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No.44 Sqn RAF - Squadron Details - Aviation Directory

No.44 Sqn RAF


Name : No.44 Sqn RAF
Founded : 15th April 1916
Disbanded : 21st December 1982
Country : UK
Fate : Disbanded 21st December 1982
More Details : Rhodesia

Fulmina regis justa - The Kings thunderbolts are righteous
Known Code Letters : , KM, JW,

Known Service Details :

Pilot or Aircrew

Rank

Start of Service

End of Service

Known Dates

Aircraft

Airframes

Notes

F. Ashurst

Sergeant

unknown

9th April 1941

Hampden

AD899

Killed in Action

James Bain

unknown

unknown

Lancaster

E. G. M. Bond

Pilot Officer

unknown

unknown

10th March 1941

Hampden

X2918

K. S. Campbell

Sergeant

unknown

9th April 1941

Hampden

AD899

Killed in Action

J. G. Curley

Pilot Officer

unknown

9th April 1941

Hampden

AD899

Killed in Action

E. W. Dunkling

Sergeant

unknown

unknown

10th March 1941

Hampden

X2918

R. J. N. Hanslip

Sergeant

unknown

unknown

10th March 1941

Hampden

X2918

Dick Haven

unknown

unknown

Hedley Hazelden

1940

April 1940

Hampden

Dudley Percy Heal

4th February 1943

25th March 1943

Alan Norman Macfarlane

Pilot Officer

unknown

27th January 1938

Blenheim

K7078

Blenheim I K7078, 44 Sqn,based at Waddington Pilot Lost control attempting aerobatics; pilot baled out, over Tattershall Thorpe but was killed Plt Off Alan Norman Macfarlane (26) (New Zealander) Killed in Action

H. R. Stockings

Pilot Officer

unknown

unknown

10th March 1941

Hampden

X2918

Pilots and Aircrew for : No.44 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.
NameInfo
Ashurst, F.
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   Died : 9 / 4 / 1941
Ashurst, F.


Bain, James
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   Died : 2 / 4 / 2007
Bain, James

WOP/AG 44 & 49 Squadrons. 54 ops. Born 28th May 1919 Hamilton Ontario. Died 2nd April 2007 Lincoln, UK. Married Helen Bettie Patricia Wright on 19th September 42 in Doncaster. Initially WOP/AG from 1940 to 1942. Retrained in Sth Africa as Pilot, returned to Transport Cmd Dakotas in 1944, and left service in 1946. Started out as Sgt aircrew, won DFC as Mid Upper turret gunner in Lancaster over Brest harbour by shooting down an ME109 Early 1941. Commissioned mid 1941, ended war as Flt Lt. Tours on 49 Sqn Hampdens - 5 Grp Bomber Command as Grp Gunnery Officer - 44 Sqn Lancasters, then pilot training and 2 different Dakota Sqns of Transport Command.
Bond, E. G. M.
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Bond, E. G. M.


Bramley, Ron
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Bramley, Ron

With 22 and 44 Squadrons he served on Bristol Beauforts as a W/Op and Air Gunner during the Battle of Britain and later attacked the German Battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and attacked Channel Ports and airfields on the French Coast including Cambrai. Also spending time on Beaufighters, he went on to serve in Malta and the Far East completing a total of over 220 operations.
Campbell, K. S.
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   Died : 9 / 4 / 1941
Campbell, K. S.


Curley, J. G.
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   Died : 9 / 4 / 1941
Curley, J. G.


Curtis, Ron
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Curtis, Ron

Qualifying as an Observer in 1941, Ron joined 144 Squadron on Hamden’s before transferring to 44 Squadron at Waddington as a Navigator on Lancaster’s. At the end of the 1942 he moved to Marham, converting to Mosquitos, and in 1943 was posted to 109 Squadron equipped with Oboe as part of the Pathfinder Force. He flew 104 Oboe operations and 139 ops in total, and was widely credited with helping advance development of the Oboe system.
Dunkling, E. W.
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Dunkling, E. W.


Hackwill, George
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Hackwill, George

Born in Devon on 22nd December 1892, George Hackwill joined the Royal Flying Corps from the Army in 1915. He scored two victories with No.22 Squadron in the FE2b aircraft in July and October 1916, before moving to No.44 Squadron. Now flying Sopwith Camels, he scored one victory over a Gotha bomber with this squadron before joining 54 Squadron, where the rest of his claims wre made between April and September 1918. He was awarded the Military Cross after shooting down the Gotha bomber, and this was gazetted on 9th February 1918.

