Beaufort Aircraft Art

Sarang tebuan jangan dijolok - Never stir up a hornets nest

100 Squadron formed at Hingham, Norfolk on 23 February 1917, and moved to France a month later. On arrival it was issued with modified FE2B two-seat pushers biplanes and operations against aerodromes, railway stations and rail junctions commenced. On the night of 5/6 April 1917, when eleven FE2b aircraft attacked Douai airfield, where Manfred von Richthofen's 'Flying Circus' was based; Richthofen referred to this raid in his book, 'Der Rote Kampfflieger'. By the end of the year, No 100 in conjunction with No 55 Squadron, RFC and Naval 'A' Squadron had formed the nucleus of what was to become the Independent Force used for the strategic bombing of Germany with its Handley Page 0/400 heavy bombers. After the War, the unit remained on the continent for a year before transferring to Baldonnel in Ireland and re-equipping with Bristol Fighters. With the division of the island in 1922, the Squadron returned to England and bombing duties, this time with Vimys and DH9As. After the end of the war, the squadron remained on the continent until September 1919 as a cadre before transferring to RAF Baldonnel, near Dublin and re-forming to full strength, re-equipping with Bristol F.2 Fighters for army co-operation. Close air support operations were flown during the Irish War of Independence. Following the end of hostilities the squadron was moved to Spitalgate, Lincs. in February 1922 and converted to bombing, this time with Vickers Vimys and DH9As.[4] In May 1924, the unit flew Fairey Fawn. With these aircraft, In September of that year, the squadron took Hawker Horsley aircraft on complement and in November 1930 moved to Donibristle, Fife, converting to torpedo-bombing. and designated as 'No. 100 (Torpedo-Bomber) Squadron' in 1933. In November 1932, took delivery of Vickers Vildebeest and with this aircraft the squadron was deployed as part of the operation to defend Singapore, arriving at Seletar in January 1934. ancient aircraft stood little chance of stopping the Japanese advance, and eventually the Squadron, and its sister Vildebeest unit, No 36, had been decimated. On 15 December 1942, No 100 Squadron reformed at Waltham as a night-time heavy bomber squadron and was part of No. 1 Group, RAF Bomber Command. In January 1943, the squadron received the first of its new complement of Avro Lancasters; the first operation of the squadron was on 4 March 1943 against a U-Boat base at St Nazaire. A few days later the squadron was involved in a raid against Nuremberg in Germany and from then on, in support of Bomber Command's strategic role against Germany, took part in every major raid. At the end of 1943, the squadron had completed the second largest number of successful operations of units within No. 1 Group Bomber Command and had the lowest 'loss' rate. On the night of 16/17 December 1943, the squadron received orders to attack Berlin. The raid became known as 'Black Thursday' as Bomber Command lost 25 aircraft on the raid and 28 in crashes at fog-shrouded airfields Surviving the post-war defence cuts and moving to Malaya to join Operation Firedog with its Lincolns during 1950. Four years later, No 100 moved to Kenya during the Mau Mau uprising, before returning to England and converting to the Canberra. The Canberras were used for trials work in conjunction with British nuclear tests in the Pacific, before disbanding again in 1959. Reformed at Wittering as part of the V-Force until September 1968 following withdrawal of the Blue Steel stand-off weapon. No 100 Squadron returned to Canberra flying when it was reformed at West Raynham in February 1972, this time to provide target towing facilities for RAF fighter squadrons, later undertaking specialist electronic warfare training before the Canberras were finally retired at the end of 1991 and replaced by the Hawk. With the closure of its base, RAF Wyton, the unit moved to Finningley, relocating to Leeming in 1995 100 Squadron now operates in a mixed target facilities role along with exercise and training support which include WSO training, and dedicated aircraft to support the Joint Forward Air Controllers Training and Standards Unit.

