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No.7 Sqn RAF - Squadron Details - Aviation Directory

No.7 Sqn RAF


Name : No.7 Sqn RAF
Founded : 1st May 1914
Country : UK
More Details :

Per diem per noctem - By day and by night
Known Code Letters : , MG, LT, XU,

No.7 Squadron was formed 1st May 1914 at Farnborough as a Scout squadron, and went to France April 1915, equipped with the Vickers Gunbus. No.7 squadron saw service through the war with BE2c, RE5 and RE8 aircraft. The squadron pioneered the use of R/T (instead of normal W/T), using it operationally for the first time in October 1918. Disbanded at Farnborough on 31st December 1919 it reformed at Bircham Newton on 1st June 1923 equipped with Vickers Vimy bombers. These were replaced by the Vickers Virginia after moving to Worthy Down in April 1927. Between the wars No.7 squadron was equipped with various aircraft including the Handley Page Heyfords, Vickers Wellesleys and Armstrong Whitworth Whitleys and became the leading bomber squadron, winning the Laurence Minot Memorial Bombing Trophy more than any other squadron. At the outbreak of World War II, the squadron was equipped with Handley Page Hampdens, until August 1940, when it equipped with the RAF's first four engined bomber, the Short Stirling Mk I - becoming the first RAF squadron to be equipped with four engined bombers. The first raid by No.7 was 10th February 1941 on Rotterdam. The squadron settled down to a night bombing role, adding mine laying to its duties in 1942. Later with four other squadrons, it formed the nucleus of the new Pathfinder Force, its task to find and accurately mark targets with flares. In May 1943, the Stirling (which was handicapped by a low operational ceiling - it had to fly through flak rather than over it) was gradually replaced by the Avro Lancaster, which No.7 used in Peenemunde in August. From June1944 and until the end of the war, the squadron also undertook a daylight operational role in support of land forces in France and the low countries, and against V-1 and V-2 sites. No.7 squadron flew to Singapore in January 1947, and converted to Avro Lincolns, seeing action against Communist terrorists in Malay, during 'Operation Firedog'. Returning to UK, having won the Laurence Minot Memorial Bombing Trophy outright for the eighth time it was disbanded 1st January 1956. Reforming in November of the same year with the Vickers Valiant 'V' bomber. Disbanded on 30th September 1962, it was reformed in May 1970 at RAF St. Mawgan on target provision duties. Equipped with the English Electric Canberra, the squadron provided targets for the Army and Navy anti aircraft guns. They also provided silent targets for radar station practice. On 12th December 1981 the squadron was again disbanded, reforming soon after as the second operational Boeing Vertol Chinook helicopter Squadron on 2nd September 1982.

Known Service Details :

Pilot or Aircrew

Rank

Start of Service

End of Service

Known Dates

Aircraft

Airframes

Notes

Graham Baptie Blacklock

unknown

unknown

28th August 1941

Stirling

Ken Calton

unknown

unknown

George Alexander Chalmers

August 1940

unknown

Stirling

J. B. Clarke

Sergeant

unknown

24th March 1941

Stirling

N3643

Killed in Action

W. I. Dalgliesh

Sergeant

unknown

4th March 1941

Stirling

N3653

Killed in Action

Les Ellingham

unknown

unknown

James Goldie

unknown

unknown

P. Green

Sergeant

unknown

24th March 1941

Stirling

N3643

Killed in Action

Ronald Haywood

Warrent Officer

unknown

unknown

14th January 1945

Lancaster

JA935

Warrant Officer Ronald Haywood was serving as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner on board Lancaster Mk.III JA935 coded MG-O during an operation to Braunschweig on the January 14/15 1945. The aircraft left Oakington at 1659hrs to attack the target but failed to return. The entire crew was lost. Killed in Action

F. W. Higginson

unknown

unknown

R. Hinton

Sergeant

unknown

4th March 1941

Stirling

N3653

Killed in Action

J. N. Holdsworth

Sergeant

unknown

4th March 1941

Stirling

N3653

Killed in Action

A. C. Jupp

Flight Sergeant

unknown

10th April 1941

Wellington

N6011

Killed in Action

J. S. Legge

Sergeant

unknown

4th March 1941

Stirling

N3653

Killed in Action

Herbert Brian Felix Lymna

unknown

unknown

C. MacDonald

Sergeant

unknown

unknown

09th April 1941

Stirling

N6011

Hamish Mahaddie

unknown

unknown

02nd February 1943
March 1943

Stirling

R9257
R9273

R. L. McCarthy

Sergeant

unknown

4th March 1941

Stirling

N3653

Killed in Action

W. E. Osterfield

Sergeant

unknown

10th April 1941

Wellington

N6011

Killed in Action

V. F. B. Pike

Sergeant

unknown

10th April 1941

Stirling

N6011

Killed in Action

Anthony Richard Playfair

P/O

unknown

5th September 1939

Hampden

Killed in Action

W. J. Richards

Sergeant

unknown

4th March 1941

Stirling

N3653

Killed in Action

A. J. Roberts

Sergeant

unknown

24th March 1941

Stirling

N3643

Killed in Action

S. A. F. Robertson

Squadron Leader

unknown

24th March 1941

Stirling

N3643

Killed in Action

E. V. Seymour

Sergeant

unknown

24th March 1941

Stirling

N3643

Killed in Action

G. M. Short

Sergeant

unknown

24th March 1941

Stirling

N3643

Killed in Action

G. P. C. Smith

Flight Sergeant

unknown

10th April 1941

Stirling

N6011

Killed in Action

C. Sumner

Sergeant

unknown

10th April 1941

Stirling

N6011

Killed in Action

W. T. Watkins

Sergeant

unknown

4th March 1941

Stirling

N3653

Killed in Action

A. J. Whitby

Sergeant

unknown

10th April 1941

Wellington

N6011

Killed in Action

F. B. White

Sergeant

unknown

24th March 1941

Stirling

N3643

Killed in Action

Pilots and Aircrew for : No.7 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
Atkins, John
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Atkins, John