London Gazette entry for Military Cross of George Henry Hackwill, 9th February 1918

For conspicuous gallantry displayed when they engaged and shot down a Gotha raiding London. During the engagement, which lasted a considerable time, they were continually under fire from the enemy machine.

Hanslip, R. J. N.
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Hanslip, R. J. N.


Haven, Dick
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Haven, Dick

Joining the RAF in 1951 he was a pilot on Canberras, Valiants and Vulcan B.2s serving with 27, 12, 101, 44, 9 and 35 Squadrons including time as Chief Flying Instructor.
Hazelden, Hedley
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   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.
Heal, Dudley Percy
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   Died : 0 / 2 / 1999
Heal, Dudley Percy

Sergeant Dudley Heal Navigator AJ-F, born 1916 Hampshire.
RAF 1940
Uxbridge 29.3.1940
Reserve 30.3.1940
Uxbridge 8.5.1940
4 RC 14.5.1940
Wyton 1.6.1940
Southampton 20.6.1940
53 OTU 10.3.1941
1 RW 10.5.1941
8 ITW 17.5.1941
PTC,Toronto,Canada 19.7.1941
31 PD 18.11.1941
Moncton
31 PD 9.5.1942
3 PDC 18.5.1942
3 (O) AFU 20.6.1942
19 OTU 18.8.1942
434 Squadron 22.12.1942
44 Squadron 4.2.1943 (6 ops)
617 Squadron 25.3.1943
navigator
award DFM (28.5.1943) (Dams)
29 OTU 26.3.1944
214 Squadron 8.2.1945
2 Embarkation Unit,Southampton 11.9.1945
released 11.3.1946
worked at Southampton Docks in the 1970's. Is thought to have passed away in Southampton around February 1999. He was Navigator on Lancaster ED918 AJ-F on the Dambusters Raid. The aircraft shot up a train on the way to the target which was the Sorpe dam. The Lancaster successfully dropped its mine and hit the dam, but the solid earthen dam was never breached.
Learoyd, Roderick
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   Died : 24 / 1 / 1996
Learoyd, Roderick

On the day that war was declared Rod Learoyd was on patrol flying Hampdens with 49 Sqn. Continually involved with low level bombing, on the night of 12th August 1940, he and four other aircraft attempted to breach the heavily defended Dortmund - Ems canal. Of the four other aircraft on the mission, two were destroyed and the other two were badly hit. Learoyd took his plane into the heavily defended target at only 150 feet, in full view of the searchlights, and with flak barrage all around. He managed to get his very badly damaged aircraft back to England, where he circled until daybreak when he finally landed the aircraft without inflicting more damage to it, or injuring any of his crew. For his supreme courage that night he was awarded the Victoria Cross. He later joined 44 Sqn with the first Lancasters, and then commanded 83 Sqn. He died 24th January 1996.



Citation for the Victoria Cross, gazetted 20th August 1940.

This officer, as first pilot of a Hampden aircraft, has repeatedly shown the highest conception of his duty and complete indifference to personal danger in making attacks at the lowest altitudes regardless of opposition. On the night of I2th August, 1940, he was detailed to attack a special objective on the Dortmund-Ems Canal. He had attacked this objective on a previous occasion and was well aware of the risks entailed. To achieve success it was necessary to approach from a direction well known to the enemy, through a lane of especially disposed anti-aircraft defences, and in the face of the most intense point blank fire from guns of all calibres. The reception of the preceding aircraft might well have deterred the stoutest heart, all being hit and two lost. Flight Lieutenant Learoyd nevertheless made his attack at 150 feet, his aircraft being repeatedly hit and large pieces of the main planes torn away. He was almost blinded by the glare of many searchlights at close range but pressed home this attack with the greatest resolution and skill. He subsequently brought his wrecked aircraft home and, as the landing flaps were inoperative and the undercarriage indicators out of action, waited for dawn in the vicinity of his aerodrome before landing, which he accomplished without causing injury to his crew or further damage to the aircraft. The high courage, skill and determination, which this officer has invariably displayed on many occasions in the face of the enemy, sets an example which is unsurpassed.
London Gazette, 1940.

