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Victor

Name : Victor Manufacturer : Handley Page

The Handley Page Victor was a British jet bomber aircraft produced by the Handley Page Aircraft Company. It was the third and final of the "V bombers" which provided Britain's nuclear deterrent. The other two V-bombers were the Avro Vulcan and the Vickers Valiant. The Victor was the last of the V-bombers to enter service and the last to retire, nine years after the last Vulcan (The Handley Page Victor saw service in the Falklands War and 1991 Gulf War as an in-flight refuelling tanker. The only Offensive mission that the Victors was during the Bornio Conflict in 1962 to 1966 where two B.1A Victors flew missions.

Pilots and Aircrew for : Victor
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
Briggs, Don Click the name above to see a profile of Briggs, Don	Briggs, Don 62 ops as Flight Engineer on Lancasters of 156 Pathfinder Squadron. After the war he qualified as a pilot and flew all three types of V-Bomber operationally including the famous Vulcan XH558 as well as Canberras and Meteors. He flew the mission that dropped the third and last Atom Bomb on Christmas Island.
Hazelden, Hedley Click the name above to see a profile of Hazelden, Hedley    Died : 0 / 8 / 2001	Hazelden, Hedley Hedley was born in 1915 at Sevenoaks, Kent. Leaving school in 1933 he joined Standard Life. In November 1938 he joined the RAFVR and in June 1939 he reported to 6 E and RFTS at Sywell where he began his flying career on the Tiger Moth later moving to Redhill flying Hinds, Harts and Audax. Called to full time service on the day before war was declared in September 1939 and after brief training at Cambridge University he was posted to 12 SFTS at RAF Spittlegate flying Ansons. Moving to 14 OTU at RAF Cottesmore he converted to the Hampden before being posted to 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron at RAF Waddington early in 1940. He was commissioned in December 1940. April 1940 saw the end of his tour with 43 operations to his credit and a Distinguished Flying Cross. Back to RAF Cottesmore for 6 months as an instructor on 14 OTU then to RAF Finingley with 25 OTU for conversion to the Manchester and crewing. Christmas 1941 saw him posted to RAF Scampton with 83 Squadron flying the Manchester before converting to the Lancaster. His first Lancaster operation was the thousand bomber raid on Cologne. After 22 operations and a bar to his DFC he was posted to RAF Bassingborn 11 OTU as an instructor. He moved to RAF Oakley as Station Commander with 39 Wellington 1cs of 11 OTU. His rank by this time was Squadron Leader. In June 1943 he joined the newly formed Test Pilots School at RAF Boscombe Down. Of the 18 who started the No.1 Course Hedley was one of the 13 who passed in January 1944. After spending a month at Avro at Woodford production testing Lancasters he joined the Heavy Test Squadron A and AEE as its commanding officer in which time he flew every heavy bomber type before it entered RAF service. Following the end of the war he commanded the newly formed large civil aircraft squadron. He move to Handley Page in April 1947 as Cheif Test Pilot working on the Hastings and Hermes. He was a development consultant on the Victor, eventually taking it on its maiden flight on Christmas Eve 1952. Many Victor flights followed and he flew the maiden flight of the Herald on the 15th of August 1955. Headley left Handley Page in 1966, and having gained his civil licence he flew Heralds for Autair International and BAC-111s for Court Line. He finally retired in January 1981. He died in August 2001.
Hubbard, Ken Click the name above to see a profile of Hubbard, Ken    Died : 21 / 1 / 2004	Hubbard, Ken On 15 May 1957 Valiant XD818 captained by Wg Cdr Ken Hubbard, OC No 49 Sqn, dropped Britain's first H-bomb at Christmas Island in the South Pacific. Awarded the DFC during WWII whilst flying Wellington bombers in Italy with No 70 Sqn, he later flew Liberators and commanded No 104 Sqn with Lancasters. He commanded RAF Scampton during the height of the V-Force build-up with the Blue Steel equipped Vulcan B2s and has flown numerous types including the Victor and Vulcan. He died 21st January 2004.
Russell, Dick Click the name above to see a profile of Russell, Dick	Russell, Dick Victor pilot 1962 - 1991. AAR pilot on Martin Withers Vulcan XM607, Black Buck One.
