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Naval History by Country :
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No.2 Sqn RAF |
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Name : No.2 Sqn RAF Founded : 13th May 1912 Country : UK More Details : Hereward - Guardian of the Army |
2 Squadron was formed at Farnborough, Hampshire on 13 May 1912, . It was formed from a detachment of No. 2 (Aeroplane) Company of the Royal Engineers Air Battalion. Both 2 Squadron and 3 Squadron were equipped with fixed wing aeroplanes, while 1 Squadron was equipped with airships. The squadron's first commander was Major C J Burke. The squadron was equipped with a mixture of aircraft types, including the prototype Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2. The squadron was the first to fly the English Channel into France at the start of the First World War.[6] Starting a role which continues to this day, the squadron spent the war on reconnaissance duties in France flying, amongst other aircraft, the B.E.2. From 26 February 1913 the squadron was based at Montrose, the first operational Royal Flying Corps base in the UK located just outside Montrose, Angus. This was established on the instructions of the First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill to protect the Royal Navy. At Montrose the ghost story of Desmond Arthur spread around the flying corps. On its return to the UK, II(AC) Squadron was soon conducting Army Cooperation activities in Ireland and in 1927 it deployed to China where it operated the Bristol F2.B fighter from Shanghai racecourse. In 1931, the Hereward knot was approved for use on the Squadron crest symbolising its close relationship to the Army. At the outbreak of World War II, II(AC) Squadron was operating the Lysander aircraft in a reconnaissance role as well as performing supply drops and inserting Special Operations Executive (SOE) Agents into occupied France. In August 1941 it was equipped with the Tomahawk as the Lysander had become inadequate in the reconnaissance role and the Squadron proved the utility of fighter aircraft as a photo-reconnaissance platform. In 1942 II(AC) Squadron was re-equipped with the P-51 Mustang which it operated in tactical reconnaissance sorties in the D-Day landings in 1944. The Squadron flew 36 sorties on D-Day and it was a II(AC) Squadron aircraft that brought back the first aerial photographic images of the landings. II(AC) Squadron supported the Canadian Army as they advanced through Europe and saw out the war with later marks of the Spitfire. The squadron spent much of the Cold War in Germany as part of RAF Germany, flying various fighter types, including latterly Phantoms and then Jaguars. Elements of the squadron were deployed to the Gulf War. Along with much of the RAF, II (AC) Sqn withdrew from Germany after returning from the Gulf War – moving to RAF Marham in Norfolk with its Tornado GR1As. These were upgraded to the latest GR4 standard, with which the squadron deployed at part of Operation Telic over Iraq in 2003. The squadron has deployed on several occasions to maintain the Tornado GR4 detachment in Afghanistan, and saw action over Libya during Operation Ellamy/Operation Unified Protector. 2 Sqn. are currently operating eight aircraft from RAF Akrotiri as part of Operation Shader - The coalition strikes against the extremist group, ISIS. |
Known Service Details : | |||||||
Pilot or Aircrew | Rank | Start of Service | End of Service | Known Dates | Aircraft | Airframes | Notes |
AC1 | unknown | 27th March 1931 | AC1 Leonard Alexander Ellard (18) and his pilot Fg Off Charles Richard Fildes Wintringham (21) both drowned when there Atlas I J9952, 2 Sqn, Manston Crashed into sea in fog, off Reculver, Kent Killed in Action | ||||
flying officer | unknown | 27th March 1931 | Killed in Action | ||||
| Pilots and Aircrew for : No.2 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 | |
| ellard, Leonard Alexander Click the name above to see a profile of ellard, Leonard Alexander
| ellard, Leonard Alexander AC1 Leonard Alexander Ellard (18) and his pilot Fg Off Charles Richard Fildes Wintringham (21) both drowned when there Atlas I J9952, 2 Sqn, Manston Crashed into sea in fog, off Reculver, Kent | |
| Poole, Moose Click the name above to see a profile of Poole, Moose | Poole, Moose Officer Commanding No II(AC) Squadron | |
| Wintringham, harles Richard Fildes Click the name above to see a profile of Wintringham, harles Richard Fildes
| Wintringham, harles Richard Fildes 14th Sept 1929 was promoted to Flying Officer J9952, Atlas of 2 Sqn, Manston Crashed into sea in fog, off Reculver, Kent both crew drowned Fg Off Charles Richard Fildes Wintringham (21) AC1 Leonard Alexander Ellard (18) | |
Known Individual Aircraft of No.2 Sqn RAF : | ||||||||
Type | Serial | Codes | First Flew | Squadron History | Aircrew History | History Notes | Engine | Factory |
- | ||||||||
- | no information | |||||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon VI | Westland | ||||
13/08/1943 | no information | no information | Merlin 63 | Chattis Hill | ||||
13/02/1943 | no information | no information | Merlin 63 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Merlin 66 | Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory | ||||
- | no information | no information | Merlin 66 | Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory | ||||
- | no information | no information | Merlin 66 | Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory | ||||
- | no information | no information | Merlin 66 | Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Chattis Hill | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Chattis Hill | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Chattis Hill | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Keevil | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Aldermaston | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Keevil | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | WIN | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | WIN | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Aldermaston | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Aldermaston | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Chattis Hill | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Aldermaston | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Merlin 70 | Chattis Hill | ||||
