Naval History by Country : ROYAL NAVY US NAVY GERMAN NAVY FRENCH NAVY MORE PAGES

ALWAYS GREAT OFFERS : 20% FURTHER PRICE REDUCTIONS ON HUNDREDS OF LIMITED EDITION ART PRINTS BUY ONE GET ONE HALF PRICE ON THOUSANDS OF PAINTINGS AND PRINTS FOR MORE OFFERS SIGN UP TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER

Harrow

Name : Harrow Manufacturer : Handley Page Production Began : 1937 Retired : 1945 Number Built : 100

The first Harrow was delivered to No. 214 Squadron RAF on 13 January 1937, with all 100 delivered by the end of the year, with five bomber squadrons of the RAF being equipped with the Harrow. The Fleet Air Arm ordered 100 Harrows but Handley Page lacked the production capacity to supply them. Despite being fitted with cabin heating by steam boilers using exhaust heat, the Harrow gained a reputation of being a cold and draughty aircraft, owing to the turret design. As the delivery of more modern bombers increased, the Harrow was phased out as a frontline bomber by the end of 1939 but continued to be used as a transport. 271 Squadron was formed on 1 May 1940 with a mixture of Harrows, Bristol Bombays and impressed civil aircraft. While the other aircraft equipping 271 Squadron were replaced by Douglas Dakotas, it retained a flight of Harrows (sometimes nicknamed "Sparrows" due to their new nose fairings to give a more streamlined fuselage) as transports and ambulance aircraft until the end of the Second World War in Europe. Harrows were used occasionally to operate risky flights between England and Gibraltar, two being lost on this route. Harrows also operated in support of Allied forces, in their advance into north-west Europe, evacuating wounded from the Arnhem operation in September 1944. Seven Harrows were destroyed by a low level attack by Luftwaffe fighters of JG 26 and JG 54 on Evere airfield as part of Operation Bodenplatte, the German attack on Allied airfields in northwest Europe on 1 January 1945, leaving only five Harrows, which were eventually retired on 25 May 1945. The Harrow also served in a novel operational role at the height of the German night Blitz against Britain in the winter of 1940–1941. Six Harrows equipped No. 420 Flight RAF (later No. 93 Squadron RAF) which used lone Harrows to tow Long Aerial Mines (LAM) into the path of enemy bombers. The LAM had an explosive charge on the end of a long cable and the unorthodox tactic was credited with the destruction of six German Bombers or 4–5, depending on the source. The experiment was judged of poor value and the planned deployment of Douglas Havocs in the LAM role was cancelled. Nine Harrows were also used by 782 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm as transports. After flight refuelling trials, three Harrows were operated by Flight Refuelling Limited and refuelled Short Empire Flying Boats on transatlantic services, two from Gander, Newfoundland and one based in Foynes, Ireland. In 1940, the two aircraft based at Gander were impressed into service with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Pilots and Aircrew for : Harrow
A list of all aircrew from our database who are associated with this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking their name.
Name	Info
Hoy, William Click the name above to see a profile of Hoy, William    Died : 20 / 11 / 2012	Hoy, William William Hoy was born in Edinburgh on December 23 1918 and educated at George Watson’s College, where he won a scholarship to the RAF College, Cranwell. He graduated as a pilot in October 1939. He flew Anson and Hudson aircraft on shipping sweeps over the North Sea, taking part in the operations over the Norwegian coast after the German invasion in April 1940. He then joined No 420 Flight, flying the antiquated Harrow bomber on operations to drop aerial mines by night. The mines were attached to 2,000ft of piano wire in the hope that enemy bombers would fly into the wire, causing the mines to strike them and explode. There are no recorded successes. Converting to the Beaufighter night fighter in late 1941, Hoy joined No 604 Squadron and was soon appointed a flight commander. On the night of July 29 1942 he shot down a Heinkel bomber off Land’s End and, in spring 1943, he accounted for two more off the coast of Yorkshire and damaged a third. On another occasion he led another Beaufighter on a well-planned attack on an enemy reconnaissance aircraft, which was destroyed as a direct result of Hoy’s initiative. In July 1943 he was awarded a DFC. After a rest period, Hoy returned to the front line as flight commander of 25 Squadron, flying the Mosquito. On July 9 1944 he shot down a V-1 flying bomb over the Channel. After the war Hoy commanded two night fighter squadrons before being appointed wing commander, flying at Church Fenton in Yorkshire – the home of four fighter squadrons. He attended No 1 Course at the new RAF Flying College at Manby, Lincolnshire, before taking up an appointment in the Middle East. After his flight in Aries V, Hoy served with Nato and at the Air Ministry. His last appointment before retiring in 1966 was as station commander at RAF Manston in Kent. William Hoy died on 20th November 2012.