Macfarlane, Alan Norman
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   Died : 27 / 1 / 1938
Macfarlane, Alan Norman

Blenheim I K7078, 44 Sqn,based at Waddington Pilot Lost control attempting aerobatics; pilot baled out, over Tattershall Thorpe but was killed Plt Off Alan Norman Macfarlane (26) (New Zealander)
Nicoll, Alan
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Nicoll, Alan

Joined the RAF in February 1939 and trained as an Observer (Navigator). His first posting was to 44 Squadron newly equipped with the Hampden bomber at RAF Waddington. When war was declared on 3rd September 1939 he was immediately involved in operations flying that night on the very first sortie of WW2. By the end of 1940 he had completed a full tour of 37 raids before being commissioned and selected for advanced navigation training in Canada. He was subsequently posted to Rhodesia as a navigational instructor and examiner. He completed Pilot training before returning to the UK where he qualified as a Sunderland flying boat Captain serving at Calshot and Pembroke Dock. In 1956 he took the last RAF aircraft to moor up in the Pool of London for "Battle of Britain" celebrations. A posting to RAF Seletar (Singapore) followed where Sunderlands were finally retired from service in 1959. He then served on Shackletons and in Transport Command before retiring in 1975.
Parkin, Harold
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Parkin, Harold

Harold Parkin Joined the RAF in 1941 and underwent initial pilot training was at Stratford-on-Avon, and at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. After the exams he was sent for Northamptonshire to learn to fly in the Tiger Moths. Harold Parkin was posted to Spittlegate near Grantham, a permanent RAF base, where he got his wings in 1942. For a period of time here went to Montrose in Scotland for training as a flying instructor and intructed at Little Rissington, near Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds where he spent the next two years training new pilots. In 1944 he was given a commission and sent to Operational Training Unit at Bruntingthorpe. As part of his flying squad, he had one bomb-aimer and one gunner from Rhodesia, and because of this, the rules required that they came under the (44th.) Rhodesian Squadron. Harold Parkin was involved in the last raid of the war. The mission was to fly to Berchtesgarten, Hitler’s retreat in Bavaria. The mission was in broad daylight with 2 fighter escorts, where they proceeded to bomb Hitler’s SS barracks in the bottom of the valley. In 1945-6, Harold served in transport operations, being based first in Stradishall, Suffolk and then at Stoneycross in the New Forest. They spent most of that time taking freight to Karachi and ferrying POW from Japanese prisoner of war camps. Harold Parkin left the RAF in 1946 but in 1951 joined the reserve and in 1953 was called up to train Pilots for the Korean war. Harold was at Flying Training Command HQ, near Reading as part of the Examining Board. until his retirement in 1972. Harold piloted the Lancaster Bomber Yorker Mk.111 Lancaster KM-Y 44 (Rhodesia Squadron). Yorker was one of about 35 Lancasters (out of thousands that were produced during the war) which completed over 100 operations.
Stockings, H. R.
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Stockings, H. R.


Sumner, Adrian
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Sumner, Adrian

Wing Commander Adrian Sumner joined the RAF in 1966. He first flew the Vulcan as a Co-pilot in Cyprus on IX Squadron in 1970; this was followed by a Captain's tour on 44 Sqn at RAF Waddington. After a brief sojourn at Central Flying School where he became a Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) on the Bulldog, Adrian returned to RAF Waddington as a Vulcan Squadron Flight Commander and Q171 on 50 Squadron, where he displayed the aircraft during the 1980 Season. Adrian's final association with the Vulcan was as Officer Commanding the RAF Detachment at Offutt Air Force Base, Omaha, Nebraska, USA, where Vulcan's frequently detached for low level training. The rest of Adrian's Service career was mainly associated with Flying Training, both at Support Command Headquarters and as Officer Commanding Operations and Pilot Training Wing at RAF Finningley, where he flew the Dominie, and was Chief Instructor on the Jetstream. His final tour in the RAF was with NATO at SHAPE Headquarters, Mons, Belgium. After leaving the RAF in 1997, Adrian flew the BAe146 for 2 airlines, and he now works as a contract pilot and QFI flying Royal Navy Jetstreams at RNAS Culdrose. He is also a qualified Balloon Pilot. During his flying career Adrian has currently amassed 8500 flying hours, of which 2300 were on the Vulcan.
Wickins, John Frederick
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Wickins, John Frederick

