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From: rdd@ukc.ac.uk (Rudnei Dias da Cunha)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: RAF Aircraft Designations
Message-ID: <1990Aug23.014929.2576@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 23 Aug 90 01:49:29 GMT
References: <1990Aug18.182938.25309@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker)
Organization: Computing Lab, University of Kent at Canterbury, UK.
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From: rdd@ukc.ac.uk (Rudnei Dias da Cunha)

In article <1990Aug18.182938.25309@cbnews.att.com>, jem3@pyuxf.bellcore.com (John E McKillop) writes:
>... 
>
> 1. It appears that prior to the early '40s, RAF aircraft were given
>    just a name and a mark number, e.g., Dakota Mk. IV.
> 2. Sometime in the mid '40s, some aircraft were also given a
>    mission symbol, e.g., Dakota C Mk. IV.
> 3. Sometime in the mid '40s, the Roman numerial was changed to an
>    Arabic numerial, e.g., Dakota C Mk. 4.
> 
> Does anyone know when they changes occurred? Also, does anyone have
> a complete list of the mission symbols, e.g., S.T.; B, G.R.; FGR,
> etc.?

  The RAF started using mission designations around 1942, as with the
Spitfire HF MK.VIII (HF meaning high-altitude fighter). The change to
an Arabic numeral happened around 1944, when the Mark numbers were
beginning to be large, e.g., Mosquito FB Mk. XVIII.

  The designations are as follows:

a. Fighters:

  F : fighter
  LF : low-altitude fighter
  HF : high-altitude fighter
  NF : night-fighter
  FB : fighter-bomber
  FG : fighter,ground-attack (as used by the Phantoms of the Royal Navy,
                              then by RAF as FG.1)
  FGA : fighter,ground-attack (as used by the Hunters, RAF)
  FR : fighter-reconnaissance
  FGR : fighter,ground-attack,reconnaissance
  FRS : Fighter,reconnaissance,strike (as used by the Royal Navy) 

b. Photo-reconnaissance: PR

c. Bombers:

  B : bomber
  B(I) : bomber, secondary mission : Intruder
  B(K) : bomber, secondary mission : Tanker
  GR : ground-attack,reconnaissance
  S : strike (as used by the Buccaneers, RAF)

d. Tankers : K

e. Cargo : C

f. Helicopters:

  HAS : helicopter,anti-submarine
  HAR : helicopter,air-rescue
  HC  : helicopter,cargo
  HT  : helicopter,trainer

g. Trainers : T

  Some combinations are possible, e.g. KC (tanker,cargo). Sorry if I missed
some designation.


                                    Rudnei Dias da Cunha
                                       rdd@ukc.ac.uk
                       Computing Lab, University of Kent at Canterbury