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No.9 Sqn RAF |
Name : No.9 Sqn RAF Founded : 8th December 1914 Country : UK More Details : Per noctum volamus - Through the night we gly |
Known Service Details : | |||||||
Pilot or Aircrew | Rank | Start of Service | End of Service | Known Dates | Aircraft | Airframes | Notes |
Pilot Officer | unknown | unknown | August 1940 | awarded DFC and gazetted on 1 October 1940 Citation: "In August, 1940, this officer was flying as a member of a section engaged on aerodrome guard patrol. Fifteen Dorniers escorted by a large number of Messerschmitts were sighted and an attack was ordered. Pilot Officer Millington succeeded in damaging a Dornier, but was in turn engaged by three Messerschmitts. He damaged one, shook off the other two and, single-handed, again engaged the bombers. During a further attack by two of the enemy fighters, he shot down one but a cannon shell burst in the engine of his aircraft causing it to burn. Pilot Officer Millington, although suffering from a wound, chose to make a crash landing rather than abandon his aircraft and so endanger a village in front of him. He succeeded in getting clear just before the petrol tanks exploded. A few days previously, he attacked a formation of about sixty Heinkels, two of which he destroyed | |||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 10th February 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 10th February 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 27th March 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 12th January 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 12th January 1941 | ||||
May 1941 | August 1941 | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 12th March 1941 | ||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 12th March 1941 | ||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 12th January 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 27th March 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | 13th March 1941 | Killed in Action | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | 13th March 1941 | Killed in Action | ||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | 2nd March 1941 | Killed in Action | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | 2nd March 1941 | Killed in Action | ||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
Flight Officer | unknown | 2nd March 1941 | Killed in Action | ||||
Pilot Officer | unknown | unknown | 27th March 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | 13th March 1941 | Killed in Action | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 10th February 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 10th February 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 10th February 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | 2nd March 1941 | Killed in Action | ||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 12th January 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 27th March 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | 2nd March 1941 | Killed in Action | ||||
Flight Lieutenant | unknown | unknown | 27th March 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | 13th March 1941 | Killed in Action | ||||
unknown | unknown | ||||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 27th March 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 12th January 1941 | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | 2nd March 1941 | Killed in Action | ||||
Sergeant | unknown | unknown | 12th January 1941 |
Pilots and Aircrew for : No.9 Sqn RAF | ||
A list of all aircrew from our database who are associated with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking their name. | ||
Name | Info | |
Ainsbury, Click the name above to see a profile of Ainsbury, | Ainsbury, | |
Bevan, Click the name above to see a profile of Bevan, | Bevan, | |
Bews, R. D. Click the name above to see a profile of Bews, R. D. | Bews, R. D. | |
Blaydon, R.W. Click the name above to see a profile of Blaydon, R.W. | Blaydon, R.W. | |
Bratley, H.W. Click the name above to see a profile of Bratley, H.W. | Bratley, H.W. | |
Broadley, John Alan Click the name above to see a profile of Broadley, John Alan
