1.
United Kingdom
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The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom or Britain, is a sovereign country in western Europe. Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland, the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain, Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign state—the Republic of Ireland. The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland, with an area of 242,500 square kilometres, the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe. It is also the 21st-most populous country, with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants, together, this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union. The United Kingdom is a monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance. The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II, who has reigned since 6 February 1952, other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the regions of Birmingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Liverpool and Manchester. The United Kingdom consists of four countries—England, Scotland, Wales, the last three have devolved administrations, each with varying powers, based in their capitals, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, respectively. The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time, Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542. A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain, which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922, leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, there are fourteen British Overseas Territories. These are the remnants of the British Empire which, at its height in the 1920s, British influence can be observed in the language, culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies. The United Kingdom is a country and has the worlds fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP. The UK is considered to have an economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index. It was the worlds first industrialised country and the worlds foremost power during the 19th, the UK remains a great power with considerable economic, cultural, military, scientific and political influence internationally. It is a nuclear weapons state and its military expenditure ranks fourth or fifth in the world. The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 and it has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor, the European Economic Community, since 1973. However, on 23 June 2016, a referendum on the UKs membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave. The Acts of Union 1800 united the Kingdom of Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have devolved self-government
2.
Royal Air Force
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The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdoms aerial warfare force. Formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, following victory over the Central Powers in 1918 the RAF emerged as, at the time, the largest air force in the world. The RAF describe its mission statement as, an agile, adaptable and capable Air Force that, person for person, is second to none, and that makes a decisive air power contribution in support of the UK Defence Mission. The mission statement is supported by the RAFs definition of air power, Air power is defined as the ability to project power from the air and space to influence the behaviour of people or the course of events. Today the Royal Air Force maintains a fleet of various types of aircraft. The majority of the RAFs rotary-wing aircraft form part of the tri-service Joint Helicopter Command in support of ground forces, most of the RAFs aircraft and personnel are based in the UK, with many others serving on operations or at long-established overseas bases. It was founded on 1 April 1918, with headquarters located in the former Hotel Cecil, during the First World War, by the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps, at that time it was the largest air force in the world. The RAFs naval aviation branch, the Fleet Air Arm, was founded in 1924, the RAF developed the doctrine of strategic bombing which led to the construction of long-range bombers and became its main bombing strategy in the Second World War. The RAF underwent rapid expansion prior to and during the Second World War, under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan of December 1939, the air forces of British Commonwealth countries trained and formed Article XV squadrons for service with RAF formations. Many individual personnel from countries, and exiles from occupied Europe. By the end of the war the Royal Canadian Air Force had contributed more than 30 squadrons to serve in RAF formations, additionally, the Royal Australian Air Force represented around nine percent of all RAF personnel who served in the European and Mediterranean theatres. In the Battle of Britain in 1940, the RAF defended the skies over Britain against the numerically superior German Luftwaffe, the largest RAF effort during the war was the strategic bombing campaign against Germany by Bomber Command. Following victory in the Second World War, the RAF underwent significant re-organisation, during the early stages of the Cold War, one of the first major operations undertaken by the Royal Air Force was in 1948 and the Berlin Airlift, codenamed Operation Plainfire. Before Britain developed its own nuclear weapons the RAF was provided with American nuclear weapons under Project E and these were initially armed with nuclear gravity bombs, later being equipped with the Blue Steel missile. Following the development of the Royal Navys Polaris submarines, the nuclear deterrent passed to the navys submarines on 30 June 1969. With the introduction of Polaris, the RAFs strategic nuclear role was reduced to a tactical one and this tactical role was continued by the V bombers into the 1980s and until 1998 by Tornado GR1s. For much of the Cold War the primary role of the RAF was the defence of Western Europe against potential attack by the Soviet Union, with many squadrons based in West Germany. With the decline of the British Empire, global operations were scaled back, despite this, the RAF fought in many battles in the Cold War period
3.
Turbinlite
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The Havoc was guided to enemy aircraft by ground radar and its own radar. The searchlight would then be used to illuminate attacking enemy bombers for defending fighters accompanying the Havoc to shoot down, in practice the Turbinlite was not a success and the introduction of higher performance night fighters with their own radar meant they were withdrawn from service in early 1943. Non-RDF equipped single-engined fighters, whilst being fast enough to catch the bombers, in addition, there was some doubt as to the best way to find, intercept and shoot down attacking bombers at night. In September 1940, Sidney Cotton pursued the idea of a searchlight for night-fighters. He enlisted the help of William Helmore, and they took out patents on the techniques. Helmore, a serving RAF officer, then sponsored the development of what became known as Turbinlite, battery power for the 135 kW searchlight was sufficient for about two minutes of operation. The Havocs own armament was removed from the nose, the radar fitted was the AI Mk. IV, with broad arrow head aerials protruding from the both sides of the aircraft nose with additional side-mounted, and upper- and lower-wing mounted, dipoles. The modifications were carried out at Burtonwood Aircraft Repair Depot and the aircraft was known as the Havoc I Turbinlite. The unarmed Havoc Turbinlite was intended to find the bomber using its RDF equipment and then use the Turbinlite to illuminate the target for the accompanying Hurricanes to find. The Turbinlite was later considered in the search for a method of illuminating surfaced enemy U-boats at night, Leigh light List of aircraft of the RAF Cotton, Sidney as told to Ralph Barker. Aviator Extraordinary, The Sidney Cotton Story, chatto & Windus ISBN 0-7011-1334-0 Green, William. Famous Bombers of the Second World War, 2nd Edition, macDonald & Janes ISBN 0-356-08333-0 Thompson, Scott. Douglas Havoc and Boston, The DB-7/ A-20 Series
4.
No. 11 Group RAF
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No.11 Group was a group in the Royal Air Force for various periods in the 20th century, finally disbanding in 1996. Its most famous service was during 1940 when it defended London, No.11 Group was first formed on 1 April 1918 in No.2 Area as No.11 Group, and was transferred to South-Western Area the next month on 8 May. 11 Groups short first existence came to an end on 17 May 1918, the next incarnation of the Group was later the same year when it was formed in North-Western Area on 22 August. On 6 February 1920 Group Captain I M Bonham-Carter took command, three months later, in May 1920, No.11 Group was reduced to No.11 Wing. It was reformed on 1 May 1936 as No.11 Group by renaming Fighting Area, on 14 July 1936,11 Group became the first RAF Fighter Command group formed, with the responsibility for the air defence of southern England, including London. 11 Group was organised using the Dowding System of fighter control, Group Headquarters was at Hillingdon House within RAF Uxbridge. The Group operations room was underground in what is now known as the Battle of Britain Bunker, commands were passed to the sector airfields, each of which was in charge of several airfields and fighter squadrons. The sector airfields were,11 Groups most famous period was during the Battle of Britain when, due to its position,11 Group bore the brunt of the German aerial assault. Pilots posted to squadrons in 11 Group knew that they would be sent into action while pilots. During the Battle of Britain,11 Group was commanded by New Zealander Air Vice Marshal Keith Park, leigh-Mallorys lack of support compromised Britains defenses at a critical time and the following controversy caused problems for Park. When the Battle of Britain was finally over, Leigh-Mallory, acting with Air Marshal Sholto Douglas, Leigh-Mallory then took over 11 Group. Following the war,11 Group continued to be a key formation within Fighter Command, in December 1951 it consisted of two sectors, the Southern and Metropolitan. The Southern Sector had Nos 1 and 29/22 Squadrons at RAF Tangmere and 54 and 247 Squadrons at RAF Odiham, however, in 1960 there was a rationalisation of Fighter Command, and 11 Group was disbanded on 31 December 1960. However, it reformed one day later when No.13 Group was renamed to No.11 Group, on 1 April 1963 the Group was renamed No.11 Sector. This incarnation lasted until Fighter Command was absorbed into the new Strike Command on 1 April 1968. The day Fighter Command merged into RAF Strike Command,30 April 1968, Group Headquarters shifted to RAF Bentley Priory in northwest London, and took responsibility for the UK Air Defence Region. In aircraft terms, the English Electric Lightning entered service in 1960, the group was renamed No.11 Group in January 1986. No.8 Squadron RAF flew E-3 Sentry AEW aircraft from RAF Waddington, Nos 5 and 11 Squadrons had been the last units flying the English Electric Lightning from RAF Binbrook until 1988
5.
RAF Fighter Command
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RAF Fighter Command was one of the commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft and it served throughout the Second World War. It earned great fame during the Battle of Britain in 1940, the Command continued until 17 November 1943, when it was disbanded and the RAF fighter force was split into two categories, defence and attack. The defensive force became Air Defence of Great Britain and the force became the RAF Second Tactical Air Force. Air Defence of Great Britain was later renamed Fighter Command and it was finally disbanded in 1968. On 20 May 1926, Fighter Commands precursor organisation was established as a group within Inland Area, on 1 June 1926, Fighting Area was transferred to the Air Defence of Great Britain. Fighting Area was raised to Command status in 1932 and renamed Fighter Command on 1 May 1936. Fighter Command was divided into a number of Groups, each controlling a different part of the UK.11 Group took the brunt of the German attack, as it controlled southeast England and London. It was reinforced by 10 Group, which covered southwest England,12 Group, in the end, the Germans failed to attain air superiority, although the RAF had been eating into its reserves during the battle, as had the Luftwaffe. As 1941 began, Fighter Command began the task of winning air superiority over North Western France from the Germans. Large numbers of Spitfires were sent out small groups of medium bombers in often vain attempts to lure the German fighters into combat. Most of the factors that had allowed Fighter Command to win the Battle of Britain were now reversed, for example, British pilots who were shot down in 1940 and survived would be patched up and sent back to their units as quickly as possible. In 1941, over France, a shot down pilot would, as likely as not, the year saw RAF Fighter Command claim some 711 Luftwaffe fighters shot down for losses of approximately 400 RAF fighters lost. As 1941 ended, the appearance of the new Fw 190, with its obvious technical superiority over the current Spitfire Mark V, parallel to the day offensive in 1941 was the ongoing night bomber attacks against the United Kingdom in January to May. By this time, until May 1941, the Luftwaffe effort was aimed against both civilian and industrial targets, Fighter Commands defences, however improved almost daily during the first six months of 1941. An increasing number of guns and searchlights were also radar-controlled. From the start of 1941, the Luftwaffes losses mounted, with the impending invasion of Russia requiring the movement of air power to the East, the Blitz ended in May 1941 with Fighter Command in complete control of the night sky over the UK. The difficult task of slowly grinding down the Germans continued into 1942 and 1943, squadrons also found themselves on tiring defensive patrols as small formations of FW-190s started to fly hit and run nuisance raids all along the South Coast
6.
World War II
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World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, although related conflicts began earlier. It involved the vast majority of the worlds countries—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing alliances, the Allies and the Axis. It was the most widespread war in history, and directly involved more than 100 million people from over 30 countries. Marked by mass deaths of civilians, including the Holocaust and the bombing of industrial and population centres. These made World War II the deadliest conflict in human history, from late 1939 to early 1941, in a series of campaigns and treaties, Germany conquered or controlled much of continental Europe, and formed the Axis alliance with Italy and Japan. Under the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of August 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union partitioned and annexed territories of their European neighbours, Poland, Finland, Romania and the Baltic states. In December 1941, Japan attacked the United States and European colonies in the Pacific Ocean, and quickly conquered much of the Western Pacific. The Axis advance halted in 1942 when Japan lost the critical Battle of Midway, near Hawaii, in 1944, the Western Allies invaded German-occupied France, while the Soviet Union regained all of its territorial losses and invaded Germany and its allies. During 1944 and 1945 the Japanese suffered major reverses in mainland Asia in South Central China and Burma, while the Allies crippled the Japanese Navy, thus ended the war in Asia, cementing the total victory of the Allies. World War II altered the political alignment and social structure of the world, the United Nations was established to foster international co-operation and prevent future conflicts. The victorious great powers—the United States, the Soviet Union, China, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union and the United States emerged as rival superpowers, setting the stage for the Cold War, which lasted for the next 46 years. Meanwhile, the influence of European great powers waned, while the decolonisation of Asia, most countries whose industries had been damaged moved towards economic recovery. Political integration, especially in Europe, emerged as an effort to end pre-war enmities, the start of the war in Europe is generally held to be 1 September 1939, beginning with the German invasion of Poland, Britain and France declared war on Germany two days later. The dates for the beginning of war in the Pacific include the start of the Second Sino-Japanese War on 7 July 1937, or even the Japanese invasion of Manchuria on 19 September 1931. Others follow the British historian A. J. P. Taylor, who held that the Sino-Japanese War and war in Europe and its colonies occurred simultaneously and this article uses the conventional dating. Other starting dates sometimes used for World War II include the Italian invasion of Abyssinia on 3 October 1935. The British historian Antony Beevor views the beginning of World War II as the Battles of Khalkhin Gol fought between Japan and the forces of Mongolia and the Soviet Union from May to September 1939, the exact date of the wars end is also not universally agreed upon. It was generally accepted at the time that the war ended with the armistice of 14 August 1945, rather than the formal surrender of Japan
7.
RAF Tangmere
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RAF Tangmere which was in Tangmere,3 miles east of Chichester, West Sussex, England, was a Royal Air Force station famous for its role in the Battle of Britain. Famous Second World War aces wing commander Douglas Bader, and the then inexperienced Johnnie Johnson were at Tangmere in 1941, the aerodrome was founded in 1917 for use by the Royal Flying Corps as a training base. In 1918 it was turned over to the American Air Force as a training ground, in 1925 the station re-opened to serve the RAFs Fleet Air Arm, and went operational in 1926 with No.43 Squadron equipped with biplane Gloster Gamecocks. As war threatened in the thirties, the fighters became faster, with Hawker Furies, Gloster Gladiators. In 1939 the airfield was enlarged to defend the south coast against attack by the Luftwaffe, with Tangmeres only hotel, the RAF commandeered the majority of houses in the centre of the village, with only six to eight families being allowed to stay. It was only in 1966 that the village resumed its status as a civilian community, in August 1940 the first squadron of Supermarine Spitfires was based at the satellite airfield at nearby Westhampnett, as the Battle of Britain began. By now the villagers had mainly been evacuated, and extensive ranges of RAF buildings had sprung up, the first and worst enemy raid on the station came on 16 August 1940 when hundreds of Stuka dive bombers and fighters crossed the English coast and attacked Tangmere. There was extensive damage to buildings and aircraft on the ground and 14 ground staff and six civilians were killed, but the station was kept in service and brought back into full operation. Throughout the war, the station was also a base for the Special Operations Executive who used the Westland Lysander to fly agents in. The SOE used Tangmere Cottage, opposite the entrance to the base. Today the cottage sports a commemorative plaque to its former secret life, later in the war, as the RAF turned from defence to attack, the legendary Group Captain Douglas Bader, the legless fighter ace, commanded the Tangmere wing of Fighter Command. Today he is commemorated in the Bader Arms public house in the village,616 Squadron which included Johnnie Johnson and Hugh Dundas arrived at Tangmere in late February 1941. Johnson went on to become the highest scoring Western Allied fighter ace against the Luftwaffe, many of those killed at the base, from both sides in conflict, are buried in the cemetery at St Andrews Church, Tangmere, today tended by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. American RAF pilot Billy Fiske who died at Tangmere in 1941 was one of the first American aviators to die during the Second World War, after the war, the RAF High Speed Flight was based at Tangmere as part of Central Fighter Establishment. In September 1946, an air speed record of 616 mph was set by Group Captain Edward Teddy Mortlock Donaldson in a Gloster Meteor, after his death in 1992. In September 1953, Squadron Leader Neville Duke became holder of the air speed record when he flew a Hawker Hunter at 727 mph – the 50th anniversary of this event was commemorated in 2003. No 38 Group Tactical Communications Wing RAF and 244 Signal Squadron were the last units to leave the base, in the late 1950s the flying was restricted to ground radar calibration and the Joint Services Language School moved there. Amongst those taking a course was Richard Marquand, better known as being the director of the Star Wars film The Return of the Jedi
8.
