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No.503 Sqn RAF

Name : No.503 Sqn RAF Founded : 5th October 1926 Disbanded : 1st November 1938 Country : UK Fate : Disbanded 1st November 1938 More Details : County of Lincoln

Known Service Details :
Pilot or Aircrew	Rank	Start of Service	End of Service	Known Dates	Aircraft	Airframes	Notes
John Swift Bell	Pilot Officer	April 1935	1st November 1938		Hart

Pilots and Aircrew for : No.503 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
Bell, John Swift Click the name above to see a profile of Bell, John Swift    Died : 30 / 8 / 1940	Bell, John Swift At the age of 18 he joined 503 (Special Reserve) Squadron at Waddington early in 1935 and was commissioned in April. It was decided to disband 503 on 1st November 1938 and absorb the personnel into 616 Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force, then being formed at Doncaster as a bomber unit. The new squadron was transferred to Fighter Command on 15th December 1938. Bell moved to 616 and was called to full-time service on 24th August 1939 On 21st February 1940 while in Spitfire K9988 collided with another aircraft at 14.15hrs at Leconfield airfield while the Spitfire was being scrammbled. The other aircraft is believed to have been Magister N3859 and was struck whilst the pilot of this Spitfire was trying to avoiding hitting a Battle. The collision caused damage to both aircraft, deemed enough to write both off at a later date. . Over Dunkirk on 1st June 1940 he destroyed a Me109 but was then himself shot down into the sea. He was picked up by the minesweeper HMS Halcyon and landed at Dover. In mid-June Bell intercepted and damaged a He115, which jettisoned its bombs and fled. On 1st July he shared in damaging a He111 over Yorkshire. On 30th August Bell was shot down in a head-on attack on Me109's over West Mailing. His Spitfire, X4248, crashed and burned out and Bell was killed. (ther eis a report that He crashed whilst approaching West Malling ) He was 23 and is buried in St Peter's Cemetery, Eastgate, Lincoln.

Aircraft for : No.503 Sqn RAF
A list of all aircraft associated with No.503 Sqn RAF. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
Aircraft	Info
Hart Click the name above to see prints featuring Hart aircraft. Manufacturer : Hawker Production Began : 1930 Number Built : 1042	Hart During the mid 1920’s The British Air Ministry recoignised the need for a light Bomber. The options were proposed the Avro Antelope, Fairey Fox and the Hawker Hart. Due to the low cost of maintenance for the hawker hart. It was chosen over the other two. The first prototype flew in June 1928 (J9052). Hawker Harts were first used in 1930 by No.33 Squadron at Eastchurch. Many of these aircraft were used overseas in India, the Middle East and South Africa, with some alterations being made to tropicalise the aircraft. With the Outcome being the Hart India. The Hawker Hart saw service during the Abyssinian Crisis in 1935/36 and served also in the North West Frontier of India. However, in Britain, most were being replaced by 1936, some still operating well into World War Two. Mainly in communication and Training roles until 1943 having been used by a total of 20 RAF and AAF Squadrons. A total of 1042 of this aircraft were built. The Hawker Hart saw service with many air forces. Including The Swedish Air Force who used it to great success as a dive bomber. (calling the Hart the B4), Egyptian Air Force, Royal Indian Air Force, Southern Rhodesian Air Force and Yugoslavian air force.

Last edited : 15:23, June 19, 2016
Last editor : HMS

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