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W E Need |
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Name : W E Need Died : 17th December 1940 |
Known Individual Aircraft : | ||||||||
Type | Serial | Codes | First Flew | Squadron History | Aircrew History | History Notes | Engine | Factory |
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| Aircraft for : W E Need | ||
| A list of all aircraft associated with W E Need. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name. | ||
| Aircraft | Info | |
Blenheim 
Manufacturer : Bristol Production Began : 1935 Retired : 1956 Number Built : 4422 | 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. On the day that war was declared on Germany, a Blenheim piloted by Flying Officer Andrew McPherson was the first British aircraft to cross the German coast and the following morning 15 Blenheims from three squadrons set off on one of the first bombing missions The Blenheim units operated throughout the battle, often taking heavy casualties, although they were never accorded the publicity of the fighter squadrons. The Blenheim units raided German occupied airfields throughout July to December 1940, both during daylight hours and at night. Although most of these raids were unproductive, there were some successes; on 1 August five out of 12 Blenheims sent to attack Haamstede and Evere (Brussels) were able to bomb, destroying or heavily damaging three Bf 109s of II./JG 27 and apparently killing a Staffelkapitän identified as Hauptmann Albrecht von Ankum-Frank. Two other 109s were claimed by Blenheim gunners. Another successful raid on Haamstede was made by a single Blenheim on 7 August which destroyed one 109 of 4./JG 54, heavily damaged another and caused lighter damage to four more. There were also some missions which produced an almost 100% casualty rate amongst the Blenheims. One such operation was mounted on 13 August 1940 against a Luftwaffe airfield near Aalborg in north-western Denmark by 12 aircraft of 82 Squadron. One Blenheim returned early (the pilot was later charged and due to appear before a court martial, but was killed on another operation); the other 11, which reached Denmark, were shot down, five by flak and six by Bf 109s. Blenheim-equipped units had been formed to carry out long-range strategic reconnaissance missions over Germany and German-occupied territories, as well as bombing operations. In this role, the Blenheims once again proved to be too slow and vulnerable against Luftwaffe fighters and they took constant casualties 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. In the German night-bombing raid on London on 18 June 1940, Blenheims accounted for five German bombers, thus proving that they were better-suited for night fighting. In July, No. 600 Squadron, by then based at RAF Manston, had some of its Mk IFs equipped with AI Mk III radar. With this radar equipment, a Blenheim from the Fighter Interception Unit (FIU) at RAF Ford achieved the first success on the night of 2–3 July 1940, accounting for a Dornier Do 17 bomber. More successes came, and before long the Blenheim proved itself invaluable as a night fighter. One Blenheim pilot, Squadron Leader Arthur Scarf, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for an attack on Singora, Thailand, on 9 December 1941. Another bomber of No. 60 Squadron RAF was credited with shooting down Lt Col Tateo Katō's Nakajima Ki-43 fighter and badly damaging two others in a single engagement on 22 May 1942, over the Bay of Bengal. Katō's death was a severe blow to the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. | |
| Squadrons for : W E Need | ||
| A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by W E Need. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name. | ||
| Squadron | Info | |
No.101 Sqn RAF Country : UK Founded : 12th July 1917 Mens agitat molem - Mind over matter | No.101 Sqn RAF No 101 Squadron was formed on 12th July 1917 and based at South Farnborough. The squadron was commanded by Major The Hon L J E Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, and by the end of July the squadron was sent to France where 101 Squadron was to become the second specialist night-bomber unit in the Royal Flying Corps. 101 Squadron was equipped with the FE2b two-seat pusher bi-plane and on the 20th September 1917 began flying night bombing missions during the Battle of Menin Ridge. 101 1quadron continued night bombing missions during the 3rd Battle of Ypres and the Battle of Cambrai. 