Sussex
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Sussex, from the Old English Sūþsēaxe, is a historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. Brighton and Hove was created as an authority in 1997. Until then, Chichester was Sussexs only city, Sussex has three main geographic sub-regions, each oriented approximately east to west. In the south-west is the fertile and densely populated coastal plain, North of this are the rolling chalk hills of the South Downs, beyond which is the well-wooded Sussex Weald. The name derives from the Kingdom of Sussex, which was founded, according to legend, in 825, it was absorbed into the kingdom of Wessex and subsequently into the kingdom of England. It was the home of some of Europes earliest hominids, whose remains have been found at Boxgrove, in 1974, the Lord-Lieutenant of Sussex was replaced with one each for East and West Sussex, which became separate ceremonial counties. Sussex continues to be recognised as a territory and cultural region. It has had a police force since 1968 and its name is in common use in the media. In 2007, Sussex Day was created to celebrate the rich culture. Based on the emblem of Sussex, a blue shield with six gold martlets. In 2013, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles formally recognised and acknowledged the existence of Englands 39 historic counties. The name Sussex is derived from the Middle English Suth-sæxe, which is in turn derived from the Old English Suth-Seaxe which means of the South Saxons, the South Saxons were a Germanic tribe that settled in the region from the North German Plain during the 5th and 6th centuries. The earliest known usage of the term South Saxons is in a charter of 689 which names them and their king, Noðhelm. The monastic chronicler who wrote up the entry classifying the invasion seems to have got his dates wrong, the New Latin word Suthsexia was used for Sussex by Dutch cartographer Joan Blaeu in his 1645 map. Three United States counties, and a former division of Western Australia, are named after Sussex. The flag of Sussex consists of six gold martlets, or heraldic swallows, on a background, blazoned as Azure. Officially recognised by the Flag Institute on 20 May 2011, its design is based on the shield of Sussex. The first known recording of this emblem being used to represent the county was in 1611 when cartographer John Speed deployed it to represent the Kingdom of the South Saxons
9.
No. 1455 Flight RAF
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No.1455 Flight was formed at RAF Tangmere, West Sussex on 7 July 1941, equipped with Turbinlite Douglas Boston and Douglas Havoc aircraft. On operations they co-operated with the Hawker Hurricanes of 1 Squadron and 3 Squadron, the flight was replaced with 534 Squadron on 2 September 1942. Notes Bibliography Aircraft and Markings of no, 511-598 sqn, amongst them 534 sqn, the successor of 1455 flt
10.
History of radar
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The history of radar starts with experiments by Heinrich Hertz in the late 19th century that showed that radio waves were reflected by metallic objects. This possibility was suggested in James Clerk Maxwells seminal work on electromagnetism, numerous similar systems, which provided directional information to objects over short ranges, were developed over the next two decades. The development of systems able to produce pulses of radio energy was the key advance that allowed modern radar systems to come into existence. By timing the pulses on an oscilloscope, the range could be determined, the two, combined, produced a fix, locating the target relative to the antenna. During the war, Hungary was added to this list, the term RADAR was coined in 1939 by the United States Signal Corps as it worked on these systems for the Navy. Progress during the war was rapid and of importance, probably one of the decisive factors for the victory of the Allies. A key development was the magnetron in the UK, which allowed the creation of small systems with sub-meter resolution. By the end of hostilities, Britain, Germany, the United States, the USSR, after the war, radar use was widened to numerous fields including, civil aviation, marine navigation, radar guns for police, meteorology and even medicine. Increases in signal processing capability due to the introduction of solid state computers has also had a impact on radar use. The place of radar in the story of science and technology is argued differently by different authors. On the one hand, radar contributed very little to theory, therefore, radar did not advance science, but was simply a matter of technology and engineering. But others point out the practical consequences of the development of radar. Far more than the bomb, radar contributed to the Allied victory in World War II. Robert Buderi states that it was also the precursor of modern technology. From a review of his book, Radar has been the root of a wide range of achievements since the war, producing a veritable family tree of modern technologies. In later years radar was used in instruments, such as weather radar and radar astronomy. In Hertzs 1887 experiment he found that these waves would transmit through different types of materials and also would reflect off surfaces in his lab as well as conductors. The nature of these waves being similar to light in their ability to be reflected, refracted
11.
Douglas A-20 Havoc
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The Douglas A-20 Havoc was an American attack, light bomber, and intruder aircraft of World War II. It served with several Allied air forces, principally the United States Army Air Forces, the Soviet Air Forces, Soviet Naval Aviation, Soviet units received more than one in three of the DB-7s ultimately built. It was also used by the air forces of Australia, South Africa, France, and the Netherlands during the war, and by Brazil afterwards. In British Commonwealth air forces, bomber/attack variants of the DB-7 were usually known by the service name Boston, an exception to this was the Royal Australian Air Force, which referred to all variants of the DB-7 by the name Boston. The USAAF referred to night fighter variants as P-70 and it was estimated that it could carry a 1,000 lb bomb load at 250 mph. Reports of aircraft performance from the Spanish Civil War indicated that this design would be seriously underpowered, in the autumn of the same year, the United States Army Air Corps issued its own specification for an attack aircraft. The Douglas team, now headed by Heinemann, took the Model 7A design, upgraded with 1,100 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engines and it faced competition from the North American NA-40, Stearman X-100, and Martin 167F. The Model 7B was maneuverable and fast, but did not attract any US orders, the model did, however, attract the attention of a French Purchasing Commission visiting the United States. The French discreetly participated in the trials, so as not to attract criticism from American isolationists. The secret was revealed when the Model 7B crashed on 23 January while demonstrating single-engine performance, the French were still impressed enough to order 100 production aircraft, with the order increased to 270 when the war began. Sixteen of those had been ordered by Belgium for its Aviation Militaire, in a report to the British Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at RAF Boscombe Down, test pilots summed it up as, has no vices and is very easy to take off and land. The aeroplane represents a definite advantage in the design of flying controls, extremely pleasant to fly and manoeuvre. Ex-pilots often consider it their favorite aircraft of the war due to the ability to toss it around like a fighter, the Douglas bomber/night fighter was extremely adaptable and found a role in every combat theater of the war, and excelled as a true pilots aeroplane. When DB-7 series production ended on 20 September 1944, a total of 7,098 had been built by Douglas. Douglas redesigned its Santa Monica plant to create a production line to produce A-20 Havocs. The assembly line was over a long, but by looping back and forth. Man-hours were reduced by 50% for some operations, the French order called for substantial modifications, resulting in the DB-7 variant. It had a narrower, deeper fuselage,1,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-SC3-G radials, French-built guns, midway through the delivery phase, engines were switched to 1,100 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-S3C4-G
12.
Hawker Hurricane
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The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–1940s that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force. In late 1934, the Air Ministry placed an order for Hawkers Interceptor Monoplane, on 6 November 1935, the prototype Hurricane, K5083, performed its maiden flight. In June 1936, the Hurricane was ordered into production by the Air Ministry, the Hurricane was rapidly procured prior to the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, by which point, the RAF operated a total of 18 Hurricane-equipped squadrons. It is perhaps best known for its contribution to Britains home defences during the Battle of Britain, the Hurricane evolved through several versions and adaptations, resulting in a series of aircraft which acted as fighters, bomber-interceptors, fighter-bombers and ground support aircraft. By the end of production in 1944, in excess of 14,583 Hurricanes had been completed, at the time, there was an institutional reluctance towards change within the Air Staff, according to aviation author Francis K. In 1934, the British Air Ministry issued Specification F. 7/30 in response to demands within the Royal Air Force for a new generation of fighter aircraft. Earlier, during 1933, British aircraft designer Sydney Camm had conducted discussions with Major John Buchanan of the Directorate of Technical Development on a monoplane based on the existing Fury. Camms initial submission in response to F. 7/30, the Hawker P. V.3, was essentially a version of the Fury biplane. However, the P. V.3 was not among the proposals which the Air Ministry had selected to be constructed as a government-sponsored prototype, after the rejection of the P. V. By January 1934, the detail drawings had been finished. In August 1934, a scale model of the design was produced and dispatched to the National Physical Laboratory at Teddington. A series of wind tunnel tests confirmed the aerodynamic qualities of the aircraft were in order and this time, the Ministrys response was favourable, and a prototype of the Interceptor Monoplane was promptly ordered. In November 1934, the Air Ministry issued Specification F. 5/34 which, drawing on the work of Squadron Leader Ralph Sorley, however, by this time, work had progressed too far to immediately modify the planned four-gun installation. In July 1935, this specification was amended to include installation of eight guns, ground testing and taxi trials took place over the following two weeks. On 6 November 1935, the prototype K5083 took to the air for the first time at the hands of Hawkers chief test pilot, Flight Lieutenant George Bulman. Bulman was assisted by two pilots in subsequent flight testing, Philip Lucas flew some of the experimental test flights. As completed, the prototype had been fitted with ballast to represent the aircrafts armament prior to the acceptance of the final multi-gun wing armament. In early 1936, the prototype was transferred to RAF Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, in the course of further testing, it was found that the Hurricane had poor spin recovery characteristics, in which all rudder authority could be lost due to shielding of the rudder
13.
Squadron leader
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Squadron leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. An air force squadron leader ranks above lieutenant and immediately below wing commander. The air force rank of squadron leader has a NATO ranking code of OF-3, the equivalent rank in the Womens Auxiliary Air Force, Womens Royal Air Force and Princess Marys Royal Air Force Nursing Service was squadron officer. Squadron leader has also used as a cavalry command appointment. In Argentina it is used as an appointment by both the armys cavalry and by the air forces flying units. The cavalry rank of squadron leader in France is also an OF-4 equivalent to a major, the rank originated in the British Royal Air Force and was adopted by several other air forces which use, or used, the RAF rank system. In response to the proposal that the RAF should use its own titles, it was suggested that the RAF might use the Royal Navys officer ranks. For example, the rank that later became squadron leader would have been air lieutenant commander, however, the Admiralty objected to this modification of their rank titles. The rank title squadron leader was chosen as squadrons were typically led by RAF majors, the rank of squadron leader has been used continuously since 1 August 1919. From 1 April 1918 to 31 July 1919, the RAF used major as the equivalent rank to squadron leader, Royal Naval Air Service lieutenant-commanders and Royal Flying Corps majors on 31 March 1918 became RAF majors on 1 April 1918. On 31 August 1919, the RAF rank of major was superseded by squadron leader which has remained in continuous usage ever since. Promotion to squadron leader is strictly on merit, and requires the individual to be appointed to a Career Commission, before the Second World War, a squadron leader commanded a squadron of aircraft. Today, however, a squadron is usually commanded by a wing commander. However, ground-operating squadrons which are sub-divisions of a wing are ordinarily commanded by a squadron leader and this includes squadrons of the RAF Regiment and University Air Squadrons. The rank insignia consists of a blue band on a slightly wider black band between two narrow blue bands on slightly wider black bands. This is worn on both the sleeves of the tunic or on the shoulders of the flying suit or the casual uniform. Squadron leaders are the lowest ranking officers that may fly a command flag, the flag may be depicted on the officers aircraft or, should the squadron leader be in command, the flag may be flown from a flagpole or displayed on an official car as a car flag
14.
International Standard Book Number
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The International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric commercial book identifier. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an e-book, a paperback and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, the method of assigning an ISBN is nation-based and varies from country to country, often depending on how large the publishing industry is within a country. The initial ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering created in 1966, the 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108. Occasionally, a book may appear without a printed ISBN if it is printed privately or the author does not follow the usual ISBN procedure, however, this can be rectified later. Another identifier, the International Standard Serial Number, identifies periodical publications such as magazines, the ISBN configuration of recognition was generated in 1967 in the United Kingdom by David Whitaker and in 1968 in the US by Emery Koltay. The 10-digit ISBN format was developed by the International Organization for Standardization and was published in 1970 as international standard ISO2108, the United Kingdom continued to use the 9-digit SBN code until 1974. The ISO on-line facility only refers back to 1978, an SBN may be converted to an ISBN by prefixing the digit 0. For example, the edition of Mr. J. G. Reeder Returns, published by Hodder in 1965, has SBN340013818 -340 indicating the publisher,01381 their serial number. This can be converted to ISBN 0-340-01381-8, the check digit does not need to be re-calculated, since 1 January 2007, ISBNs have contained 13 digits, a format that is compatible with Bookland European Article Number EAN-13s. An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book, for example, an ebook, a paperback, and a hardcover edition of the same book would each have a different ISBN. The ISBN is 13 digits long if assigned on or after 1 January 2007, a 13-digit ISBN can be separated into its parts, and when this is done it is customary to separate the parts with hyphens or spaces. Separating the parts of a 10-digit ISBN is also done with either hyphens or spaces, figuring out how to correctly separate a given ISBN number is complicated, because most of the parts do not use a fixed number of digits. ISBN issuance is country-specific, in that ISBNs are issued by the ISBN registration agency that is responsible for country or territory regardless of the publication language. Some ISBN registration agencies are based in national libraries or within ministries of culture, in other cases, the ISBN registration service is provided by organisations such as bibliographic data providers that are not government funded. In Canada, ISBNs are issued at no cost with the purpose of encouraging Canadian culture. In the United Kingdom, United States, and some countries, where the service is provided by non-government-funded organisations. Australia, ISBNs are issued by the library services agency Thorpe-Bowker
15.
Order of the British Empire
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There is also the related British Empire Medal, whose recipients are affiliated with, but not members of, the order. Recommendations for appointments to the Order of the British Empire were at first made on the nomination of the United Kingdom, the self-governing Dominions of the Empire, nominations continue today from Commonwealth countries that participate in recommending British honours. Most members are citizens of the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth realms that use the Imperial system of honours and awards. Honorary knighthoods are appointed to citizens of nations where the Queen is not head of state, occasionally, honorary appointees are, incorrectly, referred to as Sir or Dame – Bill Gates or Bob Geldof, for example. In particular, King George V wished to create an Order to honour many thousands of those who had served in a variety of non-combatant roles during the First World War, when first established, the Order had only one division. However, in 1918, soon after its foundation, it was divided into Military. The Orders motto is For God and the Empire, at the foundation of the Order, the Medal of the Order of the British Empire was instituted, to serve as a lower award granting recipients affiliation but not membership. In 1922, this was renamed the British Empire Medal, in addition, the BEM is awarded by the Cook Islands and by some other Commonwealth nations. The British monarch is Sovereign of the Order, and appoints all members of the Order. The next most senior member is the Grand Master, of whom there have been three, Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales, Queen Mary, and the current Grand Master, the Duke of Edinburgh. The Order is limited to 300 Knights and Dames Grand Cross,845 Knights and Dames Commander, and 8,960 Commanders. There are no limits applied to the number of members of the fourth and fifth classes. Foreign recipients, as members, do not contribute to the numbers restricted to the Order as full members do. Though men can be knighted separately from an order of chivalry, women cannot, and so the rank of Knight/Dame Commander of the Order is the lowest rank of damehood, and second-lowest of knighthood. Because of this, Dame Commander is awarded in circumstances in which a man would be created a Knight Bachelor, for example, by convention, female judges of the High Court of Justice are created Dames Commander after appointment, while male judges become Knights Bachelor. The Order has six officials, the Prelate, the Dean, the Secretary, the Registrar, the King of Arms, the Bishop of London, a senior bishop in the Church of England, serves as the Orders Prelate. The Dean of St Pauls is ex officio the Dean of the Order, the Orders King of Arms is not a member of the College of Arms, as are many other heraldic officers. From time to time, individuals are appointed to a higher grade within the Order, thereby ceasing usage of the junior post-nominal letters
16.
