Philpott - Royal Air Force 1918 to 1939

• A. Aircraft Technical Specifications
• B. Squadron Locations and Aircraft, 1918 to 1939
• C. The Trenchard Memorandum
• D. Flying Operations Carried Out by No. 11 (Irish) Wing, April 1921
• E Extract of Report on Iraq Administration by the High Commissioner April 1922 March 1923
• F. RAF Squadron Disbandments 1918 1923
• G. Strategic Air Doctrine 1921
• H. Military and Civil Aircraft Tested at Martlesham Heath. 1919 1929
• J. Administrative Arrangements for RAF Personnel to see the 1929 Schneider Trophy Contest
• K. Orders Issued for Joint Operations by Nos.1 and 2 (Indian) Wings on 5th and 6th June 1927 against Mohmand tribesmen.
• L. Arrangements for Naval Officer Volunteers for Service with the Fleet Air Arm (A.M.W.O. No.551)
• M. Pilots on the strength of Fighter, Fleet Spotter and Reconnaissance Flights of the Fleet Air Arm.
• N. The Career Paths of Hugh Trenchard, John Salmond, Frederick Sykes and Edward Ellington
• P. The Various Home and Tropical Officers uniforms 1925
• Q. Correspondence Relating to the Cabinet Memorandum The War Object of an Air Force
• R. Members of the Air Council and Commanders of RAF Formations in the 1920s.
• S. The Air Estimates Financial Year 1919 1920.

AIRCRAFT TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

PART I AIRCRAFT IN OPERATIONAL SQUADRON SERVICE BETWEEN 11 NOVEMBER 1918 AND 31 DECEMBER 1929

PART II NON-SQUADRON TRAINING AIRCRAFT, HIGH-ALTITUDE, HIGH-SPEED AND LONG-DISTANCE AIRCRAFT

Notes:

1. The information shown relates to a representative mark/version of the type.
2. Details of test flying and development are to be found in Chapter 5.
3. Aircraft by squadrons are shown in Appendix B.

PART I

AIRCRAFT IN OPERATIONAL SQUADRON SERVICE BETWEEN 11 NOVEMBER 1918 AND 31 DECEMBER 1929

1. Avro Aldershot
2. Armstrong Whitworth Atlas
3. Avro 504K
4. Armstrong Whitworth FK8
5. Sopwith Baby
6. Royal A/C Factory BE2E
7. Royal A/C Factory BE12A
8. Bristol F2B
9. Bristol M1C
10. Bristol Bulldog
11. Sopwith Camel
12. Fairey Campania
13. Sopwith Cuckoo
14. Curtiss H.12
15. Curtiss H.16
16. Airco DH4
17. Airco DH6
18. Airco DH9
19. Airco DH9A
20. Airco DH10
21. Sopwith Dolphin
22. Fairey IIID Land-Plane
23. Fairey IIID Floatplane
24. Fairey IIIF Land/Float Plane
25. Fairey Fawn
26. Felixstowe F2A
27. Felixstowe F3
28. Felixstowe F5
29. Royal A/C Factory FE2B/C/D
30. Fairey Fox
31. Gloster Gamecock
32. Gloster Grebe II
33. Handley Page Hinaidi
34. Hawker Horsley
35. Handley Page 0/400
36. Handley Page V/1500
37. Handley Page Hyderabad
38. Blackburn Kangaroo
39. Martinsyde G100/102
40. Nieuport 17, 23, 24
41. Nieuport Nightjar
42. Nieuport Nighthawk
43. Parnall Panther
44. Royal Aircraft Factory RE8
45. Sopwith Salamander
46. Royal Aircraft Factory SE5A
47. Short 184
48. Short 320
49. Boulton Paul Sidestrand
50. Armstrong Whitworth Siskin IIIA
51. Sopwith Snipe
52. Supermarine Southampton II
53. SPAD VII
54. Vickers Vernon
55. Vickers Victoria
56. Vickers Vimy
57. Vickers Virginia
58. Westland Walrus
59. Westland Wapiti
60. Wight Converted
61. Hawker Woodcock

Aircraft Specification Sheet (1): AVRO ALDERSHOT

Span: 68 ft

Length: 45 ft

Wing area: 1,064 sq. ft Weights: Empty, 6,310 lb Loaded, 10,950 lb Power plant: One 650 hp Rolls-Royce Condor III Armament/Bomb load: One fixed Vickers forward-firing machine-gun, one trainable gun in mid-upper position and provision for one Lewis gun in ventral position; bomb load, 2,200 lb

Performance
Max. speed: 110 mph at sea level
Cruising speed: 92 mph
Endurance: 6 hr
Service ceiling: 14,500 ft

Air Ministry Specifications:

2/20, which called for a long-range bomber

History

The first prototype, J6852, made its maiden flight at Hamble, flown by Bert Hinkler in October 1921. The aircraft was in competition for RAF acceptance against a de Havilland Derby. The aircraft had a large four-bladed propeller and double undercarriage. The fuselage was metal-tube framed with wooden wings, fin and tail. The prototype was flown in the presence of Sir Geoffrey Salmond and Air Ministry officials. Hinkler took off in just 300 yards and reported that it was nice on the controls and easy to manage. The Aldershot was then delivered to RAE Farnborough, whose staff found it stable in flight, making it suitable for night flying. The Aldershot made a public appearance at the 1922 Hendon Air Pageant, flown by Flying Officer C.E. Horrex. Only fifteen were built, Serials J6942 to 6956, and it entered service as the Aldershot III (from J6945 onwards) in August 1924 with 99 Squadron at Bircham Newton, but remained in service only until the end of 1925, since it was by then Air Ministry policy not to employ any more single-engined heavy bombers. Given its weight, if one force-landed in a field it would have to be dismantled, whereas a two-engined bomber would be much less likely to suffer total engine failure. It was replaced by the twin-engined Hyderabad, which served with 99 Squadron for six years.

Aircraft Specification Sheet (2): ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH ATLAS

Span: 39 ft 6.5 in.
Length: 28 ft 6.5 in.
Wing area: 391 sq. ft
Weights: Empty, 2,550 lb