 mph, but suffered from poor handling and was taxing to fly. It also had an unacceptably short endurance which led to design changes which were soon introduced. The revised aircraft being designated the MiG-3, and when the Germans invaded Russian in June 1941 there were over 1,000 on strength near the border, but were outclassed by the Bf 109 in all respects, and as a result they were soon deployed as a high level escort before being used as ground attack aircraft. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 5,965 lbs, Maximum take-off 7,415 lbs Powerplant: One 1,350 hp Mikulin AM-35A inline engine
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Performance: Maximum speed 223 mph, Range 435 miles, Service ceiling 20,200 ft Armament: 5 x 0.303 inch machine guns Bombload 500 lbs Blackburn Skua Dimensions: Wingspan 46 ft 2 ins Length 35 ft 7 ins, Height 12 ft 6 ins Crew: 2 Entered service: 1938 Number built: 192 The Blackburn Skua was designed in the mid 1930’s a carrier based two seat dive bomber and fighter aircraft for the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. They first entered service with No. 800 and 803 Squadrons in late 1938 and were used operationally during the first two years of World War Two. Their most notable use was on the 10th April 1940, when 16 Skuas from 800 and 803 Squadron from R.N.A.S. Hatston in the Orkney Islands flew to Norway and sank the German cruiser Königsberg in Bergan harbour. The Skua however soon proved to be obsolete and was withdrawn from operational service in early 1941. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 5,496 lbs, Maximum take-off 8,228 lbs Powerplant: One 890 hp Bristol Perseus XII radial engine Performance: Maximum speed 242 mph, Range 3393 miles, Service ceiling 25,000 ft Armament: 1 x 0.303 inch machine gun Bombload none Miles Master Mk I Dimensions: Wingspan 39 ft, Length 29 ft 6 ins, Height 9 ft 3 ins Crew: 1 + 1 pupil Entered service: 1939 Number built: 900 The Miles Master was one of the principal two-seat advanced trainers for the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm during World War Two. The production Master I made its first flight in March 1939, and was one of the fastest and manoeuvrable trainers of its day, and entered service just before the start of World War Two in 1939. 900 Mk. I and Mk. IA Masters were built, which included 26 aircraft built as the M.24 Master Fighter, which were modified to a single-seat configuration and armed with six 0.303 inch machine guns for use as an emergency fighter during the dark days of 1940, but never saw combat. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 4,293 lbs, Maximum take-off 5,573 lbs Powerplant: One 715 hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel XXX inline engine Performance: Maximum speed 304 mph, Range 932 miles, Service ceiling 30,850 ft Armament: 1 x 20 mm cannon 2 x 7.5 mm machine guns Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 Dimensions: Wingspan 34 ft 10 ins, Length 26 ft 9 ins, Height 10 ft 8 ins Crew: 1 Entered service: 1938 Number built: 1,176 The Morane-Saulnier MS.405 was the first French fighter with a retractable undercarriage and enclosed cockpit and first flew in August 1935. The aircraft was placed into production in May 1938, and by September 1939 was numerically the most important fighter in French service, with 225 aircraft operational and a further 1,000 on order. The aircraft was quite manoeuvrable and could withstand a tremendous amount of damage, but against the Messerschmitt Bf 109 it was outclassed, and during the battle for France 150 were lost in action with a further 250-300 through accidents or were destroyed on the ground. SPECIFICATION: Weights: Empty 4,173 lbs, Maximum take-off 5,348 lbs Powerplant: One 860 hp Hispano-Suiza inline engine Performance: Maximum speed 346 mph, Range 415 miles, Service ceiling 30,500 ft Armament: 8 x 0.303 inch machine guns Bombload none Supermarine Spitfire Mk Ia Dimensions: Wingspan 36 ft 10 ins, Length 29 ft 11 ins, Height 9 ft 10 ins Crew: 1 Entered service: 1938 Number built: 20,351 (all mks) In the early 1930s, Supermarine began on a design for a fighter based on the knowledge gained through their S series of floatplanes that had won the Schneider Trophy outright. The aircraft was designed around a new Rolls-Royce engine (later named Merlin), and had a stressed aluminium skin with thin elliptical wings. The prototype first flew in March 1935, and was so