| Broadley, John Alan Flight Lieutenant J. A. Bill Broadley, DSO, DFC, DFM: John Alan Broadley was born in Richmond, Yorkshire in 1921. Joining the RAF on leaving school, he trained as a Sergeant Observer, and flew many operations over Germany during the first two years of war. He joined No.9 Squadron May 1941, and became Pick Pickards regular navigator. During June-August he flew with Pickard against major German targets such as Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Cologne and was awarded the DFM for outstanding ability and courage. In August 1941 he was posted to No.138 Squadron, a special duties unit, supplying the resistance and dropping / recovering agents. November 18th 1941 he was commissioned as Pilot Officer and moved to No.51 squadron. During the night of February 27th/28th 1942, he flew with Pickard on Operation Biting, which involved dropping paratroops to recover parts of the German Wurzburg radar from Bruneral, near Le Havre. July 1942 he was posted to No.296 Squadron a glider towing unit. During November, Broadley moved to No.161 Squadron, another special duties unit and whilst here was awarded the DFC, DSO and also gained promotion to Flight Lieutenant. On 1st December 1943 he made his final move to No.21 Squadron part of 140 Wing, 2nd Tactical Air Force. Appointed Wing Navigational Officer during January 1944. Flew many low level raids with Pickard, culminating with Operation Jericho. He was killed in action on 18th February 1944 when his Mosquito Mk.FB.VI EG-F of No.464 Sqn RAAF was shot down by Fw190s during the Amiens raid. He is buried in St Pierre cemetery, Amiens. Son of Thomas Pearson Broadley and Irene Broadley. | |
Brookbank, Jim Click the name above to see a profile of Brookbank, Jim | Brookbank, Jim Born in a Victorian terrace in the back streets of Kilburn in North West London and had yet to reach his sixteenth birthday at the outbreak of war. Having experienced the ‘Blitz’ and already obsessed with flying since the age of 12, he - in keeping with many aspiring young aviators - wanted to be a Spitfire pilot. He volunteered as U/T pilot at the age of 18, trained in Canada and qualified as a Bomb Aimer. Jim joined IX Squadron at Bardney in August 1944 and flew on Operations with them until VE Day. He attacked specially selected daylight targets with the Barnes Wallis 12,000lb ‘Tallboy’ bomb, including the final raid of the war on Berchtesgaden on 25th April 1945. Jim completed 23 ops. | |
Brown, J. R. Click the name above to see a profile of Brown, J. R. | Brown, J. R. | |
Caines, G T M Click the name above to see a profile of Caines, G T M | Caines, G T M Volunteered and joined the RAF at age 18 and was called up on 4th December 1940. He subsequently joined 9 Squadron and after 7 Operational sorties was granted four days compassionate leave to visit his wife, who had just given birth to a son in a temporary maternity hospital in Taunton. He returned to find his crew reported missing. He carried on flying with 9 Squadron as a spare Wop but after 13 ops crewed up with F/O Manning who had lost his Wop after five trips. On 23rd March 1944, on his twenty-fifth trip, in Lancaster LM430, WS-B, on the way home from Frankfurt they were hit in the bomb bay by a fighter. Badly on fire and in a steep dive they blew up. The aircraft broke her back and Caines was thrown clear of the wreckage, landing in a little village called Lembeque, near Brussels. He finished the war in captivity and was repatriated a week or so before VE Day. Unfortunately he was the only one to survive the crash. | |
Chamberlain, W. George Click the name above to see a profile of Chamberlain, W. George | Chamberlain, W. George No's 9 and 630 Squadrons. "Joined RAF 1940. Flew with Bomber Command 30 sorties in 1942 with No 9 Squadron - including Le Creusot raid - and 24 sorties in 1944 with No 630 Squadron. Took part in Berlin Airlift. Thereafter saw service in Cyprus, Germay, Aden and the Air Ministry before retiring from the RAF in 1976. | |
Collins, E. Click the name above to see a profile of Collins, E. | Collins, E. | |
Curtis, F. W. Click the name above to see a profile of Curtis, F. W.
| Curtis, F. W. | |
Goldingay, L.D. Click the name above to see a profile of Goldingay, L.D. | Goldingay, L.D. | |
Griffiths, N. D. R. Click the name above to see a profile of Griffiths, N. D. R. | Griffiths, N. D. R. | |
Hall, B. P. Click the name above to see a profile of Hall, B. P.
| Hall, B. P. | |
Hammond, J. W. Click the name above to see a profile of Hammond, J. W.
| Hammond, J. W. | |
Haven, Dick Click the name above to see a profile of Haven, Dick | 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. | |
Heslop, D. A. T. Click the name above to see a profile of Heslop, D. A. T.
| Heslop, D. A. T. | |
Huddlestone, J. N. Click the name above to see a profile of Huddlestone, J. N.
