List of Aircraft Used in the Far East

[Negative Creep]

Just a quick one, I'm trying to compile a list of British, Commonwealth and Japanese Aircraft used operationally in the Far East. So far I've come up with:


RAF

Brewster Buffalo
Bristol Beaufighter
Bristol Beaufort
Bristol Blenheim
Consolidated Catalina
Consolidated Liberator
Curtiss Mohawk
Curtiss Tomahawk/Kittyhawk
De Havilland Mosquito
De Havilland Tiger Moth
Douglas Dakota
Hawker Hurricane
Lockheed Hudson
Republic Thunderbolt
Short Sunderland
Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Walrus
Vickers Vildebeest
Vickers Wellington
Vultee Vengeance
Westland Lysander



Fleet Air Arm

Fairey Firefly
Fairey Fulmar
Grumman Avenger
Grumman Hellcat
Grumman Wildcat/Martlet
Supermarine Seafire
Vought Corsair




Japanese Army

Kawanishi Ki45 Toryu (Nick)
Kawanishi Ki61 Hien (Tony)
Kawanishi N1K Shinden (George)
Mitsubishi Ki-15 (Babs)
Mitsubishi Ki-21 (Sally)
Mitsubishi Ki-46 (Dinah)
Mitsubishi Ki-67 (Peggy)
Nakajima Ki-27 (Nate)
Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Oscar)
Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki (Tojo)
Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu (Helen)
Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Frank)


Japanese Navy

Kawanishi H6K (Mavis)
Mitsubishi A5M (Claude)
Mitsubishi A6M 'Zero' (Zeke)
Mitsubishi G3M (Nell)
Mitsubishi G4M (Betty)
Mitsubishi J2M Raiden (Jack)
Nakajima B5N (Kate)



So what am I missing? You'll notice I've missed off the Americans as I'm concentration on the British and Commonwealth war. So for the Japanese I'm after the aircraft that the RAF and to a lesser extent the FAA would encounter in the Burma/Singapore regions. A more comprehensive list of Dutch, Australian and New Zealand aircraft would be very useful!

 

[BombTaxi]

You could certainly add the CAC Wirraway and Boomerang and the A-20 and P-40 for the Aussies, and the SBD also springs to mind for the RNZAF, as does the P-40. I also want to say that the Corsair was used by the RNZAF, but I am probably wrong.

I believe you could also add the Vultee Vengeance to the list for the RAF. Marcel will more about the Dutch contingent than I do, but the Buffalo springs immediately to mind, and I *believe* the Fokker G.1, and D.XXI also served in the Far East as well as Europe. Finally, I understand the Dutch also used twin-engined Fokker floatplanes, the designation escapes me right now but T.X rings a bell for some reason.

I await the inevitable corrections

 

[A4K]

Just for the Burma /Singapore regions? The Hurricane IIB and Brewster Buffalo were the two fighters used there by the RNZAF. I'm not sure off-hand which support types we would have had there.

If for the Pacific canmpaign aswell, then you can also add the following to your list:
DH 89B Dominie (communications), F4U-1A/D and FG-1D Corsair, C-60A Lodestar, PV-1 Ventura/RB-34 Lexington, PV-2 Harpoon, SBD-5 Dauntless, TBF-1c Avenger, and Short Singapore.
I think you've pretty well covered the rest, unless something has slipped my memory at the moment.

(The Aussies also used the Vengeance, BT)

Evan

 

[GrauGeist]

Good list going there NC!

And I can add some that were used by the RAAF that aren't on your list:

Hawker Demon
Junkers G31
Lockheed P-38 Lightning
Lockheed Lodestar
Lockheed Vega
Martin PBM Mariner
Miles Magister
Noorduyn Norseman
Northrop Delta
Republic P-43 Lancer
Ryan STM Thirty-four
Short Empire
Stinson Reliant (only one, #A38-1, used for general transport from 1941 to 1945)
Vought-Sikorsky Kingfisher
Wackett Gannet
Waco YQC-6
Westland Wapiti (amazingly enough...)

 

[Wildcat]

Aircraft used operationally by the RAAF in the Pacific and far East.

CAC Boomerang
CAC Wirraway
Spitfire MkVc and VIII
P-40E,M,N
P-39D,F
Buffalo
Hudson
Beaufort
Beaufighter
Mosquito FBVI and PR variants
B-25
Boston
Vengeance
B-24
Ventura
Anson
Mariner
Sunderland
Catalina
P-38
Swordfish (true!)
C-47
DC-2
Dornier Do24K
Walrus
Gannet
Auster AOP
Lodestar
DH 84 and 89
Short Empire
Kingfisher

 

[A4K]

Great stuff Andy! :thumbsright:

 

[renrich]

I don't believe anyone but the US and Soviet Union used P47s in WW2. The Dutch used the CW21 Demon in the DEI.

 

[Butters]

The RAF was second only to the USAAF as an operator of the Jug.

They had 830 P-47Ds, in two variants. They were designated 'Thunderbolt Mk I', and Mk II.