superior to other competing designs that a separate specification was issued to cover its production. Named Spitfire, an initial order for 310 aircraft was placed in June 1936, the first aircraft being issued to No. 19 Squadron at R.A.F. Duxford in June 1938. SPECIFICATION: Weights: Empty 4,517 lbs, Maximum take-off 5,844 lbs Powerplant: One 1,030 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin II inline engine Performance: Maximum speed 346 mph, Range 415 miles, Service ceiling 30,500 ft Armament: 2 x 20 mm cannons Bombload none Supermarine Spitfire Mk Ib Dimensions: Wingspan 36 ft 10 ins, Length 29 ft 11 ins, Height 9 ft 10 ins Crew: 1 Entered service: 1939 Number built: 20,351 (all mks) In an attempt to to give the Spitfire Mk I a heavier punch it was decided to arm a number of aircraft with two 20 mm cannons at the expense of the 0.303 Browning machine guns. To distinguish the different armament, Spitfires withonly machine guns were designated Ia, and those armed with cannons Ib. In service the cannons of the IB proved to be unreliable and prone to jam leaving the aircraft defenceless, a problem that would take a while to resolve. In total 1,536 examples of the Spitfire Mk Ia were built and 30 Spitfire Mk Ib before production was switched to the Spitfire Mk II in June 1940. SPECIFICATION: Weights: Empty 4,517 lbs, Maximum take-off 5,844 lbs Powerplant: One 1,030 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin II inline engine Performance: Maximum speed 357 mph, Range 500 miles, Service ceiling 32,000 ft Armament: 2 x 20 mm cannons Bombload none Supermarine Spitfire Mk IIa Dimensions: Wingspan 36 ft 10 ins, Length 29 ft 11 ins, Height 9 ft 10 ins Crew: 1 Entered service: 1939 Number built: 20,351 (all mks) The Spitfire Mk II differed from late production Mk Is by having the 1,150 hp Merlin XII engine, and were the first type to be produced at Supermarine’s new factory at Castle Bromwich. The first Mk II flew in September 1939, with production commencing in June 1940. The Mk II was produced in two types, the majority being the Mk IIa armed with eight 0.303 Browning machine guns, while the Mk IIb was armed with two 20mm cannon and four 0.303 inch machine guns after reliability issues with the cannons had been resolved. 920 Mk IIs were built, and along with the Mk Is were phased out in 1941 in favour of the Mk V. SPECIFICATION: Weights: Empty 4,541 lbs, Maximum take-off 6,172 lbs Powerplant: One 1,150 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin XII inline engine Performance: Maximum speed 408 mph, Range 430 miles, Service ceiling 43,000 ft Armament: 2 x 20 mm cannons 2 x 0.5 inch machine guns Supermarine Spitfire Mk IX Dimensions: Wingspan 36 ft 10 ins, Length 31 ft 1 ins, Height 9 ft 10 ins Crew: 1 Entered service: 1942 Number built: 20,351 (all mks) After the FW190 appeared in September 1941 the Spitfire Mk V was totally outclassed. In response the Spitfire Mk VIII was designed using a Merlin 60/70 engine, but this required a major redesign and would take time. As an interim solution the engine was fitted into a modified Mk V fuselage, and tests were so successful that it was ordered into production as the Mk IX in June 1942. They entered service in July, and after nearly a year the R.A.F. had an aircraft that could take on the FW190. So successful was the Mk IX that it remained in service until the end of the war, and was produced in greater numbers than any other mark. SPECIFICATION: Weights: Empty 5,634 lbs, Maximum take-off 9,500 lbs Powerplant: One 1,576 hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 66 inline engine Performance: Maximum speed 454 mph, Range 390 miles, Service ceiling 43,000 ft Armament: 4 x 20 mm cannons Bombload 1,000 lbs Supermarine Spitfire Mk 24 Dimensions: Wingspan 36 ft 11 ins, Length 32 ft 11 ins, Height 13 ft 6 ins Crew: 1 Entered service: 1946 Number built: 20,351 (all mks) Work on a new wing for the Spitfire started in February 1942, and resulted in the wing used in the Mk 21 which was built in small numbers and did not enter service until April 1945. This was followed by the Mk 22 with a cut-down fuselage and teardrop canopy, production of which began in March 1945. 