He was an Air Gunner and then Navigator on Lancasters initially joining 166 Sqn and later 7 Sqn. After his aircraft was badly damaged he was forced to bale out over the Dutch coast in October 1944 and spent time in Stalag Luft VII & IIIA.
Blacklock, Graham Baptie
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   Died : 28 / 4 / 2011
Blacklock, Graham Baptie

On completion of a tour of operations on the Wellington in July 1940, Blacklock joined three other pilots at Boscombe Down to form the Stirling Development Flight. Once they had become used to flying the ungainly aircraft, the small team left for an airfield in Yorkshire as the nucleus of No 7 Squadron, as it was re-equipping with the Stirling. On February 10 1941 three of the bombers took off to attack oil storage tanks at Rotterdam, the RAF's first bombing operation in the Second World War by a four-engine bomber. Blacklock flew as a second pilot, but all his subsequent operations were as a captain. He bombed Berlin on the night of April 9th, but most of No 7 Squadron's operations during this period were in daylight, sometimes with a fighter escort but on other occasions relying on cloud cover to mask their outbound route. On June 28th three Stirlings took off for a daylight attack on Bremen. One soon turned back, but Blacklock and his flight commander pressed on despite the lack of cloud. As they approached the target, they were attacked by nine enemy fighters. Blacklock skilfully manoeuvred his aircraft to allow his gunners to engage the enemy; at least one was shot down, and probably a second. On the return flight, he realised that the second Stirling had been severely damaged and he turned back to escort it. Eventually the crippled aircraft was forced to ditch near the Frisian Islands, and, despite the threat of more enemy fighters appearing on the scene, Blacklock orbited the spot for 10 minutes looking for survivors. The Stirling had, however, disappeared along with its crew. Blacklock was awarded an immediate DFC. On July 23rd there was a report that the battlecruiser Scharnhorst had left Brest for La Pallice, and three Stirlings – flown by the three original pilots to join No 7 Squadron – were sent to attack with armour-piercing bombs. They encountered heavy flak and were attacked by fighters, forcing an escape at very low level. This was the last daylight raid by the Stirlings, and Blacklock completed his tour of operations at night attacking industrial centres in the Ruhr. On August 28th, after his last operation to Duisburg, he was rested, having completed two full tours. Graham Baptie Blacklock, always known as Gerry, was born on June 23rd 1914 near Skipton, Yorkshire, and educated at Queen Mary's Royal Grammar School, Clitheroe. In 1931 he joined the RAF as an aircraft apprentice and trained as a metal rigger. After service in England and at the RAF's aircraft depot at Aboukir, near Alexandria, he volunteered for pilot training during the rapid expansion of the Service prior to the Second World War. He was posted to No 99 Squadron to fly the Heyford, a biplane bomber he described as 'a mechanical praying mantis'. In 1938 it was replaced by the Wellington, and on the outbreak of war the squadron moved to the Rowley Mile on Newmarket racecourse. Operations during the Phoney War were limited, but an attack on December 14th 1939 met with disaster when six of the 12 Wellingtons were shot down. Blacklock, however, returned safely. He continued to fly North Sea sweeps and also dropped leaflets on German cities. After the German invasion of Norway he attacked Stavanger airfield, and on May 10th bombed the recently captured airfield at Rotterdam. On May 23rd his squadron was diverted to support the retreating British Expeditionary Force, before attacks were resumed against oil targets in Germany. At the end of his tour he was awarded a DFM. After completing his time on the Stirling, Blacklock, as an ex-aircraft apprentice, was well-qualified to establish the formal training of a new aircrew category, the flight engineer. For the remainder of the war he filled numerous technical training appointments. After the war he was an instructor on bombers before being appointed to the Far East to survey potential staging posts on the Indian Ocean islands of Gan, Diego Garcia and Christmas Island. At the works and finance branch of the Air Ministry in 1956, he helped to relocate RAF forces from Egypt to Cyprus. In October 1958 he conducted a survey of Ascension Island. On promotion to group captain, Blacklock commanded the RAF airfield at Hullavington, where the RAF's air electronic officers were trained. He took retirement in 1961. In addition to his gallantry awards, Blacklock was appointed OBE in 1953. Group Captain Blacklock died on 28th April 2011.
Calton, Ken
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Calton, Ken

Joining the RAF in late 1940, he served as a Flight Engineer with 7, 156 and 12 Squadrons before finally joining 635 Sqn, Pathfinder Force on Lancasters who acted as Master Bombers for this final raid of the war in Europe.
Carlton, Ken
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Carlton, Ken

Flight Engineer, 156, 7 and 635 Squadrons.
Chalmers, George Alexander
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   Died : 0 / 8 / 2002
Chalmers, George Alexander

