Aircraft Deployed in Aden and the Rafdan

Please note that this not a complete list of Aircraft deployed in Aden and the Rafdan. We will add to the list as more information becomes available. If you have information on Aircraft  that are  not listed below, please feel free to email us  Also please e-mail if you find any of the information below to be incorrect. We appreciate your input.

Armstrong Whitworth Argosy

Avro 694 Lincoln

Avro 748

Avro Shackleton M.R.2

BAC Canberra

Beaver AL Mark 1

Bristol Type 164 Brigand

Blackburn Beverley

Bristol Sycamore

de Havilland Vampire F.B.5

de Havilland Venom FB4s

De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver

Douglas Dakota DC-3

Gloster Meteor FR9s

Hawker Hunter FGA9s, FR10s and T7s

Hawker Tempest

Hunting Percival Pembroke

Scottish Aviation Pioneer

Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer

Vickers Valetta

Bristo (later Westland) Belvedere

Westland Scout

Westland Wessex

Westland Whirlwind HAR10


Armstrong Whitworth Argosy
Aircraft Type: Transport
Powerplant:  4 1506kw Rolls-Royce Dart Mk 526 Turboprop engines
Speed (Km/h):  451 at optimum altitude
Range (Km):  3219
Service Ceiling (m):  6100
Wingspan (m):  35.05
Length (m):  26.44
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 39916
Crew:  4-5
Payload:  Payload 28000lb or 89 passengers, rear loading ramp.
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Avro 694 Lincoln
Aircraft Type: Long-range bomber
Powerplant:  4 1750hp Rolls-Royce Merlin 85 inline piston engines
Speed (Km/h):  475 at 4750m; cruise 346km/h at 6100m.
Range (Km):  2366 with maximum bombload
Service Ceiling (m):  9295
Wingspan (m):  36.58
Length (m):  23.86
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 34019
Guns:  2 .50in machine guns in each of nose, dorsal and tail turrets. 
Bombs etc:  14000lb of bombs
Crew:  7
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Avro 748
Aircraft Type: VIP and communications
Powerplant:  2 Rolls-Royce Dart RDa.7 Mk 536-2 turboprops
Speed (Km/h):  451
Range (Km):  1456 with full payload
Service Ceiling (m):  7260
Wingspan (m):  30.02
Length (m):  20.42
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 23133
Crew:  2
Notes etc:  Two aircraft, XS 790 and XS 791 were used for VIP and communication duties around the Gulf and East Africa.
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Avro Shackleton M.R.2
Powerplant:  4 Rolls-Royce Griffon 58, V-12 liquid cooled, 2435hp
Speed (Km/h):  286 mph at 12,000 ft
Range (Km):  1720 nautical miles at 5000 ft at 190 mph
Service Ceiling (m):  5,730
Wingspan (m):  36.57
Length (m):  26.6
Maximum Take Off Weight (kG) 39,000
Guns:  2 20mm cannon
Bombs etc:  15,000lb ordnance
Crew:  10
Notes:  Details for MR2 version
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BAC Canberra
Powerplant:  Two Rolls-Royce Avon 206 turbojets of 11,250lb st
Speed (Km/h):  917 at 12192m
Range (Km):  4274
Service Ceiling (m):  14,630
Wingspan (m):  19.49
Length (m):  19.96
Bombs etc:  8,000lb ordnance
Crew:  3
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Beaver AL Mark 1
Aircraft Type: Light Utility Aircraft
Powerplant:  Pratt and Whitney Wasp R-985 Junior 450bhp
Speed (Km/h):  262
Range (Km):  1078
Wingspan (m):  14.63
Length (m):  9.27
Combat Weight (Kg) 2450
Crew:  6 or 7
Notes etc:  The aircraft is used as a general liaison and communications aircraft.
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Bristol Type 164 Brigand
Aircraft Type: Ground Attack Bomber
Powerplant:  2 2470hp Bristol Centaurus 57 radial piston engines
Speed (Km/h):  576 at 4875m; Cruise 501 km/h
Range (Km):  4506 with drop tanks
Service Ceiling (m):  7925
Wingspan (m):  22.05
Length (m):  14.15
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 17690
Guns:  Four fixed 20mm nose cannon 