Imperial Service Order
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The Imperial Service Order was established by King Edward VII in August 1902. It was awarded on retirement to the administration and clerical staff of the Civil Service throughout the British Empire for long, normally a person must have served for 25 years to become eligible, but this might be shortened to 16 years for those serving in unsanitary locations. Both men and women were eligible, and recipients of this order are entitled to use the post-nominal letters ISO and this was suspended on a ribbon of crimson with a blue central stripe. The insignia of the order for women had the medallion as for men, surrounded by a silver laurel wreath. This was suspended on a bow of crimson with a central stripe. Civil servants who complete 25 years service are eligible for the Imperial Service Medal upon retirement. The medal is a circular medal bearing the effigy of the reigning monarch on the obverse. The ribbon or bow pattern is the same as the Imperial Service Order, in recent years, only the government of Papua New Guinea continues to nominate candidates for both the Order and the Medal. British and Commonwealth orders and decorations
17.
No. 1 Squadron RAF
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No.1 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was the first squadron to fly a VTOL aircraft and it currently operates Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft from RAF Lossiemouth. These include the Second World War, Suez Crisis, Falklands War, Gulf War, Kosovo War, and Operation Telic. No.1 Squadrons origins go back to 1878 when its predecessor, No.1 Balloon Company, was formed at the Royal Arsenal, on 1 April 1911 the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers was created. The battalion initially consisted of two companies, with No.1 Company, Air Battalion taking responsibility for lighter than air flying, the first Officer Commanding was Captain E. M. Maitland. On 13 May 1912, with the establishment of the Royal Flying Corps, No.1 Company of the Air Battalion was redesignated No.1 Squadron, No.1 Squadron was one of the original three Royal Flying Corps squadrons. Maitland continued as the new squadrons Officer Commanding and he was promoted to several days after the establishment of the squadron. It retained the airships Beta and Gamma, adding Delta and Eta, as well as kites, however, in October 1913 a sudden decision was made to transfer all the airships to the Naval Wing of the RFC. While retaining kites 1 Squadron was reorganised as a park for the British Expeditionary Force. On 1 May 1914, Major Charles Longcroft was appointed as the new squadron commander, apart from a few weeks as a supernumerary in August and September 1914, Longcroft continued as the squadron commander until January 1915. The squadron was reformed as a squadron in August 1914. It operated mainly in the reconnaissance rôle, with a few single seat fighters for escort purposes and it retained Morane Parasols for reconnaissance, until becoming a dedicated fighter squadron on 1 January 1917, flying Nieuport 17s and Nieuport 27. The obsolete Nieuports were replaced by more modern S. E. 5as in January 1918, on incorporation into the RAF on 1 April 1918 the squadron kept its numeral, No 1 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service was displaced to become No.201 Squadron RAF. No.1 Squadron had among its ranks no fewer than 31 flying aces, the squadron returned to the UK from France in March 1919, being formally disbanded on 20 January 1920. On the next day it reformed at Risalpur in the North West Frontier of India, flying the Sopwith Snipe. and from January 1920. It moved to Hinaidi near Baghdad in Iraq in May 1921, to carry out policing duties, retaining its Snipes and it remained in Iraq, carrying out strafing and bombing against hostile tribal forces until November 1926 when it was disbanded. In early 1927 it was reformed at Tangmere, Sussex as a Home Defence Fighter Squadron, after receiving the Hawker Fury Mk. The squadron re-equipped with the Hurricane Mk. I in October 1938, on the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 the squadron was deployed to France as part of the RAF Advanced Air Striking Force
18.
No. 2 Squadron RAF
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Not to be confused with No.2 Squadron RAF Regiment No.2 Squadron, also known as No. II Squadron, is a squadron of the Royal Air Force and it is currently equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon. No.2 Squadrons traditional Army Co-Operation role is reflected in the AC of its title, its motto Hereward, and its unofficial nickname is Shiny Two. No.2 Squadron was formed at Farnborough, Hampshire on 13 May 1912 and it was formed from a detachment of No.2 Company of the Royal Engineers Air Battalion. Both 2 Squadron and 3 Squadron were equipped with fixed wing aeroplanes, the squadrons first commander was Major C J Burke. The squadron was equipped with a mixture of types, including the prototype Royal Aircraft Factory B. E.2. From 26 February 1913 the squadron was based at Montrose, the first operational Royal Flying Corps base in the UK located just outside Montrose and this was established on the instructions of the First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill to protect the Royal Navy. At Montrose the ghost story of Desmond Arthur spread around the flying corps, the squadron was the first to fly the English Channel into France at the start of the First World War. Starting a role which continues to this day, the spent the war on reconnaissance duties in France flying, amongst other aircraft. Although its principal role was not air-to-air combat, it still had one flying ace among its ranks in Arthur William Hammond and it also numbered the first aviation Victoria Cross winners in its ranks, in Second Lieutenant Rhodes-Moorhouse and Lieutenant Alan Arnett McLeod. The squadron gained the AC in its title in the inter-war years, after time in China during 1927 the squadron re-equipped with the Armstrong Whitworth Atlas again on Army Co-operation work. At the outbreak of the Second World War the unit was flying Westland Lysanders, the squadron spent much of the Cold War in Germany as part of RAF Germany, flying various fighter types, including latterly Phantoms and then Jaguars. Elements of the squadron were deployed to the Gulf War, along with much of the RAF, II Sqn withdrew from Germany after returning from the Gulf War – moving to RAF Marham in Norfolk with its Tornado GR1As. These were upgraded to the latest GR4 standard, with which the squadron deployed at part of Operation Telic over Iraq in 2003, the squadron has deployed on several occasions to maintain the Tornado GR4 detachment in Afghanistan, and saw action over Libya during Operation Ellamy/Operation Unified Protector. 2 Sqn. are currently operating eight aircraft from RAF Akrotiri as part of Operation Shader, however, in October 2014, Prime Minister David Cameron said that the Squadrons disbanding and reformation would be put on hold to allow the retention of Tornados supporting strikes against ISIL. As a consequence of new plan, the new No.2 Squadron formed at Lossiemouth on 12 January 2015. No 2 Sqn became the first RFC squadron to cross the Channel to France, at the outbreak of World War I List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre Onderwater, J. G. Hans, Second to None, the History of No. II Squadron, Shrewsbury, Air Life Publishers, first edition 1992, third edition to be published in 2014 by the same author
19.
No. 3 Squadron RAF
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No 3 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Typhoon F2, FGR4 and T3 from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire. It was formed in 1912 as one of the first squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps, No 3 Squadron was formed at Larkhill on 13 May 1912 by the renaming of No.2 Company of the Air Battalion Royal Engineers, under the command of Major Robert Brooke-Popham. Being already equipped with aeroplanes and manned by pilots and air mechanics, on 5 July 1912, two members of the squadron, Captain Eustace Loraine and Staff Sergeant Wilson were killed in an aircraft crash, making them the first RFC fatalities. In 1913, No 3 Squadron deployed to Halton in Buckinghamshire to support the land manoeuvres of the Household Division, a temporary airfield was set up on what later became RAF Haltons Maitland Parade Square. During the exercise, No 3 Squadron flew a number of reconnaissance sorties, sent to France on the outbreak of the Great War, the squadron initially operated in the reconnaissance role using a variety of aircraft types. On 22 August 1914, British Captain L. E. O, charlton,3 Sqn Flight commander and Lieutenant V. H. N. Wadham reported German General Alexander von Klucks army was preparing to surround the BEF, cecil Lewis, author of Sagittarius Rising flew Morane Parasols with No 3 Squadron during the Somme offensive in the summer of 1916. Later in October 1917, with the introduction of Sopwith Camels, the squadron disbanded in October 1919. There were nine flying aces among its ranks, including Douglas John Bell and it reformed as a fighter squadron with Snipes in April 1924, operating a succession of different types, based in the UK, including the Gloster Gladiator. The only highlight of these years was the 1935 deployment to the Sudan during the Italian invasion of Abyssinia, at the start of the Second World War No 3 Squadron was posted as part of Fighter Command to RAF Station Biggin Hill equipped with the Hawker Hurricane. <06/41 to 08/41 No 3 Sqn moved from Martlesham Heath to RAF Stapleford Tawney operating 4 canon Hurricane 11s in Rhubarb attacks on defended ground targets, (Source Sqn logs National Record Office>. On 21 July 1940 B flight was detached to form the nucleus of the newly formed No.232 Squadron, once back up to strength, No.3 Squadron was used as air defence for the Royal Naval base at Scapa Flow, remaining in Scotland until April. 1941, based at RAF Station Wick in Northern Scotland. Photo evidence shows A Flight based at St Andrews dated 1 July 1941 under group training, the squadron then co-operated with Turbinlite searchlight equipped Douglas Havocs in the night fighter role. In February 1943 it re-equipped with the Hawker Typhoon for fighter-bomber and it re-equipped in March 1944 with the new Hawker Tempest fighter, operating over the Normandy beach-head and against German V1 flying bombs, claiming 288 V-1s shot down. It then deployed across the Channel, flying as part of the 2 TAF fighting through the low countries, amongst its pilots was F/L Pierre Clostermann, who flew with 3 Squadron from March 1945 until the end of the war in Europe. The squadron moved onto jets with the De Havilland Vampire during 1948, in Germany, sabres and Hunters replaced the Vampires during the 1950s, followed by Gloster Javelins and then a conversion onto Canberra bombers. Most of its time with Canberras was spent at RAF Geilenkirchen moving to RAF Laarbruch in January 1968, the squadron received the later GR3 and GR5 model Harriers successively at RAF Gütersloh, finally receiving the GR7 and relocating to RAF Laarbruch in the 1992. In 1999, with the drawdown of the RAF in Germany, the two squadrons operated at RAF Cottesmore, being joined by the other Harrier operator, No.1 Squadron RAF, in 2001
20.
No. 4 Squadron RAF
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No.4 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the BAE Hawk T2 in the training role from RAF Valley, as a part of No.4 Flying Training School. No.4 Squadron formed at Farnborough in 1912 as part of the Royal Flying Corps. The more useful aircraft in its inventory were sent to France under the command of Major G H Rayleigh on 16 August 1914, to carry out reconnaissance in support of the British Expeditionary Force. On 19 August Lieutenant G. W. Mapplebeck flew the squadrons first mission over France, other aircraft remained in England to carry out anti-Zeppelin patrols. The contingent in France was reinforced on 20 September by the personnel who had remained behind in England, forming C Flight and it concentrated on the reconnaissance role, standardising on the B. E.2 in 1916. In the Battle of the Somme,4 Squadron flew contact patrols keeping track of the position of advancing troops at low level, in addition to more regular reconnaissance and artillery spotting missions. It re-equipped with the Royal Aircraft Factory R. E.8 in June 1917, in time to part in the Battle of Messines. It remained equipped with the R. E.8 until the Armistice with Germany on 11 November 1918 ended the fighting, the Squadron returned to the United Kingdom in February 1919, disbanding in September that year. No 4 Squadron reformed on 30 April 1920 at Farnborough, equipped with Bristol F.2 Fighters. The Squadron deployed on Royal Navy aircraft carriers when they sailed to Turkey on HMS Ark Royal and Argus during the Chanak crisis in August 1922, when the 1926 General Strike broke out, No.4 Squadrons aircraft were used to patrol railway lines to deter feared sabotage. In February 1937 it moved from Farnborough to RAF Odiham, soon re-equipping with the Hawker Hector, in January 1939, it discarded its Hector biplanes in favour of the new monoplane Westland Lysander. Shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, losses had been heavy, with 18 aircrew killed, while 60% of the groundcrew were lost. It continued in the patrol and air-sea rescue role while training for its main Army co-operation role after returning to the UK. It discarded its Mosquitoes in June, moved to France in August and it retained its Spitfires at VE Day, moving to Celle in Germany to carry out survey operations in support of the British Army of Occupation until it was disbanded on 31 August 1945. The squadron reformed the day by renumbering 605 Squadron, a light bomber squadron equipped with Mosquitoes based at Volkel in the Netherlands. It re-equipped with de Havilland Vampire fighter-bombers in July 1950, replacing them with North American Sabres in October 1953, the Sabres were discarded in favour of the Hawker Hunter in July 1955, retaining these until the squadron disbanded at RAF Jever on 31 December 1960. Again, the squadron did not remain dormant for long, as it reformed on 1 January 1961 by renumbering No.79 Squadron RAF and it re-equipped with the Hawker-Siddeley Harrier in 1970, first flying them from RAF Wildenrath in West Germany. It moved on to RAF Gütersloh in 1977, the squadron operated the Harrier until the final withdrawal of the type, receiving numerous upgrades and new versions over the years
21.
No. 5 Squadron RAF
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No.5 Squadron often styled V Squadron of the Royal Air Force is the operator of the Sentinel R1 Airborne STand-Off Radar aircraft. Thereafter in 1920, the squadron was reformed at Quetta, India, there it continued working in Army Air Cooperation for operations on the North West Frontier. From 1920 until 1941 they had a succession of aircraft, Bristol Fighters, Westland Wapitis, Hawker Harts, in 1942 they received American built Mohawks and became escorts to Blenheim bombers over north west Burma. These were replaced in turn by Hawker Hurricanes and P-47 Thunderbolts, No.5 Squadron converted to Tempest IIs in February 1946, but disbanded on 1 August 1947. On 11 February 1949 it reformed at RAF Pembrey in Wales for target-towing duties but in 1951 and it moved to RAF Binbrook in 1965 with the English Electric Lightning interceptor keeping these until 1987. It reformed on 1 April 2004, the first production Raytheon Sentinel R.1 made its maiden flight on 26 May 2004. The ASTOR system officially entered service with the No.5 Squadron on 1 December 2008, full Operating Capability was expected by the end of 2010. The new radar-equipped aircraft provides battlefield and ground surveillance for the British Army in a role to the American Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft. From 2009, the squadron also operated four Shadow R1 aircraft and these were transferred to 14 Squadron in 2011. 14 Squadron operates as part of 5 Squadron at RAF Waddington, from September 2014, the squadron has temporarily relocated to Cranwell along with 14 Squadron due to the resurfacing of RAF Waddingtons runway which will take over a year to complete. List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons RAF –5 Squadron
22.