| Huddlestone, J. N. | |
James, B. A. Jimmy Click the name above to see a profile of James, B. A. Jimmy
| James, B. A. Jimmy Squadron Leader B. A. Jimmy James, MC, survivor of the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III. Bertram Arthur James was born in India on April 17th, 1915 where his father was a tea-planter. He was educated at King's School, Canterbury, and worked in British Columbia from 1934 until volunteering for flying training with the RAF in 1939. He was commissioned and posted to 9 Sqn flying Wellingtons from Honington in Suffolk. In June 1940 his aircraft was badly hit by flak over Holland while on a bombing raid to Germany and he was forced to bail out. He was captured and taken prisoner but then embarked on what was to become a prolific period of escaping including the Great Escape from Stalag Luft III. Jimmy James was one of 76 officers who escaped from Stalag Luft III on the night of March 24, 1944, and was fortunate not to be among the 50 executed on Hitler's order on recapture. He was sent instead to Sachsenhausen concentration camp from where he tunnelled his way out, only to be caught again after 14 days on the run. He was awarded the MC and mentioned in dispatches for his escape attempts. Squadron Leader B. A. Jimmy James retired from the RAF in 1958 and held a number of posts in the Diplomatic Service. He was the general-secretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office-sponsored Great Britain-USSR Association, until joining the Diplomatic Service in 1964. He held posts in Africa, Western and Eastern Europe and London. He retired in 1975, when he visited Sachsenhausen with Jack Churchill and other survivors. He served as the British representative on the International Sachsenhausen Committee until shortly before his death. He died on January 18th, 2008, aged 92 | |
Johnson, Ken Click the name above to see a profile of Johnson, Ken | Johnson, Ken As a Mid-Upper Gunner he flew on Lancasters with 9 and 61 Squadrons taking part in many raids including the final attack to sink the Tirpitz in November 1944 along with attacks on Berchtesgaden, Hitlers alpine home. | |
Kelbrick, William Click the name above to see a profile of Kelbrick, William | Kelbrick, William Gunner, No.50 and No.9 Squadrons. | |
Lasham, Bob Click the name above to see a profile of Lasham, Bob | Lasham, Bob Pilot, 9 and 97 Squadrons. | |
Lawson, H. G. L. Click the name above to see a profile of Lawson, H. G. L.
| Lawson, H. G. L. | |
Legg, Ron Click the name above to see a profile of Legg, Ron | Legg, Ron Joined the RAF at Lord Cricket on 12th July 1943. Prior to that he was an engineering apprentice with a well known Bristol company. He was called to the Aircrew Selection Board at Oxford and chose to become a Flight Engineer and following a minor operation on his nose, he went to Lords Cricket Ground. After three weeks initial training in London, he went to Torquay and then to St Athans for the six months training as a Flight Engineer. He passed out in March 1944 having never flown in an aeroplane. When on his first leave, friends would say "What's it like up there?" he was embarrassed to admit that he had not yet flown. After his leave, he was posted to Scampton where he met the lads that had been crewed up at OTU and were destined for the Lancaster. His next posting was to Winthorpe, 1661 Heavy Conversion Unit. The aircraft was the Stirling and he flew with Sgt Anscombe for a full course; this was mainly to gain air experience. He was then crewed up with F/L Oldacre and did the same course again as the F/E. An experienced F/E flew with them until he was satisfied that they were competent. The next posting was with his crew to Syerston for a conversion on the Lancaster and then to 9 Squadron, Bardney where they did a total of about 12 hours on training flights. The pilot had to do one operation as a 2nd pilot, on that trip he was shot down but he baled out and evaded capture. They then returned to another HCU 1654 Wigsley, once again on the Stirling and another pilot W/O Ross. From there the course was completed and they went through the Lancaster finishing course once again, then to 57 Squadron East Kirkby for operational flying. the first op was a daylight raid on Wilhelmshaven 5th October 1944 and the last on 7th April 1945. His total was 31 operations. He was then posted to a holding unit for redundant aircrew and never flew again with the RAF. | |