~Rickard, J (13 May 2007), Republic P-47 Thunderbolt in RAF Service,

Republic P-47 Thunderbolt in RAF Service

JL

 

[GrauGeist]

I don't believe anyone but the US and Soviet Union used P47s in WW2. The Dutch used the CW21 Demon in the DEI.

Brazil and Mexico operated them...Mexico in the Pacific and Brazil in Europe.

* Edit -
Brazil, ETO: 1st Brazilian Fighter Group (1º Grupo de Aviação de Caça)
Mexico, PTO: 201st Fighter Squadron (Escuadron Aereo de Pelea 201)
Also France and a few others...but we'll save all that for a another thread

 

[renrich]

That is interesting as Dean shows exports only to Russia. The other countries must have gotten the Jugs from the AAF rather than directly from Republic.

 

[BombTaxi]

I've seen profiles/pics of Jugs in RAF 'Burmese' colours (sorry, don't know the proper term for those two-tone blue markings), but know very little about their use. Anyone know anywhere with some good info

 

[renrich]

In a recent book about Wingate's Chindits, there was mention of P47s in ground support but I thought it was AAF AC since Wingate was getting air transport support from the US.

 

[Butters]

I've got some books with B&W pics of RAF Jugs, but I guess that's not much help. There is one in an RAF Museum that's painted in SEAC theater markings. Here's a link witha pic:

Republic P-47D Thunderbolt II airplane pictures aircraft photos - RAF Museums

JL

 

[JoeB]

Japanese Army

Kawanishi Ki45 Toryu (Nick) yes (many places)
Kawanishi Ki61 Hien (Tony) yes (claimed by FAA in 1945)
Kawanishi N1K Shinden (George) no
Mitsubishi Ki-15 (Babs) yes (Malaya)
Mitsubishi Ki-21 (Sally) yes (many places)
Mitsubishi Ki-46 (Dinah) yes (over Australia)
Mitsubishi Ki-67 (Peggy) no
Nakajima Ki-27 (Nate) yes (all early campaigns)
Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa (Oscar) yes (many places)
Nakajima Ki-44 Shoki (Tojo) yes (few in Burma, defending Sumatra v FAA)
Nakajima Ki-49 Donryu (Helen) yes (bombed Australia)
Nakajima Ki-84 Hayate (Frank) no


Japanese Navy

Kawanishi H6K (Mavis) yes (many places)
Mitsubishi A5M (Claude) no
Mitsubishi A6M 'Zero' (Zeke) yes (many places)
Mitsubishi G3M (Nell) yes (many places)
Mitsubishi G4M (Betty) yes (many places)
Mitsubishi J2M Raiden (Jack) ? (captured in SEA but ever encountered?)
Nakajima B5N (Kate) yes (Darwin and Ceylon carrier raids, at least)

The 'George', N1K1J, was a JNAF plane, type name 'Shiden' (violet lightning), Shinden (magnificient lightning) was the Navy protype pusher type fighter.

Otherwise, if limited to British and Commonwealth would it be Japanese which ever saw actual combat encounters with Brit/CW a/c or attacked Australia? That would be an interesting list to try to assemble. I put yes/no/? next to each type as far as I know, with where it was encountered. I'm more sure about the yes's than the noes of course (hard to prove negatives). Other types with Brit/CW a/c definitely encountered were:

Navy
Type 2 Float Fighter ('Rufe', A6M-2N, encountered by RAAF Beaufighters in Dutch East Indies)
Float Fighter Type Kyufu ('Rex', N1K1 the floatplane progenitor of the George, encountered by USAAF and probably RAAF a/c in Dutch East Indies)
Type 99 Carrier Bomber ('Val', D3A, Darwin, Ceylon)
Type 2 Flying Boat ('Emily' H8K, at least one from Nicobar Islands downed by Beaufighters in Bay of Bengal)
Carrier Attack Bomber Type Ryusei ('Grace' B7A, claimed by FAA in 1945)
Carrier Recon Plane Type Saiun ('Myrt' C6M, claimed by FAA in 1945)
Carrier Bomber Type Suisei ('Judy', D4Y, claimed by FAA in 1945)
Bomber Type Ginga ('Frances' P1Y, claimed by FAA in 1945)

Army
Type 99 Assault Plane ('Sonia', Ki-51, few downed by Buffalo's in Malaya, claimed by FAA a/c in 1945)
Type 100 transport ('Topsy', ki-57, at least one downed by Beaufighters)
Type 99 Twin Engine Light Bomber ('Lily' ki-48, many places)
Type 98 Army Cooperation Plane ('Ida' ki-36, the first RAF Mohawk victory in Burma was an 'Ida' mistaken for a 'Nate')
Type 97 Light Bomber ('Ann' ki-30, encountered in Malaya and Burma)

In cases were types were only 'claimed by FAA 1945' it's very possible the types encountered were different than what was identified. This happened all the time in case of USN in 1945, lots of different Japanese types by then and many looked similar.

Joe

 

[GrauGeist]

If it would be of any help for researching info on the RAF P-47, the RAF's designation for the P-47 was the Thunderbolt Mark I (Razorback model) and the Thunderbolt Mark II (Bubble-top model)...