- | no information | no information | Merlin 70 | Aldermaston | ||||
- | no information | no information | Merlin 70 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Merlin 70 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Merlin 70 | Aldermaston | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 66 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
RAG-G | - | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
RAS-F | - | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
RAR-K | - | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Keevil | |||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | |||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Eastleigh | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Aldermaston | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Aldermaston | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Aldermaston | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Aldermaston | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Keevil | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Keevil | ||||
- | no information | no information | Griffon 65 | Aldermaston | ||||
14/11/1940 | no information | no information | Merlin III | Eastleigh | ||||
| Aircraft for : No.2 Sqn RAF | ||
| A list of all aircraft associated with No.2 Sqn RAF. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name. | ||
| Aircraft | Info | |
Atlas
Manufacturer : Armstrong Whitworth Production Began : 1927 Retired : 1935 Number Built : 478 | Atlas The first batch of 37 aircraft were ordered in 1927, entering service with 13 Squadron RAF and 26 Squadron in that year. Once the initial handling problems had been solved by the fitting of slats, the Atlas proved well suited to the army co-operation role, serving both at home and overseas, with 208 squadron, being the first squadron to operate Atlases outside Britain, replacing Bristol fighters at Heliopolis, Egypt in 1930. Atlases were also used for communications duties and as advanced trainers, with 175 dual-control models built. The Atlas continued in service in the army co-operations role until replaced with the Hawker Audax, a variant of the Hawker Hart, with the last operational squadron, 208, re-equipping in 1935. It was also replaced in the advanced trainer role in 1935 by the Hawker Hart Trainer. Four civil registered Atlas trainers were used by Air Service Training Ltd for advanced and reserve flying training. They were scrapped in 1938 | |
Audax
Manufacturer : Hawker Engineering Company Production Began : 0 Retired : 0 Number Built : 625 | Audax Based largely on the Hawker Hart, which it resembled, the Hawker Audax was produced between 1931 and 1937. The aircraft was intended as a trainer / observation aircraft / light bomber. The Audax was the main army co-operation aircraft in RAF service from 1932 until its replacement by the Westland Lysander in 1937-8. The Audax was then used for second line duties, amongst them advanced training and communication duties in Britain. The number of aircraft produced meant that the Audax remained in use in India and the Middle East well into the Second World War. In Egypt a small number were used by Nos. 173 and 267 squadrons for local communication and transport duties, only being replaced in 1942. Further south No. 237 Squadron had used the Audax in operations on the Kenyan-Ethiopian border between the Italian declaration of war in June 1940 and September 1940 when the squadron concentrated on the Hawker Hardy. Finally in the Middle East, a number of Audaxes were allocated to No. 52 Squadron in Iraq between July 1941 and January 1942. However No. 52 Squadron had no aircrew, and so the aircraft were flown by pilots of No. 31 Squadron, providing local reconnaissance. The Audax saw most active service in India. The RAF in India had been stripped of many modern aircraft during the first two years of the war, leaving it very vulnerable after the Japanese entry into the war in December 1941. Two squadrons (Nos. 5 and 146) were even forced to use the Audax as single seat fighters, before receiving the Curtiss Mohawk in early 1942. No. 28 squadron retained a number of Audaxes during the Japanese advance through Burma. The final squadrons to use the Audax were Nos.1 and 3 of the Indian Air Force. No. 3 Squadron used the Audax to fly patrols over the North West Frontier between October 1941 and September 1943. Most remarkably, No. 1 Squadron used the Audax in its original role, as an army co-operation aircraft, for four months between September 1943 and January 1944. | |
BE2C 
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", | |
Jaguar 
| Jaguar Full profile not yet available. | |
Lysander 