No. 6 Squadron RAF
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No.6 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 at RAF Lossiemouth. The squadron officially reformed as a Typhoon squadron on 6 September 2010, No.6 Squadrons motto Oculi Exercitus and the badge depicting an eagle attacking a serpent were gained as a result of fighter defence of army units during the First World War. The squadron was formed on 31 January 1914, at Farnborough as No.6 Squadron and its first squadron commander was Major John Becke. The squadron had an aircraft inventory of two Royal Aircraft Factory B. E. 2s and two Farmans, with the squadron also initially incorporating a flight operating man-lifting kite. The cunningly coiled snake neatly sidestepped the regulations, Strange, hanging for dear life to the drum of the Lewis gun, managed to get back into the cockpit and right the aircraft within 500 ft of the ground. He returned to the aerodrome and quietly disappeared, sleeping for the best part of 24 hours, unfortunately for Strange, the German machine he had been firing at witnessed the whole incident and assumed that their brave attacker had perished. As was the custom, they dropped a wreath and with it a letter describing the manner of Stranges death, needless to say, his next invention was a pilots safety harness. Hawker died in 1916, after an epic battle with Baron von Richthofen. Other members of No.6 Squadron RFC included several men who went on to fame in the Second World War. Following the Armistice, the transferred to Iraq, arriving in July 1919. Operating in the army co-operation role in Northern Iraq, it was equipped with Bristol Fighters, the squadron remained there for ten years before moving to Egypt in 1929. At the same time, it re-equipped with Fairey Gordons and assumed the bomber role, following problems in Palestine, the squadron relocated there in 1938, reverting to the army co-operation role with Hawker Hardys, adding Gloster Gauntlets and Westland Lysanders later. Co-operation with ground units was vital during sorties around this time, during one mission, Flight Lieutenant McFall, carrying out a Lysander reconnaissance, located the enemy unit and then landed beside Allied gun batteries in order to direct the fire. Further action in the desert on anti-tank duties continued from 1942 until the end of the North African campaign, Flying the tank-busting,40 mm cannon-firing Hawker Hurricane Mk. IID, the squadron excelled over the desert, destroying many Axis armoured targets and this is where they earned the nickname The Flying Tin Openers. One of the commanders, Flight Lieutenant Pip Hillier was awarded the DFC after some 13 confirmed tank kills. Unfortunately, he was killed in August 1942 whilst demonstrating the squadrons tactics to the press and his DFC citation in the London Gazette states, Flight Lieutenant Philip Snowdon-Alexander HILLIER No.6 Squadron. In June,1942, this officer participated in 2 sorties against a column of armoured vehicles near Sidi Rezegh
23.
No. 7 Squadron RAF
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No.7 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook HC.6 from RAF Odiham, Hampshire. The squadron spent most of the First World War in observation and interception roles and was responsible for the first ever interception of an aircraft over Britain. It deployed to France in April 1915, flying Royal Aircraft Factory R. E. 5s for reconnaissance, although he successfully recovered the R. E.5 to allied lines, saving his observer, he died of his wounds a month later. The squadron re-equipped with B. E. 2s in 1916 and it disbanded at the end of 1919. It re-formed at RAF Bircham Newton on 1 June 1923 with the Vickers Vimy as a heavy bomber squadron. It started to receive the Vickers Virginia bomber on 22 May 1924, being the first RAF Squadron to operate Virginias, in 1927 it moved to RAF Worthy Down, commanded by Charles Portal, later to become Chief of the Air Staff during the Second World War. In 1932, Frederick Higginson, who became an ace in the Second World War, was assigned as a mechanic-gunner to the squadron. By this time, the elderly Virginia was obsolete, and in April 1935 they were replaced by the more modern Handley Page Heyford, which it won the Lawrence Minot trophy yet again in 1935. Part of the squadron was split off in October 1935 to form No.102 Squadron, in April 1937 the squadron received four Vickers Wellesleys to equip a flight which was again split off to form 76 Squadron. In March 1938 it replaced its Heyford biplanes with Armstrong Whitworth Whitley monoplanes and it re-equipped again in April 1939, with Handley Page Hampdens bombers replacing the Whitleys. In June 1939 it became a unit, preparing crews for the Hampden equipped 5 Group. On the outbreak of the Second World War, it continued to be used for training bomber crews and it flew on the 1000 bomber raids to Cologne, Essen and Bremen in May and June 1942. It was transferred to the Pathfinder Force in October 1942, with the job of finding and marking targets for the Main Force of Bomber Command bombers and it re-equipped with the Avro Lancaster from 11 May 1943, flying its first mission with the Lancaster on 12 July 1943. It continued in the Pathfinder role until the end of the war in Europe and it flew its last bomber mission on 25 April 1945 against Wangerooge, and dropped food to starving civilians in the Netherlands in May. While it was planned to fly 7 Squadron out to the Far East to join Tiger Force for air attacks against Japan, the squadron carried out 5,060 operational sorties with the loss of 165 aircraft. Fraser Barron After World War II it was equipped with Avro Lincoln bombers, based at RAF Upwood, the Lincoln was for several years the front line cold war bomber aircraft. It was used in the Malayan emergency, the Middle East, in 1970,7 Squadron again reformed, this time as a target squadron, flying the English Electric Canberra until January 1982. The squadron quickly reformed in the Support Helicopter role, receiving Chinooks HC. 1s in September 1982, the Chinook HC.2, equivalent to the US Army CH-47D standard, began to enter RAF service in 1993
24.
No. 8 Squadron RAF
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No.8 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing E-3D Sentry from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. The RAF AWACS fleet is made up of seven E-3Ds, with the UK designation Sentry AEW1, as No.8 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps it was formed at Brooklands, Surrey on 1 January 1915, equipped with the Royal Aircraft Factory B. E. 2c. The squadron moved to Gosport later in January for further training, operating from airfields near Saint-Omer, the squadron was initially used for bombing and long-range reconnaissance, carrying out flights of up to 100 miles behind the front lines. In February 1916 it moved to Bellevue and specialised in the Corps Reconnaissance role, carrying out contact patrols, the squadron flew in support of the Battle of the Somme in the summer of 1916 and the Battle of Arras in April–May 1917. It received the improved B. E. 2e from February 1917, armstrong Whitworth FK. 8s replaced the B. E. 2s in August 1917. On 12 August 1918, Captain Ferdinand Maurice Felix West of 8 Squadron was flying a F. K.8 on a patrol when he was attacked by seven German fighters. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for this action, in December 1918, a few weeks after the Armistice with Germany that ended the First World War, the Squadron re-equipped with Sunbeam Arab-engined Bristol F.2 Fighters. It served briefly in Germany as part of the British Army of Occupation, before moving back to the United Kingdom in July 1919,8 Squadron reformed at Helwan, near Cairo, Egypt, as a day-bomber squadron equipped with the Airco DH. 9A on 18 October 1920. It moved to Basra, Iraq in the Air Policing role, with the security of Iraq the responsibility of the RAF, in November–December 1923 the squadron was deployed against Marsh Arabs in the Mesopotamian Marshes. In February 1927, in response to unrest in Aden,8 Squadron was deployed to RAF Khormaksar, the squadron replaced its elderly DH. 9As with new Fairey IIIF light bombers from January 1928. It flew operations against Zaidi in February 1928 and against the Subaihi tribe, operations against the Subaihi involved destroying crops with incendiary bombs and bombing villages after giving warning so they could be evacuated. This pressure eventually forced the Subaihi to sue for peace, with the rebel chiefs paying fines, in April 1935, it re-equipped again with Vickers Vincents, a general purpose aircraft based on the Vickers Vildebeest biplane torpedo bomber replacing the Fairey IIIFs. The squadron started to receive Bristol Blenheim twin-engined monoplane bombers in April 1939, on 10 June 1940, Italy declared war on Britain and France. On 5 August 1940, Italy invaded British Somaliland, and 8 Squadrons Blenheims flew missions against advancing Italian troop columns, the Italians heavily outnumbered the British and Commonwealth defences, and the port of Berbera was occupied by the Italians on 19 August. The squadrons long association with the Middle East gave rise to the adoption of the Arabian Khunjah as the units badge, the unit continued to be based at RAF Khormaksar in Aden equipped with Bristol Blenheims. Vickers Wellington XIIIs were flown from December 1943 until May 1945 and it disbanded temporarily on 1 May 1945. On 15 May 1945 No.8 Squadron was reformed by renumbering No.200 Squadron at RAF Jessore in India, the squadron again disbanded on 15 November 1945. The unit was reformed at Khormaksar on 1 September 1946 by renumbering No.114 Squadron and these were replaced by the Hawker Tempest, and the Bristol Brigand
25.
No. 9 Squadron RAF
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No.9 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was the first in the service to receive the Panavia Tornado, which it currently operates from RAF Marham, Norfolk. No.9 Squadron was formed and disbanded twice during the First World War, the first incarnation was formed on 8 December 1914 at Saint-Omer in France from a detachment of the RFC HQ to develop the use of radio for reconnaissance missions, this lasted until March 1915. Re-formed at Brooklands on 1 April 1915 under the command of Major Hugh Dowding as a squadron, No.9 returned to France in December 1915. It flew reconnaissance and artillery spotting missions during the Battle of the Somme in 1916, while it started to receive Bristol Fighters in July 1918, it did not completely discard its R. E. 8s until after the end of the war. It was disbanded again in December 1919, the squadrons life as a bomber unit began on 1 April 1924, reforming at RAF Upavon, quickly moving to RAF Manston, with the Vickers Vimy. The squadron badge was approved by King Edward VIII in 1936, the squadron emblem is accordingly a bat, with the motto We Fly by Night In 1939 it became the third RAF squadron to receive the modern Vickers Wellington monoplane. The battleship Tirpitz had been moved into a fjord in Northern Norway where she threatened the Arctic convoys and was too far north to be attacked by air from the UK. She had already damaged by a Royal Navy midget submarine attack. But both attacks had failed to sink her and this fjord was in range of bombers operating from Scotland. There in October from a base in Scotland she was attacked again, finally on 12 November 1944, the two squadrons attacked the Tirpitz. The first bombs missed their target, but following aircraft scored three hits in quick succession causing the ship to capsize. All three RAF attacks on Tirpitz were led by Wing Commander J. B, willy Tait, who had succeeded Cheshire as CO of No.617 Squadron in July 1944. F/O Tweddle was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his part in the operations against the Tirpitz, F/O Tweddles DFC citation reads as follows, This officer has taken part in all three attacks on the battleship Tirpitz. He has shown great determination and the keenest enthusiasm to operate and bomb his target in spite of all the hazards of enemy opposition and bad weather. In the first attack he made the long and arduous journey to the Russian base, in the second attack he made the same endeavours to bomb the ship, and on the third occasion, unhampered by weather, launched his attack successfully. F/O Tweddle has always displayed courage and cheerful enthusiasm which has been of utmost value to his crew, whilst his captaincy and airmanship have consistently been of the highest order. In addition, F/O Tweddle undertook the extra hazard of wind finding for the Squadron, due to the sinking of the Tirpitz having been attributed to 9 Squadron, an intense rivalry developed between 617 and 9 Squadron after the sinking of the warship. After the War, the Lancasters were replaced by Avro Lincolns until 1952 and these aircraft were used during three months of operations in Malaya in 1956 and during the Suez Crisis
26.
No. 10 Squadron RAF
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No.10 Squadron is a Royal Air Force squadron. The squadron has served in a variety of roles over its 90-year history and it currently flies the Airbus Voyager in the transport/tanker role. Formed from a provided by No. It was disbanded on 31 December 1919 following the end of the war,4 Group of RAF Bomber Command. The squadron remained a part of No.4 Group throughout the war, re-equipping with the Halifax in December 1941. On 1 July 1966, the squadron reformed yet again and became the first to receive the new Vickers VC10 C.1, the unit moved to RAF Brize Norton in 1967, where it remained until disbanded in 2005. The C.1 differs from later marks of RAF VC10s in that they were delivered newly built as strategic transports, fourteen VC10 C. 1s were delivered to 10 Squadron between 1966 and 1967. The C.1 was a variant of the civil Standard VC10 fitted with the wing, the C.1 can carry 139 passengers in rear-facing seats, eight standard pallets or up to 78 medical evacuation stretchers. These VC10s were named after airmen who had awarded the Victoria Cross. The strengthened floor allowed the C.1 to transport 1,000 lb bombs for the Tornado GR1 force during the Gulf War, during the war,10 Sqn flew 1,326 sorties in more than 5,000 hours. The squadron also took part in most other operations involving British forces, including the 1982 Falklands War and the 2003 war in Iraq. Introduced as air transport aircraft, the VC10 C.1 fleet was modified in 1993 to allow it to operate in the AAR role as well, the aircraft were then known as VC10 C. 1s. The most visible role No.10 Squadrons VC10s have played is that of VIP transport, in the VIP role the C1s have flown the British Royal Family, government ministers and Prime Ministers around the world. Later the VC10 VIP role was phased out, VIP transport being carried out by chartered British Airways 767s and the RAF BAe 146 fleet. However, former Prime Minister Tony Blair reverted to the VC10 for more flights, notably during his diplomacy to Pakistan. The rationalisation of the VC10 force led to No.10 Squadron being disbanded in October 2005, the squadron was officially reformed on 1 July 2011. List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
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No. 11 Squadron RAF
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No.11 or XI Squadron is a Royal Air Force fighter squadron. The squadron operated the Tornado F3 until 2005 when it was disbanded and it was reactivated in 2006 to operate the Typhoon F2, receiving its first aircraft on 9 October 2006. Since all previous squadrons were reconnaissance or army units,11 can make a claim to be the oldest dedicated fighter squadron in the world. The squadron has had the honour of having two Victoria Cross winners serve in the unit, the Gunbus was already obsolete however, and was replaced by Royal Aircraft Factory F. E.2 fighters of similar layout, but higher performance, in June 1916. These in turn were replaced by Bristol Fighters in August 1917, the Squadron was disbanded at the end of 1919. No.11 Squadron numbered 19 flying aces in its ranks during the war, the twin Eagles on the Squadrons crest, awarded in May 1937, represent the two-seated fighters operated in the First World War. The Squadron reformed at RAF Andover in January 1923 as a day bomber squadron equipped with Airco DH. 9As, soon moving to RAF Bircham Newton in Norfolk. In April 1924, these were replaced by the Fairey Fawn despite the fact that they offered little improvement in performance over the DH. 9A and it replaced its Wapitis with Hawker Harts in February 1932, operations continuing as before. On 31 May 1935, the 1935 Balochistan earthquake devastated the city of Quetta, No.11 Squadron, along with other RAF squadrons in the region, were used to aid the relief effort following the disaster. The squadron received Blenheim I monoplane bombers in July 1939, moving to Singapore the next month, in April 1940 the squadron moved to India, and was briefly based at Karachi before was ordered to transfer to Aden due to the increasing likelihood of war with Italy. The first of the squadrons Blenheims reached Aden on 19 June 1940, nine days after Italy declared war on Britain, the squadron was heavily engaged in the early months of the Eastern Africa campaign, attacking Italian targets in Italian East Africa. In early 1941 the squadron was sent to reinforce the Royal Air Force squadrons in Greece, fighting in the Greek Campaign first against the Italians, the few surviving aircraft and crews were evacuated to Crete and then on to Palestine. After reforming, the served in the Syrian Campaign against the Vichy French. After returning to Egypt the squadron took part in Operation Crusader, redeployed to Colombo, Ceylon in early 1942, the squadron was involved in attacks on Japanese shipping. During 1943, the Squadron re-equipped with Hurricanes and moved to Burma in the attack role. By January 1943, Royal Australian Air Force personnel, or Australians serving in the RAF, at the time, the Australian personnel included the CO, W/Cdr Harley Stumm. 11 Squadron was one of the few RAF squadrons to fight against Italian, German, Vichy French, the Squadron formed part of the occupation forces in Japan from August 1945 to February 1948, when it disbanded. Reforming in Germany during October 1949, they flew Mosquitos, Vampires, the Squadron again disbanded in 1957, but reformed in January 1959 with Meteor night fighters
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No. 13 Squadron RAF
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No.13 or XIII Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force formed on 10 January 1915 and most recently disbanded on 13 May 2011. It reformed on 26 October 2012 flying the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle from RAF Waddington. Aircraft operated by the squadron included the Martinsyde G.100, the Royal Aircraft Factory F. E.2, the SPAD VII and SPAD XIII, from 1990 it operated the Panavia Tornado, initially the GR1A at RAF Honington and later the GR4/4A at RAF Marham. XIII Squadron formed at RAF Gosport on 10 January 1915 and moved to France on 19 October 1915, initially on Army co-operation duties and subsequently on bombing raids, pioneering formation bombing. Aircraft types operated during the war included the Martinsyde G.100, the Royal Aircraft Factory F. E.2, the squadron disbanded on 31 December 1919. By January 1939 the squadron was equipped with Lysanders and moved to France on 2 October until late May 1940 when it withdrew to UK bases. XIII Squadron changed role and theatre, flying a variety of aircraft including the Bristol Blenheim. Peace heralded the return to duties, originally with Mosquito then Meteors and Canberras, operating from Egypt, Cyprus. During the 1956 Suez Crisis, the squadron flew reconnaissance flights over Syria from Cyprus, the squadron reformed at RAF Honington on 1 January 1990 equipped with reconnaissance Tornado GR. 1A aircraft. The complete system is carried and allows the Navigator to either view the imagery in real time or later in the mission, as a result, on 15/16 January 1991, immediately before hostilities commenced,6 aircraft were deployed to Saudi Arabia. During the first nights of the War, the Reconnaissance Wing successfully discovered several of the elusive Scud sites, the majority of sorties were however, tasked into Central and Eastern Iraq to identify the disposition of the various Iraqi ground forces in preparation for the ground offensive. By the end of the War, some 128 reconnaissance sorties had flown by the detachment. However, this was not XIII Sqns only contribution to the coalition victory, in December 1990, the GEC-Ferranti TIALD pod existed in prototype form when it was decided to accelerate the development for possible use in the Gulf. 4 XIII Sqn crews began the work-up from mid-January and, after encouraging results, by the end of the War,72 successful TIALD missions had been flown. On 1 February 1994, No XIII Sqn moved to RAF Marham, since that time, the Sqn has taken part in a number of successful exercises around the world from Yuma in America to Penang, Malaysia. XIII Sqn crews joined the Ali Al Salem Combat Air Wing in early 2003, the squadron also flew the last sortie by a Tornado in support of Operation Telic in 2009. A few weeks later, on 13 May 2011, the squadron was disbanded as part of the reductions announced in the Strategic Defence, XIII Squadron was reformed on 26 October 2012 at RAF Waddington. Subsequently, the Squadron flew the first remote operational mission from UK soil towards the end of April 2013, list of RAF squadrons Halley, J. J
29.