 

[Watanbe]

Aircraft used operationally by the RAAF in the Pacific and far East.

CAC Boomerang
CAC Wirraway
Spitfire MkVc and VIII
P-40E,M,N
P-39D,F
Buffalo
Hudson
Beaufort
Beaufighter
Mosquito FBVI and PR variants
B-25
Boston
Vengeanve
B-24
Ventura
Anson
Mariner
Sunderland
Catalina
P-38
Swordfish (true!)
C-47
DC-2
Dornier Do24K
Walrus
Wackett
Auster AOP
Lodestar
DH 84 and 89
Short Empire
Kingfisher

I wasn't aware the RAAF operated P39... was it used as close support or fighter?

 

[Wildcat]

I wasn't aware the RAAF operated P39... was it used as close support or fighter?

It was used in the interceptor role, equipping a handful of Aus based squadrons.

 

[Negative Creep]

Cheers guys, very helpful as always. I have found there were some Swordfish in the area although not sure if they were RAF or FAA. I'm also not sure if they were even used on operations as the only mentions describe them as being destroyed on the ground in the initial attacks

 

[Wildcat]

Though not well known, No. 25 sqn RAAF used a handful of swordfish for anti-sub patrols off the Western Australian coast for a few months in early 1942. AFAIK they were found in crates on a dock in Perth and were quickly put to use by the squadron carrying out patrols alongside the wirraways already in use with them. I believe they were eventually taken back by the RN, their rightful owners.

 

[Jeffro]

From Republic P-47 Thunderbolt

Brazil
It is not widely known, but the Brazilian Air Force participated in combat on the Allied side on the Italian front in 1944. Brazil had declared war on Germany and Italy on August 22, 1942, and a squadron of Brazilian P-47Ds (known as the 1 Grupo de Caca) was attached to the 350th Fighter Group of the US Twelfth Air Force. It went into action for the first time on November 11, 1944. Before the end of the war, the Brazilian Air Force had received 88 P-47Ds
Britain
he Royal Air Force was supplied with a total of 830 P-47Ds. In RAF service, the "razorback" P-47D was known as the Thunderbolt I and the "bubble canopy" P-47D was known as Thunderbolt II. Thunderbolt Is were delivered in two batches--serials FL731 to FL850 and HB962 to HD181. They were delivered to the RAF from the P-47D-22-RE production blocks. The "bubble-topped" Thunderbolt II fighters were from the P-47D-25/-30-RE and the P-47D-30/-40-RA production blocks, and four main batches were delivered--serials HD182 to HD301, KJ128 to KJ367, KL168 to KL347, and KL838 to KL976. A few aircraft in the last two batches were equipped with the dorsal fin strake.

The RAF Thunderbolts were evaluated in Europe, but most of them were shipped to the CBI theatre, where they fought against the Japanese. The following RAF squadrons --the 5th, 30th, 79th, 123rd (later became 81), 134th (later became 131), 135th (later became 615th ), 146th (later became 42nd), 258th and 261st Squadrons in 1944, and the 34th, 42nd, 60th, 81st, 113th, 131st and 615th Squadrons in 1945. However, many of these late arrivals were not in time to see any action. One of the first RAF squadrons to see action was the 5th Squadron, which was based in Burma and which had previously flown Mohawks and Hurricanes. They flew patrols under the direction of visual ground posts and caused tremendous damage among Japanese troops and supply lines.

Following V-J Day, most of the Thunderbolts rapidly disappeared from RAF squadrons, which were either disbanded or were reequipped with British-built aircraft. The last RAF squadron (No 60) disposed of their Thunderbolts in October of 1946.

Mexico
he Mexican Air Force was equipped with 25 P-47D Thunderbolts during World War II, and the 201st Escuadron Aereo de Pelea of the Mexican Air Force was attached to the 58th Fighter Group and saw some action in the Pacific against Japan during the latter stages of the war.

The 201st EAP arrived in the Philippines in May of 1945, and saw combat against Japanese forces during the last phases of the battle for Luzon. The 201st EAP later moved to Okinawa with the rest of the 58th FG, and operated chiefly against Kyushu, the southernmost island of Japan. The Mexican P-47Ds operated primarily in the ground attack role, flying 96 combat missions during which seven pilots were lost.

At the end of the war, the Mexican pilots returned home, but their Thunderbolts were left in the Pacific. However, 25 P-47s were later given to Mexico to replace them.

France
In March of 1944, the USAAF began providing Hurricane-equipped units of the Free French air force based in North Africa with P-47Ds. By may of 1944 the 4eme Escdre de Chasse was established in Corsica with two Groupes de Chasse. A third Groupe de Chasse was added soon thereafter. These units subsequently moved to southern France and participated in support of US and French units all the way into Germany. A second Escadre was formed late in 1944 and went into action In the last months of the war.

USSR
The Soviet Union was allocated 203 P-47D-22-RE and 27-RE Thunderbolts under Lend-Lease, but only 196 actually reached their destination. I have no information about their service.