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No.25 Sqn RAF - Squadron Profile.

No.25 Sqn RAF

Founded : 25th September 1915
Country : UK
Fate :
Known Aircraft Codes : ZK, RX

Feriens Tego - Striking I defend

No. 25 Squadron was formed at Montrose in Scotland on 25 September 1915 from the personnel of No. 6 Reserve Squadron. Moving to France in February 1916, the Squadron took up fighter/reconnaissance patrols over the Western Front with two-seat FE2Bs. During 1917, the Squadron transferred to long-range reconnaissance and high-altitude bombing with newly received DH4s. After moving to Germany as part of the occupation forces, No. 25 Squadron returned to the UK and disbanded in January 1920. The squadron reformed the next day at RAF Hawkinge, flying Snipes, and went to Turkey in 1922/23 during the Chanak Crisis. After returning to the UK the unit stayed for a number of years at Hawkinge. The Snipes gave way to Grebes and later Siskins, while in December 1936 the squadron became the first unit to receive the Hawker Fury Mk II, having already flown the Fury Mk I since 1932. The Fury was replaced by the Hawker Demon when the squadron was given a night-fighter role. For night-flying training purposes the squadron also received Gloster Gladiators. No. 25(F) Squadron moved to RAF Northolt on 12 September 1938. During World War II it flew Blenheims on night patrols, which were replaced by Beaufighters and later Mosquitos. By the closing stages of the war, the squadron was almost entirely committed to bomber escort missions. After the war, the night-fighter Mosquitos remained on strength until 1951 when they were finally replaced by Vampires. A mix of two Meteor night-fighter variants replaced the Vampires in 1954 and remained with the Squadron until it was disbanded in June 1958. Barely a week later, on 1 July 1958, No. 153 Squadron at Waterbeach was renumbered No. 25 and the same mix of Meteors (NF12s and NF14s) was flown until all-weather Javelin fighters arrived in early 1959. In November 1962, the Squadron again disbanded, this time until October 1963, when the Squadron was reformed at North Coates as the first operational Bloodhound surface-to-air guided missile unit. In 1970, the Squadron moved to Bruggen with detached Flights based at Laarbruch and Wildenrath, remaining in Germany until 1983 when the unit returned to the UK with bases at Wyton, Barkston Heath and Wattisham. The Bloodhounds were withdrawn from service on 1 August 1989 and the Squadron reformed the same day at Leeming as a Tornado F3 squadron. During its time at Leeming, the squadron has had operational tours in the Gulf, providing air and groundcrews for the detachment of Tornado F3 based in Saudi Arabia on a rotational basis with other air defence squadrons. This ceased following the Operation Telic in 2003.

No.25 Sqn RAF

No.25 Sqn RAF Artwork Collection
Click the images below to view the fantastic artwork we have available to purchase!



Ready for the Off - Blenheim of No.25 Sqn by Ivan Berryman.


Clipped Signature - T E Guttery.


Feriens Tego by Robert Tomlin.


Display 25 by Robert Tomlin.

Corporal J. H. Waller Dives On To An Enemy Biplane And Shoots It Down.

Aces for : No.25 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
Reginald Stuart Maxwell9.00
Aircraft for : No.25 Sqn RAF
A list of all aircraft known to have been flown by No.25 Sqn RAF. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
SquadronInfo

Beaufighter




Click the name above to see prints featuring Beaufighter aircraft.

Manufacturer : Bristol
Production Began : 1940
Number Built : 5564

Beaufighter

BRISTOL BEAUFIGHTER The Bristol Beaufighter was a Torpedo Bomber and had a crew of two. with a maximum speed of 330mph and a ceiling of 29,000 feet. maximum normal range of 1500 miles but could be extended to 1750 miles. The Bristol Beaufighter carried four 20mm cannon in the belly of the aircraft and upto six .303in browning machine guns in the wings. it could also carry eight 3 -inch rockets, 1605 lb torpedo or a bomb load of 1,000 lb. The Bristol Beaufighter first flew in July 1939 and with some modifications entered service with the Royal Air Force in July 1940. In the winter of 1940 - 1941 the Beaufighter was used as a night fighter. and in March 1941 the aircraft was used at Coastal Command as a long range strike aircraft. and in 1941, the Beaufighter arrived in North Africa and used as a forward ground attack aircraft. The Bristol Beaufighter was used also in India, Burma and Australia. A total of 5,564 Beaufighters were built until production in Britain finished in 1945, but a further 364 were built in Australia for the Australian Air Force

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.

Bristol F2B




Click the name above to see prints featuring Bristol F2B aircraft.