Nos44, 106 and 241 Squadrons. RAFVR 1939. Trained as AG 26/8/40. Qualified 26/9/40. Rank-Sgt. Posted to 241 Squadron Army Co - op Nov. 1940. Apr 1941 - 241 Sqd -Joined the Fifth Army Division at Bury St Edmunds - Lysanders were thcaircraft. Oct 1941 Commissioned and posted to Scampton -Waddington 44 squadron. No Ops but one flightvdth S/L/ NettletonV.C. W/C LeroydV.C. was Flight Commander. April 1942 posted to Coningsby 106 Squadron and joined W/C Gibson's crew as Rear Gunner and started my Ops tour. Started in Manchesters then Lancasters completed 24 ops trips with W/C (Gibson) which was more than anyone else. Then went on my pilots course. Aircraft flown: Tiger Moth - Solo in Shrs. 10mins. Canada Curnell - Solo. Anson 11 - Solo. 25 Aug 1944. Passed above average and got wings, UK 1945 - Oxford. UK 1945 Nov - then posted to Farnborough Experimental & Research Dept re Gurinery." Operational record, date. target, pilot, comment. 22/4/42, Baltic, W/C Gibson, Mine Laying. 23/4/42, Rustock, S/LNelms, Mine Laying. 23/4/42, Rustock, W/C Gibson, Mine Laying. 8/5/42, WarDemunde, W/C Gibson. 30/5/42, Cologne, S/L Wooldridge, first 1000 +raid. 1/6/42, Essen, S/L Wooldridge, 1000 +raid. 2516/42, Bremen, 1000 + raid. 29/6/42, Bremen, S/LWooldridge, 1000 + raid. 8/7/42, Wilemishaven, W/C Gibson. 1117/42, Danzig, W/C Gibson, Daylight 10.15 hrs. 18/7/42, Essen, W/CGibson, Recalled. 26/7/42, Hamburg, W/C Gibson. 29/7/42, Dusseldorf, W1C Gibson. 27/8/42, Gdynia, W/C Gibson, Graf Zeppelin - Sub Docks 9.50 hrs. 1/9/42, Saarbucken, WIC Gibson, First 8000 Ibs bombs on Germany. 13/9/42, Bremen, WICGIbson. 1919/42, Munich. P/O1Butterworth. 23/9142, Wismar, W/CGibson, DorrilerWorks. 5110/42, Aachen, P/01,Vellington. 15/10/42, Cologne, WICGibson. 17/10/42, LeCreusot, W/CGibson, Daylight 94 A/C 10.25 hrs target Montchanin Power Station. 22/10/42, Genoa, W/C Gibson, Largest on Italy at that time 9.30 hrs 8000 Ibs bomb. 24/10/42, Milan, W/C Gibson, Daylight 10.25 hrs. 7/11142, Genoa, W/C Gibson. 18/11142, Turin, W/C Gibson, Flat works. 20/11/42, Turin, P/0 Cooper, Lost an engine. 28/11/42, Turin, W/C Gibson, 8000 Ibs first ever Italy. 11/11/42, Essen, W/C Gibson. 18/1/43, Berlin, W/C Gibson, lst 8000 Ibs bomb Berlin took Major Dimbelby (BBC News). 14/2/43, Milan, W/C Gibson. 25/2/43, Nurenberg, W/C Gibson, 8000 Ibs bomb. 26/2/43, W/C Gibson. 28/2/43, St.Nazarle, F/Lt Shannon (Dam Buster)
Worrall, Raymond
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Worrall, Raymond

Flight Engineer, 44 Sqn.



Historical Notes :
27-01-1938 - Blenheim I K7078, 44 Sqn,based at Waddington Pilot Lost control attempting aerobatics; pilot baled out, over Tattershall Thorpe but was killed Plt Off Alan Norman Macfarlane (26) (New Zealander)
Squadrons :
No.44 Sqn RAF
Historical Notes :
08-04-1941 - Hampden took off from Waddington to lay mines off Calais. Crashed near Pihen-les-Guines, killing all crew.
Squadrons :
No.44 Sqn RAF
Historical Notes :
10-03-1941 - Hampden was shot down by a night-fighter and crashed near Venlo in Holland. All crew were made prisoners of war.
Squadrons :
No.44 Sqn RAF



Known Individual Aircraft of No.44 Sqn RAF :