George Alexander Chalmers was born on February 12 1921 at Peterhead in Scotland. He was educated at Aberdeen Academy before working briefly at a local Crosse & Blackwell factory and joining the RAF as a boy entrant. After boy's service and qualifying as a wireless operator and air-gunner, Chalmer joined the RAF in 1938. Geogre Chalmers was posted to No 10, a two-engine Whitley bomber squadron at Dishforth, Yorkshire, from where he took part in leaflet-dropping operations over Germany after the outbreak of war. On 1st March 1940 He was the air gunner in Whitley K9026 which took off at 17.30hrs, the crew were briefed to carry out a leaflet dropping operation over Berlin. On their return they ran low on fuel and one of the aircraft's engines cut out on approach to land at Dishforth. The aircraft undershot and hit the ground some 400 yards east of the base at 03.10hrs on 2nd March 1940. Damage was sustained to the aircraft's inner fuel tanks, leading edge of the port wing and the starboard undercarriage and undersurfaces were damaged but it was repaired. The records suggest that for this operational flight this aircraft had been borrowed from 78 Squadron by 10 Squadron and flown by a 10 Squadron crew. In August 1940 Chalmers transferred to No 7, the RAF's first four-engine Stirling bomber squadron which was operating from Leeming. There followed a spell with No 35, a four-engine Halifax bomber squadron, with which Chalmers was fortunate to survive an attack on the battle cruiser Scharnhorst at La Rochelle - his captain managed to make base despite being severely wounded and piloting a badly-damaged aircraft. When he joined 617 Squadron he was a Flight Sergeant and served as wireless operator on Lancaster AJ-O during the Dambusters raid which was piloted by Bill Townsend. Awarded the DFM for his part in the attack on the Ennepe Dam he was commissioned a few months later and awarded the DFC after 65 operations. In 1946 Chalmers was granted an extended service commission, and served in No 617 and No 12 Squadrons until 1950, when he was posted to No 38, a Lancaster squadron in the Middle East. He was released as a flight lieutenant in 1954, and served in the Reserve until 1961. Meanwhile, he had joined the civil service at Harrogate, where he worked for the Ministry of Defence dealing with the RAF's technical requirements. In this period his advice was much valued in the sphere of flight refuelling. On his retirement from the MoD in 1984, the company Flight Refuelling hosted a farewell party for him at which he was hailed as an "expert in specialised spares procurement", especially in relation to a refuelling system of outstanding value used by the RAF in the Falklands conflict. Sadly, George Chalmers passed away in August 2002 aged 81.
Clark, Ronald
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Clark, Ronald

Volunteered for flying duties in 1941 and after interviews completed initial training in Paignton. A flying grading course followed at Kingstown near Carlisle surprisingly near my family, before being sent as Ambassadors for Britain across the Atlantic to be trained by the USAAF. After more initial training to learn the American way, not a bad way, we embarked on the flying training and after receiving the silver wings, the next port of call was Bournemouth in a hotel which shortly afterwards was demolished by the Luftwaffe. Several courses preceded our arrival at Lindholme heavy conversion unit before joining the Battle of the Ruhr with No 100 Squadron based at Waltham near Grimsby. My crew and I were assigned a brand new Lancaster III EE139 which we almost did for on our twenty-fourth trip with her to Manheim, but she went on to complete 120 operations before being unceremoniously scrapped. Little did we think that over 60 years later she would be recalled to life by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. After a period of instructing I was then posted to No 7 Sqdn for deployment to the Far East, which was stymied by the dropping of the atomic bomb, I did a lot more instructing before applying for a secondment to BOAC.
Clarke, J. B.
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   Died : 24 / 3 / 1941
Clarke, J. B.


Dalgliesh, W. I.
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   Died : 3 / 3 / 1941
Dalgliesh, W. I.


Ellingham, Les
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Ellingham, Les

As a WOP/Air Gunner Les was originally at 218 Sqn on Stirlings, and as a founder member of the Pathfinder Force was transferred to 7 Sqn. On his 17th Operation Les was shot down and was then on the run for 5 weeks in Paris. He was betrayed by a Frenchman, and spent time in Fresnes Prison in the hands of the Gestapo, before finishing the War in Stalag Luft IVb
Goldie, James
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Goldie, James

No's 7, 83, 97 and 224 Squadrons. Joined RAF trained as Air Gunner.Flew 73 missions with Bomber Command - 38 Main Force, 35 Pathfinders and 38 with Coastal Command. Total flying hours 1,630. Crashed in an Avro Manchester 13109/41. Spleen removed as a result of injuries sustained in the crash and returned to Operations. Raids included 6 Essen, 6 Duisberg, 3 Berlin, 4 Hamburg, 5 Bremen and 3 Nuremberg. Served with 83 Squadron at RAF Wyton, 97 Squadron RAF Coningsby/ Woodhall Spa and 7 Squadron Oakington. Demobilised 1956. Service number 620563. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as a Warrant Officer with No.83 Sqn, which was gazetted on 17th August 1943, and the Distinguished Flying Medal as a Flight Sergeant with No.97 Sqn, gazetted on 20th November 1942. We have been informed that he has now passed away, but do not have any information as to the date.
Green, P.
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   Died : 24 / 3 / 1941
Green, P.


Haywood, Ronald
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   Died : 14 / 1 / 1045
Haywood, Ronald

serving as a Wireless Operator/Air Gunner on board Lancaster Mk.III JA935 coded MG-O during an operation to Braunschweig on the January 14/15 1945. The aircraft left Oakington at 1659hrs to attack the target but failed to return. The entire crew was lost.
Higginson, F. W.
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   Died : 12 / 2 / 2003
Higginson, F. W.