Bombs etc:  Underwing racks for rockets or upto 2002lb bombs
Crew:  3
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Blackburn Beverley
Aircraft Type: Transport
Powerplant:  4 Bristol Centaurus 273, 18-cylinder, air-cooled, radials, 2850hp
Speed (Km/h):  383 at 1,740m
Range (Km):  2,090
Service Ceiling (m):  4,880
Wingspan (m):  49.38
Length (m):  30.30
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 64,865
Payload (Kg):  94 passengers or 45,000lb
Crew:  5-6
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Bristol 171 Sycamore
Aircraft Type: Light utility helicopter
Powerplant:  One 410kW Alvis Leonides 73
Speed (Km/h):  205km/h
Range (Km): 
Service Ceiling (m): 
Rotor Diameter (m):  14.81m
Length (m):  14.07m
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 2540kg
Crew:  4
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de Havilland Vampire F.B.5
Aircraft Type: Fighter/Bomber
Powerplant:  1 de Havilland Goblin 2 turbojet
Speed (Km/h):  882 at 9145m
Range (Km):  1960
Service Ceiling (m):  13410
Wingspan (m):  11.58
Length (m):  9.37
Maximum Take Off Weight (kG) 5,620
Guns:  4 20mm cannon
Bombs etc:  2002lb
Crew:  1
Notes:  Details for F.B.5
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de Havilland Venom FB4s
Aircraft Type: Night-fighter
Powerplant:  1 de Havilland Ghost 104 turbojet
Speed (Km/h):  1013
Range (Km):  1610
Service Ceiling (m):  15000
Wingspan (m):  12.7
Length (m):  11.17
Maximum Take Off Weight (kG) 7166
Guns:  4 20mm cannon in nose
Bombs etc:  2,000lb on some versions
Crew:  2
Notes:  Details for NF.3
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De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver
Powerplant:  One 450hp Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-14B Wasp Jr.
Speed (Km/h):  258km/h
Service Ceiling (m):  5486
Wingspan (m):  14.6
Length (m):  9.2
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 2185
Payload:  7 passengers
Crew:  1 pilot
Notes:  Served with the Army Air Corps
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Douglas Dakota DC3
Powerplant:  Two 1200hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92
Speed (Km/h):  368km/h at 2290m; Cruise 296km/h
Range (Km):  3420
Service Ceiling (m):  7076
Wingspan (m):  28.96
Length (m):  19.64
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 11805
Payload:  10,000lb payload or 28 troops or 18 litters.
Crew:  10
Notes:  Details for DC-3
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Gloster Meteor FR9s
Role: Ground attack fighter
Powerplant:  Two 3,500lb static thrust Derwent 8 engines
Speed (Km/h):  962 at 3,050m
Range (Km):  965
Wingspan (m):  11.32
Length (m):  13.59
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 7,122
Weapons: Four 20mm Hispanio nose cannon plus underwing weapons load
Crew:  1
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Hawker Hunter FGA9s, FR10s and T7s
Aircraft Type: Fighter
Powerplant:  1 Rolls-Royce Avon 203 turbojet
Speed (Km/h):  1142
Range (Km):  3085
Service Ceiling (m):  15700
Wingspan (m):  10.26
Length (m):  13.98
Maximum Take Off Weight (kG) 8051
Guns:  4 30mm cannon with 100 rounds each 
Bombs etc:  6000lb of ordnance
Crew:  1
Notes:  Details for F.6 version, first frontline version. The T7 was a two-seat trainer version, all RAF squadrons had their own 2-seater for training purposes.
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Hawker Tempest
Aircraft Type: Fighter/Bomber
Powerplant:  1 (Mk V) 2180hp Napier Sabre IIA inline piston engine
Speed (Km/h):  686 at 5640m
Range (Km):  2462
Service Ceiling (m):  11125
Wingspan (m):  12.5
Length (m):  10.26
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 6142
Guns: Four 20mm cannon 
Bombs etc:  Two 500lb bombs. two 1000lb bombs or rockets
Crew:  1