Type

Serial

Codes

First Flew

Squadron History

Aircrew History

History Notes

Engine

Factory

Blenheim I

K7078

-

details

details

details

Hampden I

AD899

-

details

details

details

Hampden I

X2918

-

details

details

details

Lancaster

BT308

-

details

no information

no information

Aircraft for : No.44 Sqn RAF
A list of all aircraft associated with No.44 Sqn RAF. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
AircraftInfo

Anson



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Manufacturer : Avro
Production Began : 1935
Retired : 1968
Number Built : 11020

Anson

he Avro Anson originated from the Avro 652 commercial aircraft which first flew on 7th January 1935. It was a twin-engine British-built multi-role aircraft which saw distinctive service with both the Royal Air Force and The Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm as well as The Royal Canadian Air Force during and after the Second World War. The prototype 652A first flew at Woodford on 7th January 1935 and was developed from an initial airliner design and named after Admiral George Anson. The adaptation for a coastal reconnaissance role resulted in the production variant, the Avro 652a, which flew at Woodford on New Years Eve 1935 with the type entering service in March 1936 as the Anson Mk1. Initially it was flown with a 3-man crew but later developments in its reconnaissance role required a 4th crew member. The Anson entered service on 6 March 1936 with 48 Squadron equipped with the Anson. At the start of the Second World War, the RAF had received 824 Ansons and there were 26 RAF squadrons operating the Anson I: 10 with Coastal Command and 16 with Bomber Command. All of the squadrons in Bomber Command in 1939 with Anson Is were operational training squadrons that prepared crews for frontline service. 12 of the squadrons were in No. 6 (Operational Training) Group. Newly formed crews having completed individual flying and technical training were first trained as bomber crews in Ansons and then advanced to the various frontline aircraft types, which were also in the same squadrons with the Ansons. After training in the frontline aircraft type, crews would advance to the frontline bomber squadrons with those aircraft types (Fairey Battle, Bristol Blenheim, Vickers Wellington, Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, and Handley-Page Hampden). At the start of the war, the Lockheed Hudson was beginning to replace the Ansons in Coastal Command with one squadron of Hudsons and one with both Ansons and Hudsons. Limited numbers of Ansons continued to serve in operational roles such as coastal patrols and air/sea rescue. Early in the war, an Anson scored a probable hit on a German U-boat. In June 1940, a flight of three Ansons was attacked by nine Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 109s. Remarkably, before the dogfight ended, without losing any of their own, one of the Ansons destroyed two German aircraft and damaged a third. The aircraft's true role, however, was to train pilots for flying multi-engined bombers such as the Avro Lancaster. The Anson was also used to train the other members of a bomber's aircrew, such as navigators, wireless operators, bomb aimers and air gunners. Postwar, the Anson continued in the training and light transport roles. The last Ansons were withdrawn from RAF service with communications units on 28 June 1968. The Royal Australian Air Force operated 1,028 Ansons, mainly Mk Is, until 1955

Beaufort



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Manufacturer : Bristol
Production Began : 1939
Retired : 1944
Number Built : 1821