Woe to the unwary

Preux et audacieux - Valiant and brave

No. 22 Squadron was formed at Fort Grange, Gosport, on 1 September 1915 The squadron trained on a variety of aircraft types, including the Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2c, the Maurice Farman Shorthorn, the Bleriot XI and the Curtiss JN-3. It received its intended operational type, the Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b in February 1916, passing 14 BE.2s to 33 Squadron and departed for France seven months later with twelve FE2B two-seat pusher biplanes. These outdated aircraft were used for a year on reconnaissance tasks before Bristol Fighters arrived to take over these tasks. The Squadron moved to Germany after the War as part of the Army of Occupation and returned to the UK in August 1919 prior to disbanding at the end of the year. The Squadron was reformed at Martlesham Heath in July 1923, but in name only, as the aircraft it flew belonged to the Aeroplane Experimental Establishment. During the next decade, many new RAF aircraft west tested by the squadron prior to entering service. In 1934, No. 22 Squadron was reformed as a torpedo unit at Donibristle with Vickers Vildebeests. The squadron was still equipped with the Vildebeest when the Second World War broke out in September 1939, with the squadron carrying out anti-submarine patrols over the English Channel. From November 1939 the squadron started to receive Bristol Beaufort twin-engined monoplanes to replace its obsolete biplanes. The Bristol Taurus engines of the Beaufort proved unreliable at first, and the squadron continuing to fly operations with the Vildebeest while converting to the Beaufort. It flew its last operational mission with the Vildebeest on 20 December 1939 (The squadron was based at RAF Thorney Island from 10 March 1938 firstly using Vickers Vildebeest and then the Bristol Beaufort. It was possibly during this time when Flight Officer Kenneth Campbell won his Victoria Cross for a daring attack on the German battleship Gneisenau which was located in Brest harbour during April 1941 which unfortunately took his life. The squadron left on 8 April 1940 then came back to the airfield again on 25 June 1941 and stayed until 28 October 1941 ) On 6 April 1941, Flying Officer K Campbell led a flight of six aircraft in an attack on the German battlecruiser Gneisenau which was anchored in Brest harbour. Campbell's aircraft was the only one the vessel, and despite the awesome German defences, he managed to press home his attack on the Gneisenau before being shot down. It took months for the full story to emerge, but when it did, Campbell was awarded a well-earned Victoria Cross. In 1942, No. 22 Squadron moved to the Far East, re-equipping with Beaufighters in the process and undertaking anti-shipping rocket attacks. A month after the Japanese surrender, No. 22 Squadron disbanded. It wasn't until 1955 that the Squadron reformed again, this time as a search and rescue unit equipped with Whirlwinds. It is in this guise that No. 22 Squadron exists today, having flown Wessex helicopters for a number of years before receiving Sea Kings in the mid-1990s.

Die noctuque - By day and night

Ad metam - To the mark

Fortiter in re - Bravely in action

Fulmina regis justa - The Kings thunderbolts are righteous

Nili nomen roboris omen - The name of the Nile is an omen of strength

Forte et fidele

No. 48 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Netheravon, Wiltshire, on 15 April 1916. The squadron was posted to France in March 1917 and became the first fighter squadron to be equipped with the Bristol Fighter. One of the squadron's commanders was Keith Park, then a Major, who later led No. 11 Group of Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain as an Air Vice Marshal. The squadron became part of the Royal Air Force when the Royal Flying Corps merged with the Royal Naval Air Service in 1918. It moved by sea to India during May/June 1919, being based at Quetta. On 1 April 1920 the squadron was disbanded by renumbering it to No. 5 Squadron. The squadron had 32 aces serve in it. Besides Park, they included: Fred Holliday, John Letts, Brian Edmund Baker, Harold Anthony Oaks, Leonard A. Payne, Robert Dodds, John Theobald Milne, Charles Napier, Frank Ransley, Alan Wilkinson, Thomas Percy Middleton, William Price, future Air Marshal Charles Steele, Norman Craig Millman, Thomas G. Rae, Owen Scholte, Roger Hay, Norman Roberts, Joseph Michael John Moore, Arthur Noss and Maurice Benjamin The squadron reformed on 25 November 1935 at RAF Bicester, and became a General Reconnaissance unit operating Avro Anson aircraft. The Squadron was based at RAF Thorney Island between 28 September 1938 and 10 October 1938 before returning on 25 August 1939 and leaving for the last time on 16 July 1940 With the outbreak of war in 1939 the squadron was engaged in coastal patrols along the south coast of England. In 1941 the squadron re-equipped with Lockheed Hudson aircraft and took on the role of an anti-submarine squadron, patrolling first the North Sea; in December 1942 the squadron moved to RAF Gibraltar to patrol the Mediterranean. In 1944 the squadron returned to the UK and was re-equipped with Douglas Dakota aircraft. It remained a transport squadron until being disbanded on 16 January 1946. During this period it operated from Chittagong, Bengal, India on supply operations in the Irrawaddy valley of Burma. .

Ad libertates volamus - We fly to freedom

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