Sharman, Martin Click the name above to see a profile of Sharman, Martin	Sharman, Martin Martin Sharman was awarded an RAF Flying Scholarship and subsequently joined the RAF in 1970. Following flying training he flew operational tours on the Vulcan and Victor. In 1980 he became a qualified instructor and instrument rating examiner on the Jet Provost. After 18 months he was selected to fly the Hawk as an instructor and instrument rating examiner. He then moved to No 3(F) SQN flying the Harrier in RAF Germany, becoming the Squadrons Qualified Flying Instructor and Instrument Rating Examiner and flying operationally in Germany, Sardinia and Belize. He was then posted to the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit (233 OCU) as an Instructor. After completing his RAF career he joined British Airways and also displayed the Duxford based Catalina, he is currently a Captain on the Boeing 747-400.
Tuxford, Bob Click the name above to see a profile of Tuxford, Bob	Tuxford, Bob Victor pilot 1970 - 1982, ETPS. Captain of Victor XL189, Black Buck One.

Squadrons for : Victor
A list of all squadrons known to have flown the Victor. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name.
Squadron	Info
No.10 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st January 1915 Rem acu tangere - To hit the mark Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.10 Sqn RAF	No.10 Sqn RAF No.10 Sqn was formed on 1st January 1915 (from elements of No. 1 Reserve Squadron) moving to to St Omer, France in July 1915. The squadron flew BE2C's in August 1915 in the role of spotters for the Indian Corps during the Battle of Loos. During the Battle of Arras in April 1917 the squadron carried out some bombing sorties. After the First World war had ended No.10 squadron served in Germany before returning back the the UK and was disbanded in the winter of 1919. No.10 squadron was reformed in January 1928 as a heavy bomber squadron nad based at Upper Heyford. The squadron was equipped with Hyderabads, and over the following 10 eyars the squadron flew an assortment of bombers, including Hinaidis, Virginias and Heyfords. In January 1937, the Squadron was re equipped with Whitley bombers and moved to Dishforth. For the first few months of the Second World War, No. 10 Squadron carried out leaflet-dropping missions over Germany and in late 1941 was re equipped with the Halifax bomber. In May 1945, the squadron moved form Bomber Command to Transport Command and was re equipped with Dakotas. After the war the squadron was disbanded in 1947 only to be bought back into service for the Belrin Airlift in 1948 again flying the Dakota. Once the emergency was over the squadron again was disbanded. The squadron was again reformed during the 1950's and equipped with Canberras and was involved in operation during the Suez Crisis and during 1958 to 1964 the squadron was again re equipped with Victors based at Cottesmore. In July 1966 No.10 squadron were to be come the first squadron to be equipped with VC10s and since then were involved in air to air refuelling and tanker transport. The squadron was disbanded in October 2005 at Brize Norton, but reformed once again on 1st July 2011 flying Airbus Voyager aircraft. Battle Honours of No 10 Squadron Western Front 1915-1918 Loos, Somme 1916 Arras, Somme 1918 Channel and North Sea 1940-1945 Norway 1940 Ruhr 1940-1945 Fortress Europe 1940-1944 German Ports 1940-1945 Biscay Ports 1940-1945 Berlin 1940-1945 Invasion Ports 1940 France and Germany 1944-1945 Norway 1944 Rhine Gulf 1991 Iraq 2003.
No.15 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 1st March 1915 Aim sure Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.15 Sqn RAF	No.15 Sqn RAF On 1st March 1915, the officers and men who made up No.1 Reserve Squadron and the Recruits Depot, all of whom were based at South Farnborough, Hampshire, were brought together to form No.15 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Initially, the new squadron was equipped with a diverse range of flying machines, including Henri and Maurice Farmans, Avros, Bleriots, Moranes and BE2c aircraft. Having relocated to an airfield at Hounslow, west of London, where the squadron was allowed time to work up to operational status, it was, on 11th May, relocated to another airfield at Swingate Down, to the east of Dover, on the Kent coast. On 23rd December 1915, No.15 Squadron, RFC, deployed to France for operational duties. Throughout its time on the Western Front, during the First World War, the squadron was engaged in observation and reconnaissance duties, initially using BE2c aircraft but later, during June 1916, upgrading to R.E.8s. The work undertaken by the squadron, in its reconnaissance role, was recognised by higher authority, on a number of occasions, in the form of telegrams or communiqués. On 1st April 1918, No.15 Squadron became part of the newly formed Royal Air Force, which came into being with the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service. With the end of hostilities in November 1918, came a reduction in the fighting strength of the RAF and, although not disbanded as a number of squadrons were, No.15 was reduced to a cadre. The axe finally fell on the final day of December 1919, when