Meet the R.A.F.’s most historic aircraft
In 1943, 16 different types of military planes gathered on the runways of Hullavington airfield for a unique picture. We explore the incredible machines who helped in the defence of Britain during WW2 and first breathed life into our newest campus
Hullavington airfield, Wiltshire, was originally designed with a single purpose in mind: to house the aircraft used in the Battle of Britain. Aeroplanes are the lifeblood of the airfield, they shaped every aspect of the site’s original design including the vast hangars — it is even rumoured that a complete Spitfire is buried under one of the runways where this picture (above) was shot.
The 16 different aircraft represented in this image each played a different, but vital part in the defence of Britain. Amongst the many different types of machines that mounted the defence against the German Luftwaffe, there were fighters, bombers, reconnaissance and training craft. Read below to find out more about each of them.
01 — De Havilland, DH.98 Mosquito
Role: Fighter-bomber
First flight: 25th November 1940
Produced: 1940–1950
Number built: 7,781
02 — Hawker, Typhoon
Role: Fighter-bomber
First flight: 24th February 1940
Produced: 1941–1945
Number built: 3,317
03 — Supermarine, Spitfire
Role: Fighter/Reconnaissance
First flight: 5th March 1936
Produced: 1938–1948
Number built: 20,351
04 — Percival, Proctor
Role: Communications trainer
First flight: 8th October 1939
Produced: 1941–1945
Number built: 1,143
05 — Grumman, Avenger
Role: Torpedo Bomber
First flight: 7th August 1941
Produced: 1942–1960
Number built: 9,839
06 — Hawker, Hurricane
Role: Fighter
First flight: 6th November 1935
Produced: 1937–1944
Number built: 14,583
07 — Avro, Anson
Role: Multi-engined aircrew trainer
First flight: 24th March
Produced: 1930s-1952
Number built: 11,020
08 — Airspeed, Oxford
Role: Training craft
First flight: 19th June 1937
Produced: 1937–1956
Number built: 8,586
09 — De Havilland, Tiger Moth
Role: Training craft
First flight: 26th October
Produced: 1931–1944
Number built: 8,868
10 — Avro, Lancaster
Role: Heavy Bomber
First flight: 9th January 1941
Produced: 1942–1945
Number built: 7,377
11 — Miles, Magister
Role: Training craft
First flight: 20th March 1937
Produced: 1937–1941
Number built: 1,303
12 — Vickers, Wellington
Role: Medium Bomber/Anti-submarine aircraft
First flight: 15th June 1936
Produced: 1936–1945
Number built: 11,461–11,462
13 — Douglas, Boston
Role: Light Bomber
First flight: 23rd January 1939
Produced: 1939–1944
Number built: 7,478
14 — North American, Mitchell
Role: Medium Bomber
First flight: 19th August 1940
Produced: 1941–1979
Number built: 9,816
15 — Short, Stirling
Role: Heavy Bomber
First flight: 14th May 1939
Produced: 1939–1945
Number built: 2,371
16 — GAL, Hotspur glider
Role: Training Glider
First flight: 5th November 1940
Produced: 1940–1943
Number built: 1,015
This article was originally published in Dyson on: magazine. To read more visiton.dyson.co.uk