No. 14 Squadron RAF
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No.14 Squadron of the Royal Air Force currently operates the Beechcraft Shadow R1 in the Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance role from RAF Waddington. No.14 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed on 3 February 1915 at Shoreham with Maurice Farman S.11 and B. E.2 aircraft. After a few months of training it departed for the Middle East in November of that year for Army co-operation duties during the Sinai. In 1916 the squadrons B. E. 2s were supplemented with a number of D. H. 1A two seat fighters for escort duties, with the type remaining in use until March 1917. Other fighters operated by the fighter flight included the Bristol Scout and Vickers FB.19. The squadron flew in support of British forces in the Third Battle of Gaza in late 1917 and it was recalled to the UK in January 1919 and disbanded the following month. On 1 February 1920 the squadron was reformed in Ramleh by renumbering No.111 Squadron, the squadron operated Bristol Fighters and used them for various duties including photo surveying and air policing. The squadron patrolled Trans-Jordan and Palestine for the next 20 years, the squadron fully equipped with DH. 9As in January 1926. Fairey IIIFs replaced the squadrons DH. 9As in November 1929, the Fairey Gordon, a radial engined derivative of the IIIF re-equipped the squadron in September 1932, being used for operations against Arab rioters during the 1933 Palestine riots. In March 1938, the squadron replaced its Gordons with Vickers Wellesley monoplane bombers, when World War II broke out the squadron was transferred to Egypt but soon returned to Amman. It lost its first Wellesley to Italian defences on 14 June during a raid against Massawa. The Squadron started to receive twin-engined Bristol Blenheims in September that year, flying its first Blenheim mission on 20 September, in March 1941 it carried out bombing raids in support of the assault on Keren. In April 1941, following the liberation of Addis Ababa, the squadron was sent to Egypt for operations over the Western Desert, on 7 July 1941, the squadron withdrew from the Western Desert, being based in Palestine and Iraq until it returned to Egypt in November 1941. On 17 August 1942,14 Squadron was withdrawn from operations to convert to the Martin Marauder, the squadron flew its first operational mission with the Marauder, a maritime reconnaissance mission on 26 October 1942. The squadron used its Marauders for ling-range maritime reconnaissance missions, minelaying and anti-shipping attack with torpedoes, the squadrons Marauders sank a Tanker with torpedoes on 19 January 1943 and two more merchant ships on 21 February. In March 1943, it started performing anti-submarine missions out of Algeria, basing detachments in Italy and Sardinia, the Squadron flew its last Marauder mission on 21 September that year, leaving its equipment behind when it transferred back to the UK. On its return to the UK, the squadron was based at RAF Chivenor and carried out anti-submarine mission over the Western Approaches and the Bay of Biscay using Vickers Wellington Mk. XIVs. The squadron was disbanded on 1 June 1945 but was reborn the same day
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No. 16 Squadron RAF
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No.16 Squadron is a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force. It formed in 1915 at Saint-Omer to carry out a mixture of offensive patrolling, the squadron reformed on 1 April 1924 and again took on a reconnaissance role which it continued throughout the Second World War. Post-war, the squadron was disbanded and reformed several times and was converted to a bomber squadron, equipped with the Tornado GR.1 from 1984 the squadron took part in the Gulf War in 1990. It was again disbanded in September 1991, before reforming in November 1991 as the Operational Conversion Unit for the Jaguar, with the Jaguars imminent withdrawal from service, the squadron disbanded once more in 2005. 16 Squadron reformed again and took on its current role on 1 October 2008, based at RAF Wittering, it instructs pilots in elementary flying using the Tutor. The Squadron was formed at Saint-Omer, France on 10 February 1915 from elements of Nos.2,6 and 9 Squadrons and it immediately began fighting in the First World War under Hugh Dowding. In September 1915 the author Duncan Grinell-Milne joined the squadron as a junior pilot, in 1933 he published an account of his time in the squadron. His portrait of Dowding is by no means a flattering one, disbandment occurred on New Years Eve 1919 followed by reformation at Old Sarum on 1 April 1924. Initially the Bristol Fighter was operated in the reconnaissance role. In May 1938 the Lysander arrived and the Squadron continued in its role in wartime France from April 1940. In May 1940 it returned to England and conducted roving sea patrols searching for downed aircrew and enemy forces. The Spitfire Mk V took over this role from September 1943, in the build-up to D Day, No 16 supplied photographs instrumental to the planning of the Allied landings. Afterwards reconnaissance continued to be provided until the end of the war, as East-West relations cooled, the Squadron reformed at Laarbruch on 1 March 1958 and would remain there until 1991. 16 Squadron maintained a permanent readiness state, tasked with meeting the Soviet threat, in the conventional phase. The Canberra B.8 equipped with nuclear weapons was operated for 14 years. It was during these years, whilst on exercise in Oman that the Squadron was presented with their new mascot and he was affectionately named Jonesy, after one of the Flt Cdrs of the time. It was rather unfortunate when, in 1975 the Deputy OC ran Jonesy over, there have been many attempts to acquire a new Squadron mascot but none have succeeded. The Canberra gave way to the Buccaneer S. 2B on 16 October 1972, the squadrons twelve Buccaneers were equipped with a variety of conventional weapons and eighteen British WE.177 nuclear bombs
31.
No. 17 Squadron RAF
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No.17 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was reformed in April 2013 as the Operational Evaluation Unit for the F-35 Lightning II, the first No.17 Squadron was formed in the Royal Flying Corps in February 1915 at Gosport. It served in the Middle East and it claimed 26 aerial victories, and had two flying aces, future Air Marshal Sir Gerald Gibbs and Gilbert W. M. Green, within its ranks. After a period of training embarked for Egypt in November, on 24 December, it began to make reconnaissance flights over the Turkish lines in Sinai, also flying in support of troops engaged with Turkish army units in the Western Desert. At first it was the only RFC unit in Macedonia but was joined by others in April 1918. For the rest of the war, it was engaged in tactical reconnaissance, in December 1918 the squadron re-equipped with twelve DH9s and six Camels, sending A Flight to Batum to support the White Russian forces and B and C Flights to Constantinople in January 1919. On 14 November 1919, No 17 was disbanded, reforming at Hawkinge on 1 April 1924, with Snipes No 17 formed part of the fighter defence of the UK until the outbreak of World War Two. In June 1939 Hurricanes were received and flew defensive patrols until the German attack on France in May 1940, fighter sweeps were then flown over the Netherlands, Belgium and French airfields to cover the retreat of allied troops. In June the squadron moved to Brittany as the remnants of BEF and RAF units in France were evacuated, No 17 flew over southern England throughout the Battle of Britain, being moved to northern Scotland in April 1941. In November 1941, the sailed for the Far East where war broke out in December. Diverted to Burma, it arrived in January 1942, as Japanese troops neared Rangoon, defensive patrols were flown until the Rangoon airfields were overrun and No 17 moved north, eventually being cut off from India while operating from Lashio. The surviving aircraft were out and the ground personnel made their way across Burma to the Indian border. By the end of May, the squadron had re-assembled at Calcutta, ground attack missions began in February 1943 and continued until August, when the squadron moved to Ceylon. Spitfires began to arrive in March 1944 and were back to the Burma front in November to fly escort. In June 1945, it was withdrawn to prepare for the invasion of Malaya and was taken by carrier to the beaches near Penang in early September soon after the Japanese capitulation. In April 1946, it arrived in Japan to form part of the Commonwealth occupation force until disbanded on 23 February 1948, after the war No.691 Squadron RAF was renumbered as No.17 Squadron. In recent history the squadron has played a part in the RAF forces in Germany operating Canberras, Phantoms, Jaguars. Their role was in support of forces in a high-intensity European war using conventional weapons initially
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No. 18 Squadron RAF
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No.18 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook HC.2 from RAF Odiham. No.18 Squadron was the first and is currently the largest RAF operator of the Chinook, owing to its heritage as a bomber squadron, it is also known as No.18 Squadron. The squadron was formed on 11 May 1915 at Northolt as part of the Royal Flying Corps. It arrived in France on 19 November 1915, principally equipped with the Vickers FB5 Gunbus, supplemented by a few Airco DH. 2s and Bristol Scouts, by April 1916 the squadron had re-equipped with FE2bs. Victor Huston became a flying ace piloting one of these. E. 2bs became more vulnerable during daylight operations. The squadron re-equipped with Airco DH. 4s from June 1917,18 Squadron was among many units deployed to stop the German attacks, resorting to low level attacks as well as more conventional medium level operations. George Darvill became an ace on DH. 4s, scoring nine victories, in September 1918, the squadron began to re-equip with Airco DH. 9As, this process continuing until November that year. By the end of the war, the squadron had claimed 200 air-to-air victories, the squadron returned to Britain in September 1919 and disbanded at Weston-on-the-Green on 31 December 1919. The squadron reformed at RAF Upper Heyford in Oxfordshire on 20 October 1931, in January 1936, the squadron moved to RAF Bircham Newton in Norfolk, with part of the squadron being detached to form No.49 Squadron on 10 February. In April 1936, the squadrons Harts were replaced by the improved Hawker Hind derivative, the squadron joined the newly established No.1 Group RAF in July 1936, and moved back to Upper Heyford in September 1936. 18 Squadron transferred to 2 Group on 1 January 1939, re-equipping with Bristol Blenheim I monoplane twin-engined bombers in May 1939. On the outbreak of the Second World War, No.18 Squadron along with 57 Squadron comprised No.70 Wing and was based at Upper Heyford. The wing was allocated for deployment to France as part of the BEF Air Component,18 Squadron reached France by the end of September 1939, commencing operations in October and re-equipping with Blenheim IVs in February 1940. When Germany invaded France and the Low Countries,18 Squadron took part in bombing missions against German troops as well as their envisioned reconnaissance missions. After the squadron was forced to change airfields three times in three days, it was ordered to back to England on 19 May, moving to RAF Watton in Norfolk. The Squadron was then assigned to anti-shipping duties, but during one raid over France in August 1941 and it was a spare for Wing Commander Douglas Bader. The Squadron then moved to North Africa with the Blenheim V, during an unescorted raid on Chouigui airfield in December 1942 led by Wing Commander Hugh Malcolm, his aircraft was shot down and he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. During 1943–45, No.18 Squadron supported the advance through Italy before moving to Greece in September 1945
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No. 24 Squadron RAF
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No.24 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the C-130J Hercules C.4 and C.5 from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The squadron was founded as No.24 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps on 1 September 1915 at Hounslow Heath Aerodrome and it arrived in France equipped with D. H.2 fighters in February 1916 – making it the worlds first single-seat fighter squadron. By early 1917 the DH.2 was outclassed and they were replaced by the Airco DH.5, the DH.5 did not prove suitable as a fighter but the squadron used it in a ground-attack role. One of the first actions was during the Battle of Messines, the DH.5 was phased out of operations and the squadron were given the SE. 5a in December 1917. After a few months in the role the squadron returned to air combat operations. By October 1918 the squadron had destroyed 200 enemy aircraft, with the armistice the squadron returned to England and was disbanded in February 1919. During the course of its existence, it had 33 flying aces among its ranks. It had to provide aircraft to transport VIPs and government officials, during the General Strike of 1926, because of the lack of a postal services, the squadron was used to deliver government dispatches around the country. It was soon in demand to provide air travel to royalty, during the 1920s the squadron used former wartime aircraft but it soon acquired more civil types better suited to the role. With the outbreak of the Second World War the squadron acquired more civil airliners which were impressed for wartime service and it provided a detachment in France to run a courier services, but with the withdrawal of British troops it was soon used to evacuate men back to England. Former British Airways and Imperial Airways aircraft were put to use on a network of communications flights including trips to Gibraltar, the squadron also performed ambulance flights when required. The squadron had grown into a large organisation not only with a network of routes around the United Kingdom and it also operated VIP transports including Sir Winston Churchills personal aircraft. It was decided to break the squadron up, the internal communication flight became 510 Squadron in October 1942, in June 1943 a second squadron, No. 512, equipped with Douglas Dakotas was split off from No 24 and this left 24 Sqn to concentrate on the long distance routes using the Avro York and C-47s. The long distance flights were taken over by squadrons and No.24 concentrated on short-range VIP duties using the Dakota. After many years the squadron had to leave RAF Hendon in February 1946 as the airfield was now to small to operate the larger Avro Yorks, the squadron was also designated a Commonwealth squadron with crews from various Commonwealth countries joining the squadron strength. Although it had a VIP role it still involved in the Berlin Airlift. When the squadron re-equipped with the Handley Page Hastings it soon lost the VIP business, in 1968 the squadron moved from RAF Colerne to RAF Lyneham and re-equipped with the Lockheed Hercules
34.