Manufacturer : Westland Aircraft Production Began : 1938 Retired : 1946 Number Built : 1786 | Lysander The first Lysanders entered service in June 1938, equipping squadrons for army co-operation and were initially used for message-dropping and artillery spotting. When war broke out in Europe, the earlier Mk Is had been largely replaced by Mk IIs, the older machines heading for the Middle East. Some of these aircraft, now designated type L.1, operated with the Chindits of the British Indian Army in the Burma Campaign of the Second World War. Four regular squadrons equipped with Lysanders accompanied the British Expeditionary Force to France in October 1939, and were joined by a further squadron early in 1940. Following the German invasion of France and the low countries on 10 May 1940, the Lysanders were put into action as spotters and light bombers. In spite of occasional victories against German aircraft, they made very easy targets for the Luftwaffe even when escorted by Hurricanes. Withdrawn from France during the Dunkirk evacuation, they continued to fly supply-dropping missions to Allied forces from bases in England; on one mission to drop supplies to troops trapped at Calais, 14 of 16 Lysanders and Hawker Hectors that set out were lost. 118 Lysanders were lost in or over France and Belgium in May and June 1940, of a total of 175 deployed. With the fall of France, it was clear that the type was unsuitable for the coastal patrol and army co-operation role, being described by Air Marshal Arthur Barratt, commander-in-chief of the British Air Forces in France as "quite unsuited to the task; a faster, less vulnerable aircraft was required." Nevertheless, throughout the remainder of 1940, Lysanders flew dawn and dusk patrols off the coast and in the event of an invasion of Britain, they were tasked with attacking the landing beaches with light bombs and machine guns.[9] They were replaced in the home-based army co-operation role from 1941 by camera-equipped fighters such as the Curtiss Tomahawk and North American Mustang carrying out reconnaissance operations, while light aircraft such as the Taylorcraft Auster were used to direct artillery. Some UK-based Lysanders went to work operating air-sea rescue, dropping dinghies to downed RAF aircrew in the English Channel. Fourteen squadrons and flights were formed for this role in 1940 and 1941. In August 1941 a new squadron, No. 138 (Special Duties), was formed to undertake missions for the Special Operations Executive to maintain clandestine contact with the French Resistance. Among its aircraft were Lysander Mk IIIs, which flew over and landed in occupied France. While general supply drops could be left to the rest of No. 138's aircraft, the Lysander could insert and remove agents from the continent or retrieve Allied aircrew who had been shot down over occupied territory and had evaded capture. For this role the Mk IIIs were fitted with a fixed ladder over the port side to hasten access to the rear cockpit and a large drop tank under the belly. In order to slip in unobtrusively the Lysanders were painted matte black; operations almost always took place within a week of a full moon, as moonlight was essential for navigation. The aircraft undertook such duties until the liberation of France in 1944. The Lysanders flew from secret airfields at Newmarket and later Tempsford, but used regular RAF stations to fuel-up for the actual crossing, particularly RAF Tangmere. Flying without any navigation equipment other than a map and compass, Lysanders would land on short strips of land, such as fields, marked out by four or five torches. They were originally designed to carry one passenger in the rear cockpit, but for SOE use the rear cockpit was modified to carry two passengers in extreme discomfort in case of urgent necessity. The pilots of No. 138 and from early 1942, No. 161 Squadron transported 101 agents to and recovered 128 agents from Nazi-occupied Europe. The Germans knew little about the British aircraft and wished to study one. Soldiers captured an intact Lysander in March 1942 when its pilot was unable to destroy it after a crash, but a train hit the truck carrying the Lysander, destroying the cargo | |
Mustang 
Manufacturer : North American | Mustang The ubiquitous North American P-51 Mustang, which many consider to be the best all-around fighter of WW II, owes its origins to the British Air Ministry. Following Britains entry into WW II in 1939, the RAF was interested in purchasing additional fighter aircraft from American sources, particularly the Curtiss P-40. Curtiss, which was busy, was unable to guarantee timely delivery so the British approached North American Aviation as a possible second source for the P-40. North American chose to propose its own fighter design which would use the same Allison engine as the P-40. Utilizing new laminar flow wings, the North American fighter was expected to have performance better than the P-40. Developed in record time the new aircraft was designated as a Mustang I by the Brits, whereas the USAAF ordered two for evaluation which were designated XP-51 Apaches. Intrigued with the possibility of using this aircraft also as a dive bomber, North American proposed this to the USAAF which decided to order 500 of the P-51 aircraft to be modified for dive bombing use. Designated as the A-36 Invader, this version of the Mustang utilized dive flaps, and bomb racks under each wing. Some reinforcing of the structural members was also required because of the G-forces to be encountered in dive bombing. A-36s entered combat service with the USAAF prior to any P-51s. In early 1943 the 86th and 27th Fighter Bomber Groups of the 12th Air Force began flying A-36s out of Northern Africa. Despite some early problems with instability caused by the dive flaps, the A-36 was effective in light bombing and strafing roles. It was not, however, capable of dog fighting with German fighters, especially at higher altitudes. Despite these drawbacks one USAAF pilot, Captain Michael T. Russo, who served with the 16th Bomb Squadron of the 27th Fighter Bomber Group, was credited with five confirmed aerial victories in the A-36, thereby becoming the first mustang ace. | |
Tomahawk 
Manufacturer : Curtiss Number Built : 16802 | Tomahawk A total of sixteen Royal Air Force squadrons used the Tomahawk from British bases, and five more squadrons in the Middle East, as well as South African and Australian units. The Curtiss Tomahawk equipped the legendary Flying Tigers of the American Volunteer Group in China, in 1941, before the United States was officialy at war with Japan. In all, 16,802 Curtiss Tomahawks in a succession of improved models, were mainly built for the US Air Force. | |
No.2 Sqn RAF Artwork |
  Thunder in the Hills by Gerald Coulson. |
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Died : 27 / 3 / 1931