Squadrons for : Harrow
A list of all squadrons known to have flown the Harrow. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
Squadron	Info
No.115 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st December 1917 Fate : Disbanded October 1993 Despite the elements Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.115 Sqn RAF	No.115 Sqn RAF No. 115 Squadron, RFC, was formed at Catterick, Yorkshire, on 1 December 1917 from a nucleus provided by No. 52 Training Squadron. At the end of August 1918, after having been equipped with Handley Page O/400 twin-engined bombers, it joined the Independent Force in France. Its first raid was made in the night of 16/17 September when nearly 4 tons of bombs were dropped on Metz-Sablon. For this raid the squadron was congratulated by Major-General Sir Hugh Trenchard and the OC 83rd Wing who described the raid as "the finest piece of work which has ever been done by a new squadron". Its most successful raid was made against Morhange airfield when five O/400s, making double trips, dropped 6½ tons of bombs on their objective. During its service in France, No. 115 made fifteen raids, the longest being to Baden and dropped 26 tons of bombs. From November 1918, 115 Squadron was based at RAF Saint Inglevert. The squadron returned to England on 4 March 1919 and disbanded on 18 October 1919 at Ford Junction. the squadron was re-formed as No 115 (Bomber) Squadron in 1937 and in the Second World War took part in scores of raids and also played an active part in Gardening (minelaying) for victory. In April 1940, while flying Wellingtons (and while on temporary loan to Coastal Command) it gained the distinction of making the RAF's first bombing raid of the war on a mainland target-the enemy-held Norwegian airfield of Stavanger/Sola. Sixteen months later, in August 1941, it undertook the initial Service trials of Gee, the first of the great radar navigational and bombing aids.1 As a result of its subsequent report on these trials Gee was put into large-scale production for Bomber Command. From the spring of 1943 onwards No 115 flew Lancasters and for a while it was one of the relatively few operational units to use the Mark II version. The mighty Lancaster, with its huge bomb load, was probably the best-known bomber of all time and in the closing months of the war No 115 had two particularly distinguished specimens - Lancaster Is ME803 and '836. The former joined the squadron in May 1944, and between 31st May/1st June that year when it bombed Trappes West marshalling yards and 22nd April 1945, when it bombed Bremen, it logged 105 operational sorties. From May to October 1944, it served with "C" Flight (which had formed in November 1943) and was coded "A4-D". "C" Flight became the nucleus of No 195 Squadron in October 1944, but ME803 remained with No 115 and was re-coded "KO-L"; it retained these letters up to and including 27th February 1945, the date of its 101st operational sortie (if not longer), and made its subsequent trips - beginning 9/10th April - as "IL-B" of the new "C" Flight, which had begun operations in November 1944. In May 1945, ME803 was transferred to No 1659 HCU. The other Lancaster, ME836, joined No 115 in May or June 1944 (from No. 75 Squadron, but without any ops to its credit), and between 11/12th June, when it bombed Nantes and 24th April 1945, when it bombed Bad Oldesloe (using the G-H blind-bombing radar device with which it was then equipped), made 97 operational sorties. It made the first 37 as "A4-C" and the remainder - beginning 15th November 1944 - as "KO-S". The Squadron carried on flying Lancasters until they were replaced by Lincolns in September 1949 but the Squadron was disbanded on 1 March 1950. On 13 June 1950 No. 115 was reformed at Marham and in August received Washingtons which it flew until converted to Canberras in February 1954 until the Squadron was disbanded again on 1 June 1957. On 21 August 1958, No. 116 Squadron at Watton was renumbered No. 115, moving its Varsities a few days later to Tangmere for Signals Command duties. In October 1963, it returned to Watton where the Varsities were supplemented by Argosies during 1968 before it moved to Cottesmore. In August 1970, No. 115 became fully equipped with Argosies, replacing them with Andovers between 1976 and 1978. In January 1983, the Squadron moved to Benson where it remained until disbanded on 1 October 1993.
