Inside the Archive #5 | Lockheed Hudson

Lockheed Hudson

The Australian War Memorial calls the Hudson the workhouse of the RAAF — a description that feels right. While the Boomerang and Spitfire captured the country’s imagination during WWII, the Hudson’s can-do attitude made it the more invaluable team player. Simply put, it may be the most versatile aircraft the RAAF has deployed.

This aircraft could transport troops and carry out patrols, but they were also adept as long-range bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. They could even be adapted to carry airborne lifeboats under their fuselage for air-sea rescue. While the type made its first flight in 1938, it served long after the war. In total, 2,941 were built worldwide, of which RAAF received 247 between January 1940 and May 1942 in several iterations.