Levy, Harry Click the name above to see a profile of Levy, Harry | Levy, Harry Weapons Operator, 9 Squadron. | |
Linaker, Jack Click the name above to see a profile of Linaker, Jack | Linaker, Jack As a Rear Gunner on Lancasters he was posted to 9 Sqn which was one of only two squadrons equipped with the Tallboy bomb used for precision bombing and went on to lead the final raid on Berchtesgaden. He completed 18 Ops. | |
Long, J. L. R. Click the name above to see a profile of Long, J. L. R. | Long, J. L. R. | |
Lucas, Bill Click the name above to see a profile of Lucas, Bill | Lucas, Bill Born in 1917, Bill Lucas volunteered for aircrew early in 1940 and after training as a fighter pilot he became, due to the high demand, a bomber pilot and joined 9 Squadron (Wellingtons) in August 1941. After 14 missions over Germany Bill converted to Stirlings and completed a further 26 operations, this time with 15 Squadron at Wyton. After two years instructing at 19 OTU Kinloss he was selected to join Pathfinder Force in October 1944 to fly Mosquitoes with 162 Squadron at Bourn, Cambridgeshire, where he remained until war end to complete 41 more missions making 81 in total. Bill attained the rank of Squadron Leader and was awarded the DFC and a Mention in Despatches. The most memorable of his missions must be the first 1000 bomber raid on Cologne on May 30 1942, as this seems to have struck a lasting memory in the minds of the general public. After the war Bill pursued a career in the insurance industry and also began to pick up the pieces of a serious athletic activity with the Belgrave Harriers which resulted in selection for the 5000 metres at the Olympic Games at Wembley in 1948, but at the age of 32 he was not in his own words “very successfulâ€. Bill says his greatest regret was missing the games in Helsinki in 1940 and the cancelled games in 1944. “These should have been the best athletic years of my life.†| |
Lusher, Norman Click the name above to see a profile of Lusher, Norman | Lusher, Norman Air Gunner, 9 Squadron. | |
Maguire, Mick Click the name above to see a profile of Maguire, Mick | Maguire, Mick Having signed up in 1936, he served as both a Gunner and Bomb Aimer with 88 and 9 Squadrons. He flew on many aircraft including Blenheims, Bostons and Lancasters and also spent time with the Air Ministry. | |
Manger, W. J. Click the name above to see a profile of Manger, W. J.
| Manger, W. J. | |
McKay, A. G. D. Click the name above to see a profile of McKay, A. G. D. | McKay, A. G. D. | |
McRiner, Click the name above to see a profile of McRiner, | McRiner, | |
Millington, Click the name above to see a profile of Millington, | Millington, | |
Millington, William Henry Click the name above to see a profile of Millington, William Henry
| Millington, William Henry Pilot Officer William H. Millington an Australian flew with No 249 Squadron and No 79 Squadron during the Battle of Britain. Whilst flying with No 79 Squadron he was wounded on August 31st 1940 when he crash landed his Hurricane I (P3050) which was engulfed in flames after combat over Romney. W.H.Millington was later moved to No 249 Squadron and among the combat he Participated in was on the 23rd Sept 1940 in Hurricane V6622 where he was killed on October 30th 1940 when he was shot down in his Hurricane I (V7536) over the Channel. it is thought that Bill succumbed to the enticement as, after ‘finding himself caught up in a series of sporadic actions...over the Channel his Hurricane was last seen chasing a German fighter out to sea; it is believed Bill was the victim of Fw Bielefeldt of 3 Staffel [I/JG51] who claimed a Hurricane at about this time. Tich Palliser recalled it, ‘the whole squadron was sick when Bill was lost; he had been well liked, was a nice lad and had made a great impression on the squadron. He was very much missed.’ | |
Murray, J. N. Click the name above to see a profile of Murray, J. N.