Beaufort

The Beaufort was developed from the Bristol Blenheim - originally built in 1934 as an executive aircraft for the proprietor of the Daily Mail, Lord Rothermere, who wanted a fast plane capable of carrying six passengers. Equipped with two Bristol Mercury engines, the Bristol Type 142, as it was then called, was 30 mph (48km/h) faster than the RAF's latest biplane fighter, the Gloster Gauntlet. Beauforts first saw service with Royal Air Force Coastal Command and then the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm from 1940. They were used as torpedo bombers, conventional bombers and mine-layers until 1942, Some of the Beaufort's actions were attacks on warships of the German Kriegsmarine. The first attack was on 21 June 1940, when nine Beauforts of 42 Squadron attacked the German battleship Scharnhorst off the Norwegian coast. No torpedoes were available at RAF Wick and a dive bombing attack was carried out using two 500 lb (230 kg) bombs. The Beauforts encountered Messerschmitt Bf 109s protecting the battleship and only four returned; shortly after, Beauforts were grounded for modifications to their Taurus engines. In early April 1941, after an air raid on Brest by Bomber Command, the German battleship Gneisenau had to move out of dry-dock because of an unexploded bomb. Photo reconnaissance revealed that the ship was in the inner harbour. An estimated 1,000 flak guns of all calibres protected the base and adding complication to the danger was the realisation that Gneisenau was only about 500 yd (460 m) from a harbour mole, requiring extremely accurate torpedo drops. The aircraft would be forced into a steep banking turn during the escape to avoid rising ground surrounding the harbour. In spite of these dangers 22 Squadron, based at RAF St Eval, was ordered to make a torpedo attack, timed to take place just after dawn on 6 April 1941. It was planned to attack the torpedo nets thought to be protecting the ship, using three Beauforts armed with bombs; another three Beauforts would then attack the ship with torpedoes. Following heavy rain that had drenched the airfield, the bomb-carrying aircraft became bogged down. Because of a sea mist, the other three Beauforts arrived at Brest independently; one, flown by F/O Kenneth Campbell, managed to penetrate the harbour and torpedo Gneisenau but was shot down immediately afterwards. Campbell was awarded the VC and his Observer, Sergeant J. P. Scott of Canada, the Distinguished Flying Medal. The other two crew members were Sgts R. W. Hillman and W. Mallis; all were lost. On the night of 12/13 June 1941, 13 Beauforts of 42 Squadron, based at RAF Leuchars and a detachment of five Beauforts of 22 Squadron from Wick, were sent out to find the cruiser LĂĽtzow and an escort of four destroyers, which had been sighted near Norway. At midnight, a signal from a Blenheim of 114 Squadron confirmed the position of the ships but most of the Beauforts failed to find them.[43] One 42 Squadron aircraft piloted by Flight Sergeant Ray Loviett (who had become separated from the main force) took LĂĽtzow by surprise (the Beaufort had been mistaken for a Junkers Ju 88, known by the ships to be on patrol in the area) and without a defensive shot being fired, Loviett's torpedo hit her on the port side. One Beaufort found Lūtzow limping back to port and attacked but was shot down by a Messerschmitt Bf 109; LĂĽtzow was under repair for six months. During the famous Operation Cerberus, the "Channel Dash" by Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, which took place from 12 February 1942, three Beaufort units, with 33 serviceable aircraft were available: 22 Squadron was under orders to move to Singapore. 42 Squadron, based at Leuchars in Scotland, were supposed to move to Manston but had been delayed by snow. Only 86 and 217 squadrons were in position to attack the German ships. Of the 33 Beauforts, 28 eventually set out to attack the German ships: 13 failed to find them, three were shot down and on one the torpedo failed to release. Only 11 Beauforts sighted the battleships and launched torpedoes, none of which struck a target. One of the conclusions reached by a later Court of Inquiry was that a faster, longer-ranged torpedo bomber than the Beaufort was needed. Bristol was already working on a torpedo carrying conversion of the Beaufighter and were later to develop the Brigand. when they were removed from active service and were then used as trainer aircraft until being declared obsolete in 1945. Beauforts also saw considerable action in the Mediterranean; Beaufort squadrons based in Egypt and on Malta The Beaufort was particularly successful from Malta. No. 217 Squadron was based there from June to July 1942, when it was replaced by No. 86 Squadron. From Malta the Beaufort played an important role in denying Rommel desperately needed supplies. by attacking Axis shipping supplying Rommel's Deutsches Afrikakorps in North Africa. Although it was designed as a torpedo-bomber, the Beaufort was more often used as a medium day bomber. The Beaufort also flew more hours in training than on operational missions and more were lost through accidents and mechanical failures than were lost to enemy fire. The Beaufort was adapted as a long-range heavy fighter variant called the Beaufighter, which proved to be very successful and many Beaufort units eventually converted to the Beaufighter.[

Blenheim



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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.

Camel



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Manufacturer : Sopwith
Production Began : 1916
Number Built : 5714

Camel

SOPWITH CAMEL: was the most successful fighter of World War one. Claiming almost 3,000 air victories. The prototype of the Sopwith camel first flew in December 1916, and its first combat mission began in June 1917. joined 4 squadron RNAS based near Dunkirk. The first Royal Flying Corp squadron to receive the aircraft was no. 70 squadron. The Sopwith camel was the first designed fighter to have two forward firing machine guns. Its design gave it amazing maneuverability and aerobatic qualities. and was perfectly suited for aerial dog fighting. Squadron after squadron was re equipped with the camel and by the end of February 1918 13 squadrons were fully operational with the aircraft along the western front. Also used on the Italian Front with 3 squadrons equipped. This figure increased with a total of 19 squadrons equipped on the western front by August 1918. This included two squadrons no. 151 and 152 for night fighter duties. in June 1918. There was also a naval version of the Sopwith camel. the 2F.1s which gradually replaced the Sopwith Pup and other naval aircraft. The Naval version most memorable fete was done by Lt S D Culley who took off from a towed wood platform and destroyed the Zeppelin L.53 on the 10th August 1918. also on the 18th July six aircraft took off from the forward deck of HMS Furious to bomb the Zeppelin base at Tondern which they successfully did destroying two Zeppelins L.54 and L.60. This was the first time carrier borne aircraft had destroyed a land base installation. In total 5597 F.1s and 317 2F.1s were ordered but there may have been 200 less built. Performance. speed: 113mph at 10,000 feet. service ceiling 19,000 feet. Armament: two fixed forward firing Vickers .303 machine Guns. or one .303 forward firing and one .303 Lewis Gun

