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No.206 Sqn RAF

Name : No.206 Sqn RAF Founded : 1st April 1918 Country : UK More Details : Nihil nos effugit - Naught escapes us Known Code Letters : , PQ, VX, WD,

Known Service Details :
Pilot or Aircrew	Rank	Start of Service	End of Service	Known Dates	Aircraft	Airframes	Notes
H M F Barnitt	Pilot Officer	unknown	unknown	09th September 1939	Anson	K6187
S. H. Bazley	Flight Lieutenant	unknown	2nd March 1941		Spitfire	P9312	Killed in Action
Caulfield	Aircraftsman	unknown	unknown	09th September 1939	Anson	K6187	on 9th September 1939 his Anson Mk.1 K6187 VX-E of no.206 Sqn ran out of fuel and crashed into the channel off the Dyck lightship, He was rescued.
Caulfield	Aircraftsman	unknown	unknown	09th September 1939	Anson	K6187	on 9th September 1939 his Anson Mk.1 K6187 VX-E of no.206 Sqn ran out of fuel and crashed into the channel off the Dyck lightship, He was rescued.
L.H Edwards	Pilot officer	unknown	5th September 1939		Anson	K6183	The Anson tto part in a 12 aircraft patrol over the North sea. The Anson was crewed by P/O L H Edwards, Sgt A. O Heslop, ACI G Sheffield, and LAC J Quilter, Edwards sighted a German HE115 of 1/KUFiGr 160 float plane off the Freisians, during the combat LAC Quilter was hit and could not fire the aircraft guns, leaving only the forward fixed guns, The Anson was shot down and exploded. The German crew looked for the crew of the Anson but only found the badly injured pilot Officer Edwards who was taken prisoner of war
A.O Heslop	Sgt	unknown	5th September 1939		Anson	K6183	The Anson took part in a 12 aircraft patrol over the North sea. The Anson was crewed by P/O L H Edwards, Sgt A. O Heslop, ACI G Sheffield, and LAC J Quilter, Edwards sighted a German HE115 of 1/KUFiGr 160 float plane off the Freisians, during the combat LAC Quilter was hit and could not fire the aircraft guns, leaving only the forward fixed guns, The Anson was shot down and exploded. The German crew looked for the crew of the Anson but only found the badly injured pilot Officer Edwards who was taken prisoner of war. Sgt Heslop was killed in the explosion Killed in Action
R T Kean	Pilot Officer	unknown	unknown	09th September 1939	Anson	K6187
J Quilter	LAC	unknown	5th September 1939		Anson	K6183	The Anson took part in a 12 aircraft patrol over the North sea. The Anson was crewed by P/O L H Edwards, Sgt A. O Heslop, ACI G Sheffield, and LAC J Quilter, Edwards sighted a German HE115 of 1/KUFiGr 160 float plane off the Freisians, during the combat LAC Quilter was hit and could not fire the aircraft guns, leaving only the forward fixed guns, The Anson was shot down and exploded. The German crew looked for the crew of the Anson but only found the badly injured pilot Officer Edwards who was taken prisoner of war. Quilter was either killed when he was hit or died in the explosion of the aircraft crash Killed in Action
G Sheffield	AC1	unknown	5th September 1939		Anson	K6183	The Anson took part in a 12 aircraft patrol over the North sea. The Anson was crewed by P/O L H Edwards, Sgt A. O Heslop, ACI G Sheffield, and LAC J Quilter, Edwards sighted a German HE115 of 1/KUFiGr 160 float plane off the Freisians, during the combat LAC Quilter was hit and could not fire the aircraft guns, leaving only the forward fixed guns, The Anson was shot down and exploded. The German crew looked for the crew of the Anson but only found the badly injured pilot Officer Edwards who was taken prisoner of war. AC! Sheffield was killed in the explosion Killed in Action
Thompson	Leading Aircraftsman	unknown	unknown	09th September 1939	Anson	K6187

Pilots and Aircrew for : No.206 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
Barnitt, H M F Click the name above to see a profile of Barnitt, H M F	Barnitt, H M F on 9th September 1939 his Anson Mk.1 K6187 VX-E of no.206 Sqn ran out of fuel and crashed into the channel off the Dyck lightship, He was rescued.