No. 27 Squadron RAF
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No.27 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook HC2 from RAF Odiham. 27 Squadron formed at Hounslow Heath Aerodrome on 5 November 1915, soon being equipped with Martinsyde Elephant fighter aircraft, hence the use of an elephant for the squadron badge. It started to receive DH.9 bombers in July 1918, the squadron was disbanded on 22 January 1920. On 1 April 1920, No.27 was reformed by re-numbering No.99 Squadron RAF then in India and these aircraft were eventually replaced by Westland Wapitis in 1928, when the squadron moved to Kohat. It was based in Malaya when the Japanese invaded, using its Blenheims as long range fighters, a new No.27 Squadron was formed in India on 19 September 1942, receiving Bristol Beaufighters, using them for ground-attack missions over Burma and anti-shipping strikes. In April 1943, the received a number of de Havilland Mosquitoes for evaluation. The glue-and-plywood construction of the otherwise excellent Mosquito proved to be less optimal for tropical Burma. Following the Japanese surrender, it was deployed to Batavia during the Indonesian War of Independence, on 24 November 1947, the squadron reformed at RAF Oakington as a Transport unit equipped with Douglas Dakota transports. It flew both routine scheduled transport routes and trained in glider towing, and took part in the Berlin Airlift in 1948–49 and it was disbanded on 10 November 1950. On 15 June 1953, No.27 Squadron reformed at RAF Scampton as part of RAF Bomber Command and it took part in the Suez Crisis in 1956, and was disbanded at RAF Waddington on 31 December 1957. In April 1961, the squadron reformed at RAF Scampton as the first squadron to be equipped with the Avro Vulcan B2 V bomber and formed part of the UK nuclear deterrent strike force. The squadrons Vulcans were equipped with the Blue Steel one megaton stand-off bomb until 1969 when their eight aircraft were each re-equipped with a WE. 177B laydown bomb of 450 kt yield. The samples were collected by flying through the high altitude dust cloud of a ground based test or the contamination of the upper atmosphere after an air burst. The squadron disbanded again at Scampton in 1982, the squadron reformed again at RAF Marham in 1983 with twelve Tornado GR1 aircraft and eighteen WE. The squadrons allocation of eighteen WE.177 weapons was because of the carrying capacity of the Tornado. In 1993 the squadron disbanded and immediately reformed as No.12 Squadron RAF which had just disbanded at RAF Marham and it regained full squadron status in January 1998 equipped with Chinooks only. In 2002 the squadrons Chinooks saw service in Afghanistan as they transported Royal Marines from 3 Commando Brigade for Operation Jacana. They also served in a role during the 2003 invasion of Iraq and was stationed at Basra as part of No.1310 Flight RAF
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No. 28 Squadron RAF
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No.28 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Puma and Chinook Helicopters from RAF Benson. No.28 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed on 7 November 1915 at RAF Gosport, initially a training squadron it became a fighter squadron equipped with the Sopwith Camel. After the end of the First World War it had claimed 136 victories and it numbered eleven flying aces among its ranks, including, future Air Vice-Marshal Clifford MacKay McEwen, William George Barker, Harold B. Hudson, James Hart Mitchell, Stanley Stanger, Arthur Cooper, Percy Wilson, Thomas Frederic Williams, the squadron was disbanded on 20 January 1920 at RAF Eastleigh however on 1 April 1920 it was reformed at RAF Ambala with the Bristol F2b Fighter. Remaining in Asia, during the Second World War it flew the Westland Lysander from September 1941, by 1943 the squadron was operating in Burma until July 1945 when it started to re-equip with the Supermarine Spitfire. After the Second World War the squadron operated as a unit as part of the Far East Air Force, moving to RAF Kai Tak. From then on the squadron was moved between Kai Tak and Sek Kong, and from January 1951 was re-equipped with the de Havilland Vampire. While at Kai Tak from May 1962 the squadron changed to flying Hawker Hunter FGA. 9s, the squadron was reformed on 1 March 1968 at Kai Tak from a detachment of No.103 Squadron RAF operating Westland Whirlwind HC 10s. The Westland Wessex HC.2 was introduced to the squadron from January 1972, on 17 May 1978 the squadron moved to RAF Sek Kong and stayed until 1996. The squadron returned to Kai Tak from then until the British withdrawal in June 1997 and was the last RAF squadron to leave the territory. The RAF ordered 22 Westland Merlin HC3 helicopters in March 1995, the squadron officially reformed on 17 July 2001 at RAF Benson, the first time in its recent history that the squadron had been stationed in the UK. The squadrons first operational role with the Merlin was in support of SFOR at Banja Luka, Bosnia, the aircraft and personnel deployed on 1 April 2003, the same day that an initial operational capability was declared for the Merlin. The detachment ceased on 31 March 2004 and the squadron began to prepare for operations in Iraq. The squadrons commitment to Operation TELIC began on 1 March 2005, in 2009 the squadron returned from Operation Telic and later on in the year deployed on Operation Herrick keeping the designation of 1419 Flight. The squadron returned during May 2013, on 3 December 2007 the squadron was broken up to form the RAF Merlin Force which comprises 28 Squadron, the newly reallocated 78 Squadron and the Merlin Force Engineering Squadron. This followed the purchase of six additional Merlin HC3As from Denmark via AgustaWestland. The commensurate increase in aircrew and engineering personnel would have made a single Merlin squadron too unwieldy, gilmour Wing Commander R. J. F. Smart AFC Squadron Leader M. I, hulyer MBIM Squadron Leader B. P. Simmonds BSc MInstP Squadron Leader G. R. Evans Squadron Leader S. D. Murkin Squadron Leader P. R
36.
No. 29 Squadron RAF
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No.29 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was first raised as a unit of the Royal Flying Corps in 1915, and is one of the worlds oldest fighter squadrons. The second British squadron to receive the Eurofighter Typhoon, it is currently the Operational Conversion Unit for the Typhoon and this unit was first raised as a reserve squadron, initially equipped with the Royal Aircraft Factory B. E. 2c, in November 1915. By late 1916 the DH.2 was outclassed by new German fighters, but No.29 kept its pushers until March 1917 and these were replaced with later Nieuport types, such as the Nieuport 24bis, as these became available. Due to a shortage of the Royal Aircraft Factory S. E. 5a the squadron retained its Nieuports until April 1918, at this time the squadron finally received the S. E. 5a, which it retained for the rest of the war. By the time of his death a few later, McCudden had 57 official victories in air combat. October 1918 was a month for the squadron, four of its more notable members died within a fortnight. Claude Melnot Wilson was the first to fall, on 14 October, roderic MacLean collided with Lieutenant Henry Coyle Rath on the 26th, with MacLean dying that day and Rath lingering until the next. Even as Rath was succumbing to his injuries, Guy Wareing was shot down on the 27th, after a short period with the army of occupation in Germany, the Squadron returned to the UK in August 1919 and was disbanded on 31 December 1919. The squadron ended the war having claimed 385 victories and these were replaced by Gloster Grebes in January 1925, In turn, these were replaced by the Armstrong Whitworth Siskin IIIA in March 1928 and Bristol Bulldogs in June 1932. In March 1935, nearly twenty years after it was first raised as a fighter squadron, the squadron received two-seater Hawker Demons. This included service in Egypt from October 1935 to 1936, during the Abyssinian crisis, the squadron also operated a few old Fairey Gordons for night patrols in Egypt. As part of the Royal Air Force’s modernisation and expansion in the late 1930s, No 29 began the Second World War with its Blenheims, which at the period operated as day fighters – especially on convoy protection patrols. From June 1940 it became a fighter squadron, receiving some of the first Beaufighters in November. Various marks of the de Havilland Mosquito were flown by the squadron from May 1943 culminating in the Mosquito NF30, from the middle of 1944 most of the squadron’s missions took it over the continent. During the immediate post-war years the squadron remained a night/all weather fighter unit, the Mosquitoes continued to serve until replaced by Gloster Meteor NF11s in August 1951. In November 1957 these were superseded by Gloster Javelins, in January 1957 the squadron moved north, first to Northumberland and then in July 1958 to Scotland, conversion to Javelins taking having taken place in November 1957. In February 1963 No 29 moved to Cyprus and in December 1965 went to Zambia for nine months on detachment during the Rhodesian crisis. In 1987,29 Squadron was one of the first RAF units to receive the Tornado F3, deploying to Saudi Arabia after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, No.29 flew the Tornado until disbanding in 1998, as part of the Strategic Defence Review
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No. 30 Squadron RAF
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No.30 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the second generation C-130J Hercules from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. The squadron operates alongside No.24 Squadron and No.47 Squadron all flying the Hercules, No.30 Squadron was formed for service in Egypt in October 1914 at Farnborough, but was not allocated the squadron number 30 until 24 March 1915. Initially a single flight of BE2s at Ismailia Airfield, on 24 August 1915, the Mesopotamian Half Flight, a unit of the Australian Flying Corps stationed in Mesopotamia was formally attached to 30 Sqn. For several months the Half-Flight, under Captain Henry Petre, had been flying operations in support of the Indian Army, against Turkish ground forces, in early 1915, the Australian Government received a request for assistance for air support from the British Government of India. The AFC was still in its infancy and could provide enough aircrews. All aircraft were to be provided by the Indian Government, Captain Henry Petre was appointed commander, before the half-flight sailed for Bombay. The Australians were augmented by personnel from the Indian Army and New Zealand, on 20 April, the half-flight left India for Mesopotamia to provide air support to Indian and British troops against the Ottoman Empire. The unit was known as the Upon its arrival in Basra on 26 May. These three biplanes were of a design, so-called because the propeller faced backwards, behind the cockpit and were already obsolete. In particular, they were not suitable for conditions, their top speed was only 50 mph. Secondly, the warmer air reduced aerodynamic lift, rendering the Farmans unable to take off on some occasions, in addition, the Longhorn was a second-hand aircraft with persistent mechanical problems, meaning that it spent many hours undergoing maintenance. Nevertheless, the half-flight was immediately put to use on reconnaissance missions, shortly afterwards, the Indian Army captured the town of Amarah, and the half-flight moved there on 9 June. On 4 July, the equipment was augmented with two Caudron G.3 aircraft, which were still not up-to-date, but generally preferred to the Farmans. On 30 July, one of the Caudrons was forced to land in enemy territory due to mechanical problems and it was later reported that the crew — Lieutenants George Pinnock Merz and W. W. A. Burn — were killed by armed civilians in a gun battle. They were Australias first military aviation casualties, the main body of 30 Sqn remained in Egypt for several weeks. Because the Tigris river was too shallow for the seaplanes to use at time of year. On 27 September, Kut was captured and the Half-Flight moved there, in October, four BE2c and their RFC crews arrived in Mesopotamia
38.
No. 31 Squadron RAF
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No.31 Squadron of the British Royal Air Force, known as the Goldstars, currently operates the Tornado GR4 from RAF Marham, Norfolk. The squadron was formed at Farnborough on 11 October 1915, in September 1919 BE2s were replaced by Bristol Fighters. In April 1939 the Squadron changed to the transport role. During 1941, the Squadron began to concentrate on transport duties with seconded DC-2s, returning to India the squadron re-equipped with the Dakota. After the Japanese invasion of Burma, it flew missions between Calcutta and Rangoon dropping supplies for the XIVth Army, after World War II the squadron moved to Java. In 1946 the Squadron was disbanded in Java and reformed at PAF Base Masroor, Mauripur Karachi, at the end of 1947 it was again disbanded, but reformed in July 1948. In 1955, the unit reverted to its previous identity, the squadron flew Canberras until 1971 when they were replaced by Phantoms.177 nuclear bombs from 1977 to 1984. Where their role was in support of forces in a high-intensity European war using conventional weapons initially. The squadron took delivery of Tornado GR1s in 1984, the apparent mismatch between aircraft numbers and WE. The squadrons nuclear strike role continued at RAF Bruggen until 1994. in 1991, No 31 Sqn was the lead Squadron of the Dhahran Tornado GR1/GR1A detachment during Op Granby. Wg Cdr Witts was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his actions,31 Sqn was the last RAF Squadron to be based at RAF Bruggen in Germany, before returning to the UK to be based at RAF Marham in August 2001. In 2003, within Operation Telic, during the Iraq War and his actions in command of the Squadron earned him the DSO. Now part of the Marham Wing,31 Squadrons aircraft and crews were part of the RAF Tornado force in the 1991 Gulf War and the Squadron has continued to fly on regular operations over Iraq. On 1 January 1995 the Squadron was declared operational in the Suppression of Enemy Air Defences role equipped with the Air Launched Anti Radiation Missile ALARM Anti Radiation Missile. While all Tornado GR. 4s are capable of carrying the ALARM Anti Radiation Missile, only 31, in this role they are known as Pathfinder squadrons. During 1999 the Squadron re-equipped with the Tornado GR4, in 199931 Sqn participated in Operation Engadine, NATO operations over the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. For the latter part of operation the Squadron was temporarily based in Corsica. In 2001 No 31 Squadron moved to RAF Marham, and in 2003 formed the core of the Ali Al Salem Air Combat Wing, operating over Iraq during Operation Resinate South and Operation Telic
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No. 32 Squadron RAF
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No.32 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates in the VIP and general air transport roles from RAF Northolt in Greater London. Originally formed in 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps, the squadron saw action during the First and Second World Wars with fighter aircraft, the Metropolitan Communications Squadron, involved in the VIP transport role, was renamed as No.32 Squadron at that time. In 1995, the squadron was merged with the Queens Flight, at this time the squadron moved from RAF Benson to RAF Northolt, where it remains. The merger ended the RAFs provision of dedicated VIP transport aircraft, two flights within the squadron operate the British Aerospace 146 and AgustaWestland AW109. No.32 Squadron was formed as part of the Royal Flying Corps on 12 January 1916 at Netheravon and moved to France as a fighter squadron equipped with Airco DH. 2s in May. These in turn began to be replaced by the S. E. 5a in December 1917 which were flown for the rest of the war on fighter, on 1 April 1918 No.32 became part of the new Royal Air Force. In March 1919, the returned to the UK as a cadre. During the war just ended, sixteen aces had served in its ranks, the squadron reformed on 1 April 1923 at Kenley as a single flight of Sopwith Snipe fighters. A second flight was formed on 10 December 1923 and a third brought the squadron up to strength on 1 June 1924, Gloster Grebes were received at the end of 1924 and were replaced by Gloster Gamecocks two years later. Equipped in succession with Armstrong Whitworth Siskins, Bristol Bulldogs and Gloster Gauntlets, following Operation Torch, the Anglo American invasion of North Africa, in December 1942,32 Squadron deployed with its Hurricanes to Algeria, converting to the Supermarine Spitfire by July 1943. Operations included a deployment to Greece, where the took part in the Greek Civil War from September 1944 to February 1945. After the end of the Second World War, the squadron continued as a squadron, flying Spitfires, Vampires and Venoms from bases in Palestine, Cyprus, Egypt, Persian Gulf, Malta. In January 1957, the converted to Canberra bombers at RAF Weston Zoyland, flying these from Cyprus. The Metropolitan Communications Squadron was formed on 8 April 1944 by the renaming of No.510 Squadron for VIP air transport, simultaneous with No.32 Squadron being disbanded in Cyprus in February 1969, the Metropolitan Communications Squadron was renamed No.32 Squadron. It operated a variety of aircraft, including Hawker Siddeley Andovers, the squadron acquired four HS.125 CC. 1s business jets in 1971. These would be supplemented and then replaced by two HS.125 CC. 2s delivered in 1973 and six BAe 125 CC. 3s delivered in 1982 and 1983, aérospatiale Gazelle helicopters served with the squadron from 1976 onwards. These were replaced by initially two Twin Squirrels in 1996, the RAF leased two BAe 146s in 1983 as a test of their suitability to replace the Andover, which were operated by 241 Operational Conversion Unit. Two BAe 146-100s were purchased in 1984 for the Queens Flight as a result, a third BAe 146 CC.2 was purchased in 1989 and delivered in 1990, although it was subsequently sold in 2002
40.
