shortest service life
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Five Possibilities
The Fairy Battle and the Boulton & Paul Defiant aircraft.Were they obsolete by the time they entered service ?
How about the Curtiss P3? ? Aircobra - or the Washington (B29) ?
(Do we mean active service or service including training/ Target towing Etc ? )
PS Did the RAF use F86 Sabres ?
CAT III
How about the Curtiss P3? ? Aircobra - or the Washington (B29) ?
(Do we mean active service or service including training/ Target towing Etc ? )
PS Did the RAF use F86 Sabres ?
CAT III
) of the F117?
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Yes, the RAF used Canadair-built Sabres, about 400 in number, between May 1953 and June 1956.
Regarding the F117 Nighthawk, the aircraft entered service in 1982. Approximately 60 were built, seeing active service in Iran, Yugoslavia and Iraq. Replaced by the F22 Raptor, the last F117s were retired (put in storage) in April 2008. Over 25 years of service.
Regarding the F117 Nighthawk, the aircraft entered service in 1982. Approximately 60 were built, seeing active service in Iran, Yugoslavia and Iraq. Replaced by the F22 Raptor, the last F117s were retired (put in storage) in April 2008. Over 25 years of service.
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Shortest Service Life
An aside on the Prentice. I was at RAF Derby in 1952 (Burnaston now the Toyota site) flying Chipmunks, there was n RAFVR unit on the airfield, using Prentices. They were so slow that we had to wait till one taking off had cleared the airfield boundary before stating to roll, otherwise we would catch them before they left the circuit.
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Royal Aircraft Factory FE8
Two F.E.8s were issued to No. 29 Squadron RFC, a D.H.2 unit, in June 1916, but it was not until August that No. 40 Squadron became fully operational on the type. The only other unit to fly the type, No. 41 Squadron, arrived in France in October.
No. 41 actually kept their pushers until July 1917 – becoming the last pusher fighter squadron in France.
Two F.E.8s were sent to Home Defence units in 1917, but the type was not adopted as a home defence fighter.
So, operational sqn service Aug 16-Jul 17.
No. 41 actually kept their pushers until July 1917 – becoming the last pusher fighter squadron in France.
Two F.E.8s were sent to Home Defence units in 1917, but the type was not adopted as a home defence fighter.
So, operational sqn service Aug 16-Jul 17.
As we seem to have pretty much run through the military types, I ws wondering what was the shortest service life of an civilian airliner which actually entered service (so not counting aborted prototypes).
The VFW614 must be a close contender. Did any get used for more than a few months ?
The VFW614 must be a close contender. Did any get used for more than a few months ?
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...Or the shortest Sqn existance. On 02 Jan 67, 361 Sqn was formed and disbanded on 14 Jul 67 - during that period the crews were trained; at the end all 360/361 Sqns crews were combined in the one 360 Sqn. It was a victim of the wholesale withdrawal of the Forces from the Far East.
Their aircraft [Canberra T17] was equipped for Far East ops - it had an air ventilated suit system [which still worked in the 80s!], amongst other things. Those aircraft were re-allocated to a bigger 360 Sqn.
Their aircraft [Canberra T17] was equipped for Far East ops - it had an air ventilated suit system [which still worked in the 80s!], amongst other things. Those aircraft were re-allocated to a bigger 360 Sqn.
Yokuska MHY-7 Ohka- "Baka" Kamikaze plane
How about the type 11 Ohka kamikaze rocket craft? Type 11, the operational version, first flew in trials in late 1944, but was first used March 21 1945, and the last use seemed to be in June 1945, giving about 4 months of "squadron" service.
Agree from an earlier post that the He-162 is a good candidate also.
US entry may be the Ryan Fireball. Squadron service from March 1945 to "mid-1947".
Agree from an earlier post that the He-162 is a good candidate also.
US entry may be the Ryan Fireball. Squadron service from March 1945 to "mid-1947".
Bachem ba 349 Natter
One more: sources vary, but the "Natter" German rocket interceptor may have been in service with a trials unit at Kircheim/Stuttgart with 10 launchers erected in mid april 1945, with pilots on standby before the site was overrun by American Forces- so how about service of about 2 weeks! Outside the "rules" of this thread with active squadron service, but an interesting footnote.