Bazley, S. H. Click the name above to see a profile of Bazley, S. H.    Died : 2 / 3 / 1941	Bazley, S. H. Flight Lieutenant S.H.Bazley from No 266 Squadron, former A.A.F. pilot. Bazley shot down a Bf 110 on the 12th of August 1940. On the 16th of August Bazley suffered burns and minor injuries after he was shot down by a Bf 109 and baled out of his Spitfire 1 (P9312) near Canterbury. Flight Lieutenant S.H.Bazley was killed in a flying accident on the 2nd of March 1941.
Caulfield, Click the name above to see a profile of Caulfield,	Caulfield, on 9th September 1939 his Anson Mk.1 K6187 VX-E of no.206 Sqn ran out of fuel and crashed into the channel off the Dyck lightship, He was rescued.
Edwards, L.H Click the name above to see a profile of Edwards, L.H	Edwards, L.H The Anson took part in a 12 aircraft patrol over the North sea. The Anson was crewed by P/O L H Edwards, Sgt A. O Heslop, ACI G Sheffield, and LAC J Quilter, Edwards sighted a German HE115 of 1/KUFiGr 160 float plane off the Freisians, during the combat LAC Quilter was hit and could not fire the aircraft guns, leaving only the forward fixed guns, The Anson was shot down and exploded. The German crew looked for the crew of the Anson but only found the badly injured pilot Officer Edwards who was taken prisoner of war
Heslop, A.O Click the name above to see a profile of Heslop, A.O    Died : 5 / 9 / 1939	Heslop, A.O The Anson tto part in a 12 aircraft patrol over the North sea. The Anson was crewed by P/O L H Edwards, Sgt A. O Heslop, ACI G Sheffield, and LAC J Quilter, Edwards sighted a German HE115 of 1/KUFiGr 160 float plane off the Freisians, during the combat LAC Quilter was hit and could not fire the aircraft guns, leaving only the forward fixed guns, The Anson was shot down and exploded. The German crew looked for the crew of the Anson but only found the badly injured pilot Officer Edwards who was taken prisoner of war. Heslop was killed in the explosion
Kean, R T Click the name above to see a profile of Kean, R T	Kean, R T on 9th September 1939 his Anson Mk.1 K6187 VX-E of no.206 Sqn ran out of fuel and crashed into the channel off the Dyck lightship, He was rescued.
Quilter, J Click the name above to see a profile of Quilter, J    Died : 5 / 9 / 1939	Quilter, J The Anson tto part in a 12 aircraft patrol over the North sea. The Anson was crewed by P/O L H Edwards, Sgt A. O Heslop, ACI G Sheffield, and LAC J Quilter, Edwards sighted a German HE115 of 1/KUFiGr 160 float plane off the Freisians, during the combat LAC Quilter was hit and could not fire the aircraft guns, leaving only the forward fixed guns, The Anson was shot down and exploded. The German crew looked for the crew of the Anson but only found the badly injured pilot Officer Edwards who was taken prisoner of war. Quilter was either killed when he was hit or died in the explosion of the aircraft crash
Sheffield, G Click the name above to see a profile of Sheffield, G	Sheffield, G The Anson took part in a 12 aircraft patrol over the North sea. The Anson was crewed by P/O L H Edwards, Sgt A. O Heslop, ACI G Sheffield, and LAC J Quilter, Edwards sighted a German HE115 of 1/KUFiGr 160 float plane off the Freisians, during the combat LAC Quilter was hit and could not fire the aircraft guns, leaving only the forward fixed guns, The Anson was shot down and exploded. The German crew looked for the crew of the Anson but only found the badly injured pilot Officer Edwards who was taken prisoner of war. G Sheffield was killed in the explosion
Thompson, Click the name above to see a profile of Thompson,	Thompson, on 9th September 1939 his Anson Mk.1 K6187 VX-E of no.206 Sqn ran out of fuel and crashed into the channel off the Dyck lightship, He was rescued.