| Murray, J. N. | |
Palmer, Jeff Click the name above to see a profile of Palmer, Jeff | Palmer, Jeff Volunteered for aircrew duties at the age of 20 in 1941. He later trained as Nav/BA in South Africa. After further training he joined 195 and 9 Squadrons and took part in ops over Germany. Towards the end of the war he took part in Operation Manna over Holland. After the end of the war he flew to India with 9 Sqn and took part in victory demonstrations. He was demobilised in 1946. | |
Parkes, S.M.P. Click the name above to see a profile of Parkes, S.M.P. | Parkes, S.M.P. | |
Parkin, R. Click the name above to see a profile of Parkin, R. | Parkin, R. | |
Pearson, R Click the name above to see a profile of Pearson, R | Pearson, R Joined the RAF in 1943 to begin training as an Air Gunner. After the usual short attachments at various training stations eventually ending up at No 2 AGS Dalcross. Air firing was carried out from an Avro Anson. There was always a mad rush to be first aboard the aircraft on every detail, not from enthusiasm, but from trying to avoid winding up the undercarriage after take off. M/Sig Pearson went from Dalcross to Kinloss to join a crew flying Whitleys and several months later ended up at 158 Sqdn Lissett to commence operations on Halifaxes. After half a tour and very happy at Lissett his crew were posted onto a PFF Sqdn, 635 Sqdn Downham Market. His first operation, and very nearly his last, was a daylight raid on Hamburg. On the bombing run, they had the misfortune to be selected by the pilot of a ME262 as his victim. He was not spotted until he was dead astern and blazing away with the four 30mm cannon in the nose. Evasive action was given and the pilot promptly stood the Lanc on its nose. Unfortunately not all the cannon shells missed and they lost quite a piece of fuselage leaving ammo belts hanging out in the slipstream. After regaining level flight, they were attacked again by another ME262, but this time they were lucky. Both ME pilots decided to push off and find some other sitting duck! Despite these attacks, they carried on and bombed, making their way home across the North Sea, not a pleasant journey. The pilot received an immediate award of the DFC. M/Sig Pearson finished the war out at Downham Market and after the war in Europe ended was posted to 83 Sqdn Conningsby for Tiger Force training and operations against the Japanese. Fortunately the war in the east ceased just as they were ready to depart. He was demobbed in May 1947, but was not happy out of uniform so was back in again at the end of 1949 as an A/G flying on Lincolns at 9 Sqdn. Binbrook. He had a short detachment with 617 Sqdn at Shallufa, Egypt and at the end of 1952 was posted onto B29 aircraft with 15 Sqdn. Coningsby. After six months he was posted to Little Rissington on a Link Trainer course and then to FTS Syerston as a Link instructor to Naval cadet pilots. In 1955, he was required to either remuster to a ground trade or take another aircrew trade. He was posted to Swanton Morley to take training as an Air Signaller and from then to St Mawgan 228 Sqdn on Shackletons. Next came a posting to Northolt in a drawing office drawing En-Route charts and Terminal Approach Procedures. Back to flying in 1961 and a posting to 224 Sqdn Gibraltar and then to Air Traffic Control School at Shawbury. On completion of this course came a posting to RAF Lyneham as Local Controller and thence to RAF Colerne as Approach Controller. He left the service in 1968. | |
