The DH.9A was planned as an improved version of the existing Airco DH.9. The DH.9 was a disappointment owing to its under-performing and unreliable engines, and the DH.9A was to use a more powerful engine to resolve this. As the Rolls-Royce Eagle engine used in the successful DH.4 was unavailable in sufficient quantities, the new American 400 hp (300 kW) Liberty engine was chosen instead

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For long a familiar and reassuring sight to holidaymakers in coastal and mountain areas, and originally designed for anti-submarine warfare, the Westland Sea King was adapted for long-range RAF search and rescue duties as the Sea King HAR3, serving in the UK_and Falkland Islands.

Powered by two Rolls Royce Gnome gas turbines, deliveries began in 1978, replacing the Whirlwind HAR10 and Wessex HAR2 in providing search and rescue cover for both military and civilian personnel across the UK

Sea Kings were fitted with highly advanced search and navigation equipment and operated in all weathers both day and night. Final RAF aircraft retired 2015, replaced by private contract civilian helicopters in the SAR role.

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Derived from a single seat fighter project, the Gnat provided advanced flying training for RAF fast jet pilots in the 1960s and 1970s.

The Gnat first flew in August 1959 and the type entered service with the Central Flying School in February 1962. It was intended to replace the Vampire as an advanced trainer for pilots who would fly jet fighters and bombers, combining high performance with the handling qualities required for effective instruction. A total of 105 Gnats served with the RAF and the final group of pilots trained on the Gnat graduated from No.4 Flying Training School on 24 November 1978.

Its aerobatic qualities led to the formation of the Yellowjacks aerobatic team in 1964, leading to the foundation of the world famous Red Arrows the following year. The team flew their red Gnats for fourteen years until they were replaced by the British Aerospace Hawk at the end of the 1979 season.

This Gnat T1 was built in 1963 and flew as Red 3 between 1976 and 1980.

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The Joint Strike Fighter, which is being built by Lockheed Martin as the F35 Lightning II, will be known in UK_service as the Joint Combat Aircraft (JCA). Although Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor, the UK_is a Level 1 partner with the US and a number of British companies, including BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce, will have extensive involvement in building and developing the aircraft.

The UK_version – the F-35C, a developed version of the F-35A seen here – will be a stealthy, multi-role, all-weather, day & night, fighter/attack air system aircraft that can operate from land bases and both current and the next generation of aircraft carriers, two of which (Queen Elizabeth Class) are now under construction for the Royal Navy. When the JCA enters service, it will be able to conduct deep strike missions, against a variety of targets.

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The Rolls-Royce Merlin is a British liquid-cooled V-12 piston aero engine of 27-litres (1,650 cu in) capacity. Rolls-Royce designed the engine and first ran it in 1933 as a private venture. Initially known as the PV-12, it was later called Merlin following the company convention of naming its four-stroke piston aero engines after birds of prey.

One of the most successful aircraft engines of the World War II era, some 50 versions of the Merlin were built by Rolls-Royce in Derby, Crewe and Glasgow, as well as by Ford of Britain at their Trafford Park factory, near Manchester. A de-rated version was also the basis of the Rolls-Royce/Rover Meteor tank engine. Post-war, the Merlin was largely superseded by the Rolls-Royce Griffon for military use, with most Merlin variants being designed and built for airliners and military transport aircraft.

The Packard V-1650 was a version of the Merlin built in the United States. Production ceased in 1950 after a total of almost 150,000 engines had been delivered. Merlin engines remain in Royal Air Force service today with the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, and power many restored aircraft in private ownership worldwide

The Merlin III was a Merlin II with standardised de Havilland/Rotol SBAC propeller shaft, and dual accessory-drive. 1,030 hp (770 kW) at 3,000 rpm at 10,250 feet (3,120 m) at +6.5 lb boost.[15] Formed basis for the Rolls-Royce/Rover Meteor tank engine

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The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French supersonic jet attack aircraft originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Air Force in the close air support and nuclear strike role. It is still in service with the Indian Air Force.

The Jaguar programme began in the early 1960s, in response to a British requirement (Air Staff Target 362) for an advanced supersonic jet trainer to replace the Folland Gnat T1 and Hawker Hunter T7, and a French requirement (the École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique, ECAT "tactical combat support trainer") for a cheap, subsonic dual role trainer and light attack aircraft to replace the Fouga Magister, Lockheed T-33 and Dassault Mystère IV. In both countries several companies tendered designs: BAC, Hunting, Hawker Siddeley and Folland in Britain; Breguet, Potez, Sud-Aviation, Nord, and Dassault from France. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in May 1965 for the two countries to develop two aircraft, a trainer based on the ECAT, and the larger AFVG (Anglo-French Variable Geometry)

Cross-channel negotiations led to the formation of SEPECAT (Société Européenne de Production de l'Avion d'École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique – the "European company for the production of a combat trainer and tactical support aircraft") in 1966 as a joint venture between Breguet and the British Aircraft Corporation to produce the airframe. Though based in part on the Breguet Br.121, using the same basic configuration and an innovative French-designed landing gear, the Jaguar was built incorporating major elements of design from BAC, notably the wing and high lift devices.

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Royal Air Force Buccaneers first saw combat during the 1990-91 Gulf War (Operation ‘Granby’), 22 years after entering service. Although the Buccaneer was seen in 1969 as an interim type pending the development of the Panavia Tornado, the last examples were not retired until March 1994.

Designed by Blackburn Aircraft (later Hawker Siddeley Aviation) to a naval requirement for a carrier-based, low-level maritime strike aircraft, the Buccaneer S1 entered service with the Fleet Air Arm in 1962

Attempts to interest the Royal Air Force in the type as a replacement for the Canberra bomber were unsuccessful. However, following the termination of its intended replacement, the American F111, the Buccaneer S2 variant was ordered in July 1968. 108 Buccaneers entered RAF service. Forty-six were new aircraft; the balance came from the Fleet Air Arm, as aircraft carriers were phased out in the 1970s.

From 1972 two squadrons of Buccaneers served in RAF Germany until replaced by Tornados in 1984. Maritime strike/attack and reconnaissance then became the aircraft’s primary role, along with the secondary task of carrying laser designator equipment for precision attacks. Twelve Buccaneers were deployed at short notice to the Gulf during Operation ‘Granby’ to designate targets for Royal Air Force Tornados and Jaguars.

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This is one of the prototypes of the Eurofighter Typhoon. The UK, Germany, Italy and Spain formed the Eurofighter company and worked together to develop the many advanced features of this state-of-the-art machine.

The Typhoon is a key part of the current Royal Air Force’s equipment. It is a highly capable and extremely agile fourth-generation multi-role combat aircraft, capable of being deployed for the full spectrum of air operations, including air policing, peace support and high-intensity conflict. The Eurofighter also builds on a long history of British multi-role fighters and other European collaborative projects.

The Typhoon was initially deployed in the air-to-air role as the Typhoon F2. The current FGR4 has acquired a variety of weapons, and is capable of engaging numerous target types. The pilot performs many essential functions through the aircraft’s ‘hands on throttle and stick’ (HOTAS) interface which, combined with an advanced cockpit and the ‘Helmet Equipment Assembly’ (HEA), renders Typhoon superbly equipped for all aspects of air operations.

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