Random British Reconnaissance and Bombers

From Wings of Linen
British Reconnaissance and Bombers
1914
SummerAutumn
01-30 RAF B.E.8
31-59 Farman M.F.7
60-68 Bleriot 11
69-76 Farman H.F.20
77-84 Farman M.F.11
85-92 RAF B.E.2
93-00 RAF B.E.2a

01-20 RAF B.E.2a
21-38 Farman M.F.11
39-55 Farman H.F.20
56-68 Bleriot 11
69-80 RAF R.E.5
81-86 RAF B.E.2c
87-91 Mos H
92-96 RAF B.E.2
97-00 RAF B.E.8

1915
WinterSpringSummerAutumn
01-20 RAF B.E.2a
21-37 RAF R.E.5
38-52 Bleriot 11
53-65 Farman M.F.11
66-74 Farman H.F.20
75-82 RAF B.E.2c
83-88 MoS L
89-94 RAF B.E.2b
95-97 RAF B.E.2
98-00 Voisin 3

01-17 RAF B.E.2c
18-32 RAF B.E.2a
33-46 Bleriot 11
47-58 Voisin 3
59-68 Farman M.F.11
69-77 RAF B.E.2b
78-84 MoS L
85-91 RAF R.E.5
92-96 RAF B.E.2
97-00 RAF B.E.8

01-32 RAF B.E.2c
33-46 RAF B.E.2a
47-58 MoS L
59-69 RAF B.E.2b
70-78 Farman M.F.11
79-84 Bleriot 11
85-90 Voisin 3
91-94 RAF B.E.8
95-98 RAF R.E.5
99-00 RAF F.E.2b[note 1]

01-60 RAF B.E.2c
61-68 MoS LA
69-75 Farman M.F.11
76-81 RAF B.E.2b
82-86 RAF B.E.2a
87-89 RAF R.E.5
90-92 Voisin 3
93-94 MoS L
95-96 RAF B.E.8
97-98 RAF F.E.2b
99    Mart. G.100/102[note 2]
00    RAF B.E.2e

1916
WinterSpringSummerAutumn
01-74 RAF B.E.2c
75-81 MoS LA
82-87 Farman M.F.11
88-92 RAF F.E.2b
93-96 Mart. G.100/102
97-98 RAF B.E.2e
99-00 RAF R.E.5

01-69 RAF B.E.2c
70-81 Mart. G.100/102
82-90 RAF F.E.2b
91-93 MoS LA
94-95 Farman M.F.11
96-97 RAF B.E.2e
98    RAF B.E.2d
99    RAF R.E.5
00    Sopwith Strutter[note 3]

01-50 RAF B.E.2c
51-68 RAF B.E.2d
69-83 RAF F.E.2b
84-89 Mart. G.100/102
90-94 RAF B.E.2e
95-98 Sopwith Strutter
99-00 MoS LA

01-37 RAF B.E.2c
38-55 RAF B.E.2d
56-71 RAF F.E.2b
72-85 RAF B.E.2e
86-92 Sopwith Strutter
93-97 Mart. G.100/102
98-99 MoS LA
00    RAF R.E.8

1917
WinterSpringSummerAutumn
01-26 RAF B.E.2e
27-50 RAF B.E.2c
51-65 Sopwith Strutter
66-78 RAF F.E.2b
79-87 RAF B.E.2d
88-92 RAF B.E.8
93-96 Mart. G.100/102
97-98 A-W F.K.8
99-00 RAF B.E.2b

01-27 RAF B.E.2e
28-44 RAF B.E.2c
45-56 RAF F.E.2b
57-68 RAF R.E.8
69-78 Sopwith Strutter
79-85 RAF B.E.2d
86-90 Airco D.H.4
91-94 Mart. G.100/102
95-97 A-W F.K.8
98    Bristol F.2b[note 4]
99    Handley-Page O/100
00    RAF B.E.2b