Manufacturer : Bristol

Bristol F2B

The Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 First World war early two-seater pusher biplane and was used by the Royal Flying Corps as a fighter and also as a day or night bomber. The FE2 was one of the few aircraft which gave the allies the edge over the Fokker aircraft of 1914/1915. In May 1915 the F.E.2b entered service with No 6 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and it was 20 squadron which was the first squadron to be totally equipped with Fe2 aircraft which was deployed in January 1916. The Fe2B remained in day use throughout 1916 and 1917 and in 1918 was used solely as a night bomber. The FE2b equipped 22 squadrons, 16 of which served in France with the other 6 serving the home defence. As the German fighters got better the FE2B was outclassed and was used only as a light night bomber or used on the home defense front against the Zeppelins. Crew: Two Speed: 80 knots (91.5 mph,) Endurance 3 hours Ceiling 11,000 ft Maximum take off weight 3,037 lbs Length: 32 ft 3 in Height: 12 ft 8 in Wingspan 495 ft² Engine Beardmore 6 cylinder inline piston engine giving 160 HP

Fury




Click the name above to see prints featuring Fury aircraft.

Manufacturer : Hawker

Fury

Full profile not yet available.

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.

Tornado


Click the name above to see prints featuring Tornado aircraft.


Tornado

Full profile not yet available.
Signatures for : No.25 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

Flight Lieutenant Benjamin Bent
Click the name or photo above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant Benjamin Bent
Flight Lieutenant Benjamin Bent

Having joined the RAF in 1937, he flew with 25 Sqn as a Radar /Wireless Operator on Blenheims on night fighter duties throughout the Battle of Britain, assisting in five successful interceptions on his first tour. After a spell as an instructor, he reclassified a Navigator rejoining 25 Sqn on Beaufighters and then Mosquitoes, assisting in a total of eight victories including the first enemy aircraft shot down on D-Day.



Air Cheif Marshal Sir Kenneth Cross KCB, CBE, DSO, DFC
Click the name above to see prints signed by Air Cheif Marshal Sir Kenneth Cross KCB, CBE, DSO, DFC

18 / 6 / 2003Died : 18 / 6 / 2003
Air Cheif Marshal Sir Kenneth Cross KCB, CBE, DSO, DFC

Born October 4th 1911, Kenneth Cross was commissioned in to the RAF in 1930, joining 25 Sqn in 1931. Kenneth Cross survived the sinking of the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious in June 1940, when his No.46 Sqn Hurricane was onboard. Sqn Ldr Kenneth Cross was one of only two pilots to survive the sinking of HMS Glorious. Squadron Leader Cross and Flight Lieutenant Jameson from 46 squadron managed to get aboard a Carley float with 61 seamen, but 25 of the latter died of exposure and exhaustion before the 38 survivors, the two RAF men amongst them, were finally picked up by a passing fishing vessel. He spent much of the war commading Hurricanes in Africa, involved in the Crusader offensive in 1941, returning home in early 1944, and working at the Air Ministry until 1945. He died on the 18th of June 2003.



Group Captain Richard Haine OBE DFC
Click the name above to see prints signed by Group Captain Richard Haine OBE DFC

30 / 9 / 2008Died : 30 / 9 / 2008
Group Captain Richard Haine OBE DFC

Richard Dickie Haine was born in St Stephens in October 1916. In 1936, he qualified as an RAF pilot, and flew the Hawker Fury with No.25 Sqn, which re-equipped with Bristol Blenheims prior to the outbreak of war. In February 1940, he transferred to No.600 Sqn. Shortly afterwards, he piloted one of six Blenheims tasked with attacking an airfield where Ju52 transport aircraft and their cargo of paratroops were reported to be landing during the Blitzkrieg on Holland. During this action he was shot down and crash landed, escaping back to Britain on the destroyer HMS Hereward, the destroyer which evacuated Queen Wilhelmina and her government. He was awarded the DFC for his actions over Holland that day. On his return to England, he flew night patrols on Blenheims, Defiants and Beaufighters, but rarely intercepted any aircraft due to poor radar. In January 1944 he took the post of Commanding Officer of No.488 Sqn flying Mosquitoes. With this squadron he flew beachhead patrols on D-Day, and had victories over two Ju88s. He was appointed to No.302 Sqn in the Pacific but had yet to arrive when the Japanese surrendered. He continued his career in the RAF until his retirement. Sadly, Richard Haine died on 30th September 2008


Everything we obtain for this site is shown on the site, we do not have any more photos, crew lists or further information on any of the ships.

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