| Dates |
Aircraft
(wikipedia links
provided) |
Comments/Quotes from Operational Record Books |
Sep 1944
to
Unk |
Taylorcraft Auster |
Single aircraft used for training and ferry flights. |
24 June 1944
to
31 Mar 1946 |
Hawker Tempest V |
5 Mar 44: "We are to be re-equipped with
Tempests, and one of our chief roles will be the defence of the
bridge-heads and bases necessary for the opening of this new
front. Night flying is in future our most important training
commitment." 24 Jun 44: "After much waiting the Squadron at last gets its
first Tempest. This new fighter makes its debut with the
Squadron at the height of the Flying Bomb Battle."
25 Jun 44: First 2 flights.
2 Jul 44: "... last Squadron escort with Spitfires took place in
the early afternoon ... The first operation with Tempest
aircraft carried out by the Squadron was an Anti 'DIVER'
interception patrol. (The 'Flying Bomb' is now officially
referred to as the 'DIVER'). This first sortie was flown by
F/L. J.G. Mansfield and F/L R.K. Dean..."
2 Jul 44: "This Squadron was the first to be equipped with
Typhoon aircraft, which were taken from us on the 11th of May
this year when we were re-equipped with Spitfire IX (L.F.)
pending the arrival of the Tempest V. With 3 and 486 (NZ)
Squadrons we form the first Tempest Wing."
31 Jul 44: "This was the Squadron first month on Tempests and we
flew a total of 1028 hrs. 20 mins. on anti 'DIVER' patrols. 45
hrs. 20 mins. operational flying on Spitfires."
31 Mar
46: Squadron disbanded, and takes over 16 Squadron name plate.
Nine sorties flown the preceding day.
Jan 48: Tempest V flight time of 25 minutes listed. |
13 Apr 1944
to
2 Jul 1944 |
Supermarine Spitfire IX |
10 Apr 44: "On April 7 a chance visitor W/Cdr.
Francis Blackadder, "en passant", informed the C.O. that the
Squadron was about to lose its Typhoon aircraft, and be
re-equipped with Spitfire IXB aircraft. This to be a interim
measure whilst waiting for the Tempest aircraft to become
available. Whilst the necessity of such a measure must not be
doubted, since it must have been made with a great deal of
fore-thought by those in a position to do so, on cannot but feel
that it is very unfair to rob 56 of its Typhoons "as an interim
measure" when we were the first Squadron ever to equip with
them, and suffered from all the original faults of the Sabre
engine." 13 Apr 44: "... a female A.T.A. pilot delivered our first
Spitfire IX L F to give some excitement at the end of a dull
day."
16 Apr 44: "The weather let up enough for F/Lt. N.E. Hancock to
fly the Spitfire, with which he was duly impressed."
20 Apr 44: "Many people have now flown the Spitfire, and almost
to a man declare their firm and immediate allegiance to that
aeroplane. How fickle is man!"
2 May 44: "Twelve more Spitfire IX arrived to-day."
2 Jul 44: "First show for the day and last Squadron escort with
Spitfires took place in the early afternoon." |
6 Oct 1942
to
Sep 1944 |
de Havilland Tiger Moth II |
Single aircraft used for training and ferry flights. |
24 Mar 1942
to
17 May 1944 |
Hawker Typhoon 1B |
21 Mar 42: "We heard that we are to be
re-equipped with 18 new Typhoons on which are embodied all the
modifications decided upon to date, and that we are not to move
to Snailwell till we have received them all." 24 Mar 42:
"S/Ldr. Dundas and P/O. Macdonald fetched two of the new
modified Typhoons, one of which was fitted with four cannons
(All the machines we have had to date have twelve guns)."
26 Mar 42: "The C.O. went to Langley and fetched another of
the modified Typhoons."
1 Apr 43: "...the Spitfire pilots
are not keen on working in with Typhoons. Their contention
is that they are too like the FW.190 at that should there be a
mix up on the other side, they would have to think twice before
firing." |
11 Sep 1941
to
6 Dec 1942 |
Hawker Typhoon 1A |
3 Oct 41: Still only 4 Typhoons on strength 19 Oct 41: 8
Typhoons on strength
1 Nov 41 - "... a Typhoon dived
into the ground from 3000 feet. This accident was found to be
due to Carbon Monoxide poisoning. All Typhoons were grounded
pending further investigation."
8 Dec 41 - "Several Typhoons serviceable again after
alterations to the exhausts and sealing of the cockpit."
1 Jan 42 - "Messrs. Gloster Aircraft Company's test pilot Mr.
Michael Daunt arrived to carry out tests for carbon monoxide in
the cockpits of the Typhoons."
11 Jan 42 - "To get over the danger of possible carbon
monoxide posioning in the Typhoons it has been decided to fit
them all with 4" exhausts in place of the original ones which
only projected a very short way into the slipstream. This is now
being done."
20 Jan 42 - "... although the first Typhoon was delivered in September the
squadron is still far from being operational due to the
"teething" troubles."
30 Nov 42: last indication of hours flown in Typhoon IA.
10 Apr 44: "...we were the first Squadron ever to equip with
them, and suffered from all the original faults of the Sabre
engine." |
Feb 1941
to
3 Mar 1942 |
Hawker Hurricane IIA/B
|
15 Apr 41: 4xHurricane IID [B?] show up in Squadron Records
as aircraft type. 7 Jun 41: 50/50 split between IIA and IIB.
3 Mar 42 - "The last of our Hurricanes was
fetched away by an old member of the squadron, F/O. Wyatt." |
27 May 1938
to
25 Feb 194130 May 1942
to
Jun 1944 |
Hawker Hurricane I
|
1 Apr 38: "Squadron AIRCRAFT ESTABLISHMENT now amended to
read :-
| Initial Equipment. | Immediate Reserve. | Initial Equipment. |
| Hurricane I....14. | Hurricane I....5. | Hind (T.)..... 1." |
27 May 38: "TWO HURRICANE I aircraft received in the Squadron
for the Makers." 3 Jun 38: "Mr. Hawker visited the Squadron
and gave a lecture to pilots on the Hurricane I aircraft." 1
Aug 38: 19 Hurricanes on Squadron (14 Initial Equipment, 2
Squadron Reserve, 3 Command Reserve). 1 Sep 39: "Establishment
of 20 Hurricane 8 gun fighters fitted with variable pitch
airscrews." 30 May 42: Hurricane I with Merlin III
engines shows up on Squadron Record aircraft manifest.
|
Unk
to
6 Oct 1942 |
Miles Magister |
Single aircraft used for training and ferry flights. |
