1941

1941

Jan 9th - Fist flight of the Avro Lancaster prototype. Then known as the Manchester.

Feb 10th - RAF No.7 Sqdn first to fly 4 engined-bomber Stirlings for first time for attack on Rotterdam.

Feb 24th - First operational use of Avro Manchester in an aattack on Brest.

Feb 25th - First Flight of the ME321 Glider Designed for the airborne invasion of Britain.

Mar 10 - First operational use by RAF of the Halifax Bomber against targets at le Havre.
Mar 28th - RAF Eagle Sqdn (USA pilots) fully operational
Mar 30th - 109 RAF bombers deployed against German Battleships Gneisenau and Scharnhorst at Brest

Apr 1st - RAF Wellington  of No149 SQdn drops first 4000-lb bomb on Emden.
April 2nd - First flight of Heinkel He 280V-1 twin engined jet fighter.
April 18th - First flight of Messerscmitt Me 262 V! powered by single piston engine.

May 4th - First operation of Return Ferry Service from Montreal to UK by Consolidated Liberator.
May 13th - Deployment of first mass flight of 21 B-17s bomber aircraft over Pacific to Hawaii.
May 15th - First flight of Gloster E28/39 experimental jet-powered aircraft.
May 26th - Catalina of No 209 sqdn. RAF spots German Battleship Bismark in Atlantic.

June

July 8th - First Operational use by RAF daylight attack on Wilhemshaven using Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.
July 18th - Formation of RAF Ferry Command annouced.

Aug 3rd - Interim air cover for North Atlantic Convoys initiated when a Sea Hurricane is catapulted from HMS Maplin and it destroys A German Focke-Wolf Fw 200 Condor.
Aug 13th - First flight of German rocket powered ME163A prototype at Peenemunde.
Aug 18th - Pan Am ferry U.S. built warplanes to British Forces in the Middle East.
Aug 27th - First U-boat U-570 captured by RAF when it surrenders to a Lockheed Hudson on patrol from RAFs No 269 Sqdn.

Sept 7th - Hawker Hurrican 1 Fighters of 81 and 134 Sqdns. fly of H.M.S. Argus and land at Murmansk to bolster local defences.
Sept 24th - BOAC carries out its first operation in the North Atlantic Return Ferry Service using Liberator 1s supplied by RAF Ferry Command.

Oct - First flight of Heinkel He !!!Z 5 engined Heavy glider tug designed to tow the ME 321.
Oct 2nd - The third ME 163A rocket-powered prototype achieves a speed of 623.85mph   (1.004km/h) an unofficial record remaining secret until end of hostilities.
Oct 30th - Consildated B-24 completes a round-the world flight

Nov 30th - First Whitleys equipped with ASV Mk 11 long range radar operated by No 502 Sqdn RAF.

Dec 8th - Lockheed Hudsons used by Royal Australian Air Force against Japanese forces invading Pacific Islands.
Dec 21 st - An ASV -equipped Fairy Swordfish of th FAA's No 812 Sqdn. sinks the first Geman U-boat (U451) destroyed by aircraft at night.