Frederick William Higginson was born into a Welsh-speaking family at Gorseinon, near Swansea, where his father was a policeman. He attended Gorseinon Grammar School until beginning his apprenticeship with the RAF. Enlisting in 1929 at the age of 16, Taffy Higginson served as a fitter and air gunner with No.7 Sqn until 1935, when he was accepted for flight training. After qualifying as a pilot, he initially flew with No.19 Sqn before transferring to No.56 Sqn on Hurricanes. By June 1941 he had tallied a score of 12 victories. On June 17th, 1941, he was shot down by anti-aircraft fire over Dunkirk while escorting bombers returning from an operation over Lille. With considerable height in hand, he was able to bale out safely and guide his parachute to land in a wood near a railway. Having a map, he established that he was about 12 miles northwest of Fauquembergues but he had lost one of his boots in ejecting from his Hurricane. Limping along, he was overtaken by two German soldiers on a motorcycle combination sent out to find him. His capture appeared certain but the abrupt appearance of a low-flying Luftwaffe aircraft distracted the soldier driving the motorcycle, enabling Higginson to wrench over the handlebars, crash the machine into a ditch and make off in the confusion. He hid in the wood until after dark and then made his way to a hut on the edge, where he sought assistance from the owner. Confident of his limited French, he ordered a glass of beer, paid for it with money provided by the French farmer and hitched a lift with a lorry driver who took him to a local garage whose owner had contacts with an escape line for British airmen. After a series of adventures, Higginson crossed into Vichy- controlled France and made contact with the MI9 escape line run by the Belgian doctor Albert-Marie Guérisse, alias “Pat O’Leary”. While attempting to cross into Spain with an Australian escaped prisoner of war, he was stopped and arrested by Vichy French frontier guards and interned in Fort de la Revère near Nice. Thanks to the efforts of Guérisse, he escaped from there and was eventually taken off the French Mediterranean coast by a Polish-manned trawler operating out of Gibraltar under the auspices of the Special Operations Executive. He was landed at Greenock on October 5, 1942, and rejoined No 56 Squadron shortly afterwards. He was awarded the DFC in 1943. After the war he served with Headquarters 11 Group, attended the RAF Staff course at Bracknell and also graduated from the Army Staff College, Camberley. He resigned from the RAF in 1956 to join the Bristol aircraft manufacturers at Filton, where the company was developing the ground-to-air rocket-powered defensive system, Bloodhound. In 1963 he joined the board of Bristol and was appointed OBE for services to industry that year. Sadly Frederick William Higginson passed away on 12th February 2003, aged 89.
Hinton, R.
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   Died : 4 / 3 / 1941
Hinton, R.


Holdsworth, J. N.
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   Died : 4 / 3 / 1941
Holdsworth, J. N.


Jupp, A. C.
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   Died : 10 / 4 / 1941
Jupp, A. C.


Leatherdale, Frank
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Leatherdale, Frank

Originally flew as a Navigator with 115 Squadron on Lancasters and after a period of instructing was sent to 7 Squadron PFF as a Master Navigator. Frank finished the War on Mosquitoes and completed 59 Operations with Bomber Command.
Legge, J. S.
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   Died : 4 / 3 / 1941
Legge, J. S.


Lymna, Herbert Brian Felix
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   Died : 0 / 0 / 1995
Lymna, Herbert Brian Felix

Herbert Lymna was born in the New Forest in 1920. As F/Sgt he was awarded the DFM for service with 35 Squadron, Gazetted on 12th January 1943. He received his commission on 17th December 1942 to the rank of P/O on probation (emergency)(51511) and was promoted to F/O on probation (war subs) on 17th June 1943. He was posted to 7 Squadron for a second Tour, as Acting F/Lt he was awarded the DFC, Gazetted on 15th September 1944. He was later promoted to F/Lt (war subs) on 17th December 1944. He was also awarded the DSO and the citation for which reads.. "Acting S/Ldr Lymna has taken part in more than ninety sorties against various enemy targets, most of them heavily defended. He has consistently displayed a high standard of gallantry, and his strong sense of discipline and devotion to duty at all times have set a very fine example. In January 1945, S/Ldr Lymna was the bomb aimer in an aircraft detailed to attack Munich. On the outward flight some of the navigational equipment became partially unserviceable. S/Ldr Lymna skilfully effected repairs. When nearing the target the aircraft came under heavy anti aircraft fire and was repeatedly hit. For the second time the same equipment became unserviceable. Nevertheless, S/Ldr Lymna again effected repairs and was able to give his captain directions for an accurate bombing run. His cool and skilful work contributed materially to the success of the sortie. This officer has rendered much loyal and devoted service in air operations against the enemy."
MacDonald, C.
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MacDonald, C.


Mahaddie, Hamish
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   Died : 16 / 1 / 1997
Mahaddie, Hamish

Group Captain Thomas Gilbert "Hamish" Mahaddie. DSO, DFC, AFC.. CzMC. Nos 7, 55, and 77 Squadrons. Born In Keith, Edinburgh, on 19 March 1911. He joined the RAF as a part of the 17th Entry at Halton in 1928 and trained as a metal rigger, after which he was posted to Cranwell on ground servicing duties. In 1933 he boarded a troopship bound for the Middle East where he joined No 4 FTS at Abu Suler for pilot training. He gained his wings in 1935 and his first air crew posting was to No 55 Squadron at Hinaldi flying Westland Wapitis. On his return to England in 1937 he joined No 77 Squadron flying Whitleys from Driffield. During World War II he completed a tour of operations with No 77 Squadron before moving to Klnloss to instruct with No 14 OTU. He completed another tour, this time with No 7 Squadron at Oakington on Stirlings, before joining HQ Staff of No 8 (Pathfinder) Group. Group Captain Mahaddie finished the war as Station Commander at RAF Warboys, home of PFF Navigation Training Unit. In June 1945 he was appointed to command No 111 Wing in Germany followed by a spell at the Staff College, Haifa, In 1947. His postwar duties also included two tours of duty at the Air Ministry, as OC Flying Wing at Binbrook, and also as Station Commander at Sylt and Butzwellerhof in Germany. He finally retired from the RAF in 1958 and has since been involved with the film Industry as an aviation consultant specialising in electronics for all three services. Hamish Mahaddie died 16th January 1997.
McCarthy, R. L.
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   Died : 4 / 3 / 1941
McCarthy, R. L.


