No.71 Squadron was the first 'Eagle' Squadron, manned by American volunteers in the year before the American entry into the Second World War.
No.72 Squadron began the Second World War as a home based fighter squadron, taking part in the battle of Britain and the offensive sweeps over France, before moving to North Africa late in 1942. The squadron remained in the mediterranean to the end of the war, taking part in the fighting on Sicily, in Italy and the invasion of southern France.
No.73 Squadron was one of the small number of Hurricane squadrons that moved to France at the start of the Second World War. After operating as a night fighter squadron during the battle of Britain it them moved to the Middle East, taking part in the campaigns in North Africa, in Italy, and in Greece, before ending the war in the Balkans.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
Nos.56 to 70 Squadrons, RAF
No.56 Squadron all but two months of the Second World War operating Hawker fighters, using Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain before becoming the first squadron to convert to the troublesome Hawker Typhoon, and by the end of the war the squadron was using the high-speed Hawker Tempest on armed reconnaissance missions behind German lines.
No.57 Squadron served as a Blenheim squadron during the battle of France in 1940, before in 1941 joining Bomber Command's main force, flying the Lancaster from 1942 until the end of the war.
No.59 Squadron began the Second World War as a reconnaissance squadron, but spent most of the war serving as an anti-shipping or anti-submarine squadron, flying the very long range Liberator from the summer of 1942.
No.60 Squadron served in the Far East throughout the Second World War, originally as a Singapore-based Blenheim squadron and later as a Hurricane equipped ground-attack squadron.
No.62 Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War. The first was badly mauled in the early days of the war against Japan, while the second was formed from survivors of the defeat in Burma.
No.64 Squadron served as a fighter squadron throughout the Second World War, taking part in the battle of Britain and carrying out offensive sweeps over France before ending the war escorting Bomber Command on daylight raids over Germany.
No.65 Squadron had a varied wartime career, which included participation in the Battle of Britain, a period spent practising deck landings and spells as a figher-bomber squadron in Normandy and as daylight bomber escorts.
No.66 Squadron served as a fighter squadron throughout the Second World War, taking part in the Battle of Britain, escorting day bombers over France and joining the 2nd Tactical Air Force during the fighting after D-Day.
No.67 Squadron was one of the few RAF squadrons to spent almost the entire Second World War fighting over Burma.
No.68 Squadron was formed in January 1941 as a defensive night fighter squadron, and continued to perform that role until it was disbanded in April 1945.
No.69 Squadron was formed on Malta as a reconnaissance squadron, and spent three years operating a wide range of aircraft from the island, before in 1944 returning to Britain to take part in the invasion of north western Europe.
No.70 Squadron served as a heavy bomber squadron, first in North Africa and then from bases in Italy.
No.57 Squadron served as a Blenheim squadron during the battle of France in 1940, before in 1941 joining Bomber Command's main force, flying the Lancaster from 1942 until the end of the war.
No.59 Squadron began the Second World War as a reconnaissance squadron, but spent most of the war serving as an anti-shipping or anti-submarine squadron, flying the very long range Liberator from the summer of 1942.
No.60 Squadron served in the Far East throughout the Second World War, originally as a Singapore-based Blenheim squadron and later as a Hurricane equipped ground-attack squadron.
No.62 Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War. The first was badly mauled in the early days of the war against Japan, while the second was formed from survivors of the defeat in Burma.
No.64 Squadron served as a fighter squadron throughout the Second World War, taking part in the battle of Britain and carrying out offensive sweeps over France before ending the war escorting Bomber Command on daylight raids over Germany.
No.65 Squadron had a varied wartime career, which included participation in the Battle of Britain, a period spent practising deck landings and spells as a figher-bomber squadron in Normandy and as daylight bomber escorts.
No.66 Squadron served as a fighter squadron throughout the Second World War, taking part in the Battle of Britain, escorting day bombers over France and joining the 2nd Tactical Air Force during the fighting after D-Day.
No.67 Squadron was one of the few RAF squadrons to spent almost the entire Second World War fighting over Burma.
No.68 Squadron was formed in January 1941 as a defensive night fighter squadron, and continued to perform that role until it was disbanded in April 1945.
No.69 Squadron was formed on Malta as a reconnaissance squadron, and spent three years operating a wide range of aircraft from the island, before in 1944 returning to Britain to take part in the invasion of north western Europe.
