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No.174 Sqn RAF

Name : No.174 Sqn RAF Founded : 3rd March 1942 Disbanded : 20th April 1946 Country : UK Fate : Disbanded 20th April 1946 More Details : Mauritius Attack Known Code Letters : , XP,

Known Service Details :
Pilot or Aircrew	Rank	Start of Service	End of Service	Known Dates	Aircraft	Airframes	Notes
Henry Shaw Brown	Flight Sergeant	unknown	18th February 1944		Typhoon	JP793	Killed in Action
Douglas Verdun Oram		1944	1945		Typhoon
E Reynaud	Flying Officer	unknown	18th February 1944		Typhoon	JR133	Taken prisoner.
Frank Wheeler	Flying Officer	January 1944	1945		Typhoon

Pilots and Aircrew for : No.174 Sqn RAF
A list of all aircrew from our database who are associated with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking their name.
Name	Info
Brown, Henry Shaw Click the name above to see a profile of Brown, Henry Shaw    Died : 18 / 2 / 1944	Brown, Henry Shaw Killed aged 23 on 18th February 1944 when his Typhoon JP793 of No.174 Sqn failed to return from Operation Jericho, the Amiens prison raid. His name is on the Runnymede memorial. Son of John Henry and Lily Brown, of Derby.
Hodges, Jack Click the name above to see a profile of Hodges, Jack	Hodges, Jack Jack Hodges joined the RAF in late 1940, and after completing his pilot training in Canada he returned to England and was then briefly sent to a Photo Reconnaissance Unit flying Spitfires. He moved to a OTU in Annan, Scotland on Hurricanes before finally moving to a holding unit in Redhill, flying Typhoons. In 1944 he was posted to join 175 Squadron. Shortly after this he moved to 174 Squadron at Westhampnett. He served on operations throughout occupied Europe until the end of the war, being awarded the DFC in 1945 for successfully leading a group of Typhoons against a German Armoured Division.
Oram, Douglas Verdun Click the name above to see a profile of Oram, Douglas Verdun    Died : 0 / 0 / 2011	Oram, Douglas Verdun Doug Verdun Oram joined the RAF in 1942 and went out to America to train as a pilot. In 1944 he joined 174 Typhoon Fighter Squadron at Westhampnett, and spent a year on operations serving throughout occupied Europe. In 1945 he became a Flying Instructor and left the RAF in 1946. However he rejoined in 1947 and stayed in the service until retirement in 1967. He lived with his wife in Benson, Oxfordshire. Sadly Doug Oram died in early 2011.
Pitt-Brown, W Bill Click the name above to see a profile of Pitt-Brown, W Bill	Pitt-Brown, W Bill After Cranwell Bill Pitt-Brown was posted to India where he saw service on the North-West Frontier with 31 Squadron flying Wapatis and Valencias. When the Japanese attacked in the far east he was posted to command 5 Squadron flying H75A Mohawk fighters in Assam and on the Imphal and Arakan fronts. Returning to the UK he was given command of 174 Squadron with Typhoons which he led through the Normandy Invasion. In August 1944 he became Wing Leader of 121 Wing. He was rested in October 1944 after a total of more than 100 operational sorties. He went on to high command of the RAF after the war. "Memories of Normandy are coloured by the enemy speed of reaction to our air supremacy. In the first few days after D-Day the enemy rushed forward to confront the Allies. We created havoc by picking off targets to jam the traffic and then methodically flaming the lot. Very large losses of German tanks and MT were inflicted in the fluid situation. Then suddenly by day nothing in the area was immediately visible. The German guns and tanks had dug in hull-down in the deep bocage country hedges which were perfect for camouflage. MT moved cautiously in shade and shadow. The vicious close-quarter tank and infantry fighting was largely unseen. Air attacks on map references were acknowledged by the Army to be effective but were frustrating since results were seldom seen except for transport brew ups. The picture was transformed when the Allies burst out of the bridgehead primarily through sheer force of numbers. the whole area east of Avranches - Vire, Mortain, Flers, Falaise, Argentan erputed and became a seething mass of enemy trying to retreat. The air forces smashed, burnt and killed. It seemed unbelievable that so much enemy force could have been concealed; now that they were all in the open, the slaughter, explosions, and fires burning from endless daily air attack obliterated everything. It was deadful; dead horse-drawn transport, bloated farm animals and humans all contributed to the sickly sweet smell of death. The enemy escaped annihilation by being highly disciplined even after such a defeat. Their losses were appalling but their retreat was never a rout."
Reynaud, E Click the name above to see a profile of Reynaud, E	Reynaud, E On 18th February 1944, his Typhoon JR133 of No.174 Sqn took part in the Amiens prison raid but failed to return. He was taken prisoner.
Wheeler, Frank Click the name above to see a profile of Wheeler, Frank    Died : 0 / 0 / 2013	Wheeler, Frank Frank Wheeler joined the RAF in 1941, training in England as a pilot after which he completed a period of instructing. In January 1944 he was posted to join 174 Typhoon Fighter Squadron at Westhampnett, his first operation being as an escort to the Mosquitos taking part in Operation Jericho, the Amiens Jailbreak. He stayed with 174 Squadron for the remainder of the War, serving throughout occupied Europe, and in 1945, at the end of his tour of operations, he was awarded the DFC.

Aircraft for : No.174 Sqn RAF
A list of all aircraft associated with No.174 Sqn RAF. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
Aircraft	Info
Hurricane Click the name above to see prints featuring Hurricane aircraft. Manufacturer : Hawker Production Began : 1936 Number Built : 14533	Hurricane Royal Air Force Fighter, the Hawker Hurricane had a top speed of 320mph, at 18,200 feet and 340mph at 17,500, ceiling of 34,200 and a range of 935 miles. The Hurricane was armed with eight fixed wing mounted .303 browning machine guns in the Mark I and twelve .303 browning's in the MKIIB in the Hurricane MKIIC it had four 20mm cannon. All time classic fighter the Hurricane was designed in 1933-1934, the first prototype flew in June 1936 and a contract for 600 for the Royal Air Force was placed. The first production model flew ion the 12th October 1937 and 111 squadron of the Royal Air Force received the first Hurricanes in January 1938. By the outbreak of World war two the Royal Air Force had 18 operational squadrons of Hurricanes. During the Battle of Britain a total of 1715 Hurricanes took part, (which was more than the rest of the aircraft of the Royal air force put together) and almost 75% of the Victories during the Battle of Britain went to hurricane pilots. The Hawker Hurricane was used in all theatres during World war two, and in many roles. in total 14,533 Hurricanes were built.
Typhoon Click the name above to see prints featuring Typhoon aircraft. Manufacturer : Hawker Production Began : 1941 Number Built : 3330	Typhoon Single engine fighter with a maximum speed of 412 mph at 19,000 feet and a ceiling of 35,200 feet. range 510 miles. The Typhoon was armed with twelve browning .303inch machine guns in the wings (MK1A) Four 20mm Hispano cannon in wings (MK!B) Two 1000ilb bombs or eight 3-inch rockets under wings. The first proto type flew in February 1940, but due to production problems the first production model flew in May 1941. with The Royal Air Force receiving their first aircraft in September 1941. Due to accidents due to engine problems (Sabre engine) The Hawker Typhoon started front line service in December 1941.The Hawker Typhoon started life in the role of interceptor around the cost of England but soon found its real role as a ground attack aircraft. especially with its 20mm cannon and rockets. This role was proved during the Normandy landings and the period after. The total number of Hawker typhoons built was 3,330.