Hampden



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Manufacturer : Handley Page
Retired : 1942
Number Built : 1500

Hampden

The Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was a twin-engine medium bomber built for the Royal Air Force and was used by Bomber Command in the early years of world war two. Along with the other medium bombers the Whitley and Wellington, the Hampden bore the brunt of the early bombing war over Europe, taking part in the first night raid on Berlin and the first 1,000-plane raid on Cologne. The newest of the three medium bombers, the Hampden was known as the Flying Suitcase because of its cramped crew conditions. A total of 226 Hampdens were in service with eight Royal Air Force squadrons by the start of the Second World War. Despite its speed and agility, in operational use the Hampden was no match for the fighters of the Luftwaffe (ME109 and FW 190) and the Hampdens role as a day bomber was brief, but Hampdens continued to operate at night on bombing raids over Germany and in mine laying (code-named gardening) in the North Sea. Almost half of the Hampdens built – 714, were lost on operations, witht he loss of 1,077 crew killed and another 739 missing. German flak accounted for 108; with one Hampden being lost due to German Barrage balloons; 263 Hampdens crashed due to a variety of causes, and 214 others were classed as missing. Luftwaffe pilots claimed 128 Hampdens, shooting down 92 at night. The Hampden soon became obsolete for its roll as a medium modern bomber, after operating mainly at night, it was retired from Bomber Command service in late 1942. but continued with Coastal Command throughout 1943 as a long-range Torpedo Bomber (the Hampden TB Mk I which carried the Mk XII torpedo in an open bomb-bay and a single 500 lb (230 kg) bomb under each wing) The Hampden was also used by the Royal Canadian Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Lancaster



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Manufacturer : Avro
Production Began : 1942
Retired : 1963
Number Built : 7377

Lancaster

The Avro Lancaster arose from the avro Manchester and the first prototype Lancaster was a converted Manchester with four engines. The Lancaster was first flown in January 1941, and started operations in March 1942. By March 1945 The Royal Air Force had 56 squadrons of Lancasters with the first squadron equipped being No.44 Squadron. During World War Two the Avro Lancaster flew 156,000 sorties and dropped 618,378 tonnes of bombs between 1942 and 1945. Lancaster Bomberss took part in the devastating round-the-clock raids on Hamburg during Air Marshall Harris' Operation Gomorrah in July 1943. Just 35 Lancasters completed more than 100 successful operations each, and 3,249 were lost in action. The most successful survivor completed 139 operations, and the Lancaster was scrapped after the war in 1947. A few Lancasters were converted into tankers and the two tanker aircraft were joined by another converted Lancaster and were used in the Berlin Airlift, achieving 757 tanker sorties. A famous Lancaster bombing raid was the 1943 mission, codenamed Operation Chastise, to destroy the dams of the Ruhr Valley. The operation was carried out by 617 Squadron in modified Mk IIIs carrying special drum shaped bouncing bombs designed by Barnes Wallis. Also famous was a series of Lancaster attacks using Tallboy bombs against the German battleship Tirpitz, which first disabled and later sank the ship. The Lancaster bomber was the basis of the new Avro Lincoln bomber, initially known as the Lancaster IV and Lancaster V. (Becoming Lincoln B1 and B2 respectively.) Their Lancastrian airliner was also based on the Lancaster but was not very successful. Other developments were the Avro York and the successful Shackleton which continued in airborne early warning service up to 1992.

