Light Bombers
Battle
The single-engine Fairey Battle was an obsolete aircraft even before it flew its first operational mission for the RAF. Slow, with just one defensive gun, Battles were easy prey for fast German single-seat fighters like the Messerschmitt 109. However RAF Bomber Command crews fought courageously to try to halt the German advance through the Low Countries of Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg, winning two Victoria Crosses but suffering heavy casualties.
Blenheim
The twin-engine Bristol Blenheim entered RAF service in 1937, replacing obsolete aircraft such as the Hawker Hind biplane. But the Blenheim itself quickly became obsolete, having only one moveable gun and being unable to outpace the fast enemy fighters. Blenheim crews carried out many daring daylight attacks on shipping and land targets but suffered very heavy losses.
Boston
The American built Boston was a useful twin-engine light bomber which replaced the Blenheim and was itself eventually replaced by the Mosquito.
Ventura
The Lockheed Ventura was not a successful aircraft for Bomber Command.
The American built twin-engine light bomber was outdated by the time it
joined the RAF in 1942 at a time when the hugely successful Mosquito was
becoming operational.
The De Havilland Mosquito was a completely radical design idea: A light-weight wooden bomber with no defensive guns, relying on outright speed from its two Rolls-Royce Merlin engines to escape enemy fighters. The result was the highly successful ‘Wooden Wonder’. With just a two-man crew it was able to carry a 4,000 lb bomb to Berlin - yet because of its wooden construction it could be partially assembled by carpenters and joiners and not use valuable factory space and metal supplies needed for conventional aircraft production.
Specialist Aircraft
Lysander
The single-engine Lysander was designed for army co-operation and was also used for air-sea rescue, target tugs and liaison duties. It could manage a remarkably short take-off and landing run of 150 yards. This made it perfect for hazardous top-secret operations by Bomber Command to drop off and pickup agents in enemy-occupied Europe. The Lysander pilots would fly at night to pre-arranged points, normally in northern France, look for faint torch signals, then land in unfamiliar, unlit fields for a few seconds, hoping the shadowy figures that approached were Resistance fighters and not German soldiers. Within moments the pilot would take off again, never knowing the identity of the passengers.