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Hunting Percival Pembroke
Aircraft Type: Communications Aircraft
Powerplant:  Two 540-560hp Alvis Leonides 127
Speed (Km/h):  224mph at 2,000ft; Cruise; 155mph at 8,000ft
Range (Km):  1,150 miles
Service Ceiling (m):  22,000ft
Wingspan (m):  11.4m
Length (m):  7.7m
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 6,136
Crew:  2 crew plus 8 passengers
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Scottish Aviation Pioneer
Aircraft Type: Army Co-operation Aircraft
Powerplant:  One 520hp Alvis Leonides 502/4
Speed (Km/h):  145mph at 1,500ft
Range (Km):  650 miles maximum
Service Ceiling (m):  16,000ft
Wingspan (m):  23.32m
Length (m):  13.79m
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 2,636
Crew:  2
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Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer
Powerplant:  Two 550hp Alvis Leonides 514 or 640hp Leonides 531 engines
Speed (Km/h):  165mph at 2,000ft
Range (Km):  398 miles with 16 passengers
Service Ceiling (m):  65,616
Wingspan (m):  23.3
Length (m):  13.79
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 6,636
Guns:  Two fixed Browning guns forward or a movable Bren gun firing through the rear entry door
Bombs etc:  Two 1,0000, four 250lb or four 500lb bombs mounted externally
Crew:  2 + Navigator or air despatcher
Notes:  Can carry 11 men, 9 paratroops or freight
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Vickers Valetta
Powerplant:  2 Bristol Hercules Mark 230 rated @ 2000HP on T/O.
Speed (Km/h):  291mph @ 10,000 feet
Range (Km):  1400 miles
Service Ceiling (m):  22,200 feet
Wingspan (m):  89'3''
Length (m):  65' 3''
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 36,500 lbs
Crew:  3
Notes:  Capacity for 34 troops, 20 paratroops or 12,050 lbs payload. Details for C.1 version. C2 version was also in use in Aden on VIP duties.
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Bristol (later Westland) Belvedere
Aircraft Type: Short range tactical transport helicopter 
Powerplant:  Two 1,300 shp Napier Gazelle N.Ga.2
Speed (Km/h):  138mph
Range (Km):  75 miles with 6,000lb payload. 490 mile ferry range
Service Ceiling (m):  17,300ft
Rotor Diameter (m):  48'8''
Length (m):  Overall: 54'4''
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 8,636
Crew:  2
Notes:  18 fully armed troops or freight. Bristol Helicopters merged with Westland in 1961.
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Westland Scout AH Mark 1
Aircraft Type: Scout helicopter
Powerplant:  Rolls-Royce Bristol Nimbus 105 or 105 developing 710shp
Speed (Km/h):  210
Range (Km):  507
Rotor Diameter (m):  9.83
Length (with rotors turning) (m):  12.29
Combat Weight (Kg) 2404
Aramment:  Varied can include machine guns, reconnaissance flares, Air to surface missiles
Crew:  1 plus 4 passengers
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Westland Wessex
Aircraft Type: Transport and SAR helicopter
Powerplant:  Two 1007kW R.R. Gnome Mk.110/111
Speed (Km/h):  212km/h at ceiling
Range (Km):  540km
Service Ceiling (m):  3050
Rotor Diameter (m):  17.07m
Length (m):  20.09 with rotors turning
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 6123kg
Crew:  2
Notes:  18 seats or 1814kg load
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Westland Whirlwind HAR10
Aircraft Type: Helicopter, Ambulance, Rescue.
Powerplant:  Bristol Siddeley Gnome Free Turbine @ 1050 Shaft HP.
Speed (Km/h):  109 mph, cruise 104 mph
Range (Km):  334 miles
Service Ceiling (m):  16000 feet
Initial Climb (m):  1220 feet per min.
Rotor Diameter (m):  53 feet (3 blades)
Length (m):  44' 2''
height (m):  14' 8''
Maximum Take Off Weight (Kg) 6123kg
Crew:  2 on trooping duties, 3 as SAR.
Notes:  18 seats or 2400 lbs payload
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