No.70 Squadron served as a heavy bomber squadron, first in North Africa and then from bases in Italy.
Nos.36, 45, 46, 47, 53, 54 and 55 Squadrons
No 36 Squadron (RAF) began the Second World War as a torpedo bomber squadron based at Singapore, but saw most service as a Wellinton equipped anti-submarine squadron.
No.45 Squadron spent the entire Second World War operating in the east, at first as a Blenheim bomber squadron operating from Egypt, from where it took part in the campaigns in the Western Desert, Italian East Africa and Syria, before moving to Burma early in 1942, where it eventually operated as a ground attack squadron, first with the Vultee Vengeance dive bomber and later with fighter-bomber Mosquitoes.
No.46 Squadron began the Second World War as a Hawker Hurricane squadron, fighting in Norway, in the battle of Britain and on Malta. It then became a Beaufighter day and night fighter squadron, operating around the Mediterranean, before in 1945 returning to Britain to become a transport squadron.
No.47 Squadron was one of the few squadrons to use the Vickers Wellesley in combat, using them against Italian forces in East Africa, before converting to the Beaufort then Beaufighter for anti-submarine and anti-shipping work in the Mediterranean. By the end of the war the squadron was operating as a ground attack unit, using the Mosquito to attack Japanese targets in Burma.
No.53 Squadron started the Second World War as a strategic reconnaissance unit equipped with the Bristol Blenheim, but spent most of the war flying anti-submarine patrols, eventually using the very long range Consolidated Liberator.
No.54 Squadron spent the entire Second World War flying the Supermarine Spitfire. During 1940 it helped to protect the Dunkirk evacuations and took part in the Battle of Britain, before in the summer of 1942 it moved to Australia, arriving after the worst of the Japanese raids were over.
No.55 Squadron spent almost the entire Second World War serving as a day bomber squadron, first in North Africa and then on Sicily and for the entire duration of the campaign in Italy.
No.45 Squadron spent the entire Second World War operating in the east, at first as a Blenheim bomber squadron operating from Egypt, from where it took part in the campaigns in the Western Desert, Italian East Africa and Syria, before moving to Burma early in 1942, where it eventually operated as a ground attack squadron, first with the Vultee Vengeance dive bomber and later with fighter-bomber Mosquitoes.
No.46 Squadron began the Second World War as a Hawker Hurricane squadron, fighting in Norway, in the battle of Britain and on Malta. It then became a Beaufighter day and night fighter squadron, operating around the Mediterranean, before in 1945 returning to Britain to become a transport squadron.
No.47 Squadron was one of the few squadrons to use the Vickers Wellesley in combat, using them against Italian forces in East Africa, before converting to the Beaufort then Beaufighter for anti-submarine and anti-shipping work in the Mediterranean. By the end of the war the squadron was operating as a ground attack unit, using the Mosquito to attack Japanese targets in Burma.
No.53 Squadron started the Second World War as a strategic reconnaissance unit equipped with the Bristol Blenheim, but spent most of the war flying anti-submarine patrols, eventually using the very long range Consolidated Liberator.
No.54 Squadron spent the entire Second World War flying the Supermarine Spitfire. During 1940 it helped to protect the Dunkirk evacuations and took part in the Battle of Britain, before in the summer of 1942 it moved to Australia, arriving after the worst of the Japanese raids were over.
No.55 Squadron spent almost the entire Second World War serving as a day bomber squadron, first in North Africa and then on Sicily and for the entire duration of the campaign in Italy.
