Aviation Technology Timeline 1940 - 1942

Overview

I decided to make an overview of the technical advances in aviation for the months of May 1940 to December 1941.  The focus of this timeline will be the European powers that were involved in the Battle of France and beyond.  When possible, I have included exact dates for my facts/figures.  This work is the combined efforts of many on the "Hanger" forum of the World War II Online message boards.  All information is up for debate, as long as you can cite credible sources.  Sources are indicated by numbers between brackets [ ] and can be compared against the Sources section at the bottom of this page.

May 1940

• Orders of Battle can be found here.
• French squadron GC I/3 receives D.520's and is combat effective on  May 10.[4]
• French squadron GC II/3 receives D.520's and is combat effective on/near May 20.[4]
• England is receiving limited shipments of 100 Octane fuel from South Africa and Caribbean.[8]
• Stockpiles of 100 Octane fuel exist in Britain, and are rationed to RAF squadrons.[9]
• Hurricanes during the French campaign were still running on 87 octane.[12]
• 67 DB-7 bombers arrive in France on May 24th. First combat mission May 31st.[2]
• France is producing 11 MS.406 aircraft per day.[4]

June 1940

• In early June, three more squadrons convert to the D.520 (GC III/6, GC II/7, GC III/3).[4]
• All Bf109D fighters finished upgrade to Bf109E by June.[5]
• June 9th, RAF begins re-equipping it's fighters with Rotal 3-blade prop, which is already standard on production models.
• June 11th, RAF equips a Hurricane Mk.I with Rolls Royce Merlin XX engine for test flight.[7]
• Spitfire Mk.II's roll off assembly line with self-sealing fuel tanks, better pilot protection, and a bullet-proof windshield.
• Hurricane Mk.II makes first experimental flight.[7]
• Bf110C's are fitted with bomb-racks and used against targets in France.[4]
• First Two Bf110C-6s are delivered to I. Gruppe ZG.1 for combat testing.
• By late June, SNCAM is producing 1 D.520 per hour.

July 1940

• Battle of Britain begins July 10.
• One Bf109E is tested with the new 1,300-hp DB 601E-1 engine. [1]
• Blenheim IF radar equipped night-fighter scores first radar assisted kill.[6]
• Bf110D enters production.

August 1940

• A small number of Spitfire MkI's outfitted with 2x 20mm cannon. Re-named Spitfire MkIB.[3]
• Both Bf109E and Bf110C units issued upgrade kits for bomb-racks. Suffix added "/B".
• First deliveries of Spitfire MkII's. Most were MkIIA with 8x .303 machine-guns.[3]
• August 15th, RAF completes its upgrade from 2-blade to 3-blade constant speed propellers.
• Use of the Bf110C-6 discontinued over England. Factory orders cancelled.
• England starts to receive regular shipments of 100 Octane fuel from U.S.[8]
• Gloster is producing 130 Hurricane's per month.[3]

September 1940

• He111H-5 upgrade introduced, providing longer range and capacity for 2x 1000kg bombs.
• He111's bomb Spitfire factories in England, halving the estimated monthly output.[10]

October 1940

• Do17U night fighter scores first A2A kill using Forward Looking Infra Red (FLIR) radar.
• Bf110D/U equipped with FLIR radar.
• The first of 40 Fw190A-0 on order came from the production line for testing.

November 1940

• Spitfire Mk.IB reissued to squadrons as the problems with the Hispano cannon had finally been overcome.
• Hurrcaine Mk.II Series 2 aircraft are tested with Rolls Royce Merlin XX engines.[7]  

December 1940

• The Bf109F-1 is combat tested. Structural problems are found, but production begins.[1] & [11]
• The Spitfire Mk.V with Merlin XII engine is test flown.[7]

January 1941

• First Bf109F-1 fighters are issued to operational units.[1]

February 1941

• Hurricane MkII goes into production. Mk.IIA (8x .303) MkII.B (12x .303) MkII.C (4x 20mm).
• Merlin 45 engine married to Mk.II airframe and the Spit MK.V is born, upgrades begin immediately.[7] & [11]

March 1941

• Air Ministry (RAF) places an order for 1500 Spitfire Mk.V's.
• By late March the Spitfire Mk.V production models are being issued to combat units.[7]

April 1941

• Bf109F-4 deployed, fixing many of the Bf109F-1 problems.
• First orders of Spitfire Mk.V are delivered.

May 1941

June 1941

• The first Fw 190A-1 planes came off the production line at the Focke-Wulf Marienburg factory.

July 1941

• Last Spitfire Mk.II's delivered.

August 1941

• Fw190A-1 is ready for combat operations and is issued to II/JG.26 for combat testing.

September 1941

• RAF becomes aware of the Fw190A-1. It outclasses the Spit V, which at time equipped 26 RAF squadrons.[11]

October 1941

• Me163 Rocket Plane prototype sets an unofficial speed record of 623mph (over 1000km/h).
• Junkers Ju-87D-1 Stuka begins regular service.[4]

November 1941

December 1941

• December 7 - Japan attacks Pearl Harbor.
• December 8 - United States enters World War II on the Allied side.

Sources

1. Luftwaffe Experten

2. Douglas DB-7 For France

3. David llewellyn Jame's Website

4. WWII Online TechPubs

5. Directly from DOCDOOM

6. Warbird Alley Website

7. Battle of Britain Website

8. Catalytic Cracking, Exxon Report, pp. 17

9. RAF vs. Luftwaffe

10. Battle for Survival

11. Royal Air Force Website

12. A Long Collaborative Tradition

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