260 Mk 22s were produced before the Mk 24 appeared in 1946. The main changes to this version was the ability to carry rocket projectiles, and in total eighty one Mk 24s were produced, many of which would see service during the early years of the Malayan Insurgency, the Spitfire Mk 24 finally being retired from R.A.F. service in 1952. SPECIFICATION: Weights: Empty 6,160 lbs, Maximum take-off 9,900 lbs Powerplant: One 2,120 hp Rolls-Royce Griffon 85 Performance: Maximum speed 223 mph, Range 435 miles, Service ceiling 20,200 ft Armament: 5 x 0.303 inch machine guns Bombload 500 lbs Blackburn Skua Dimensions: Wingspan 46 ft 2 ins Length 35 ft 7 ins, Height 12 ft 6 ins Crew: 2 Entered service: 1938 Number built: 192 The Blackburn Skua was designed in the mid 1930’s a carrier based two seat dive bomber and fighter aircraft for the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm. They first entered service with No. 800 and 803 Squadrons in late 1938 and were used operationally during the first two years of World War Two. Their most notable use was on the 10th April 1940, when 16 Skuas from 800 and 803 Squadron from R.N.A.S. Hatston in the Orkney Islands flew to Norway and sank the German cruiser Königsberg in Bergan harbour. The Skua however soon proved to be obsolete and was withdrawn from operational service in early 1941. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 5,496 lbs, Maximum take-off 8,228 lbs Powerplant: One 890 hp Bristol Perseus XII radial engine Performance: Maximum speed 340 mph, Range 950 miles, Service ceiling 28,200 ft Armament: 2 x 0.5 inch machine guns 2 x 0.3 inch machine guns Vultee P-66 Vanguard Dimensions: Wingspan 35 ft 10 ins, Length 28 ft 5 ins, Height 9 ft 5 ins Crew: 1 Entered service: 1941 Number built: 146 The Vultee Vanguard single seat fighter made its maiden flight in September 1939 and acquired an order from the Swedish government for 146 aircraft in 1940. In September 1941 the first deliveries were about to be despatched when an embargo was placed on their export by the U.S. government. After Japan entered the war the aircraft was given the designation P-66, 50 being retained by the U.S.A.A.F. and used as advanced trainers. 100 were passed on to the British under Lend-Lease who named the aircraft Vanguard I, these being supplied to U.S. volunteer forces in China where they had an undistinguished career. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 5,237 lbs, Maximum take-off 7,384 lbs Powerplant: One 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney R1830 radial engine Performance: Maximum speed 340 mph, Range 950 miles, Service ceiling 28,200 ft Armament: 2 x 0.5 inch machine guns 2 x 0.3 inch machine guns Vultee P-66 Vanguard Dimensions: Wingspan 35 ft 10 ins, Length 28 ft 5 ins, Height 9 ft 5 ins Crew: 1 Entered service: 1941 Number built: 146 The Vultee Vanguard single seat fighter made its maiden flight in September 1939 and acquired an order from the Swedish government for 146 aircraft in 1940. In September 1941 the first deliveries were about to be despatched when an embargo was placed on their export by the U.S. government. After Japan entered the war the aircraft was given the designation P-66, 50 being retained by the U.S.A.A.F. and used as advanced trainers. 100 were passed on to the British under Lend-Lease who named the aircraft Vanguard I, these being supplied to U.S. volunteer forces in China where they had an undistinguished career. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 5,237 lbs, Maximum take-off 7,384 lbs Powerplant: One 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney R1830 radial engine Performance: Maximum speed 408 mph, Range 500 miles, Service ceiling 37,400 ft Armament: 4 x 20 mm cannons 4 x 13 mm machine guns Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Dimensions: Wingspan 34 ft 5 ins, Length 29 ft 5 ins, Height 12 ft 1 in Crew: 1 Entered service: 1941 Number built: 19,500+ The Fw 190 was certainly the best piston engined fighter to see service with the Luftwaffe during World War Two, and possibly the most advanced fighter operated by any nation on its introduction into service in the autumn of 1941. They were used in every theatre of war engaged in by German forces, and in trained hands would cause great damage on the enemy, taking a heavy toll of American bombers and Russian aircraft during the defence of Germany. There are no accurate production figures for the aircraft, but it is estimated that at least 19,500 of over 30 marks were built by a number of manufacturers. S P E C I F I C A T I O N : Weights: Empty 7,060 lbs, Maximum take-off 10,800 lbs Powerplant: 1,700 hp BMW 801 D-2 radial engine Contents Contents 4 4 3 3 2 2
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