Carentan, the Cotentin, Cherbourg, Operation Epsom
The small town of Carentan occupied a pivotal position between Omaha and Utah Beaches, and its capture was one of the most important American priorities in the days immediately after D-Day
The campaign in the Cotentin Peninsula (6-30 June 1944) was the first major Allied advance after the D-Day landings, and ended with the capture of the port of Cherbourg, seen by the Allies as one of the most important objectives of Operation Overlord
The capture of the port of Cherbourg was one of the most important early objectives for the Allies after the D-Day landings
Operation Epsom (26-30 June 1944) , or the battle of the Odon,was the first major British offensive to be launched after the D-Day landings, and was a successful attempt to force the Germans to concentrate their armoured units against the British and Canadians, at the eastern end of the Normandy beachhead
The campaign in the Cotentin Peninsula (6-30 June 1944) was the first major Allied advance after the D-Day landings, and ended with the capture of the port of Cherbourg, seen by the Allies as one of the most important objectives of Operation Overlord
The capture of the port of Cherbourg was one of the most important early objectives for the Allies after the D-Day landings
Operation Epsom (26-30 June 1944) , or the battle of the Odon,was the first major British offensive to be launched after the D-Day landings, and was a successful attempt to force the Germans to concentrate their armoured units against the British and Canadians, at the eastern end of the Normandy beachhead
Douglas A-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader was the best medium bomber to see service with the USAAF during the Second World War, but production delays meant that it wasn't available in large numbers until late in 1944, and it was only used in significant numbers by the Ninth Air Force in Europe.
The Douglas A-26B the gun-nosed version of the Invader medium bomber, and was designed to carry out both bombing and low level strafing attacks, a combination of functions that was seen as the most effective way to attack the many Japanese island bases scattered across the Pacific.
The Douglas A-26C Invader differed from the A-26B in having a transparent bombardier's nose in place of that version's solid gun carrying nose.
The Douglas A-26D Invader was an improved version of the solid-nosed A-26B, with more powerful engines.
The Douglas A-26E Invader was to have been a version of the glass nosed A-26C but with the same more powerful 2,100hp Chevrolet-built R-2800-83 engines as the A-26D.
The Douglas XA-26F was a jet-augmented version of the Invader, powered by two 2,100hp R-2800-83 radial engines and by a General Electric J31 turbojet.
The Douglas JD Invader was the designation given to 141 Douglas A-26 Invaders that were operated by the US Navy as utility aircraft, target tugs and target drone launching and controlling aircraft.
The On Mark B-26K Counter Invader was a major redesign of the Invader, produced in the mid 1960s for use in Vietnam.
Although the Douglas A-26 Invader made its combat debut in the Pacific it only played a small part in the war against Japan.
The Douglas A-26 Invader saw most combat during the Second World War against the Germans, serving in significant numbers with the Ninth Air Force.
The outbreak of the Korean War caught the USAF by surprise, and in the middle of converted from piston engined aircraft to jets. As a result a number of Second World War era aircraft had to be rushed back into front line service, including the Douglas B-26 Invader (designated as the A-26 until 1947)
The Douglas B-26 Invader was involved in the fighting in Vietnam for nearly twenty years, from 1951 when they were used by the French, until 1969 when the last aircraft in American service were withdrawn
The Douglas A-26B the gun-nosed version of the Invader medium bomber, and was designed to carry out both bombing and low level strafing attacks, a combination of functions that was seen as the most effective way to attack the many Japanese island bases scattered across the Pacific.
The Douglas A-26C Invader differed from the A-26B in having a transparent bombardier's nose in place of that version's solid gun carrying nose.
The Douglas A-26D Invader was an improved version of the solid-nosed A-26B, with more powerful engines.
The Douglas A-26E Invader was to have been a version of the glass nosed A-26C but with the same more powerful 2,100hp Chevrolet-built R-2800-83 engines as the A-26D.
The Douglas XA-26F was a jet-augmented version of the Invader, powered by two 2,100hp R-2800-83 radial engines and by a General Electric J31 turbojet.
The Douglas JD Invader was the designation given to 141 Douglas A-26 Invaders that were operated by the US Navy as utility aircraft, target tugs and target drone launching and controlling aircraft.
The On Mark B-26K Counter Invader was a major redesign of the Invader, produced in the mid 1960s for use in Vietnam.
Although the Douglas A-26 Invader made its combat debut in the Pacific it only played a small part in the war against Japan.
The Douglas A-26 Invader saw most combat during the Second World War against the Germans, serving in significant numbers with the Ninth Air Force.
The outbreak of the Korean War caught the USAF by surprise, and in the middle of converted from piston engined aircraft to jets. As a result a number of Second World War era aircraft had to be rushed back into front line service, including the Douglas B-26 Invader (designated as the A-26 until 1947)
The Douglas B-26 Invader was involved in the fighting in Vietnam for nearly twenty years, from 1951 when they were used by the French, until 1969 when the last aircraft in American service were withdrawn
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