No.15 Squadron was disbanded. It was to be approximately five years before No.15s number plate was to be resurrected when, on 20th March 1924, No.15 Squadron was reformed as part of the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE), at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk. Over a period of ten years, No.15 Squadron completed 12,100 flying hours on over seventy-five different types of airframe. Over that same period, it also saw five changes of commanding officer. On 1st June 1934, No.15 was re-designated as a new unit, equipped with Hawker Hart Mk.I aircraft, undertaking daylight operations flying as part of Bomber Command. The new C.O. was Squadron Leader Thomas Elmhirst, who secured permission for his squadron to change the number plate to Roman numerals and have the XV applied to the fuselage on all the squadrons aircraft. This decision was to have a lasting effect and was only interrupted by the Second World War. Thomas Elmhirst also gave thought to the fact the squadron should have its own badge and motto, both of which were approved, during 1935. In early 1936, the squadron re-equipped with Hawker Hind bomber aircraft. These machines remained in service with No.XV until 13th July 1938, when the unit converted to Fairey Battle bomber aircraft. It was with the latter aircraft that the squadron prepared for war when, on 27th August 1939, a state of emergency was declared. History repeated itself when the Squadron returned to France on a war footing, but it was forced to return to England in order to re-equip with the Bristol Blenheim bomber. The new aircraft was initially seen as a wonder aircraft, but No.XV Squadron was virtually decimated in strength following the German invasion of the Netherlands in May 1940. With the Blenheim being designated unsuitable for the task, the squadron began converting to the Vickers Wellington bomber, designed by Barnes Wallace, on 7th November 1940. This was really a stop-gap measure as on 30th April 1941 No.XV began converting to the Short Stirling, four-engine, heavy bomber. During the next couple of years, night after night, the squadron carried the fight back to the enemy, enduring many losses and exploits of valour in the process. It participated in all the 1,000 bomber raids against Germany. As 1943 drew to a close, No.XV prepared to continue the fight with new equipment. Having converted to the Avro Lancaster bomber in late December 1943, the squadron went operational in mid-January 1944 with its new aircraft. By the time the war came to an end, No.XV was flying Lancaster B.1 Specials, which were specially adapted to carry 22,000lb Grand Slam bombs. February 1947 saw another change of equipment when the squadron converted to the Avro Lincoln bomber, whilst based at RAF Wyton in Huntingdonshire. However, by the end of that same year, No.XV found itself deploying aircraft to Shallufa, Egypt, as part of Operation Sunrise. Another change of occurred at the end of November 1950, when No.XV Squadron was disbanded but immediately reformed with Boeing B29 Washington bomber aircraft. It was during the Washington period, in March 1951, that the squadrons code letters ‘LS’, which it had been adopted during late 1939, were removed from the aircraft fuselages. The new scheme called for a natural metal finish, adorned with only the RAF roundel, fin flash and aircraft serial. With technology advancing all the time, No.XV entered a new phase in its history in June 1953, when it was declared fully operational flying English Electric Canberra bombers. During the next couple of years, the squadron continued to train and undertook many navigational and bombing exercises, which proved fruitful in 1956 when the Suez crises erupted. No.XV was deployed to Nicosia, as part of Operation Accumulate, on 23rd October. During the short period of fighting that followed, No.XV dropped a higher concentration of bombs than any other squadron. Following a cease-fire, the squadron returned to England where, on 15th April 1957, it was disbanded. The 1st of September 1958 saw the re-formation of No.XV as a V-Bomber squadron, equipped with Handley Page Victor B.I bombers. These aircraft were not only adorned with the official RAF insignia described above, but were also permitted to carry the squadron badge, together with the Roman XV numerals. The squadron retained these aircraft until 1964 when it was again disbanded. For a period of five years No.XV Squadron ceased to exist. However, this changed on 1st October 1970, when the squadron number plate and badge were resurrected and No.XV was reformed at RAF Honnington, in Suffolk. Equipped with Blackburn S.2B Buccaneer aircraft, the squadron departed for RAF Laarbruch, where, during January 1971, it officially became part of Royal Air Force Germany. After thirteen years service with the squadron, the Buccaneers were replaced with Panavia Tornado, swing-wing, bombers. On 1st September 1983, No.XV became the first RAF Squadron in Germany to be equipped with this type of aircraft. During the latter quarter of 1990, No.XV had deployed two flights, totalling twelve crews, to Muharraq Air Base, on Bahrain Island, in readiness for operations against the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. During