Pinning, Jim Click the name above to see a profile of Pinning, Jim | Pinning, Jim volunteered and was called up for Air Crew duties in April 1942. After some Pilot training in S Rhodesia and returning to England, Jim qualified as a Flight Engineer, joining Flying Officer David Coster and crew at Conversion Unit flying Stirlings. After a course at Lancaster Finishing School, a posting to IX Squadron, Bardney resulted. On his seventh trip Jim flew in WS.T LM448 (as illustrated in “Preparing for the Tirpitzâ€) on the final Tirpitz raid, but as the result of heavy flak damage causing a loss of fuel and power a course was set for Sweden where, after evading enemy fighters over Norway, a crash landing was made. After returning to England the crew re-joined the Squadron and Jim completed 22 ops. by the end of the war. After cancellation of the Tiger Force destined for the Far East, Jim joined Squadron Leader (Jock) Blair for the Squadron’s brief visit to India. | |
Prettejohns, Gerald Victor Click the name above to see a profile of Prettejohns, Gerald Victor | Prettejohns, Gerald Victor Joining the RAF in 1943, he flew as a Flight Engineer serving with 106 Sqn before moving to 9 Sqn. He completed a full tour on Stirlings and Lancasters including raids against the Tirpitz. | |
Rees, W G Click the name above to see a profile of Rees, W G | Rees, W G Volunteered for Aircrew at age 19 and was called up in April 1942. After initial training he went to Miami, Oklahoma where he gained his Pilots Wings in July 1942. He returned to the UK and after further training volunteered for Special Duties and was posted to 9 Squadron who were about to embark on their 12,000lb Bomb campaign. His first flight was on “T†for “Tommyâ€. His service with the Squadron included many Tallboy and 12,000lb HC bomb raids and he specialised in Wind Finding exercises. After the German capitulation he trained with Tiger Force and finally served at Waddington until his release from the service. | |
Reeve, John Click the name above to see a profile of Reeve, John | Reeve, John Commanded the lead aircraft of Operation Black Buck 1, but was forced to return to base before reaching his objective when his aircraft suffered a pressurisation failure. Several days later he flew a near identical mission as Operation Black Buck 2 successfully targeted an Argentine airstrip at Port Stanley. He served with 9, 10 and 50 Squadrons. | |
Rogers, Ken Click the name above to see a profile of Rogers, Ken | Rogers, Ken As a Radio Operator he served with 9 Sqn similar to W.O. Jack Linaker. He completed 34 Ops on Lancasters including precision bombing on Bergen, Munich and the Arnsberg Viaduct in the German Rhine River Valley. | |
Routledge, E. Click the name above to see a profile of Routledge, E.
| Routledge, E. | |
Shore, J. T. L. Click the name above to see a profile of Shore, J. T. L. | Shore, J. T. L. | |
Smith, W. L. Click the name above to see a profile of Smith, W. L.
| Smith, W. L. | |
Sumner, Adrian Click the name above to see a profile of Sumner, Adrian | 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. | |
Taylor, Tommy Click the name above to see a profile of Taylor, Tommy | Taylor, Tommy A Pilot with 9 and 467 Squadrons, Tommy completed two full tours on Lancasters flying from Bardney and Waddington. He finished the War flying Boulton and Paul Defiants on North Sea patrols in 1945. | |
Tetlow, Phil Click the name above to see a profile of Tetlow, Phil | Tetlow, Phil Joining the RAF in August 1942 he soon began wireless training and, after a spell with 17 OTU, joined 9 Sqn at Bardney. He completed a total of 42 ops including all three raids against the Tirpitz. | |
Thompson, Sam Click the name above to see a profile of Thompson, Sam | Thompson, Sam As a Mid Upper Gunner he was posted to 103 Sqn on Halifaxes before transferring to 9 Sqn where he completed 3 raids on the Tirpitz and also Berchtesgaden, completing 50 Ops in total. | |
Tomkins, H. J. Click the name above to see a profile of Tomkins, H. J. | Tomkins, H. J. | |
Vivian, R. Click the name above to see a profile of Vivian, R. | Vivian, R. | |
Waters, A. E. Click the name above to see a profile of Waters, A. E.
