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I have always been fascinated by the way in which the RAF changed between 1936 (Rhineland Crisis), 1938 (Munich) and 1939 when war broke out.
Using a copy of Air Britain's squadrons of the RAF (1980) I have drawn out the main types in use at each point. This is not very accurate as some squadrons took a while to transition between types. Here are the main categories (I have left out maritime and transport aircraft).
Fighters Type and Numbers of Sqns.
1936. Bulldog 6. Fury 3 Gauntlet 1
1938 Gauntlet 10 Hurricane 7 Gladiator 6
Blenheim 1 Fury 1 ( Spitfire 1 forming)
1939 Hurricane 14 Spitfire 12 Blenheim 8 Gladiator 6 Gauntlet 1
Bombers Type and Numbers of Sqns.
1936 Hind 9 Hart 7 Heyford 6 Demon 6 Virginia 5 Overstrand 1 Blenheim 1
1938 Battle 17 Blenheim 17 Hind 15 Whitley 7 Wellesley 5 Harrow 4 Vincent 3 Heyford 2 Hart 2 Hendon 1 (Wellington 1 forming)
1939 Blenheim 21 Battle 17 Hampden 8 Wellington 7 Whitley 7 Wellesley 3 Hind 1
The last category is army-cooperation colonial policing by Type and number of Sqns.
1936 Audax 7 Wapiti 6 Gordon 5 Wallace 4
1938 Wapiti 4 Hector 4 Audax 3 Lysander 2 Gordon 1
1939 Lysander 6 Audax 1 Wapiti 1
I hope others find this interesting. I apologise again that the numbers may not be quite right but the overall trend is clear.
I would love to see similar figures for France and Germany.
Using a copy of Air Britain's squadrons of the RAF (1980) I have drawn out the main types in use at each point. This is not very accurate as some squadrons took a while to transition between types. Here are the main categories (I have left out maritime and transport aircraft).
Fighters Type and Numbers of Sqns.
1936. Bulldog 6. Fury 3 Gauntlet 1
1938 Gauntlet 10 Hurricane 7 Gladiator 6
Blenheim 1 Fury 1 ( Spitfire 1 forming)
1939 Hurricane 14 Spitfire 12 Blenheim 8 Gladiator 6 Gauntlet 1
Bombers Type and Numbers of Sqns.
1936 Hind 9 Hart 7 Heyford 6 Demon 6 Virginia 5 Overstrand 1 Blenheim 1
1938 Battle 17 Blenheim 17 Hind 15 Whitley 7 Wellesley 5 Harrow 4 Vincent 3 Heyford 2 Hart 2 Hendon 1 (Wellington 1 forming)
1939 Blenheim 21 Battle 17 Hampden 8 Wellington 7 Whitley 7 Wellesley 3 Hind 1
The last category is army-cooperation colonial policing by Type and number of Sqns.
1936 Audax 7 Wapiti 6 Gordon 5 Wallace 4
1938 Wapiti 4 Hector 4 Audax 3 Lysander 2 Gordon 1
1939 Lysander 6 Audax 1 Wapiti 1
I hope others find this interesting. I apologise again that the numbers may not be quite right but the overall trend is clear.
I would love to see similar figures for France and Germany.
