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No.18 Sqn RAF - Squadron Profile.

No.18 Sqn RAF

Founded : 11th May 1915
Country : UK
Fate : 18 Squadron took part in the UK's deployment to the Gulf following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
Known Aircraft Codes : WV, GU

Burma

Animo et fide - With courage and faith

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, and operating in the Army cooperation role. By April 1916 the squadron had re-equipped with FE2bs. Victor Huston became a flying ace piloting one of these. The squadron was heavily deployed during the Battle of the Somme, where it was attached to the Cavalry Corps and trained to assist it in the event on any breakthrough, but towards the end of the year and into early 1917, was increasingly deployed on night operations as its F.E.2bs became more vulnerable during daylight operations. The squadron re-equipped with Airco DH.4s from June 1917, although operations continued with F.E.2 until at least August 1917 as its DH.4s were equipped with the unreliable RAF 3 engine. Once these reliability problems were solved, the squadron, began to specialise in long-range attacks, but this changed in March 1918 when the Germans launched Operation Michael, the opening move of their Spring Offensive. 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. As the Germans switched the focus of their operations northwards in the Battle of the Lys, the squadron was again heavily involved, and on 12 April, the squadron carried out six separate attacks in the vicinity of Merville, with 13 pilots flying between them 44 flying hours that day 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. Following the Armistice of 11 November 1918 that ended the fighting on the Western Front, 18 Squadron moved into Germany in support of the Occupation of the Rhineland in early 1919, carrying mail between the British Army of the Rhine and the United Kingdom. The squadron returned to Britain in September 1919 and disbanded at Weston-on-the-Green on 31 December 1919 reformed in October 1931 at Upper Heyford with Harts and then Hinds. As part of the Air Component of the BEF and equipped with Blenheims, No. 18 Squadron suffered heavy losses in their attempts to stem the German advance the Europe before being withdrawn to the UK in May 1940. The Squadron was then assigned to anti-shipping duties, but during one raid over France in August 1941, one aircraft dropped a box over St Omer airfield containing an artificial leg. It was a spare for Wing Commander Douglas Bader. The Squadron then moved to North Africa with the Blenheim V and took up day bombing duties. During an unescorted raid on Chouigui airfield in December 1942 led by Wing Commander HG Malcolm, his aircraft was shot down and he was posthumously awarded the VC. During 1943-45, No. 18 Squadron supported the allied advance through Italy before moving to Greece in September 1945, disbanding there a year later. Between 1946 and 1950 No 18 squadron was disbanded and re-formed several times. In 1953 the squadron reformed at RAF Scampton with Canberras. In May 1955 the squadron moved to RAF Upwood. Whilst at Upwood the squadron had Detachments to Cyprus (Nicosia) October 1955 to December 1955 and dispanded in January 1957. The squadron reformed again in December 1958 at RAF Finningley, equipped with Vickers Valiant. The Squadron was next operational in 1964, equipped with the Westland Wessex HC.2 at RAF Odiham, formed when the Wessex Trials unit was divided to form 18 and 72 Sqn. It then moved to RAF Gütersloh, Westphalia in support of the BAOR in Germany from 1965 to 1980.[citation needed] During this time a detachment was operated at RAF Nicosia, Cyprus, in support of the United Nations force. The squadron received its Chinooks HC.1s in 1981 During the Falklands War in 1982, four Chinooks were dispatched on the cargo ship Atlantic Conveyor, but three were lost when the vessel was sunk. The sole surviving aircraft gave sterling service on the islands in the months that followed and today operates 18 of the helicopters. The Chinook HC.2, equivalent to the US Army CH-47D standard, began to enter RAF service in 1993. 18 Squadron was the only Chinook squadron that took part in Operation Corporate during the Falklands War in 1982. All the Chinooks were lost, except one, when the Atlantic Conveyor was sunk. The remaining aircraft (Bravo November, ZA718) flew almost continuously until the end of the conflict. The pilot of the aircraft Squadron Leader Richard "Dick" Langworthy AFC RAF was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for his part in the air operations. 18 Squadron took part in the UK's deployment to the Gulf following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. 15 HC.2s were sent from No. 7, No. 18, and No. 27 squadrons during Operation Telic. .

No.18 Sqn RAF

Aces for : No.18 Sqn RAF
A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking the pilots name.
NameVictoriesInfo
Arthur Giles Blake4.50
Aircraft for : No.18 Sqn RAF
A list of all aircraft known to have been flown by No.18 Sqn RAF. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
SquadronInfo

Blenheim


Click the name above to see prints featuring Blenheim aircraft.