Osborne, Fred
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Osborne, Fred

Joined the RAF in 1941 for pilot training and after going solo (Tiger Moths) at Fair Oaks, Surrey, was posted to the USA Detroit then Pensacola Naval Air Station, Florida. He spent an enjoyable two or three months at Pensacola but was devastated at being scrubbed and remustered to Observer course in Canada; his offer to be a glider pilot was refused. He eventually served as Bomb Aimer with Bob Sexton's (Australian) crew and served on 101 Squadron and 7 Squadron PFF. His tour and ops flying ended after a mid-air collision whilst returning from an op on Leipzig. He cannot recall the actual crash but owes his life to the late T Shaw who rescued him from the burning aircraft.
Osterfield, W. E.
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   Died : 10 / 4 / 1941
Osterfield, W. E.


Pike, V. F. B.
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   Died : 10 / 4 / 1941
Pike, V. F. B.


Playfair, Anthony Richard
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   Died : 5 / 9 / 1939
Playfair, Anthony Richard

Anthony Playfair was born in India and was the son of Col. and Mrs Playfair. His family arrived in Vancouver Island when he child, he attended school at Shawnigan Lake. He left his home town in British Columbia three years before his death to take up a Commission in the RAF in England in May 1937 as Acting P/O on probation. He left a brother Geoffrey and he was the first British Columbian casualty of the War. P/O Anthony Richard Playfair RAF (39679), aged 25, British Columbia, Canada. Buried Finningley Churchyard, Yorkshire.
Richards, W. J.
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   Died : 4 / 3 / 1941
Richards, W. J.


Roberts, A. J.
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   Died : 24 / 3 / 1941
Roberts, A. J.


Robertson, S. A. F.
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   Died : 24 / 3 / 1941
Robertson, S. A. F.


Seymour, E. V.
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   Died : 24 / 3 / 1941
Seymour, E. V.


Short, G. M.
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   Died : 24 / 3 / 1941
Short, G. M.


Smith, G. P. C.
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   Died : 10 / 4 / 1941
Smith, G. P. C.


Sumner, C.
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   Died : 10 / 4 / 1941
Sumner, C.


Watkins, W. T.
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   Died : 4 / 3 / 1941
Watkins, W. T.


Whitby, A. J.
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   Died : 10 / 4 / 1941
Whitby, A. J.


White, F. B.
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   Died : 30 / 3 / 1941
White, F. B.





Squadrons :
No.7 Sqn RAF
Pilots or Aircrew :
Anthony Richard Playfair
Historical Notes :
05-09-1939 - L4161 dived and crashed near Cockwood Farm, Cantley, roughly two miles north of Finningley airfield when the pilot lost control on a training flight, he was practicing single engine flying at the time of the accident. The pilot was killed and he was the first wartime flying fatality in Yorkshire since the outbreak of war. An investigation found that it was possible that the pilot had shut down one engine to practice single engine flying but he had lost control and the aircraft had entered a steep dive from which he was only partially able to recover before it then dived vertically into the ground at high speed and at a steep angle. Pilot - P/O Anthony Richard Playfair RAF (39679), aged 25, of Qualicum Beach, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Buried Finningley Churchyard, Yorkshire.
Squadrons :
No.7 Sqn RAF
Pilots or Aircrew :
Ronald Haywood
Historical Notes :
14-01-1945 - Lancaster Mk.III JA935 coded MG-O during an operation to Braunschweig on the January 14/15 1945. The aircraft left Oakington at 1659hrs to attack the target but failed to return. The entire crew was lost. F/L David Thomas - DFC RAFVR Pilot P/O William Clegg RAFVR Flight Engineer 23 F/L Ronald Crease - DFC RAFVR Navigator F/L Ronald Layley RAFVR Bomb Aimer 27 W/O Ronald Haywood - CGM RAFVR W/Op/AG 23 F/Sgt Leslie Whitear RAFVR Air Gunner 22 F/Sgt Lawrence Hartman RAFVR Air Gunner 31
Squadrons :
No.7 Sqn RAF
Historical Notes :
23-03-1941 - Stirling caught fire in flight and while trying to force-land collided with h/t cables and struck the roof of a house before crashing near Leiston in Suffolk. Sergeant White survived but died of his injuries later.
Squadrons :
No.7 Sqn RAF
Historical Notes :
04-03-1941 - Stirling crashed into the English channel, and became the first of the four-engined types to be lost on an operation sortie. All crew were lost, and commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial.
Squadrons :
No.7 Sqn RAF
Historical Notes :
09-04-1941 - Stirling was shot down by a night-fighter and crashed near Lingen in Germany.
Pilots or Aircrew :
Hamish Mahaddie
Historical Notes :
08-02-1943 - Having joined No.7 Sqn, became the personal aircraft of Hamish Mahaddie.
xx-03-1943 - Left No.7 Sqn for refit.
12-08-1943 - Now with No.214 Sqn, the aircraft swung on take off from RAF Chedburgh and was damaged beyond repair when the undercarriage collapsed.
Pilots or Aircrew :
Thomas Ingham Boddy
Historical Notes :
21-12-1042 - This aircraft was lost on operations on the 21st December 1942 whilst on a mission to bomb Munich. Took off at 17:09hrs from Oakington. It was attacked by a Bf110 over France and crashed at Seraincourt (Ardennes) 16 km NW of Rethel. Three of the crew evaded capture, one was POW and three were killed in action. F/O H Duro killed Sgt T I Boddy evaded P/O F E Lewis evaded Sgt H L McBeath RCAF evaded Sgt P G E Ross pow Sgt G R Dickenson killed Sgt A T Carpenter killed
30-03-1942 - Joan Hughes On the 30th Mark she flew solo in Stirling R9262 and later as second pilot to a F/O Day. Joan Hughes experienced aviator she joined the Air Transport Auxiliary, and soon had more than 600 hours' experience ferrying aircraft around the country. Though small in stature, she ferried all types of aircraft including heavy four-engined bombers such as the Short Stirling. She became both a senior pilot and the only woman qualified to instruct on all types of military aircraft then in service.
Squadrons :
No.7 Sqn RAF
Pilots or Aircrew :
Hamish Mahaddie
Historical Notes :
02-02-1943 - Piloted by Hamish Mahaddie, the aircraft was attacked by a Ju88 night fighter, but was able to return to base damaged. 174 cannon holes were found.
Squadrons :
No.7 Sqn RAF
Historical Notes :
19-01-1931 - Virginia X J8241, 7 Sqn, Worthy Down Hit building on landing, Worthy Down Fg Off Walter Sydney Monroe (23) killed and Fg Off John Barton (30) killed LAC James Stanley Milner (24) killed Fg Off John Rene Whitley unhurt Nine injured in station HQ



