Bomber Command
Bomber Group
Sorties and Loss Percentage
By Aircraft Type
Updated: January 2008
Group Index
Aircraft |
Sorties |
Aircraft Lost |
Percent |
Battles |
287 |
6 |
2.1 |
Wellington’s |
12170 |
395 |
3.2 |
Halifax’s |
137 |
12 |
8.8 |
Lancaster’s |
43836 |
1016 |
2.3 |
| |||
Total Sorties |
54430 |
1429 |
2.5 |
| |||
Comments |
At least 199 Lancaster’s were destroyed in crashed. Other types not known |
Crest
Image
Unavailable
No. 1 Group, RAF
Bomber
Motto:
SWIFT TO ATTACK
Aircraft |
Sorties |
Aircraft Lost |
Percent |
Blenheims |
11311 |
421 |
3.4 |
Boston’s |
1215 |
41 |
3.4 |
Fortress |
52 |
3 |
4.0 |
Mosquitoes |
793 |
40 |
5.0 |
Ventura’s |
868 |
31 |
3.6 |
Mitchell’s |
221 |
6 |
2.7 |
|
|
|
|
Total Sorties |
14460 |
542 |
3.7 |
| |||
Comments |
At least 78 Blenheims, 3 Boston’s and 1 Ventura were destroyed in crashes. Other types not known |
No. 2 Group, RAF
Bomber
Motto:
VINCEMUS
(We Will Conquer)
No. 3 Group, RAF
Bomber
Motto:
NIET ZONDER ARBYT
Aircraft |
Sorties |
Aircraft Lost |
Percent |
Wellington’s |
20584 |
608 |
3.0 |
Stirling’s |
15895 |
577 |
3.6 |
Lancaster’s |
26462 |
380 |
1.4 |
Other Types Mostly on Resistance and RCM Operations |
3672 |
103 |
2.8 |
|
|
|
|
Total Sorties |
66613 |
1668 |
2.5 |
| |||
Comments |
At least 227 Stirling’s and 78 Lancaster’s destroyed in crashes |
No. 4 Group, RAF
Bomber
Motto:
KNOWN
Crest
Image
Unavailable
Aircraft |
Sorties |
Aircraft Lost |
Percent |
Whitley’s |
9169 |
288 |
3.1 |
Wellington’s |
2901 |
97 |
3.3 |
Halifax’s |
45337 |
1124 |
2.6 |
|
|
|
|
Total Sorties |
57407 |
1125 |
2.6 |
| |||
Comments |
No reliable figures for aircraft destroyed in crashes available |
Aircraft |
Sorties |
Aircraft Lost |
Percent |
Hampden’s |
15771 |
417 |
2.6 |
Manchester’s |
1185 |
69 |
5.8 |
Lancaster’s |
52262 |
1389 |
2.7 |
Mosquitoes |
1133 |
13 |
1.1 |
Mustang’s |
6 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
Total Sorties |
70357 |
1888 |
2.7 |
| |||
Comments |
At least 28 Manchester’s and 253 Lancaster’s were destroyed in crashed. Other types not known |
No. 5 Group, RAF
Bomber
Motto:
KNOWN
No. 6 Group, RCAF
Bomber
Motto:
SOLLERTIA ET INGENIUM
(Initiative And Skill)
Aircraft |
Sorties |
Aircraft Lost |
Percent |
Wellington’s |
3287 |
127 |
3.9 |
Halifax’s |
28126 |
508 |
1.8 |
Lancaster’s |
8171 |
149 |
1.8 |
| |||
Total Sorties |
39584 |
784 |
2.0 |
| |||
Comments |
At least 56 Lancaster’s were destroyed in crashed. Other types not known |
No. 8 Group, RAF
Pathfinder
Motto:
WE GUIDE TO STRIKE
Aircraft |
Sorties |
Aircraft Lost |
Percent |
Wellington’s |
305 |
17 |
5.6 |
Halifax’s |
2106 |
77 |
3.7 |
Stirling’s |
826 |
37 |
4.5 |
Lancaster’s |
19601 |
444 |
2.3 |
Mosquitoes * |
28215 |
100 |
0.4 |
|
|
|
|
Total Sorties |
51053 |
675 |
1.3 |
| |||
Comments |
At least 12 Stirling’s and 72 Lancaster’s were destroyed in crashed. Other types not known |
* The operations of No. 1409 (Meteorological) Flight are included in the Mosquito sorties total
No. 100 Group, RAF
Bomber Support
Motto:
WE GUIDE TO STRIKE
Radio Counter Measure (RCM) Sorties | |||
Aircraft |
Sorties |
Aircraft Lost |
Percent |
Halifax’s |
3383 |
23 |
0.7 |
Fortress |
1465 |
4 |
0.3 |
Stirling’s |
1235 |
13 |
1.1 |
Liberator’s |
615 |
3 |
0.5 |
Wellington’s |
589 |
1 |
0.2 |
Mosquitoes |
544 |
1 |
0.2 |
Ligthning’s |
101 |
2 |
2.0 |
|
|
|
|
Total RCM Sorties |
7932 |
47 |
0.6 |
| |||
Serrate And Intruder Operations | |||
Beaufighter’s |
12 |
0 |
0 |
Mosquitoes |
8802 |
75 |
0.9 |
| |||
Total Sorties |
8814 |
75 |
0.9 |
| |||
Comments |
The number of aircraft destroyed in crashes are not available |