10 most important RAF aircraft of the Cold War
 

I had never heard of this site until a colleague sent the link. Great pics of RAF aircraft. https://hushkit.net/2021/09/30/10-mo...-the-cold-war/

Cool site, got a few hours on the Nimrod.......

A list of important Cold War aircraft that starts with the Spitfire ...

Seeing the Vulcan at Farnborough as a small child and then having it with us down south, makes one proud.

Seems that the author "writes off" a number of aircraft types because they didn't see combat. This is unfair - the Cold War was all about deterrence.

What a bizarre list.....:confused:

No Lightning, no Buccaneer, no F-4, no Harrier and perhaps most surprisingly, no C-130!!

No mention of the Javelin when, reputedly, it scored the RAF’s last kill during the Indonesian confrontation. And why no mention of the Strikemaster, extensively used in combat in Cold War theatres such as the Dhofar.

Ignoring the Buccaneer as not being used in combat ignored the use b6 the SAAF against communist insurgencies, unless you consider these as not part of Russian funded Cold War confrontations with Cuba providing much of the manpower support.

The other main omission is the DC3 used extensively, along with other types, in the Berlin airlift during 1948, perhaps one of the most pivotal post-war moments at the start of the Cold War.

Was there an unimportant aircraft?

Even a Chipmunk was important to those starting off as pilots.

Random aircraft photos

Each and everyone had their role to play, no matter how small.

Personally I think I would have started the ball rolling by listing those types nuclear weapons capable, from fast jets, bombers and helicopters, because at the end of the day that was the main deterrent that stopped the cold war becoming a hot one, very hot in fact.. then next those aircraft that backed them up.. and work down the line from there.

Well at least they got the right decision for the number 1 :)

It was RAF aircraft, thus no Buccaneer....

Of course the list should have gone:
10- Chipmunk
9- Meteor
8- Harrier
7- C-130
6- Canberra
5- Phantom
4- Tornado
3- Nimrod
2- Hunter
1- Vulcan

I agree with the author on excluding the Lightning. Iconic and blistering speed? yes....most important? no. At the risk of folks getting the pitchforks out- over-rated.

Jaguar, from that Tornado actually got a datum to be built. Carried the tactical Nuke deterent in RAFG for ten years. Available in enough numbers to be effective. Hushkit lists always are alternative mind.

I’m pretty sure the RAF operated the Buccaneer for just a bit...!

Mogwi may wish to comment, although I guess most FI kills weren’t actually shooting back.

Of course- very negligent of me, but in the waning days of the cold war, and would not include it in the RAF top ten.

MPN, the Sea Harrier was a FAA aircraft, no mater what color coveralls the pilot wore in the cockpit....

sandiego89,
With pitchfork sharpened.
Most of the cold war (aircraft) was based on deterrence, thus V force.
The Lightning and Javelin were defending the deterrent, and to a limited extent deterred the manned bomber. With improving intermediate range missiles and bombers with standoff missiles, the roles changed, and over time new aircraft came to the fore.
I was trained on the Chipmunk for the cold war, and at the end I flew a Meteor, but neither were key aircraft in the period.
There; no blood spilt.

Vulcan, Victor (Deterrent and tanking), Phantom, Lightning (Q), C130, Chinook (Tac Lift), Tornado GR1/Harrier (BAI, Strike, CAS), Nimrod (MR) and Canberra (proper MRCA). Covers a broad capability church, and recognises some of those types with South Atlantic salt and Iraqi sand on their wheels……would have liked to include the Chippy and JP which made it all possible but ran out of fingers…..

Much as I loved the Harrier in BFG, I did wonder if the CONOPS was feasible in war. Fortunately we never found out. Deterrent again.

Chipmunk in the cold war

BRIXMIS Chipmunk Over East Berlin | BRIXMIS | AJ