No. 40 Squadron of the
Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts.The RAF operates almost 1,109...
was formed in 1916 at
GosportGosport is a town, district and borough in Hampshire with around 79,000 resident inhabitants, with a further 5-10,000 during the summer months, situated on the south coast of England...
as No 40 Squadron RFC and was disbanded for the last time in 1957.
Edward MannockMajor Edward Corringham "Mick" Mannock VC, DSO and Two Bars, MC & Bar was a British First World War flying ace. Mannock was probably born in Ireland, though of English and Scottish parentage...
gained 16 of his 73 victories while in the No. 40 Squadron, 15 of which he shot down while flying a Nieuport Scout. Highest scoring ace of the unit in WWI was Irish-born pilot
George McElroyCaptain George Edward Henry McElroy MC and Two Bars, DFC and Bar was a leading ace fighter pilot of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force during World War I. He was credited with 47 aerial victories.-Life before aerial service:...
, having scored 30 of his total 47 aerial victories with the unit. All of which were earned by McElroy flying a S.E.5a single seater scout.
No.
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No. 40 Squadron of the
Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts.The RAF operates almost 1,109...
was formed in 1916 at
GosportGosport is a town, district and borough in Hampshire with around 79,000 resident inhabitants, with a further 5-10,000 during the summer months, situated on the south coast of England...
as No 40 Squadron RFC and was disbanded for the last time in 1957.
Edward MannockMajor Edward Corringham "Mick" Mannock VC, DSO and Two Bars, MC & Bar was a British First World War flying ace. Mannock was probably born in Ireland, though of English and Scottish parentage...
gained 16 of his 73 victories while in the No. 40 Squadron, 15 of which he shot down while flying a Nieuport Scout. Highest scoring ace of the unit in WWI was Irish-born pilot
George McElroyCaptain George Edward Henry McElroy MC and Two Bars, DFC and Bar was a leading ace fighter pilot of the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force during World War I. He was credited with 47 aerial victories.-Life before aerial service:...
, having scored 30 of his total 47 aerial victories with the unit. All of which were earned by McElroy flying a S.E.5a single seater scout.
No. 40 operated
Bristol Blenheim Mk IVThe Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was later adapted into a successful long-range and night fighter...
light bombers from
RAF WytonRAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.In terms of organisation RAF Wyton is now part of the combined station RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow, a merger of Wyton with two previously separate bases, RAF Brampton and RAF Henlow. Wyton is the largest of the three. It...
in December 1940.