Cold War

Aircraft profiles from the cold war era of the Royal Air Force.

23 Aircraft Profiles
Featured Cold War Aircraft

Vickers VC10

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd

Transport & Support Aircraft

The Vickers VC10 first flew in 1964 and entered RAF service in 1966, as a long-range strategic transport developed from a project designed for the civilian market. Designed to operate from tropical airfields around the world, the VC10 was needed to carry through the Cold War a significant contribution to British worldwide commitment. The type was built in quantity for the aerial refuelling role and remained in front line service world-wide until 2013.

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Entered service April 1966
Retired 2013
Max speed 580 mph (933 km/h)
Ceiling 42,000 ft (12,802 m)
Range 3,800 mi (6,115 km)

Cold War · 23 aircraft

Cold War

Avro Shackleton

A. V. Roe and Company
Maritime Aircraft 1951–1991
Cold War

Avro Vulcan

A. V. Roe and Company
Bomber Aircraft 1956–1984
Modern RAF

BAE Hawk

British Aerospace / BAE Systems
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 1976
Cold War

Blackburn Buccaneer

Blackburn Aircraft Ltd (later Hawker Siddeley)
Fighter Aircraft 1962–1994
Second World War

de Havilland Mosquito

de Havilland
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 1941–1963
Second World War

Douglas Dakota

Douglas Aircraft Company
Transport & Support Aircraft 1942–1970
Cold War

English Electric Canberra

English Electric
Bomber Aircraft 1951–2006
Cold War

English Electric Lightning

English Electric (later British Aircraft Corporation)
Fighter Aircraft 1960–1988
Cold War

Gloster Javelin

Gloster Aircraft Company
Fighter Aircraft 1956–1968
Cold War

Gloster Meteor

Gloster Aircraft Company
Fighter Aircraft 1944–1982
Cold War

Handley Page Victor

Handley Page Limited
Bomber Aircraft 1958–1993
Cold War

Hawker Hunter

Hawker Aircraft Ltd
Fighter Aircraft 1954–1994
Cold War

Hawker Siddeley Harrier

Hawker Siddeley
Fighter Aircraft 1969–2010
Cold War

Hawker Siddeley Nimrod

Hawker Siddeley
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 1969–2010
Second World War

Hawker Tempest

Hawker Aircraft
Fighter Aircraft 1944–1953
Cold War

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Lockheed (later Lockheed Martin)
Transport & Support Aircraft 1967–2023
Cold War

McDonnell Douglas Phantom

McDonnell Douglas
Fighter Aircraft 1968–1992
Cold War

Panavia Tornado

Panavia Aircraft GmbH (BAC / MBB / Aeritalia consortium)
Fighter Aircraft 1979–2019
Cold War

SEPECAT Jaguar

SEPECAT (Breguet / British Aircraft Corporation)
Fighter Aircraft 1973–2007
Second World War

Short Sunderland

Short Brothers
Maritime Aircraft 1938–1959
Second World War

Supermarine Spitfire

Supermarine Aviation Works (Vickers) Ltd
Fighter Aircraft 1938–1954
Cold War

Vickers Valiant

Vickers-Armstrongs
Bomber Aircraft 1955–1965
Cold War

Vickers VC10

Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd
Transport & Support Aircraft 1966–2013