White, G A Click the name above to see a profile of White, G A	White, G A Fl/Lt G A White volunteered for the RAF in January 1940, aged 19. He trained as a Wop/Ag and from October of that year, flew on 86 operational flights on Lockheed Hudsons of 206 and 279 Squadrons of Coastal Command, totalling 923 operational flying hours. On one occasion, in November 1941, after successfully bombing and sinking one of three German mine sweepers off Ushant at low level, the port engine caught fire from the intensive return barrage from all three ships. "With the pilot, Sgt John Whitfield DFM, of 206, we somehow managed to make it back to Predannock in Cornwall, smoking all the way!". Commissioned in May 1942, and after an official suggestion, as a result of his operational experience, he volunteered to fly Spitfires without guns. Qualifying as a PR pilot, he joined 682 Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron in May 1945 at San Severo, Italy, where he took part in high level photography up until VE Day in Mk XIs. In August 1945 he became Staff Photographic Officer for Desert Air Force until his discharge in 1946.

Aircraft for : No.206 Sqn RAF
A list of all aircraft associated with No.206 Sqn RAF. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
Aircraft	Info
Anson Click the name above to see prints featuring Anson aircraft. 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
Flying Fortress Click the name above to see prints featuring Flying Fortress aircraft. Number Built : 12677	Flying Fortress In the mid-1930s engineers at Boeing suggested the possibility of designing a modern long-range monoplane bomber to the U.S. Army Air Corps. In 1934 the USAAC issued Circular 35-26 that outlined specifications for a new bomber that was to have a minimum payload of 2000 pounds, a cruising speed in excess of 200-MPH, and a range of at least 2000 miles. Boeing produced a prototype at its own expense, the model 299, which first flew in July of 1935. The 299 was a long-range bomber based largely on the Model 247 airliner. The Model 299 had several advanced features including an all-metal wing, an enclosed cockpit, retractable landing gear, a fully enclosed bomb bay with electrically operated doors, and cowled engines. With gun blisters glistening everywhere, a newsman covering the unveiling coined the term Flying Fortress to describe the new aircraft. After a few initial test flights the 299 flew off to Wright Field setting a speed record with an average speed of 232-mph. At Wright Field the 299 bettered its competition in almost all respects. However, an unfortunate crash of the prototype in October of 1935 resulted in the Army awarding its primary production contract to Douglas Aircraft for its DB-1 (B-18.) The Army did order 13 test models of the 299 in January 1936, and designated the new plane the Y1B-17. Early work on the B-17 was plagued by many difficulties, including the crash of the first Y1B-17 on its third flight, and nearly bankrupted the Company. Minor quantities of the B-17B, B-17C, and B-17D variants were built, and about 100 of these aircraft were in service at the time Pearl Harbor was attacked. In fact a number of unarmed B-17s flew into the War at the time of the Japanese attack. The German Blitzkrieg in Europe resulted in accelerated aircraft production in America. The B-17E was the first truly heavily armed variant and made its initial flight in September of 1941. B-17Es cost $298,000 each and more than 500 were delivered. The B-17F and B-17G were the truly mass-produced wartime versions of the Flying Fortress. More than 3,400 B-17Fs and more than 8,600 B-17Gs would be produced. The American daylight strategic bombing campaign against Germany was a major factor in the Allies winning the War in Europe. This campaign was largely flown by B-17 Flying Fortresses (12,677 built) and B-24 Liberators (18,188 built.) The B-17 bases were closer to London than those of the B-24, so B-17s received a disproportionate share of wartime publicity. The first mission in Europe with the B-17 was an Eighth Air Force flight of 12 B-17Es on August 12, 1942. Thousands more missions, with as many as 1000 aircraft on a single mission would follow over the next 2 ½ years, virtually decimating all German war making facilities and plants. The B-17 could take a lot of damage and keep on flying, and it was loved by the crews for bringing them home despite extensive battle damage. Following WW II, B-17s would see some action in Korea, and in the 1948 Israel War. There are only 14 flyable B-17s in operation today and a total of 43 complete airframes