| Waters, A. E. | |
Watson, Derek Click the name above to see a profile of Watson, Derek | Watson, Derek Officer Commanding No IX(B) Squadron | |
Willis, L.R. Click the name above to see a profile of Willis, L.R. | Willis, L.R. |
Known Individual Aircraft of No.9 Sqn RAF : | ||||||||
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Aircraft for : No.9 Sqn RAF | ||
A list of all aircraft associated with No.9 Sqn RAF. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name. | ||
Aircraft | Info | |
Blenheim
Manufacturer : Bristol Production Began : 1935 Retired : 1956 Number Built : 4422 | Blenheim The Bristol Blenheim, the most plentiful aircraft in the RAFs inventory when WWII began, was designed by Frank Barnwell, and when first flown in 1936 was unique with its all metal monoplane design incorporating a retractable undercarriage, wing flaps, metal props, and supercharged engines. A typical bomb load for a Blenheim was 1,000 pounds. In the early stages of the war Blenheims were used on many daylight bombing missions. On the day that war was declared on Germany, a Blenheim piloted by Flying Officer Andrew McPherson was the first British aircraft to cross the German coast and the following morning 15 Blenheims from three squadrons set off on one of the first bombing missions The Blenheim units operated throughout the battle, often taking heavy casualties, although they were never accorded the publicity of the fighter squadrons. The Blenheim units raided German occupied airfields throughout July to December 1940, both during daylight hours and at night. Although most of these raids were unproductive, there were some successes; on 1 August five out of 12 Blenheims sent to attack Haamstede and Evere (Brussels) were able to bomb, destroying or heavily damaging three Bf 109s of II./JG 27 and apparently killing a Staffelkapitän identified as Hauptmann Albrecht von Ankum-Frank. Two other 109s were claimed by Blenheim gunners. Another successful raid on Haamstede was made by a single Blenheim on 7 August which destroyed one 109 of 4./JG 54, heavily damaged another and caused lighter damage to four more. There were also some missions which produced an almost 100% casualty rate amongst the Blenheims. One such operation was mounted on 13 August 1940 against a Luftwaffe airfield near Aalborg in north-western Denmark by 12 aircraft of 82 Squadron. One Blenheim returned early (the pilot was later charged and due to appear before a court martial, but was killed on another operation); the other 11, which reached Denmark, were shot down, five by flak and six by Bf 109s. Blenheim-equipped units had been formed to carry out long-range strategic reconnaissance missions over Germany and German-occupied territories, as well as bombing operations. In this role, the Blenheims once again proved to be too slow and vulnerable against Luftwaffe fighters and they took constant casualties While great heroism was displayed by the air crews, tremendous losses were sustained during these missions. The Blenhiem was easy pickings at altitude for German Bf-109 fighters who quickly learned to attack from below. To protect the vulnerable bellies of the Blenheims many missions were shifted to low altitude, but this increased the aircrafts exposure to anti-aircraft fire. In the German night-bombing raid on London on 18 June 1940, Blenheims accounted for five German bombers, thus proving that they were better-suited for night fighting. In July, No. 600 Squadron, by then based at RAF Manston, had some of its Mk IFs equipped with AI Mk III radar. With this radar equipment, a Blenheim from the Fighter Interception Unit (FIU) at RAF Ford achieved the first success on the night of 2–3 July 1940, accounting for a Dornier Do 17 bomber. More successes came, and before long the Blenheim proved itself invaluable as a night fighter. One Blenheim pilot, Squadron Leader Arthur Scarf, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for an attack on Singora, Thailand, on 9 December 1941. Another bomber of No. 60 Squadron RAF was credited with shooting down Lt Col Tateo Katō's Nakajima Ki-43 fighter and badly damaging two others in a single engagement on 22 May 1942, over the Bay of Bengal. Katō's death was a severe blow to the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force. | |
Lancaster
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
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 Lüneburg, 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. | |
Tornado
| Tornado Full profile not yet available. | |
Vulcan
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 | |
Wellington
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 |
No.9 Sqn RAF Artwork |
Raid on the Tirpitz by Ivan Berryman. | Destination: Libya. Tornado GR.4s of 9 Squadron by Ivan Berryman. | Sinking the Tirpitz by Nicolas Trudgian. |
Preparing for the Tirpitz by Philip West. | Our First Reply by Chris Golds. | Almost Home by Robert Taylor. |
Target Tirpitz by Keith Aspinall. |
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