No. 33 Squadron RAF
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No.33 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Puma HC.2 from RAF Benson, Oxfordshire. No.33 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed part of 12 Sqn at Filton on 12 January 1916. 2s. Its headquarters were at Gainsborough, with its flights based on three stations, RAF Scampton, RAF Kirton in Lindsey and RAF Elsham Wolds, the FE. 2s were replaced by Bristol Fighters in June 1918, which were in turn replaced by night fighter Avro 504s in August. The squadron did not destroy any enemy airships, despite a number of interceptions and was disbanded in June 1919, in 1935, as part of Britains response to the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, the unit moved to Egypt, taking part in air policing in Palestine. In February 1938, the squadron re-equipped with Gloster Gladiators, changing role to a fighter squadron, with the exception of a time in Greece and Crete in 1941,33 Sqn remained in the Middle East for most of World War II.32. It suffered its first losses of the war five days later in a combat with Fiat CR. 42s, the squadron re-equipped with Hurricanes in October 1940, allowing it to intercept the Italian SM.79 bombers, which were faster than the Gladiator. It was withdrawn from the fighting in January 1941, in order to help resist the Italian invasion of Greece. The Squadron returned to support the Army in the Western Desert, including at the Battle of El Alamein, returning to the UK in 1944 the squadron flew the Spitfire IX as part of 2 TAF, carrying out a mix of escort and fighter-bombing missions. It flew fighter support for the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944, moving to France in October 1944 and it re-equipped with the Hawker Tempest in December, returning to action from Gilze-Rijen in February 1945, flying fighter sweeps in North West Europe. The squadron remained in Germany until 1949, over 200 air kills were claimed 1940–45. It re-equipped with twin-engined de Havilland Hornets in 1951, disbanding in March 1955 and it re-equipped with Gloster Javelins in April 1958, at RAF Middleton St George, being disbanded again on 18 November 1962. A number of types were operated during several disbandments and reformations throughout the late 1950s, in April 1965,33 Squadron became a Bloodhound surface-to-air missile unit based at Butterworth in Malaya, being disbanded in February 1969. Formed in 1971 at RAF Odiham as the RAFs first Puma squadron and these include the Gulf War of 1991 and Operation Agricola, the NATO Kosovo Force, Operation Barwood in Mozambique, NATO operations in Bosnia and in Iraq during Operation Telic. The squadron is part of the RAF Support Helicopter force, which reports into the Joint Helicopter Command, in August,2007, a crash of a 33 Squadron Puma left three personnel dead out of twelve on board in Catterick Garrison. The inquest coroner called 33 Squadron a sloppy outfit, that allowed a crew to operate the helicopter. A court-martial of the stated that the officers on this board are shocked at the lack of professional standards displayed by those responsible for the aircraft. The Puma HC1 was withdrawn from service in December 2012 and is being replaced with the HC2 under a Life Extension Programme, the first Puma HC. 2s have been delivered to the Puma Force and operational flying has begun by 33 Squadron and 230 Squadron. On 11 October 2015, one member of the squadron was killed in an accident in Kabul, Afghanistan, whilst landing at the NATO Training
41.
No. 39 Squadron RAF
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No.39 Squadron of the Royal Air Force has operated the MQ-9 Reaper since 2007. It currently operating from RAF Waddington,39 Squadron was founded at Hounslow Heath Aerodrome in April 1916 with B. E. 2s and Royal Aircraft Factory B. E. 12s in an attempt to defend against German Zeppelin raids on London. On 23 September 1916, the German Navy launched another Zeppelin raid against London, in October 1918 it was re-equipped with Royal Aircraft Factory F. E. 2b aircraft and sent to France for night bombing, but was disbanded five days after the Armistice. It was reformed on 1 July 1919, when 37 Squadron based at Biggin Hill was renumbered, the squadron was reduced to a cadre in December 1919, but did not disband, and in April 1921 it was decided to return the Squadron to operations. By May that year, the squadron was manned and received a number of Avro 504 to train aircrew in preparation for operating more warlike aircraft. These arrived in February 1923 when the Squadron, now based at RAF Spitalgate in Lincolnshire received 18 Airco DH. 9As, in January 1928, the squadron moved from Spitalgate to RAF Bircham Newton in Norfolk, where it began to prepare to a prospective move to British India. In December 1929 it left the United Kingdom, leaving behind its DH. 9As to equip 101 Squadron and it arrived at Risalpur, North-West Frontier Province India at the end of January 1929, receiving its complement of twelve Westland Wapitis in March that year. It was used for Air Policing in the North West Frontier, carrying out bombing missions against rebelling tribemen and their villages, and support for the army. Major military operations included support of the Second Mohmand Campaign of 1935 against hostile tribemen in Mohmand Territory, in 1939 the squadron re-equipped with more modern Bristol Blenheim I twin-engined monoplane bombers. As the threat of war increased, it was decided to strengthen British defences in the Far East by moving 39 Squadron to Singapore, on that day, Italy declared war on Great Britain and France, and No. In January, however, the squadron was ordered to recall the three aircraft detachment and hand over the squadrons Blenheims to 11 Squadron, which was to deploy to Greece. To replace its Blenheim IVs,39 Squadron received Martin Maryland bombers, originally built for the French Air Force, owing to the long range of the Maryland,39 Squadron used it mainly for reconnaissance. The squadron was deployed during the Battle of Crete, claiming at least two Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft shot down in the course of its operations during the battle. In August–September 1941, the squadron converted to the Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber for anti-shipping operations. At first the Squadrons Beauforts were armed with bombs but from January 1942 it added torpedo attack to its roles, in late 1941 the unit was split up. One flight moved to Luqa, Malta in December 1941, six months later this flight was combined with others from 86 and 217 Squadrons to eventually form a new 39 Squadron. In 1943 the unit re-equipped with Bristol Beaufighter aircraft in the attack role. During the Greek Civil War, it sent rocket-armed aircraft to participate in RAF operations, in December 1944, it re-equipped with Martin Marauders, flying medium bombing missions in support of Titos Partisans
42.
No. 41 Squadron RAF
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No.41 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is currently the RAFs Test and Evaluation Squadron, based at RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire. Its official title is 41 TES, the squadron was formed in 1916 during First World War as part of the Royal Flying Corps and served on the Western Front as a ground attack and fighter squadron. During the Second World War, the squadron flew Supermarine Spitfire fighters and saw action over Dunkirk, Combat operations were flown from Britain over German-occupied Europe during 1941–44, before the squadron moved to the continent after the Normandy landings. During 1944–45, the supported the Allied advance into Germany. In the post war years, the squadron was disbanded and re-formed several times, operating a variety of jet aircraft in the fighter, reconnaissance, in 2006, the squadron was re-roled as the Fast Jet & Weapons Operational Evaluation Unit. It remained in this role until 2010 when it became the RAFs Test, No.41 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was originally formed at Fort Rowner, RAF Gosport, in mid April 1916 with a nucleus of men from 28 Squadron RFC. These were replaced in early September 1916 with the Royal Aircraft Factory F. E.8, eighteen aircraft departed Gosport for the 225-mile flight to St. Omer, but only 12 actually made it, the others landing elsewhere with technical problems. The 12 pilots spent a week at St. Omer before moving to Abeele, where the crews reached them by road. The F. E.8 was already obsolete as a pure fighter, on 24 January 1917, the Squadron claimed its first victories. These fell to Sgt Plt Cecil Tooms, who himself was killed in action only four hours later, while equipped with F. E. 8s, the Squadron participated in the Battle of Arras and the Battle of Messines. By this time the unit had become the last pusher fighter squadron in the RFC, the Squadron provided distinguished service in the Battle of Cambrai, and subsequently in the German Spring Offensive, and the Battle of Amiens. 41 Squadron claimed its final victory of the war two days prior to the cessation of hostilities, in the aftermath, the unit was reduced to a cadre of just 16 men on 7 February 1919 and returned to the United Kingdom. Their new base was Tangmere, but they were moved to Croydon, Surrey, in early October, the unit had a remarkable number of Canadian aces in it—ten out of the seventeen. The Squadrons pilots and ground crews were awarded four DSOs, six MCs, nine DFCs, the pilots were credited with destroying 111 aircraft and 14 balloons, sending down 112 aircraft out of control, and driving down 25 aircraft and five balloons. Thirty-nine men were killed or died on service,48 were wounded or injured. The squadron reformed at RAF Northolt on 1 April 1923, equipped with the Sopwith Snipe, in 1924, it began receiving the first Armstrong Whitworth Siskin III biplanes. Amongst the dead were the Secretary of State for Air, Brig. Gen. Lord Christopher Thomson PC CBE DSO, thousands filed past to pay their last respects. During the 1930s, displays, sports, competitions, tactical exercises, in the summer of 1934,41 Squadron even performed a flying display for South Bucks Mothers Union
43.
No. 45 Squadron RAF
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45 Squadron is a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was established on 1 March 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps, formed during World War I at Gosport on 1 March 1916 as Number 45 Squadron, the unit was first equipped with Sopwith 1½ Strutters which it was to fly in the Scout role. Deployed to France in October of that year, the Squadron found itself suffering heavy losses due to the quality of its aircraft and this did not change until it transitioned to the Sopwith Camel in mid-1917. Transferred to the Austro-Italian front at the end of 1917,45 Squadron there engaged in ground attack, assigned to the Independent Air Force,45 Squadron provided long-range bomber escort till the end of the war. During the course of the war, some thirty flying aces had served in the squadrons ranks and they included future Air Vice-Marshal Matthew Frew, Cedric Howell, Geoffrey Hornblower Cock, future Air Commodore Raymond Brownell, John C. B. Harries, Alan Rice-Oxley, Earl Hand, Sir Arthur Harris, 1st Baronet, John Pinder, in 1919 the Squadron returned to England and disbanded. In April 1921 it reformed at Helwan, Egypt, during the mid-war years the unit transitioned to DH9As and Fairey IIIs and then a combination of Hawker Harts, Vickers Vincents and Fairey Gordons. At some point the unit adopted the nickname The Flying Camels, the Squadron Badge is a winged camel, approved by King Edward VIII in October 1936. The badge and nickname derive from the Sopwith used by the unit in World War I, at the start of World War II,45 Squadron converted to Bristol Blenheims. The following day, the participated in an attack on shipping at Tobruk. During late 1940 the squadron supported Allied ground forces in the East African Campaign, while based at Gura and his successor was acting Sqn Ldr Patrick Troughton-Smith. After returning to North Africa, the squadron operated against Italian and German forces in Libya, Egypt, from mid-1942 the unit was deployed to Burma and India, for service against the Japanese. Three aircraft from the Squadron participated in the first Allied bombing raid against Bangkok, during its time in India and Burma,45 Squadron converted to Vultee Vengeance dive-bombers, followed by de Havilland Mosquitos. During World War II, it one of only a few Allied units to have engaged German, Italian, Vichy French. 45 Squadron included a significant number of Royal Australian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel, after the Second World War,45 Squadron served in the Malayan Emergency, flying out of RAF Station Tengah on the island of Singapore. There the unit engaged in ground operations against Communist Terrorists engaged in a Chinese backed insurgency. Dubbed Operation Firedog, these lasted for 12 years until the successful conclusion of the war. The unit also engaged in operations to quell unrest on the Sarawak coast in British North Borneo during this time period, the unit also had service aircraft, including the Bristol Buckmaster and the Harvard
44.
No. 47 Squadron RAF
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No.47 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Lockheed C-130 Hercules from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, England. No. K. 3s, FK. 8s and Royal Aircraft Factory BE. 12s and it retained a mixture of aircraft, with two flights being used for reconnaissance and bombing while the third flight operated fighters. When the German battlecruiser Goeben ran aground near outside the Dardanelles after the Battle of Imbros, despite continual attacks from these and other aircraft little damage was done to the Goeben owing to the light bombs used. On 1 April 1918, the Royal Flying Corps became part of the Royal Air Force, and the fighter flights of both 47 Squadron and No.17 Squadron were detached to form 150 Squadron. After the end of World War I, in April 1919, while the RAFs ostensible mission was purely to provide training to Denikins forces, No.47 Squadron was included in the mission in order to carry out operational sorties. It was equipped with a mixture of aircraft, with flights equipped with Airco DH.9 and DH. 9A bombers, the squadrons flights operated independently, carrying out bombing and strafing missions against Bolshevik forces. One notable incident occurred on 30 July 1919, when, during an attack by C Flight DH. 9s on Bolshevik gunboats at Tcherni-Yar, the DH.9 flown by William Elliot was shot down. On seeing this, the DH. Anderson and Mitchell were recommended for the Victoria Cross for this action, No.47 Squadron was disbanded on 7 October 1919, being re-designated A Squadron, Royal Air Force Instructional Mission, South Russia. Although it was not a unit, the squadron did have at least two aces serve in it, Samuel Kinkead and Charles D. B. Green. On 1 February 1920 the squadron was re-formed at RAF Helwan in Egypt when 206 Squadron was re-numbered and it was a day bomber squadron equipped with the DH.9, re-equipping with Airco DH. 9As in 1921. One of the duties was policing in Sudan and the squadron detached aircraft to Khartoum. Another important task carried out during the Squadrons early years in Egypt was to survey and mark out the route of the Cairo to Baghdad air route. In October 1927 the squadron moved completely to Khartoum and in December it discarded its aging DH. 9As in favour of Fairey IIIFs, becoming the first Squadron to receive this aircraft. The squadron co-operated with the Sudan Defence Force, regularly carrying out patrols, while a flight of IIIFs was fitted with floats, flying patrols over the River Nile. It also continued to carry out long range flights, flying from Egypt to The Gambia in 1930, the Squadron replaced its IIIFs with Fairey Gordons in January 1933, continuing its operations in support of the Sudan Defence Force and floatplane patrols over the Red Sea. In July 1936 the squadron re-equipped with the Vickers Vincent, although some float-equipped Gordons were kept until June 1939, in June 1939 the squadron started to operate the Vickers Wellesley monoplane, retaining a flight of Vincents for Army co-operation purposes. To counter Italian forces entering the war the squadron moved north to Erkowit, the Vincent equipped D Flight was split off to form No.430 Flight in August 1940, that flight continuing in support of Orde Wingates Gideon Force. It flew its first anti-shipping strikes against enemy convoys supplying the Afrika Korps in Libya on 8 October 1942 and it carried on operating Beauforts on anti-shipping as well as convoy escort duties until 1943
45.