Hudson Click the name above to see prints featuring Hudson aircraft. Manufacturer : Lockheed Production Began : 1939 Number Built : 2584	Hudson In 1938, the British Purchasing Commission sought an American maritime patrol aircraft and light bomber for the United Kingdom to support the Royal Air Force's Avro Anson. On 10th December 1938, Lockheed produced a modified version of the Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra which was a commercial airliner and the Hudson Mk I went into production. The Hudson was the first significant aircraft construction contract for the Lockhead Aircraft Corporation with the initial RAF order for 200 Hudsons far surpassed any previous order the company had received. By February 1939, Hudsons began to be delivered. A total of 350 Mk I and 20 Mk II Hudsons were supplied in total. These had two fixed Browning machine guns in the nose and two more in a Boulton Paul dorsal turret. Initially the first batch of Hudsons were supplied to No.224 Squadron RAF based at RAF Leuchers in May 1939. By the start of the war in September 78 Hudsons were in service. Not only did the RAF use the Hudson but the Hudson also served throughout the war with Coastal Command and was also used in transport and training roles as well as delivering agents into occupied France. They were also used extensively with the Royal Canadian Air Force wiht their anti-submarine squadrons. They were operated by RAF Special Duties squadrons for clandestine operations, with No.161 Squadron in Europe and No.357 Squadron operating in Burma. During the war, they were used as maritime patrol aircraft in the Pacific by the US Navy, the RAAF and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. A total of 2,584 Hudsons were built. They began to be withdrawn from front line service in 1944. The Hudson provided the basis for the development of the Lockhead Ventura.
Liberator Click the name above to see prints featuring Liberator aircraft. Manufacturer : Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California Production Began : 1939 Retired : 1968 Number Built : 18188	Liberator he initial production batch of B-24As was completed in 1941, with many being sold directly to the Royal Air Force. Sent to Britain, where the bomber was dubbed "Liberator," the RAF soon found that they were unsuitable for combat over Europe as they had insufficient defensive armament and lacked self-sealing fuel tanks. Due to the aircraft's heavy payload and long range, the British converted these aircraft for use in maritime patrols. Learning from these issues, Consolidated improved the design and the first major American production model was the B-24C which also included improved Pratt & Whitney engines. In 1940, Consolidated again revised the aircraft and produced the B-24D. The first major variant of the Liberator, the B-24D quickly amassed orders for 2,738 aircraft. Overwhelming Consolidated's production capabilities, the aircraft was also built under license by North American, Douglas, and Ford. The latter built a massive plant at Willow Run, Michigan that, at its peak (August 1944), was producing fourteen aircraft per day. Revised and improved several times throughout World War II, the final variant, the B-24M, ended production on May 31, 1945. he United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) took delivery of its first B-24As in mid-1941. Over the next three years, B-24 squadrons deployed to all theaters of the war: African, European, China-Burma-India, the Anti-submarine Campaign, the Southwest Pacific Theater and the Pacific Theater. In the Pacific, to simplify logistics and to take advantage of its longer range, the B-24 (and its twin, the U.S. Navy PB4Y) was the chosen standard heavy bomber. By mid-1943, the shorter-range B-17 was phased out. The Liberators which had served early in the war in the Pacific continued the efforts from the Philippines, Australia, Espiritu Santo,Guadalcanal, Hawaii, and Midway Island. The Liberator peak overseas deployment was 45.5 bomb groups in June 1944. Additionally, the Liberator equipped a number of independent squadrons in