Manufacturer : Bristol

Blenheim

The Bristol Blenheim, the most plentiful aircraft in the RAFs inventory when WWII began, was designed by Frank Barnwell, and when first flown in 1936 was unique with its all metal monoplane design incorporating a retractable undercarriage, wing flaps, metal props, and supercharged engines. A typical bomb load for a Blenheim was 1,000 pounds. In the early stages of the war Blenheims were used on many daylight bombing missions. While great heroism was displayed by the air crews, tremendous losses were sustained during these missions. The Blenhiem was easy pickings at altitude for German Bf-109 fighters who quickly learned to attack from below. To protect the vulnerable bellies of the Blenheims many missions were shifted to low altitude, but this increased the aircrafts exposure to anti-aircraft fire.

Mosquito




Click the name above to see prints featuring Mosquito aircraft.

Manufacturer : De Havilland
Production Began : 1940
Retired : 1955
Number Built : 7781

Mosquito

Used as a night fighter, fighter bomber, bomber and Photo-reconnaissance, with a crew of two, Maximum speed was 425 mph, at 30,300 feet, 380mph at 17,000ft. and a ceiling of 36,000feet, maximum range 3,500 miles. the Mosquito was armed with four 20mm Hospano cannon in belly and four .303 inch browning machine guns in nose. Coastal strike aircraft had eight 3-inch Rockets under the wings, and one 57mm shell gun in belly. The Mossie at it was known made its first flight on 25th November 1940, and the mosquito made its first operational flight for the Royal Air Force as a reconnaissance unit based at Benson. In early 1942, a modified version (mark II) operated as a night fighter with 157 and 23 squadron's. In April 1943 the first De Haviland Mosquito saw service in the Far east and in 1944 The Mosquito was used at Coastal Command in its strike wings. Bomber Commands offensive against Germany saw many Mosquitos, used as photo Reconnaissance aircraft, Fighter Escorts, and Path Finders. The Mosquito stayed in service with the Royal Air Force until 1955. and a total of 7781 mosquito's were built.
Signatures for : No.18 Sqn RAF
A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking their name.
NameInfo


Air Chief Marshal Sir John Day KCB OBE ADC BSc RAF
Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Air Chief Marshal Sir John Day KCB OBE ADC BSc RAF
Air Chief Marshal Sir John Day KCB OBE ADC BSc RAF

Air Chief Marshal Sir John Day was educated at the Kings School, Canterbury and Imperial College, University of London where he read aeronautical engineering. His first tour was on No 72 Squadron at RAF Odiham flying Wessex helicopters and then, following the CFS course, he instructed on jet Provosts at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. On promotion to Squadron Leader in 1976, he was appointed to command Oxford University Air Squadron, after which he returned to the Support Helicopter Force as a flight commander on No 18 Squadron at RAF Gutersloh. Attendance at the RAF Staff College, Bracknell in 1981 was followed by a tour as the Personal Staff Officer to the Air Member for Personnel, and in 1983 he assumed command of No 72 Squadron at RAF Aldergrove, again flying Wessex. He then spent a year at the RAF Personnel Management Centre at Barnwood where he was responsible for managing the careers of General Duties wing commanders. This was followed by a tour as Group Captain Support Helicopters/Air at Headquarters No 1 Group, RAF Upavon where he was involved in developing joint operations and the joint Forces Headquarters concept. He then commanded RAF Odiham, operating Puma and Chinook helicopters. He attended the 1990 Course at the Royal College of Defence Studies before being promoted to Air Commodore and being appointed as the Director of Air Force Plans and Programmes in the Ministry of Defence. Following promotion to Air-Vice Marshal in 1994, he was appointed as the Air Officer Commanding No 1 Group, responsible for all the Royal Air Forces Strike Attack, Offensive Support, Reconnaissance & Support Helicopter forces. In May 1997, he was promoted to Air Marshal and appointed Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Commitments) in the Ministry of Defence where his primary responsibility was to be the United Kingdoms Director of Operations, which included overseeing the Kosovo campaign and operations over Iraq. He then served from March 2000 as the Air Member for Personnel and Commander-in-Chief Personnel and Training Command. He took up his current appointment as Commander-in-Chief Strike Command in April 2001 on promotion to Air Chief Marshal. Air Chief Marshal Day is the President of the Royal Air Force Rugby Union, the No 72 Squadron Association and his local Branch of the Royal British Legion. He also sits on the Council of the Burma Star Association. Sir John and his wife, Jane, have 2 sons. One is a Captain in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, and the other is an Accountant working in investment banking.


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