Known Individual Aircraft of No.7 Sqn RAF :

Type

Serial

Codes

First Flew

Squadron History

Aircrew History

History Notes

Engine

Factory

Hampden

L4161

-

details

details

details

Handley Page Ltd at Radlett

Lancaster Mk 3

JA935

MG-O

-

details

details

details

Spitfire LFIX

MH612

-

details

no information

no information

Merlin 66

Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory

Spitfire LFIX

MJ123

-

details

no information

no information

Merlin 66

Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory

Spitfire LFIX

MK408

-

details

no information

no information

Merlin 66

Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory

Spitfire PRXI

PL997

-

details

no information

no information

Merlin 70

Spitfire XIV

RN149

13/01/1945

details

no information

no information

Griffon 65

WIN

Spitfire XIV

RN199

-

details

no information

no information

Griffon 65

Keevil

Stirling I

N3643

-

details

details

details

Stirling I

N3653

-

details

details

details

Stirling I

N6011

-

details

details

details

Stirling I

R9257

MG-C

-

details

details

details

Stirling I

R9262

MG-A

-

details

details

details

Stirling I

R9273

MG-C

-

details

details

details

Virginia

J8241

-

details

no information

details

Aircraft for : No.7 Sqn RAF
A list of all aircraft associated with No.7 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

BE2C



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Production Began : 0
Retired : 0
Number Built : 0

BE2C

The early models of the B.E. 2 had already served in the RFC for two years prior to the outbreak of war, and were among the aircraft that arrived with the British Expeditionary Force in 1914. Like all service aircraft of this period, they had been designed at a time when the qualities required by a warplane were largely a matter for conjecture, in the absence of any actual experience of the use of aircraft in warfare. The type that replaced the B.E.2a and B.E.2b in the reconnaissance squadrons of the RFC in 1915 was the B.E.2c, which had also been designed before the war. The most important difference in the new model was an improvement in stability – a genuinely useful characteristic, especially in aerial photographic work, using the primitive plate cameras of the time, with their relatively long exposures. A suitable engine was not available in sufficient quantities to replace the air-cooled Renault – the RAF 1a being essentially an uprated version of the French engine – When bombs were to be carried or maximum endurance was required the observer had to be left behind, so it was still necessary to have him sit over the centre of gravity, in front of the pilot. In this awkward position his view was poor, and the degree to which he could handle a camera (or, later, a gun) was hampered by the struts and wires supporting the centre section of the top wing. In practice the pilot of a B.E.2c handled the camera, and the observer, when he was armed at all, had a rather poor field of fire to the rear, having, at best, to shoot back over his pilot's head. The vulnerability of the B.E.2c to fighter attack became plain in late 1915, with the advent of the Fokker Eindecker. British ace Albert Ball summed it up as "a bloody awful aeroplane". Unable to cope with such a primitive fighter as the Fokker E.I, it was virtually helpless against the newer German fighters of 1916-17. The aircraft's poor performance against the Fokker, and the failure to improve the aircraft or replace it caused great controversy in England, with Noel Pemberton Billing attacking the B.E.2c and the Royal Aircraft Factory in the House of Commons on 21 March 1916, saying that RFC pilots in France were being "rather murdered than killed" This prompted the setting up of two enquiries; one into the management of the Royal Aircraft Factory, and another into the high command of the Royal Flying Corps, the latter headed by a judge. These reports largely cleared both Factory management and the RFC commanders responsible for ordering the B.E.2, but the supervisor of the Factory, Mervyn O'Gorman, was effectively dismissed by a "sideways promotion",

Canberra



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Manufacturer : English Electric
Production Began : 1951

Canberra

The English Electric Canberra first flew on Friday 13 May 1949 when its performance created a sensation. Such was the quality of the original design that in May 1951, when the first B2 Canberras entered service with No 101 Squadron at RAF Binbrook they could out manoeuvre all the fighters of the period and fly with impunity more than 10,000 feet above them. Operated by 17 airforces in more than 20 different variants, Canberras have been to war at Suez and in India, in Vietnam and the Falklands campaign, and in 1996 Canberra PR9s were engaged in operational reconnaissance flights over Bosnia and in other regions. It is widely and justifiably regarded as one of the greatest aircraft designs of all time.