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RB-45 Tornado
How about the RB-45 Tornado as one of the shortest RAF service lives?
Some USAF RB-45C's were painted in RAF colours and used to perform overflight reconnaisance of the Soviet Union. Wikipedia's article on the B-45 states;
More info here; http://www.pinetreeline.org/metz/oth.../mixson-1.html
Some USAF RB-45C's were painted in RAF colours and used to perform overflight reconnaisance of the Soviet Union. Wikipedia's article on the B-45 states;
The only other nation to use the RB-45C was Britain which were operated by an ad hoc unit of crews largely drawn from Nos. 35 and 115 squadrons. The aircraft were bailed to Britain from the 19th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron and wore RAF markings and performed significant operations over the Soviet Union during a period when such overflight operations were restricted by the President of the United States.
A close candidate for the shortest service career in RAF service must be the Martin Mariner.
524 Squadron was formed on 20th October 1943 to obtain operational experience of the type. The type was not adopted for service and the squadron disbanded 48-days later on 7th December 1943.
Wikepedia says the RAF acquired 32 Mariner, but as they were not used operationally they were returned to the US Navy with twelve being transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force.
524 Squadron was formed on 20th October 1943 to obtain operational experience of the type. The type was not adopted for service and the squadron disbanded 48-days later on 7th December 1943.
Wikepedia says the RAF acquired 32 Mariner, but as they were not used operationally they were returned to the US Navy with twelve being transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force.
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The Percival Prentice T.1 was in RAF service from 1947 to 1953. Considering the aircr
The Percival Prentice T.1 was in RAF service from 1947 to 1953. Considering the aircraft's marginal performance, it was indeed in service way too long.
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Well, few of the RAF's aircraft can be regarded as truly lamentable, but the Prentice was widely regarded as quite exquisitely execrable. It was hideous to look at, underpowered and even after being made even more hideous (If that was possible...!) with various excrescences, it still had a reputation for wanting to spin. Certainly, the RAF couldn't get rid of them quick enough, and when they were disposed-of, nobody else wanted them either. Can't say I blame them.
The early Proctors were of course a much better machine, but by the 1950's no one in the RAF, or outside it for that matter, wanted to know about wooden aircraft. Rather ironic really, as they were the 'composite' machines of their day.
PP.
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Well, few of the RAF's aircraft can be regarded as truly lamentable, but the Prentice was widely regarded as quite exquisitely execrable. It was hideous to look at, underpowered and even after being made even more hideous (If that was possible...!) with various excrescences, it still had a reputation for wanting to spin. Certainly, the RAF couldn't get rid of them quick enough, and when they were disposed-of, nobody else wanted them either. Can't say I blame them.
The early Proctors were of course a much better machine, but by the 1950's no one in the RAF, or outside it for that matter, wanted to know about wooden aircraft. Rather ironic really, as they were the 'composite' machines of their day.
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It is so long ago that I flew them my memory may be faulty, IIRC it was a reluctance to recover from a spin if it was prolonged, rather than a reputation for wanting to.
Cunning Artificer
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perfectly servicable aircraft
disbanded on 14 Jul 67 - a victim of the wholesale withdrawal of the Forces from the Far East.
Prentice finish date 1953???
Not so, chaps, they were still plodding around East Anglia in '54, certainly, possibly '55 also, even more limited in performance with a full 1154/55 installation and the associated comms gear. Swanton Morley based for Air Signaller training. Re. performance, it was widely believed that at least one brave soul had looped the beast with the full radio fit!! Many are the seven-and-sixpence-worths of trailing aerial lead beads deposited around the 'bump' at Swanton!!
Not so, chaps, they were still plodding around East Anglia in '54, certainly, possibly '55 also, even more limited in performance with a full 1154/55 installation and the associated comms gear. Swanton Morley based for Air Signaller training. Re. performance, it was widely believed that at least one brave soul had looped the beast with the full radio fit!! Many are the seven-and-sixpence-worths of trailing aerial lead beads deposited around the 'bump' at Swanton!!
