What is the post-war RAFs greatest step forward?

[TSRJames]

Ok, which RAF aircraft since WWII (to make things easier) represented the greatest advance over its immediate predecessor? Personally, I think it is very difficult to say as there are lots of criteria.

Fighters – well the jump from transonic to Mach 2+ or the introduction of BVR weapons springs to mind, but instead of the Lightning and Phantom, I’d probably say the Hawker Hunter. The early jets like the ME262/Meteor/P-60 didn't really expand the capabilities of the latest prop fighters. The real step forward was the introduction of swept-wing transonic fighters the Hunter.

Bombers – I adore the V-force. They were all superb aircraft but this award has to go to their little cousin the EE Canberra - Britains first jet and high altitude bomber.

Trainer – Easy, got to be the Gnat. Folland’s little Sabre Slayer and aerobatic star.

Transport – Probably the C-130 Herc. A big step over the Argosy and Beverley. If history was different and all 30 made, I would have said the Belfast – so useful during the Falklands the Gov leased them back.

Helicopters – Probably the Whirlwind or the Wessex as they were the first really useful utility/SAR bird the British military had – Westland Dragonfly anyone??

AEW – Shack to Sentry obviously!

Overall, I’m going for the Canberra. So good the Yanks copied it!

What a difference from Lincolns and Washingtons! Four engines multi-crew prop bombers to a two seat twin jet. When it came out, British fighters couldn't catch it for anything. Even in the era of the Phantom, I've read that Canberras would toy with them by flying higher than RAF Phantoms could intercept. That's impressive. It was essentially a medium bomber that was so great at what it did that it was replacing heavy bombers. It basically replaced the Mosquito in most of its roles (except night fighter), all of the WWII-era bombers, bomber trainers, photo-reconnaissance and many others. Add to that the new roles it took on later in life.

[CharlieP]

I got to fly a Canberra back in 1994. Which was nice.

[Splish]

Oh nice, where did you fly in one? Marham? I remember seeing one of them take off with a couple of GR4's a few years back

[CharlieP]

Fly (well, for about ten minutes ), not just fly in. At Wyton.

[Splish]

Lucky you, I was fortunate enough to ride in the back of a Hawk out of Valley once but didn't get the opportunity to fly

Hopefully one time in the future though

[Splish]

Back on topic however..

Pretty good choices TSRJames, I might have gone for the C17 over the Herc however.

Also interesting to note, there are still Hunters in RAF service

[hoody]

I'd probably root for some kind of chopper. Probably the Chinook. The transit van of the sky.

[pricemazda]

surely the Harrier?

[Chorley Boi]

Has to be the Harrier, forty years later it is still one of the RAF's greatest assets.

[Engels]

The Harrier is a good shout especially considering the crucial role it played in the Falklands and the continued important cross service role it plays

[TSRJames]

The Harrier is a cracking little plane, and probably when it comes to CAS assets (whihc i forgot to mention), it is the biggest leap forward since the Hawker Typhoon and DH Mosquito of WW2, but the RAFs biggest post-war leap forward? I’m not sure.

When you compare it to what it replaced in the RAF, the Hunter F6/FGA9, it was in many ways inferior in performance and weapons load. The early Harriers (GR1/3s) only main advantage was STOVL, along with a better ride at low level due to the wing loading. The introduction of the GR5 was when the type finally matured, although the adoption of the US ‘big wing’ instead of the UK ‘big wing’ reduced maximum speed some what. I mention STOVL instead of VTOL as the latter is practically useless in any military sense as it uses too much fuel and you can’t carry any ordinance.

In their finest hour - the Falklands, the RN SHars FRS1 and RAF GR3s ended up replacing the Phantom FGR1s and the Buccaneer S2s, which they could never hope to compete with as it was never designed to do so. The Invincible class the Sea Harrier was to fly from were originally intended to work alongside the fleet carriers and be pure anti-sub carriers operating in the North Atlantic, with all the ASW assets offloaded from the Ark, Eagle, Victorious (if fire never happened) and eventually the CVA-01 class leaving them as dedicated strike groups.

[Rob]

The greatest steps forward seem to be have been in the first ten years after the war, for example the first flight of the superb combat jet the Hawker Hunter was in 1951, just 14 years after our front line fighter was still the Bristol Bulldog.

to in fourteen years!

[TSRJames]

Indeed Rob, that's why I went with the Canberra. From the introduction of the Handley Page Heyford in 1934 to the first RAF Canberra units in 1951 - that's just 17 years!





In 1951, the Valiant also had it's first flight!

[Rob]

Actually the Canberra is probably one of the best examples, introduced in 1951, I think it replaced the likes of the Mosquito. What a tactical improvement in performance that must have been !