No. 55 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 55 Squadron is a squadron
of the Royal Air Force
. It was formed in 1916 at Castle Bromwich
as a unit of the Royal Flying Corps
. No. 55 Squadron was the last RAF Squadron to operationally fly the Handley Page Victor
, in its Victor K.2 in-flight refuelling tanker role. It was subsequently a navigator training squadron based at RAF Cranwell
in Lincolnshire
. The squadron operated the Hawker Siddeley Dominie, a military version of the HS.125 business jet
, until January 2011.
on 27 April 1916. It initially operated as a training unit, flying a mixture of types, including the Avro 504
, Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 and the Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8
, but in January 1917 it changed its role to a day-bomber squadron and re-equipped with the Airco DH.4, being the first squadron to receive the new light bomber.
It took these to France on 6 March that year as part of 9th Wing, flying its first bombing mission against Valenciennes
railway station on 23 April 1917 in support of the Battle of Arras
. It became part of the Independent Air Force
as part of No 41 Wing based at Azelot
, carrying out daylight strategic bombing missions against targets in Germany. 55 Squadron developed tactics of flying in wedge formations, bombing on the leader's command and with the massed defensive fire of the formation deterring attacks by enemy fighters. Despite heavy losses, 55 Squadron continued in operation, the only one of the day bombing squadrons in the Independent Force which did not have to temporarily stand down owing to aircrew losses.
Following the Armistice on 11 November 1918, 55 Squadron was briefly used to run airmail
services to British forces, before returning to the United Kingdom and losing its aircraft in January 1919, formally disbanding on 22 January 1920.
, based at Suez
and equipped with Airco DH.9
s was renumbered. It started to receive more capable Airco DH.9A
s in June 1920, and was equipped with a mixture of DH.9s and DH.9As when it trasferred to Turkey in July to support British forces occupying Constantinople and the Dardanelles.
It moved to Bagdhad in Iraq
in September that year, discarding its remaining DH.9s to standardise on the DH.9A. It remained in Iraq for 19 years, flying "Air Policing" operations against rebelling tribemen when required. It moved to Mosul
in March 1921 and to RAF Hinaidi
in May 1924. Its aging DH.9As were replaced by Westland Wapiti
s in February 1930, which in turn were replaced by Vickers Vincents in 1937, taking these to RAF Habbaniya
in September that year.
It finally received modern monoplane
s in March 1939, when it received twin-engined Bristol Blenheim
bombers, transferring to Egypt just before the outbreak of the Second World War.
until Italy declared war in June 1940, when it switched to operations against targets in Libya
. It was switched to anti-shipping operations in September 1941, continuing these operations until it was withdrawn from operations in March 1942 for conversion to Martin Baltimore
s, after which it returned to the bombing role. The squadron continued in support of the Eighth Army
for the remainder of the North African Campaign
.
It flew its Baltimores on bombing raids in support of the Allied invasion of Sicily
and the subsequent invasion of Italy
. It re-equipped with Boston light bombers in October 1944. The squadron moved to Greece in September 1945, replacing its Bostons with de Havilland Mosquito
s in June 1946, disbanding in December that year.
, when it became part of the RAF's V bomber
force, being the fifth squadron equipped with the Handley Page Victor
when it received Victor B.1As. When the Vickers Valiant
was grounded in December 1964 owing to metal fatigue
, the RAF lost its aerial refueling
tanker force, and a rush programme was launched to convert Victor B.1s to fill the tanker gap. From May 1965 when it moved to RAF Marham
, 55 Squadron received six interim two-point Victor BK.1A tanker conversions, allowing it to become operational in the tanker role in August 1965. It had replaced the interim BK.1As with the definitive three-point tankers (Victor K.1 and K.1A) by December 1966, retaining them until 1975, when they were replaced by the more powerful Victor K.2.
55 Squadron provided tanker support during the Falklands War
in 1982, including for the Operation Black Buck
raids, where they refuelled Avro Vulcan
bombers to allow them to reach the Falklands from Ascension Island
. 55 Squadron's Victors went to war again in 1991, when it was deployed to the Gulf as part of Operation Granby
, Britain's response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
, refuelling coalition aircraft during Operation Desert Storm. It disbanded on 15 October 1993, the last Squadron to operate the Victor.
was renumbered No. 55 (Reserve) Squadron. This OCU was responsible for training Vickers VC10
and Lockheed TriStar crews, although it had no aircraft of its own. Disbanding again on 31 March 1996, it reformed at RAF Cranwell
on 1 November 1996 when the Navigation Squadron of No. 3 Flying Training School, flying Hawker Siddeley Dominie Weapon Systems Officer
trainers, adopted its identity. The Dominie was withdrawn from service when WSO training ended on 20 January 2011.
Squadron (aviation)
A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...
of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. It was formed in 1916 at Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich is a suburb situated within the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English county of West Midlands. It is bordered by the rest of the borough to the south east, North Warwickshire to the east and north east; also Shard End to the south west, Castle Vale,...
as a unit of the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
. No. 55 Squadron was the last RAF Squadron to operationally fly the Handley Page Victor
Handley Page Victor
The Handley Page Victor was a British jet bomber aircraft produced by the Handley Page Aircraft Company during the Cold War. It was the third and final of the V-bombers that provided Britain's nuclear deterrent. The other two V-bombers were the Avro Vulcan and the Vickers Valiant. Some aircraft...
, in its Victor K.2 in-flight refuelling tanker role. It was subsequently a navigator training squadron based at RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. It is currently commanded by Group Captain Dave Waddington...
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
. The squadron operated the Hawker Siddeley Dominie, a military version of the HS.125 business jet
Business jet
Business jet, private jet or, colloquially, bizjet is a term describing a jet aircraft, usually of smaller size, designed for transporting groups of up to 19 business people or wealthy individuals...