01-28 RAF R.E.8
29-43 RAF B.E.2e
44-53 Airco D.H.4
54-63 RAF B.E.2c
64-72 RAF F.E.2b
73-80 Sopwith Strutter
81-87 A-W F.K.8
88-91 Bristol F.2b
92-94 Mart. G.100/102
95-97 RAF B.E.2d
98-99 Handley-Page O/100
00    RAF B.E.2b

01-36 RAF B.E.8
37-49 Airco D.H.4
50-60 A-W F.K.8
61-69 RAF F.E.2b
70-77 Bristol F.2b
78-85 RAF B.E.2e
86-92 RAF B.E.2c
93-96 Sopwith Strutter
97-98 Handley-Page O/100
99-00 Mart. G.100/102

1918
WinterSpringSummerAutumn
01-33 RAF R.E.8
34-52 Airco D.H.4
53-62 A-W F.K.8
63-72 Bristol F.2b
73-81 RAF F.E.2b
82-88 RAF B.E.2e
89-93 Handley-Page O/100
94-97 RAF B.E.2c
98    Mart. G.100/102
99    RAF B.E.2b
00    Sopwith Strutter

01-25 RAF R.E.8
26-43 Airco D.H.4
44-57 Bristol F.2b
58-68 RAF F.E.2b
69-76 Airco D.H.9
77-84 A-W F.K.8
85-89 RAF B.E.2e
90-92 Handley-Page O/100
93-95 Handley-Page O/400
96-97 RAF B.E.2c
98    Airco D.H.6[note 5]
99    Mart. G.100/102
00    RAF B.E.2b

01-20 RAF R.E.8
21-38 Airco D.H.9
39-51 Airco D.H.4
52-64 Bristol F.2b
65-74 RAF F.E.2b
75-81 Airco D.H.6
82-88 A-W F.K.8
89-93 Handley-Page O/400
94-97 RAF B.E.2e
98    RAF B.E.2c
99    RAF B.E.2b
00    Mart. G.100/102

01-21 Airco D.H.9
22-39 RAF R.E.8
40-51 Bristol F.2b
52-60 Airco D.H.4
61-69 Handley-Page O/400
70-77 Airco D.H.6
78-85 RAF F.E.2b
86-91 A-W F.K.8
92-95 Airco D.H.9A
96-98 RAF B.E.2e
99    Mart. G.100/102
00    RAF B.E.2c
[note 6]

The data is derived from Squadron records in Ian Philpott's The Birth of the Royal Air Force. While the book does a good job of noting when certain aircraft were taken up by each of 274 squadrons and when they were retired, it doesn't say whether one example of a certain type of aircraft was added to the roster or ten of them, so I have assumed an even split between all of the types in use in any one month. I have removed from the charts any types used in England from squadrons bound for foreign service, but Home Defense squadrons aircraft are included for their full tenure. The charts do include aircraft used in lesser-known theaters like the Middle East. There is some RNAS data included from the period where they joined the RAF, but the data does not include seaplanes and flying boats. Numbers were sometimes adjusted up or down a percent to account for rounding errors. The types are sorted with each season from most-used to least-used planes.

References

Notes
  1. ↑ In the latter half of its long career, the F.E.2b transitioned more to a night bomber, but it hard to determine the rate at which that occurred, so the tables here just show its raw use without regard to its role.
  2. ↑ Though the Martinsyde Elephant was a single-seater, it was usually used in the long-range scouting role.
  3. ↑ Most Strutters we used in the reconnaissance and bombing roles rather than as a fighter, but it is impossible to determine which proportions were used for which role. So this data reflects their overall usage without regard to the role.
  4. ↑ While the Bristol F.2b frequently functioned as a straight fighter, it was also used in bombing and reconnaissance roles, so it is included here.
  5. ↑ D.H.6s were used on anti-submarine patrol duties.
  6. ↑ The Handley-Page V/1500 was ready to fly on Armistice Day, but its mission was aborted.
Bibliography
  • Ian Philpott, The Birth of the Royal Air Force. Great Britain: Pen & Sword Books Limited, 2013. ISBN 978-1-78159-333-2
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