101 squadron attacked several German long-range night bomber airfields during February 1918 and these missions were among the first offensive counter air operations and up until the end of the war continued bombing missions. After the First World War 101 squadron were based in Belgium until March 1919 when returning to Britian and disbanded on the 31st December. No.101 squadron reformed on the 21st March 1928 at RAF Bircham Newton and in March 1929 the squadron was issued with the new bomber the Boulton and Paul Sidestrand. The squadron moved to RAF Andover iIn October 1929 where it remained until December 1934 when 101 squadron moved to RAF Bicester and issued with the the improved Boulton Paul Overstrand, which featured the first powered gun turret in RAF aircraft as well as othe rmodifications including more powerful engines. The Boulton Paul Overstrand is displayed on 101 Squadron's official badge. In June 1938 No 101 Squadron re-equipped with Bristol Blenheim and was stationed now at RAF West Raynham in May 1939, as part of No 2 Group, Bomber Command. When World War Two broke out 101 Squadron were stationed at RAF Brize Norton, but returned to West Raynham. It was not until the fall of France when the squadron became operational but suffered a set back when its officer commanding, Wg Cdr J H Hargroves, and his crew were lost on its first bombing mission on 5th July 1940. During the Battle of Britain 101 Squadron Blenhiems carried out bombing missions against the German barges in French ports as well as German airfields in France. Another OC 101 Squadron, Wg Cdr D Addenbrooke, was lost on the 3rd April while taking part in a raid on French ports just 3 days after taking command. 101 Squadron were re-equipped with the Vickers Wellington in April 1940 and were based at RAF Oakington and became part of No 3 Group bomber command. On the 24th July 101 Squadron lost its first Wellington on a raid against Brest. Ten Wellingtons of 101 Squadron took part in the first 1,000 bomber raid on Cologne, but losses began to mount and between July and September the Squadron lost 20 Wellingtons with 86 aircrew killed. In September 101 Squadron moved to RAF Holme-on-Spalding-Moor in Septmber 1942 and became the first operational Avro Lancaster squadron in No 1 Group.Bomber Command. 101 squadron moved to its final wartime base, RAF Ludford Magna on 15th June 1943. 101 Squadrons Lancasters took part in the raids on Hamburg and the raid on the secret German rocket site at Peenemunde. Over the winter of 1943-1944 No.101 squadron took part in the raid on Berlin but suffered high casualties. On the 31st March 1944, during the Nuremberg Raid, 101 Squadron lost 7 Lancasters and crews out of 26 dispatched. In the spring and summer of 1944 101 squadron attacked targets in France in preparation for and support of the allied invasion of Normandy. On D-Day, the squadron used ABC to jam nightfighter controllers to protect the British airborne landings. After D-Day 101 squadron continued raids on German cities with their last bombing mission on Berchtesgarden on 25th April 1945. 101 bomber squadron suffered the highest casualties of any Royal Air Force Squadron during the Second World War, losing 1176 aircrew killed in action. In October 1945, the Squadron moved to RAF Binbrook and later equipped with Avro Lincolns. In May 1952 101 squadorn became the first bomber squadron to receive the first Jet Bomber the English Electric Canberra B2 and in 1954 were stationed in Malaya carrying out bombing misisons against terrorist targets. In October 1956 during the Suez crisis to Malta for Operation MUSKETEER bombing raids against Egypt befroe being disbanded in February 1957 but in 1959 101 squadron was reformed and re equipped with the new Avro Vulcan B1 and the first squadorn to be armed with the British H Bomb, In 1961 101 squadron moved to RAF Waddington. In 1968 the squadron was equipped with the new Vulcan B2 . In 1982,101 Squadron Vulcans took part in Operation CORPORATE, during the Falklands War. A 101 Squadron crew carried out the first and last Operation BLACKBUCK Vulcan conventional bombing raids on Argentinean forces occupying Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands. These 8,000 mile round trip missions required extensive use of Air to Air refuelling. After the Falklands war 101 squadron was equipped with VC10s and supplied fighter aircraft with air to air refuelling during all major conflicts form Bosnia, to Operation Desert Storm and continues today in this role. | |
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