a variety of special combat roles. The cargo versions, C-87 and C-109 tanker, further increased its overseas presence, especially in Asia in support of the XX Bomber Command air offensive against Japan. So vital was the need for long range operations, that at first USAAF used the type as transports. The sole B-24 in Hawaii was destroyed by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. It had been sent to the Central Pacific for a very long range reconnaissance mission that was preempted by the Japanese attack. The first USAAF Liberators to carry out combat missions were 12 repossessed LB-30s deployed to Java with the 11th Bombardment Squadron (7th Bombardment Group) that flew their first combat mission in mid-January. Two were shot up by Japanese fighters, but both managed to land safely. One was written off due to battle damage and the other crash-landed on a beach. US-based B-24s entered combat service in 1942 when on 6 June, four B-24s from Hawaii staging through Midway Island attempted an attack on Wake Island, but were unable to find it. The B-24 came to dominate the heavy bombardment role in the Pacific because compared to the B-17, the B-24 was faster, had longer range, and could carry a ton more bombs. In the European and North Africa Theatres On 12 June 1942, 13 B-24s of the Halverson Project (HALPRO) flying from Egypt attacked the Axis-controlled oil fields and refineries around Ploiești, Romania. Within weeks, the First Provisional Bombardment Group formed from the remnants of the Halverson and China detachments. This unit then was formalized as the 376th Bombardment Group, Heavy and along with the 98th BG formed the nucleus of the IX Bomber Command of the Ninth Air Force, operating from Africa until absorbed into the Twelfth Air Force briefly, and then the Fifteenth Air Force, operating from Italy. The Ninth Air Force moved to England in late 1943. This was a major component of the USSTAF and took a major role in strategic bombing. Fifteen of the 15th AF's 21 bombardment groups flew B-24s 1st August 1943 Operation Tidal Wave: A group of 177 American B-24 Liberator bombers, with 1,726 total crew, departed from Libya to make the first bombing of the oil refineries at Ploieşti, Romania, the major supplier of fuel to Germany. The mission temporarily halted oil production, but 532 airmen and 54 of the planes were lost. After a 40% loss of production, the refineries would be repaired more quickly than projected.[1] Germany's Radio Reconnaissance Service had intercepted and decrypted the Allied messages about the raid and the departure from Libya, and anti-aircraft defenses were in place despite the low-level approach of the bombers.
Spitfire Click the name above to see prints featuring Spitfire aircraft. Manufacturer : Supermarine Production Began : 1936 Retired : 1948 Number Built : 20351	Spitfire Royal Air Force fighter aircraft, maximum speed for mark I Supermarine Spitfire, 362mph up to The Seafire 47 with a top speed of 452mph. maximum ceiling for Mk I 34,000feet up to 44,500 for the mark XIV. Maximum range for MK I 575 miles . up to 1475 miles for the Seafire 47. Armament for the various Marks of Spitfire. for MK I, and II . eight fixed .303 browning Machine guns, for MKs V-IX and XVI two 20mm Hispano cannons and four .303 browning machine guns. and on later Marks, six to eight Rockets under the wings or a maximum bomb load of 1,000 lbs. Designed by R J Mitchell, The proto type Spitfire first flew on the 5th March 1936. and entered service with the Royal Air Force in August 1938, with 19 squadron based and RAF Duxford. by the outbreak of World war two, there were twelve squadrons with a total of 187 spitfires, with another 83 in store. Between 1939 and 1945, a large variety of modifications and developments produced a variety of MK,s from I to XVI. The mark II came into service in late 1940, and in March 1941, the Mk,V came into service. To counter the Improvements in fighters of the Luftwaffe especially the FW190, the MK,XII was introduced with its Griffin engine. The Fleet Air Arm used the Mk,I and II and were named Seafires. By the end of production in 1948 a total of 20,351 spitfires had been made and 2408 Seafires. The most produced variant was the Spitfire Mark V, with a total of 6479 spitfires produced. The Royal Air Force kept Spitfires in front line use until April 1954.