the following conflict, two aircraft crewed by XV Squadron personnel were shot down, resulting in the loss of Flt Lt Stephen Hicks and the capture of Flt Lts John Peters, John Nichol and Rupert Clark. The squadron returned to RAF Laarbruch at the end of March 1991, where a number of awards, for service in the Gulf War were announced. Wing Commander John Broardbent was awarded a Distinguished Service Order, whilst Sqn Ldr Gordon Buckley and Sqn Ldr Nigel Risdale were both awarded Distinguished Flying Crosses. Senior Engineering Officer S/L Rob Torrence was awarded the Member of the British Empire. Following disbandment in January 1992, No.XV was reformed a few months later on 1st April, at RAF Honnington, where it took on the role of the Tornado Weapons Conversion Unit. It was also granted the status of a Reserve Squadron. No.XV (R) Squadron remained at Honnington until 1st November 1993, when it re-located to RAF Lossiemouth, Moray, Scotland. During January 1998, it was re-designated as the Tornado GR1 Operational Conversion Unit and equipped with the up-graded Tornado GR4 variant. In 2011, just four years away from its 100th anniversary, No.XV (R) Squadron still operates from RAF Lossiemouth, providing refresher crews and new crews to the front line squadrons. Text by kind permission of Martyn Ford Jones
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.55 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 8th June 1916 Fate : With the end of the Victors, No 55 was disbanded, Nil nos tremefacit - Nothing shakes us Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.55 Sqn RAF	No.55 Sqn RAF No. 55 Squadron was formed at Castle Bromwich on 27 April 1916. It initially operated as a training unit, flying a mixture of types, including the Avro 504, Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 and the Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8, but in January 1917 it changed its role to a day-bomber squadron and re-equipped with the Airco DH.4, being the first squadron to receive the new light bomber. It took these to France on 6 March that year as part of 9th Wing, flying its first bombing mission against Valenciennes railway station on 23 April 1917 in support of the Battle of Arras. It became part of the Independent Air Force as part of No 41 Wing based at Azelot, carrying out daylight strategic bombing missions against targets in Germany. 55 Squadron developed tactics of flying in wedge formations, bombing on the leader's command and with the massed defensive fire of the formation deterring attacks by enemy fighters. Despite heavy losses, 55 Squadron continued in operation, the only one of the day bombing squadrons in the Independent Force which did not have to temporarily stand down owing to aircrew losses. The squadron flew 221 bombing missions during the war, dropping approximately 141 long tons (143,000 kg) of bombs during the war. Following the Armistice on 11 November 1918, 55 Squadron was briefly used to run airmail services to British forces, before returning to the United Kingdom and losing its aircraft in January 1919, formally disbanding on 22 January 1920 On 1 February 1920, the unit was reformed at Suez with the renumbering of No 142 Squadron, and the unit embarked its DH9s on board HMS Ark Royal for transport to Turkey as part of 'Q' Force, assisting the Army in the defence of Constantinople and the Dardenelles. Two months later in August, the Squadron took up 'air policing' duties in Iraq, a task that was to last for the next 19 years. Wapitis (1930) and Vincents (1937) subsequently replaced the DH9s and the Squadron's first monoplane, the Blenheim, arrived in March 1939. Between September 1939 and June 1940, the Squadron patrolled the Suez region until Italy joined the War and bombing raids over Libya began. In March 1942, Baltimores replaced the Blenheims, and the unit supported the Eighth Army as it advanced through the Eastern Desert and into Italy. After re-equipping with Bostons in October 1944, No 55 remained in Italy, transferring to Hassani, Greece in September 1945 and receiving Mosquitos. The Squadron was disbanded in November 1946 and remained absent from the RAF's Order of Battle until 1 September 1960, when it reformed at Honington with Victors as part of Bomber Command's famous 'V' Force. May 1965 saw No 55 begin air-to-air refuelling duties, a role it continued until the retirement of the very last Victors in 1993. During this time, the Squadron took part in Operation Corporate, alongside its fellow Victor squadron, No 57, 55 Squadron provided tanker support during the Falklands War in 1982, including for the Operation Black Buck raids, where they refuelled Avro Vulcan bombers to allow them to reach the Falklands from Ascension Island. 55 Squadron's Victors went to war again in 1991, when it was deployed to the Gulf as part of Operation Granby, Britain's response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, refuelling coalition aircraft during Operation Desert Storm. It disbanded on 15 October 1993, the last Squadron to operate the Victor. With the end of the Victors, No 55 was disbanded,

Last edited : 13:29, April 13, 2017
Last editor : kc

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