No.214 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st April 1918 Fate : Disbanded 28th January 1977 Federated Malay States Ulter in umbris - Avenging in the shadows Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.214 Sqn RAF	No.214 Sqn RAF The squadron was originally formed at Coudekerque, near Dunkirk, on 28th July 1917, as No. 7A Squadron, RNAS, and from the beginning its role was heavy night bombing. On the 9th December 1917, it reformed as No. 14 Squadron; RNAS, and on 1st April 1918, the same day the Royal Air Force was formed, 200 was added to its number "14" and it became No. 214 Squadron, RAF. Equipped with Handley Page twin-engined bombers, they flew from coastal airfields in France, mainly engaged in night attacks against naval and army targets in Belgium, but also bombed targets in France. At the start it operated under the Dunkirk Naval Command, then from March to June in the 7th Brigade under the control of the Army, and lastly, from 4th June to the Armistice in the 82nd Wing, again under the Naval Command. In April and May 1918, it assisted in the Naval blocking operations at Zeebrugge and Ostend. An interesting event during its wartime career was the night of 24/25th July 1918, when it dropped the RAF's first 1,650-lb. bomb on the enemy. (see note A) Posted to Egypt in 1919, No. 214 disbanded the following year. Post war the squadron was moved to Egypt but it was disbanded on 1 February 1920 with its crew and aircraft merged into No. 216 Squadron RAF. On 16 September 1935 'B' Flight of No. 9 Squadron RAF was used to create a new 214 Squadron. Again a bomber squadron it had the Vickers Virginia Mk. X night-bombers at RAF Boscombe Down. y the outbreak of the Second World War it had re-equipped the Vickers Wellington which were replaced in 1942 with the larger Short Stirling, having moved to RAF Stradishall. At a time when Stirling losses led to the aircraft being withdrawn from bombing Germany the squadron transferred to RAF Downham Market in December 1943.[3] In January 1944, the squadron was converted to special operations, joining No. 100 Group RAF for electronic countermeasures in support of the main bombing operations. The squadron used the Boeing Fortress Mk II and Mk III and Stirlings. They used the jamming system codenamed "Airborne Cigar" (ABC) to block German night fighter communications. German speaking radio operators would identify and jam the ground controllers broadcasts and also pose as ground controllers themselves with the intention of steering the night fighters away from the bomber streams. At least some of 214 Squadron's B-17s were equipped with 'Piperack' which countered the Germans' Lichtenstein SN-2 aerial intercept radar It operated the Vickers Valiant from RAF Marham, from 21 January 1956 until 28 February 1965. Leonard Trent, a Victoria Cross winner, was the first CO of the Valiant squadron. The Valiant was at first active as a V bomber but was then converted to tankers. Disbanded in 1965 it reformed the following year with the Handley Page Victor tanker and continued until disbanded finally in 1977.
No.215 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st April 1918 Fate : Disbanded 31st December 1968 Surgeti nox adest - Arise, night is at hand Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.215 Sqn RAF	No.215 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.271 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 27th September 1918 Fate : Disbanded 1st December 1946 Death and life Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.271 Sqn RAF	No.271 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.37 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 15th April 1916 Fate : Disbanded 5th September 1967 Wise without eyes Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.37 Sqn RAF	No.37 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.
No.75 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st October 1916 Fate : Disbanded 15th October 1945 New Zealand Ake ake kia kaha - For ever and ever be strong Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.75 Sqn RAF	No.75 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available.

Last edited : 00:24, February 18, 2017
Last editor : HMS

Return to Aviation Directory Search Home

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. COPYRIGHT NOTICE. ALL IMAGES DISPLAYED ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROTECTED BY  COPYRIGHT  LAW, AND ARE OWNED BY CRANSTON FINE ARTS OR THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS.  NO REPRODUCTION OR COPYING ALLOWED ON OTHER WEBSITES, BOOKS OR ARTICLES WITHOUT PRIOR AGREEMENT.