Chinook



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Manufacturer : Boeing

Chinook

The Boeing-Vertol CH-47 Chinook is a tandem rotor twin engine heavy lift military helicopter. The Chinook helicopter was designed by Boeing Vertol in the early 1960s but is now produced by Boeing Integrated defence Systems. Over 16 countries use the Chinook for their armed forces. The US Army and Royal Air Force use the Chinook extensively and it is the heaviest llifting helicopter in their service. The Chinook has been used in many conflicts including the Vietnam War, The Falklands Conflict, Iran - Iraq war and in recent times the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts. The Chinook primary roles are in troop movement and battlefield re supply. In the 1960s the Chinook with its speed of 196 MPH was faster than the attack helicopters of the day, and is still in production with nearly 2000 helicopters being built.

Gunbus



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Manufacturer : Vickers
Production Began : 1915

Gunbus

The Vickers Gunbus entered service with the RFC in February 1915. Nicknamed the Gunbus, it was the first British aircraft to be designed as a fighting machine from the start. The plane was armed with a single .303 inch Lewis machine gun, fired by the observer. It was only a short period of time before it was outclassed by German aircraft carrying synchronised forward firing machine guns.

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.

Heyford

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Manufacturer : Handley Page

Heyford

Full profile not yet available.

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.

Mosquito



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Manufacturer : De Havilland
Production Began : 1940
Retired : 1955
Number Built : 7781

Mosquito

Used as a night fighter, fighter bomber, bomber and Photo-reconnaissance, with a crew of two, Maximum speed was 425 mph, at 30,300 feet, 380mph at 17,000ft. and a ceiling of 36,000feet, maximum range 3,500 miles. the Mosquito was armed with four 20mm Hospano cannon in belly and four .303 inch browning machine guns in nose. Coastal strike aircraft had eight 3-inch Rockets under the wings, and one 57mm shell gun in belly. The Mossie at it was known made its first flight on 25th November 1940, and the mosquito made its first operational flight for the Royal Air Force as a reconnaissance unit based at Benson. In early 1942, a modified version (mark II) operated as a night fighter with 157 and 23 squadron's. In April 1943 the first De Haviland Mosquito saw service in the Far east and in 1944 The Mosquito was used at Coastal Command in its strike wings. Bomber Commands offensive against Germany saw many Mosquitos, used as photo Reconnaissance aircraft, Fighter Escorts, and Path Finders. The Mosquito stayed in service with the Royal Air Force until 1955. and a total of 7781 mosquito's were built.

RE5

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RE5

Full profile not yet available.

RE8



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Manufacturer : Royal Aircraft Factory
Production Began : 1916
Number Built : 4000

RE8

The Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 was a British two-seat biplane reconnaissance and bomber aircraft of the Great War. The first of two prototype R.E.8s (Reconnaissance Experimental 8) flew on 17 June 1916. The first production aircraft reached th front line squadrons in November 1916. The R.E.8 was difficult to fly, and was regarded with great suspicion at first in the Royal Flying Corps. Although eventually it gave reasonably satisfactory service, it was never an outstanding combat aircraft. In spite of this, the R.E.8 served as the standard British reconnaissance and artillery spotting aircraft from mid-1917 to the end of the war, serving alongside the rather more popular Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8. Over 4,000 R.E.8s were eventually produced and they served in most theatres including Italy, Russia, Palestine and Mesopotamia, as well as the Western Front. In addition to the Royal Aircraft Factory, the R.E.8 was produced by six other companies including Austin Motors, Standard Motors, Siddeley-Deasy and Coventry Ordnance Works

Stirling



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Manufacturer : Short
Production Began : 1939
Number Built : 2381

Stirling

The Royal Air Force's first four engined monoplane Bomber, the Short Stirling first flew in May 1939 and entered front line service in August 1940 with no. 7 squadron. Due to its poor operational ceiling the aircraft sustained heavy losses and by mid 1942 the Stirling was beginning to be replaced by the Lancaster. Improved versions of the Short Stirling were built for Glider towing, paratroopers and heavy transport. also from 1943 many of the Stirling's were used for mine laying. A total of 2381 Stirling's were built for the Royal air Force and from this total 641 Stirling bombers were lost to enemy action. Crew 7 or 8: Speed: 260 mph (MK1) 275mph (MKIII) and 280mph (MKV)Service ceiling 17,000 feet Range: 2330 miles. (MK1) 2010 miles (MKIII) and 3,000 miles (MKV) Armament: two .303 Vickers machine guns. in nose turret, two .303 in browning machine guns in dorsal turret , Four .303 Browning machine guns in tail turret. Bomb Load 14,000 Lbs Engines: four 1150 Hp Bristol Hercules II (MK1) four 1650 hp Bristol Hercules XVI (MK111 and MKV)

Valiant



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Manufacturer : Vickers

Valiant

Full profile not yet available.

Vimy



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Manufacturer : Vickers

Vimy

Full profile not yet available.

Virginia

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Manufacturer : Vickers

Virginia

Full profile not yet available.

Wellesley

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Manufacturer : Vickers
Production Began : 1937
Retired : 1944
Number Built : 177

