Royal Air Force Rescue Aircraft
Please note I have been unable to find details for the SAR version of some of these aircraft at the moment.
if anyone has the details for any of these aircraft please email me at james@britains-smallwars.com, correction are as always, welcome.
Avro Anson
Consolidated Catalina ASR.Mk. IVB
BAE Nimrod
Bristol Sycamore HR14
Lysander IIA
Lockheed Hudson
Supermarine Walrus
Vickers Warwick
Westland Sea King HAR3
Westland Wessex
Westland Whirlwind HAR10
| Type: | Light transport and communications aircraft |
| Power plant: | Two Armstrong Siddeley Cheetah IX radial engines developing 350hp each |
| Speed (km/h): | 303kmh |
| Range (km): | 1300 |
| Service Ceiling (m): | 5791 |
| Wingspan (m): | 17.22 |
| Wing Area (m2): | 43.1 |
| Length (m): | 12.88 |
| Armaments: | One .303in machine gun in front fuselage, one .303in Vickers K machine gun in dorsal turret. 360lb of bombs. |
| Crew : | 3/4 |
| Notes : |
| Type: | Maritime reconnaissance, anti-submarine and air-sea rescue aircraft |
| Power plant: | 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp radial engines, 1,200 hp (895 kW each) |
| Speed (km/h): | 314km/h; cruise speed of 201km/h |
| Range (km): | 4,030km |
| Service Ceiling (m): | 4,000m |
| Wingspan (m): | 31.70m |
| Wing Area (m2): | 130m2 |
| Length (m): | 19.46m |
| Armaments: | .303 Vickers K at front, .303in Browning machine guns in waist blisters. Could also carry 4,000lb of bombs or depth charges. |
| Crew : | 9 |
| Notes : | An amphibious patrol aircraft used by RAF coastal command during and after World War II. |
| Type: | Maritime reconnaissance aircraft |
| Power plant: | Four Rolls-Royce Spey 250 turbofans |
| Speed (km/h): | 787 |
| Range (km): | 8,340 |
| Service Ceiling (m): | 13411 |
| Wingspan (m): | 35 |
| Wing Area (m2): | 197.05 |
| Length (m): | 38.65 |
| Armaments: | Fuselage bay and underwing pylons for weapons and rescue equipment storage. |
| Crew : | 12 |
| Type: | Air Sea Rescue helicopter |
| Power plant: | One Alvis Leonides Piston engine developing 550hp |
| Speed (km/h): | 212 |
| Range (km): | 531 |
| Hovering Ceiling (m): | |
| Rotor Diameter (m): | 14.8 |
| Length (m): | 18.62 |
| Payload (kg): | 1,000lb |
| Crew : | Two |
| Notes : | Details for the HR14 version, the HR13 verison was built with rescue winches for evualation by the RAF as a search and rescue aircraft. |
| Type: | Light army co-operation, communications and air-sea rescue aircraft. |
| Power plant: | One Bristol Mercury XII radial piston engine |
| Speed (km/h): | 341 |
| Range (km): | 966 |
| Service Ceiling (m): | 6550 |
| Wingspan (m): | 15.24 |
| Wing Area (m2): | 24.2 |
| Length (m): | 9.29 |
| Armaments: | Two forward firing .303in Browning machine guns in wheel fairings and one pintle-mounted .303 Lewis or Vickers K machine gun in rear cockpit. |
| Crew : | One plus one passenger |
| Notes : | Fourteen squadrons operated Lysanders in the air-sea rescue role during1940-41, dropping dinghies to downed pilots in the English Channel. |
| Type: | Light bomber, air-sea rescue and maritime reconnaissance/strike |
| Power plant: | Two Wright GR1820-G102A engines developing 1100hp each. |
| Speed (km/h): | 397 |
| Range (km): | 3150 |
| Service Ceiling (m): | 7470 |
| Wingspan (m): | 19.96 |
| Wing Area (m2): | 51.2 |
| Length (m): | 13.51 |
| Armaments: | Two .303in Browning machine guns in nose, two in dorsal turret. |
| Crew : | Six |
| Notes : | Equipped coastal command air-sea rescue squadrons into 1945. |
| Type: | Amphibious reconnaissance aircraft |
| Power plant: | One Bristol Pegasus VI Radial Engine of 680hp |
| Speed (km/h): | 215 |
| Range (km): | 965 |
| Service Ceiling (m): | 5650 |
| Wingspan (m): | 14 |
| Wing Area (m2): | 56.7 |
| Length (m): | 10.2 |
| Armaments: | Two Vickers K machine guns, one in the nose and one in the rear fuselage lus upto 760lb of ordnance mounted beneath the lower wings. |
| Crew : | 3 or 4 |
| Notes : |
| Type: | Air-sea rescue |
| Power plant: | Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800/S.1A4-G Double Wasp radial engines developing 1850hp each. |
| Speed (km/h): | 361 |
| Range (km): | 3700 |
| Service Ceiling (m): | 6550 |
| Wingspan (m): | 29.48 |
| Wing Area (m2): | 93.5 |
| Length (m): | 22.00 |
| Armaments: | Eight .303in Browning machine guns |
| Crew : | Six |
| Notes : | The Air Sea rescue version of the Vickers Warwick, carried lindholme lifesaving equipment and certain versions could carry an airborne lifeboat for dropping to survivors. |
| Type: | Search and Rescue Helicopter |
| Power plant: | Two Rolls-Royce Gnome Engines rated at 1,500shp |
| Speed (km/h): | 209 |
| Range (km): | 1,500 |
| Service Ceiling (m): | 3050 |
| Rotor Diameter (m): | 18.9 |
| Length (m): | 22.15 |
| Crew : | Two to four, dependant on mission. |
| Notes: | Equipped with an hydraulic hoist rated for 600lb of lift, the RAF Sea King in the Search and Rescue role can lift upto 22 survivors, or nine stretchers and two medical officers. |
| Type: | Utility/SAR Helicopter |
| Power plant: | Two Rolls-Royce Gnome turboshaft 1535shp each |
| Speed (km/h): | 212 |
| Range (km): | 772 |
| Hovering Ceiling (m): | 3,050 |
| Rotor Diameter (m): | 17.07 |
| Length (m): | 20.03 |
| Payload: | Upto 16 troops or 8 stretchers |
| Crew : | Two pilots |
| Type: | Air Sea Rescue helicopter |
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| Hovering Ceiling (m): | |
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