I came across this today, while researching something else.
Fairchild 91, HK832 ‘M’ of the Sea Rescue Flight, on an airfield in Egypt. This single-engined amphibian, formerly NC16690 on the US civil register, was purchased second-hand by the British Air Ambulance Corps, a New York-based charity, and delivered to the Middle East where it served with the SRF until sunk in a take-off accident near Benghazi on 17 May 1943.
Wellington, of the R.A.F. Rescue Service, is joined by a Fairchild amphibian as they fly low over the water in search of a R.A.F. bomber crew, forced down in the Mediterranean off the coast near Sollum, Egypt.
Wellington and the rescue launch of the R.A.F. Rescue Service, speed toward the position of the survivors of a R.A.F. bomber crew, forced down in the Mediterranean off the coast, near Sollum, Egypt.
A Link to Wikki – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairchild_91
It got me thinking were there other aircraft used,by the RAF that were one off’s.
By: DaveF68 - 21st October 2013 at 10:59
It got me thinking were there other aircraft used,by the RAF that were one off’s.
As Graham says, lots! The RAF website even lists some of the impressed WW2 ones:
http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/CivilAircraftinWWIIService.cfm
and Foreign ones:
http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/ForeignMilitaryAircraftinWWIIService.cfm
Some, such as the Curtiss Condors, became instructional aircraft. Some lasted a few months (Fw200, Ford Trimotor) Others, such as the Boeing 247, had long and productive lives.
Pre-war, there were also a number of foreign types purchased for evaluation (usually by RAE or AAEE, but given RAF serials and markings (Breguet XIX, Heinkel He64, Dornier Komet, Dornier Delphin, Northrop 2E, Fokker FVII, Vought V66E, Junkers F13, Dewoitine D510 to name some of them)
By: Duggy - 21st October 2013 at 01:29
Thanks for the replies, but I should of been a bit more specific.
I am not talking about captured or prototypes, but actual one offs that so combat like the Fairchild 91 above.( as there were only 2 built)
Thanks Duggy
By: snafu - 19th October 2013 at 19:47
K5084 (formerly G-ACSS) was the DH88 Comet that won the 1934 MacRobertson Air Race taken on by the RAF.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]222081[/ATTACH]
The Bristol Type 142 K7557 was the famous Britain First, built for Lord Rothermere to be the fastest civilian aircraft in Europe and presented to the RAF. The Blenheim was developed from this design.
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The Martin Baker MB5, R2496, was the ultimate in propeller driven fighter aircraft, superseded by the advancement of the jet engine.
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Reid & Sigrist RS4 Bobsleigh VZ728, a rebuild of the RS3 multi engine trainer with a new prone pilot nose station.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]222084[/ATTACH]
Meteor F8 WK935 was different from other Meteors because it was another prone pilot conversion.
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Just a few from me. Maybe there should be a few rules about whether captured aircraft apply, or prototypes that never made production.
By: Graham Boak - 19th October 2013 at 10:57
A very large number, too many to list here even discounting captured enemy aircraft and defectors. There are books available that list all the aircraft ever operated by the RAF – Bruce Robertson’s serial listing for Ian Allan is perhaps the most obvious, or Putnam’s Aircraft of the Royal Air Force, if now somewhat dated.
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October 19, 2013 at 12:57 am