Wellesley

in April 1937 the first Wellesleys joined the RAF serving with No. 76 Squadron RAF at Finningley a further six RAF Bomber Command squadrons received Wellesleys and Five aircraft with provisions for three crew members were modified for long-range work with the RAF Long-Range Development Flight. On 5 November 1938, three of them under command of Squadron Leader Richard Kellett flew non-stop for two days from Ismailia, Egypt to Darwin, Australia (7,162 miles setting a world distance record. All three aircraft broke the record, but No. 2 aircraft landed in West Timor, 500 miles (800 km) short of the objective. The Wellesley's record remained unbroken until November 1945 This flight is still the longest by an aircraft with a single piston engine By the outbreak of the Second World War, the Wellesley had been phased out from home-based squadrons, with only four examples remaining in Britain, but they remained in service with three squadrons based in the Middle East Following the Italian declaration of war on 10 June 1940, the remaining Wellesley squadrons participated in the East African Campaign against Italian forces in Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somaliland. Although obsolete, the Wellesley formed a major part of the British Commonwealth bomber forces, mainly carrying out raids targeting Eritrea and northern Ethiopia Sudan-based Wellesleys carried out their first bombing mission on 11 June 1940, against Asmara in Eritrea. Three days later, they were involved in their first air combat, when Capitano Mario Visintini, future top-scoring biplane ace of the Second World War, intercepted a pair of Wellesleys from 14 Squadron on their way to bomb Massawa. Visintini, who was flying a Fiat CR.42, shot down the aircraft K7743, flown by Pilot Officer Reginald Patrick Blenner Plunkett. It was the first of Visintini's 16 air victories in Eastern Africa , the Wellesley continued to be sent on bombing raids, bombing Addis Ababa from Aden on 18 August The Wellesley continued in use against the Italians over East Africa until November 1941, when Gondar, the last Italian-held town, fell to Commonwealth and Ethiopian forces. The final Wellesley-equipped unit, 47 Squadron, was then switched to maritime reconnaissance duties over the Red Sea, continuing in this role until September 1942 In February 1940, three Wellesleys (K7728, K7735 and K8531) were sold to Egypt to serve in the Royal Egyptian Air Force

Wellington



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Manufacturer : Vickers
Production Began : 1938
Retired : 1953

Wellington

The Vickers Wellington was a Bomber aircraft and also used for maritime reconnaissance. and had a normal crew of six except in the MKV and VI where a crew of three was used. Maximum speed was 235 mph (MK1c) 255 mph (MK III, X) and 299 mph (MK IIII), normal operating range of 1805 miles (except MK III which was 1470miles) The Wellington or Wimpy as it was known, was the major bomber of the Royal Air Force between 1939 and 1943. The Royal Air Force received its first Wellingtons in October 1938 to 99 squadron. and by the outbreak of World war two there were 6 squadrons equipped with the Vickers Wellington. Due to heavy losses on daylight raids, the Wellington became a night bomber and from 1940 was also used as a long range bomber in North Africa. and in 1942 also became a long range bomber for the royal Air Force in India. It was well used by Coastal Command as a U-Boat Hunter. The Wellington remained in service with the Royal Air Force until 1953. Probably due to its versatile use, The aircraft was also used for experimental work including the fitting of a pressure cabin for High altitude tests. The Vickers Wellington could sustain major damage and still fly, probably due to its construction of its geodesic structure and practical application of geodesic lines. Designed by Sir Barnes Wallis

Whitley



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Manufacturer : Armstrong Whitworth
Production Began : 1937
Retired : 1942
Number Built : 1814

Whitley

The Whitley first entered service with No. 10 Squadron in March 1937, replacing Handley Page Heyford biplanes. By the outbreak of the Second World War, seven squadrons were operational, the majority flying Whitley IIIs or IVs, as the Whitley V had only just been introduced. ] With the Handley Page Hampden and the Vickers Wellington, Whitleys bore the brunt of the early fighting and saw action on the first night of the war, when they dropped propaganda leaflets over Germany.[8] Among the many aircrew who flew the Whitley in operations over Germany, was Leonard Cheshire who spent most of his first three years at war flying them. Unlike the Hampden and Wellington—which met specification B.9/32 for a day bomber—the Whitley was always intended for night operations and escaped the early heavy losses received in daylight raids on German shipping, early in the war. With Hampdens, the Whitley made the first bombing raid on German soil on the night of 19/20 March 1940, attacking the Hornum seaplane base on the Island of Sylt. Whitleys also carried out Operation Haddock the first RAF raid on Italy, on the night of 11/12 June 1940. As the oldest of the three bombers, the Whitley was obsolete by the start of the war, yet over 1,000 more were produced before a suitable replacement was found. A particular problem with the twin-engine aircraft, was that it could not maintain altitude on one engine. Whitleys flew 8,996 operations with RAF Bomber Command, dropped 9,845 tons (8,931 tonnes) of bombs and 269 aircraft were lost in action. From April 1942, the Whitley was retired as first-line bomber. It continued to serve as glider tug, paratroop trainer, transport, or radio countermeasures aircraft. It also played an important role in Coastal Command . No. 100 Group RAF used Whitleys to carry airborne radar and electronic counter-measures. In February 1942, Whitleys carried the paratroops who participated in the Bruneval raid (Operation Biting) in which German radar technology was captured from a German base on the coast of France. The British Overseas Airways Corporation operated 15 Whitley Mk Vs converted into freighters in 1942. Running night supply flights from Gibraltar to Malta, they took seven hours to reach the island, often landing during air attacks. They used large quantities of fuel for a small payload and were replaced in August 1942 by the Lockheed Hudson, with the 14 survivors being returned to the Royal Air Force. Long-range Coastal Command Mk VII variants, were among the last in front-line service, with the first kill attributed to them being the sinking of the German submarine U-751, on 17 July 1942, in combination with a Lancaster heavy bomber.




Last edited : 13:38, April 13, 2017
Last editor : kc

No.7 Sqn RAF Artwork



Short Stirling MkI R9257 MG - C. by M A Kinnear.


Avro Lancaster Mk III ND845 MG-C. by M A Kinnear.


Clipped Signature - Graham Blacklock.


The Winged Dagger by Simon Smith.


Chinook over the Sperrins by David Pentland.


Operation Barras, 10th September 2000 by David Rowlands.


Teamwork by Stuart Brown.


Stirlings Ready by Keith Woodcock.

By Day, By Night by Michael Rondot.


Mobility Troop Re-Supply by Stuart Brown.

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