Lincoln

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Manufacturer : Avro
Production Began : 1945
Retired : 1967
Number Built : 624

Lincoln

he first RAF Lincolns joined No. 57 Squadron at East Kirby in 1945. No. 75 (New Zealand) Squadron RAF began re-equipping with Lincolns at RAF Spilsby during August 1945. However, 75 (NZ) Sqn received just three aircraft before VJ Day. In the postwar Royal Air Force, the Lincoln equipped many bomber squadrons. Nearly 600 Lincolns were built to equip 29 RAF squadrons, mainly based in the United Kingdom. They were partially replaced by 88 Boeing Washingtons, on loan from the USAF, which had longer range and could reach targets inside the Iron Curtain. Small numbers remained in use with Nos 7, 83 and 97 Squadrons until the end of 1955, when they were replaced by the first of the V bombers. RAF Lincolns were used in combat during the 1950s, in Kenya against the Mau-Mau, operating from Eastleigh, and also served in Malaya during the Malayan Emergency, against insurgents aligned to the Malayan Communist Party. In Malaya, Lincolns operated from Changi and Tengah, More than 3,000 sorties were flown during their  7 1⁄2-year deployment, with half a million pounds of bombs dropped. This equated to 85% of the bomb tonnage dropped during the Malayan emergency. On 12 March 1953, a RAF Lincoln (RF531 "C") of Central Gunnery School was shot down 20 mi (32 km) NE of LĂĽneburg, Germany by several Soviet MiG-15s as it flew to Berlin on a radar reconnaissance flight, resulting in the deaths of the seven crew members. In November 1955, four Lincolns of No. 7 Squadron RAF were detached for duties in British territories in the Middle East. In Bahrain, they carried out border patrols of the then Trucial States. When 7 Sqn was disbanded in December 1955, the four detached crews and aircraft became No. 1426 Flight RAF, officially a photographic reconnaissance unit. It was later sent to Aden, carrying out patrols in the lead up to the Aden Emergency. As the RAF Lincolns became unserviceable due to wear and tear, they were replaced by jet aircraft. The Lincolns of Bomber Command were phased out from the mid-1950s and were completely replaced by jet bombers by 1963. The last Lincolns in RAF service were five operated by No. 151 Squadron, Signals Command, at RAF Watton, Norfolk, which were retired on 12 March 1963. From late 1946, Australian-built Lincolns were phased into No. 82 Wing RAAF at RAAF Amberley, replacing the Consolidated Liberators operated by 12, 21 and 23 Squadrons. In February 1948, these units were renumbered 1, 2 and 6 Squadrons respectively; a fourth RAAF Lincoln squadron, No. 10 was formed on 17 March 1949 at RAAF Townsville as a reconnaissance unit. RAAF Lincolns took part in operations in Malaya in the 1950s, operating alongside RAF examples. The RAAF based the B.Mk 30s of No.1 Squadron at Tengah, for the duration of operations in Malaya. The RAAF Lincolns were retired in 1961, with the MR.Mk 31s of No. 10 Squadron being the final variant to see service in Australia.

Vulcan



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Manufacturer : Avro
Production Began : 1955

Vulcan

The Avro Vulcan was the worlds first delta winged heavy bomber. the first prototype flew on the 30th August 1952 and the first production Vulcan flew in February 1955. The first Avro Vulcan's arrived for service with the Royal Air Force with 230 operational Conversion Unit (OCU) at RAF Finningley in May 1956. with the first squadron to receive the Vulcan in July 1957 was 83 squadron. In April 1968 Bomber Command merged into the Newly created Strike Command with eight Squadrons being equipped with Vulcan's. A terrain Hugging variant was introduced (the Vulcan SR2) in 1973, to all squadrons except no. 27 squadron (Flying Elephants) which was a Maritime reconnaissance Sqd. The Last Major role for the Avro Bomber was the bombing of Argentinean Airfields in the Falkland Islands During The Falklands Conflict The Avro Vulcan high Altitude Bomber with a crew of five. Top Speed 650 mph with a ceiling of 60,000 feet. maximum range of 5750 miles (with in flight refuelling). with a conventional bomb load of 21 x 1000 lb bombs

Washington

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Washington

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Last edited : 13:23, April 13, 2017
Last editor : kc

No.44 Sqn RAF Artwork



Vulcan Refuel by Ivan Berryman.


Clipped Signature - Ron Curtis.


Clipped Signature - Alan Nicoll.


Deterrent at Dawn by Keith Woodcock.


Black Buck One by Keith Woodcock.


The Longest Day by Adrian Rigby.


Vulcan B Mk2 XM594, 44 Rhodesia Squadron, RAF Waddington. (PHOTO) by R P Chapman.

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