No. 51 Squadron RAF
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No.51 Squadron of the Royal Air Force most recently operated the Nimrod R1 from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire until June 2011. Crews from No.51 Squadron trained alongside the United States Air Force on the RC-135W Rivet Joint, which entered service with the RAF in 2014under the Airseeker project. 51 Squadron Royal Flying Corps flew B. E.2 and B. E.12 aircraft, the squadrons primary role during the First World War was defence of the UK against German Zeppelin raids. It also used the Avro 504K to give night flying training to new pilots, the squadron was reborn when part of 150 Squadron was renumbered as 51 Squadron in March 1937, flying Virginias and Ansons. At this time the badge was being chosen and a goose was chosen as a play on words, the squadron was flying the Anson. It was also appropriate for a unit to have a heavy wild fowl to represent it. 51 Squadron dropped leaflets over Germany on the very first night of the Second World War, using the Whitley aircraft, a brief period as part of Coastal Command patrolling against the U-Boats in the Bay of Biscay preceded the re-equipment with the Halifax in 1942. 51 spent the rest of the war in Europe flying as part of No.4 Group RAF, RAF Bomber Commands strategic bombing offensive against the Nazis, operating from RAF Snaith in East Yorkshire. The squadron became part of Transport Command with Stirlings and later Yorks following the end of the European war, transporting men and material to India, the squadron disbanded in 1950, after taking part in the Berlin Airlift. The squadron again reformed in the Special Duties role when No.192 Squadron RAF was renumbered at RAF Watton on 21 August 1958 and it was only following the end of the Cold War that the signals intelligence role of the squadron was publicly recognised. Signals intelligence encompasses both Electronic Intelligence and Communications Intelligence, the squadron flew this role using de Havilland Comets and English Electric Canberras, the former being replaced by a modified version of the Hawker-Siddeley Nimrod in 1974. Three of the Canberras were retired from service in 1974, with the final Canberra following in 1976, a move to RAF Waddington occurred in 1995 after RAF Wyton changed its role from an operational flying RAF station. Several of the organisations, EWOSE and EWAD, EWTU relocated at the same time. One of the three Nimrods on strength was retired at the end of November 2009 with the two remaining in service until June 2011. The Nimrods will be replaced by three Boeing RC-135W Rivet Joint aircraft starting in 2014, in January 2011 personnel from 51 Squadron began training at Offutt Air Force Base in the US for conversion to the RC-135. Crews will deploy on joint missions with the USAF 343rd Reconnaissance Squadron until the new aircraft are available,51 Squadron is currently deployed, and will if necessary temporarily relocate to RAF Mildenhall due to the resurfacing of the runway at Waddington
46.
No. 54 Squadron RAF
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No.54 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It is a squadron based at RAF Waddington, England. The squadron was previously a SEPECAT Jaguar strike fighter unit, operating from RAF Coltishall, since September 2005 the unit has been formally titled 54 Squadron. No.54 Squadron was formed at Castle Bromwich on 5 May 1916, like many others formed at the same time, was tasked with Home Defence duties flying BE2Cs and Avro 504s. Four months later, however, it re-equipped with Sopwith Pups and it moved to France as a day fighter squadron in December 1916. It was initially used as for bomber escort, claiming its first kill, an Albatros D. III, in April 1917, the German Spring Offensive saw a return to low level attack missions, carrying out both ground attack and fighter missions until the end of the War. In February 1919, the Squadron returned to RAF Yatesbury, reduced to cadre status and was disbanded on 25 October 1919, eleven flying aces had served in the squadron. They included Ernest James Salter, Henry Maddocks, George Hackwill, Frank Hudson, Francis Kitto, Oliver Sutton, Michael Gonne, George Hyde, Reginald Maxwell, Oliver Stewart, the squadron had a brief stay at RAF Upavon in 1931, prior to returning to RAF Hornchurch. The Bulldogs were replaced by Gloster Gauntlets, in September 1936 and Gladiators in April 1937, before the Squadrons first monoplane, from July, the Squadron was heavily engaged in the Battle of Britain, often using RAF Manston as a forward operating base. The fighting was intense, and losses were heavy, with the Squadron being withdrawn to RAF Catterick on 2 September 1940. One notable pilot during the first year of the year was Al Deere, in June 1942, the squadron was moved to RAF Wellingore, to prepare for moving to Australia. It joined No.1 Wing of the Royal Australian Air Force, No.54 Squadron arrived at RAAF Station Darwin on 17 January. Initially, the wing as a whole suffered from the inexperience of its pilots, although contact with the Japanese was generally brief,54 Squadron pilots scored a number of kills. Following the end of the war, the disbanded in Melbourne on 31 October 1945. Ldr. M Gibbs –13 August 1942 Sqn. Ldr, in 1948, six Vampires from the Squadron made history when they completed the first crossing of the Atlantic by jet aircraft. Reequipped with Mk 6s as part of No 38 Group, frequently deploying to trouble spots around the world as part of the Groups Offensive Strike Wing, the Squadron was the first jet RAF formation team to trail smoke with a team of six Vampires. In 1955, No 54 Squadron flew a formation of four Hawker Hunter F1 aircraft, the following year the Squadron team adopted the name The Black Knights – the pilots wore black flying suits. They re-equipped to Mk9s gradually as the squadron relocated from RAF Odiham to RAF Stradishall in July 1959 with Hunter Mk9s and to RAF West Raynham, Norfolk, in 1963
47.
No. 56 Squadron RAF
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Number 56 Squadron is one of the oldest and most successful squadrons of the Royal Air Force, with battle honours from many of the significant air campaigns of both World War I and World War II. As 56 Squadron it is now an Air Command and Control Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operational Evaluation Unit, the squadron was formed on 8 June 1916 and was posted to France in April 1917 as part of the Royal Flying Corps. The squadron was equipped with the brand new S. E.5 fighter. Although there was no truth in these rumours, the squadron did shoot down, during the course of the war, forty of the squadrons pilots were killed in action, twenty wounded and thirty-one taken prisoner. The squadron was disbanded and reformed several times between the wars, only days after being disbanded 22 January 1920,80 Squadron was renumbered 1 February 1920 to 56. The squadron was disbanded again 23 September 1922, however, one Flight was hastily reformed on 26 September and this flight was officially attached to 208 Squadron and remained in Turkey until August 1923. However it continued to use the 56 numberplate, even though the Squadron had reformed officially in November 1922 at RAF Hawkinge, the squadron finally settled at RAF North Weald in 1927, where it remained until the end of 1939 and the start of the Second World War. Equipment included, Sopwith Snipes Gloster Grebes, Armstrong Whitworth Siskins, Bristol Bulldogs, Gloster Gauntlets, Gloster Gladiators, No.56 Squadrons introduction to the war came on 6 September 1939. The squadron, then based at RAF North Weald, were the victims of a fire incident known as the Battle of Barking Creek. Two pilots of the squadron were shot down and one, P/O Montague Hulton-Harrop, was killed, the squadron ended the campaign by covering the Dunkirk evacuation. As part of No.11 Group RAF, the squadron was based at North Weald and it was heavily involved in the fighting in the south of England during August, although the squadron moved to RAF Boscombe Down at the beginning of September. It was one of the few fighter squadrons to remain based in the south of England continuously through the battle, based at RAF Duxford and operating Hurricanes, it recommenced missions in 1941 as an Indian gift squadron over the continent, including escorting bombers raiding targets in German-occupied France. In September 1941 the squadron became the first unit to receive the Hawker Typhoon which, although troublesome to begin with, throughout 1942 and 1943 the unit was based with No.12 Group RAF at RAF Matlaske in Norfolk. During this time 56 Squadrons role changed from that of defence against Fw 190 and Bf 109 fighter-bomber attacks into becoming fighter bombers themselves, attacking ground. 56 Squadron was to one confirmed victory on Typhoons. In 1944 the squadron moved to RAF Newchurch and converted to the Hawker Tempest Mk. V, s/L Higginson left the squadron at this time, due to his knowledge of the pilot escape routes in France, his total victory count, all with No. As a unit of No.150 Wing RAF, under the command of Wing Commander Roland Beamont,56 Squadron was an air defence squadron, involved in defending Britain from V1 flying bombs. Between 70 and 77 1⁄2 of these were shot down before a transfer to advance landing ground B.60 at Grimbergen in Belgium on 28 September as part of 122 Wing, Second Tactical Air Force
48.
No. 57 Squadron RAF
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No.57 Squadron RAF is a Royal Air Force flying training squadron. On 16 December 1916 the squadron arrived at St. André-aux-Bois in France, by April 1917 the F. E. 2d was obsolete, and the squadron suffered heavy losses supporting the British offensive at Arras. Examples included the loss of five F. E. 2s in combat with a formation of German two-seaters on 6 April, the squadron re-equipped with more modern Airco DH4s in May 1917, changing role to long-range bomber-reconnaissance. After training on the new type, the squadron commenced operations near Ypres in June of that year, moving to Droglandt on 12 June, the squadron joined the 27th Wing, part of the Fifth RFC Brigade, to support the British Army at the Ypres Offensive. The squadron was deployed against the German Spring Offensive of 1918, attacking railway targets, from August 1918, the squadron carried out operations in support of the series of Allied offensives against the Germans that became known as the Hundred Days Offensive. It was one of the few units to produce flying aces. William Edward Green scored nine wins, James Grant and Forde Leathley eight, E. Graham Joy seven, in total, the squadron claimed 166 German aircraft during the war, dropping 285 tons of bombs and taking 22,030 photos. Following the Armistice the squadron was assigned to mail carrying duties before returning to the UK in August 1919 and it was based at RAF South Carlton from 4 August 1919 as a cadre before being disbanded on 31 December 1919. A second flying unit of the Royal Flying Corps designated 57 Squadron existed concurrently with the squadron in France. No.57 Training Squadron was formed at Ismaïlia in December 1916, equipment included the Armstrong Whitworth FK.8, the Avro 504, Farman MF.7 Longhorns and Farman MF.11 Shorthorns. As part of an expansion of training in Egypt,57 Training Squadron became No.17 Training Depot Station. The squadron re-formed at Netheravon on 20 October 1931 equipped with the Hawker Hart single-engined light bomber and it moved to RAF Upper Heyford on 5 September 1932. Another highlight was participation in the Royal Review of the RAF by King George V at RAF Mildenhall, the squadron started to receive the Hawker Hind, an improved development of the Hart, in March 1936, replacing the Hart by May 1936. On 1 May 1936 the squadron joined the newly established No.1 Group RAF, the squadron re-equipped with Bristol Blenheim Mk I twin-engined monoplane bombers from March 1938, discarding its last Hinds in May that year. The squadron joined 2 Group on 1 January 1939, training for both anti-shipping missions and low-level close support operations, after a brief stay at Wyton the squadron moved to Scotland to commence anti-shipping strikes against the coast of Norway. The squadron moved to Feltwell in November 1940 to re-equip with the Vickers Wellington, in September 1942 the squadron moved to Scampton and converted to Avro Lancasters. This was followed by a move to East Kirkby in August 1943 from where it operated for the remainder of the war, during the War the squadron flew 5151 operational sorties and lost 172 aircraft. The squadron was re-formed on 26 November 1945 at RAF Elsham Wolds by re-numbering of 103 Squadron, it operated the Lancaster I and II and the Avro Lincoln
49.
No. 60 Squadron RAF
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No.60 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed in 1916 at Gosport. It is currently part of the Defence Helicopter Flying School based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire, the squadron crest is a markhors head and was approved by King George VI in December 1937. Chosen to commemorate many years of service in North-West India, the markhor being a mountain goat frequenting the Khyber Pass, the horns of a markhor were presented to the squadron in 1964. The squadron motto is Per ardua ad aethera tendo - I strive through difficulties to the sky, formed at Gosport on 30 April 1916, barely a month had passed before the unit and its Morane-Saulnier Ns were despatched to France. After suffering heavy losses during the Battle of the Somme, the squadron re-equipped with Nieuport Scouts, on 2 June 1917, Captain W. A. A month later, S. E.5 fighters arrived, the squadron claimed 320 aerial victories. Chidlaw-Roberts John Doyle Art Duncan Gordon Duncan William M. Fry John Griffith Harold A. Hamersley H. George Hegarty Spencer B, the squadron moved to Burma in February 1941. After the outbreak of war against Japan the squadron fought in Malaya, two aircraft, L4912 and L4915, remained in Burma. Both were Blenheim Mk 1s and they were destroyed on 20 and 21 January 1942 respectively, L4912 had been damaged beyond repair during a mission in Burma and L4915 was destroyed by enemy bombing. When the war against Japan broke out on 8 December 1941 No.60 Squadron was ordered to attack Japanese shipping near Kota Baru, l4913 was shot down by Japanese anti-aircraft fire over the Gulf of Siam while attacking the Awagisan Maru. The pilot, Flight Lieutenant William Bowden, survived the crash and he was the first allied airman captured by the Japanese. He was imprisoned at the Zentsuji POW Camp where he remained until late June 1945 and he was then transferred to Tokyo No. 12D Camp at Mitsushima where he was freed in September 1945. On 24 December 1941 the remnant of squadrons ground crew and a few of its air crew, having lost all their aircraft in action, sailed from Singapore on the SS Darvel to Burma. They arrived in Rangoon on 1 January 1942 and were joined on 7 January 1942 by No.113 Squadron, No.60 Squadrons spare aircrew were assigned to No.113 Squadron as needed. Because the three squadrons lacked both aircraft and supplies they were able to put more than seven aircraft up at one time. No.60 Squadrons Blenheim aircrews manned No.113 Squadrons planes for the first bombing raid on Bangkok, the squadron had suffered heavily at the hands of the advancing Japanese forces and was declared non-operational and moved to Asansol, India along with No.45 and 113 Squadrons. Once in India the squadron was re-equipped with Blenheim Mk IVs, while returning to India from Burma after a bombing mission to Sitwe, Burma on 22 May a Blenheim the squadron was attacked by Nakajima Ki-43 fighters from 64 Sentai
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No. 70 Squadron RAF
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No.70 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is the first operational unit to use the new Airbus A400M Atlas. The squadron was formed on 22 April 1916 at Farnborough, and was equipped with the Sopwith 1½ Strutter, the squadron was posted to France, and in 1917 re-equipped with Sopwith Camels. The squadron briefly disbanded in January 1920, reforming nine days later at Heliopolis, Egypt, the squadron was now a bomber-transport unit operating the Vickers Vimy bomber. After transferring to Hinaidi, Iraq in December 1921, the squadron was re-equipped with Vickers Vernon’s, in addition to providing heavy transport facilities to both air and ground units they were used as air ambulances and were responsible for maintaining the Cairo-Baghdad airmail route. The squadron was commanded by Group Captain Eric Murray DSO MC, in 1929, he flew the first route to the Cape on behalf of Imperial Airways who were seeking routes for the civil flights. In December 1928, a coup against the Amir of Afghanistan by Habibullah Kalakani supported by Ghilzai peoples led to the first large scale air evacuation, the Valentia replaced the Victorias in November 1934. 70 squadron is recorded as being based at RAF Habbaniya from 1937–9 and in August 1939,70 Squadron relocated frequently in support of the 8th Army’s westward advance, first into Libya then Tunisia. In November 1943 it relocated to Djedeida 20 miles west of Tunis putting industrial targets in the North of Italy, between December 1943 and October 1945 the squadron relocated to Foggia, Italy where the Wellingtons were replaced by the long range Liberators. The squadron disbanded in April 1947 and was reformed in May 1948, at Kabrit, the squadron was equipped with Dakotas until 1950, when it re-equipped with Valettas. In 1955, the moved to RAF Nicosia, Cyprus and re-equipped with the Hastings, Vickers Valetta. In 1966 the squadron moved to RAF Akrotiri, while there they won the Lord Trophy at RAF El Adem in competition with five other medium range transport squadrons. After a brief period operating Armstrong Whitworth Argosy C. 1s, the squadron began conversion to the Hercules in 1970, after 35 years of operating the Hercules C1/C3 from Lyneham, the squadron disbanded in September 2010. The squadron reformed on 1 October 2014 and was stood up on 24 July 2015 by presentation with a new standard by Princess Anne. List of RAF squadrons Jefford, C. G, Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
United Kingdom
Royal Air Force