, until January 2011.
First World War
No. 55 Squadron was formed at Castle BromwichCastle Bromwich
Castle Bromwich is a suburb situated within the northern part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the English county of West Midlands. It is bordered by the rest of the borough to the south east, North Warwickshire to the east and north east; also Shard End to the south west, Castle Vale,...
on 27 April 1916. It initially operated as a training unit, flying a mixture of types, including the Avro 504
Avro 504
The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during...
, Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 and the Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8
Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8
The Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 was a British two-seat general-purpose biplane built by Armstrong Whitworth during the First World War. The type served alongside the better known R.E.8 until the end of the war, at which point 694 F.K.8s remained on RAF charge....
, but in January 1917 it changed its role to a day-bomber squadron and re-equipped with the Airco DH.4, being the first squadron to receive the new light bomber.
It took these to France on 6 March that year as part of 9th Wing, flying its first bombing mission against Valenciennes
Valenciennes
Valenciennes is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It lies on the Scheldt river. Although the city and region had seen a steady decline between 1975 and 1990, it has since rebounded...
railway station on 23 April 1917 in support of the Battle of Arras
Battle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
. It became part of the Independent Air Force
Independent Air Force
The Independent Air Force , also known as the Independent Force or the Independent Bombing Force and later known as the Inter-Allied Independent Air Force, was a World War I strategic bombing force which was part of the British Royal Air Force and used to strike against German railways, aerodromes...
as part of No 41 Wing based at Azelot
Azelot
Azelot is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France....
, carrying out daylight strategic bombing missions against targets in Germany. 55 Squadron developed tactics of flying in wedge formations, bombing on the leader's command and with the massed defensive fire of the formation deterring attacks by enemy fighters. Despite heavy losses, 55 Squadron continued in operation, the only one of the day bombing squadrons in the Independent Force which did not have to temporarily stand down owing to aircrew losses.
Following the Armistice on 11 November 1918, 55 Squadron was briefly used to run airmail
Airmail
Airmail is mail that is transported by aircraft. It typically arrives more quickly than surface mail, and usually costs more to send...
services to British forces, before returning to the United Kingdom and losing its aircraft in January 1919, formally disbanding on 22 January 1920.
Between the Wars
The Squadron reformed on 1 February 1920, when No. 142 SquadronNo. 142 Squadron RAF
-History:No. 142 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at RFC Ismailia, Egypt in 1918, flying a mixed bag of reconnaissance and bomber aircraft. On the formation of the Royal Air Force, on 1 April 1918, 142 Squadron was at RFC Julis in Palestine, becoming No. 142 Squadron RAF...
, based at Suez
Suez
Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
and equipped with Airco DH.9
Airco DH.9
The Airco DH.9 - also known after 1920 as the de Havilland DH.9 - was a British bomber used in the First World War...
s was renumbered. It started to receive more capable Airco DH.9A
Airco DH.9A
The Airco DH.9A was a British light bomber designed and first used shortly before the end of the First World War. Colloquially known as the "Ninak" , it served on in large numbers for the Royal Air Force following the end of the war, both at home and overseas, where it was used for colonial...
s in June 1920, and was equipped with a mixture of DH.9s and DH.9As when it trasferred to Turkey in July to support British forces occupying Constantinople and the Dardanelles.
It moved to Bagdhad in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in September that year, discarding its remaining DH.9s to standardise on the DH.9A. It remained in Iraq for 19 years, flying "Air Policing" operations against rebelling tribemen when required. It moved to Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
in March 1921 and to RAF Hinaidi
RAF Hinaidi
Royal Air Force Station Hinaidi, more commonly known as RAF Hinaida, was a British Royal Air Force station near Baghdad in the Kingdom of Iraq...
in May 1924. Its aging DH.9As were replaced by Westland Wapiti
Westland Wapiti
The Westland Wapiti was a British two-seat general purpose military single-engined biplane of the 1920s. It was designed and built by Westland Aircraft Works to replace the Airco DH.9A in Royal Air Force service....
s in February 1930, which in turn were replaced by Vickers Vincents in 1937, taking these to RAF Habbaniya
RAF Habbaniya
Royal Air Force Station Habbaniya, more commonly known as RAF Habbaniya, was a Royal Air Force station at Habbaniyah, about west of Baghdad in modern day Iraq, on the banks of the Euphrates near Lake Habbaniyah...
in September that year.
It finally received modern monoplane
Monoplane
A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with one main set of wing surfaces, in contrast to a biplane or triplane. Since the late 1930s it has been the most common form for a fixed wing aircraft.-Types of monoplane:...
s in March 1939, when it received twin-engined Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Blenheim
The 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 adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
bombers, transferring to Egypt just before the outbreak of the Second World War.
Second World War
No. 55 Squadron flew its Blenheims on shipping patrols over the Gulf of SuezGulf of Suez
The northern end of the Red Sea is bifurcated by the Sinai Peninsula, creating the Gulf of Suez in the west and the Gulf of Aqaba to the east. The Gulf of Suez is formed within a relatively young, but now inactive rift basin, the Gulf of Suez Rift, dating back about 28 million years...
until Italy declared war in June 1940, when it switched to operations against targets in Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. It was switched to anti-shipping operations in September 1941, continuing these operations until it was withdrawn from operations in March 1942 for conversion to Martin Baltimore
Martin Baltimore
The Martin 187 Baltimore was a two-engined light attack bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company in the United States, originally ordered by the French in May 1940 as a follow-up to the earlier Martin Maryland, then in service in France. With the fall of France, the production series was...
s, after which it returned to the bombing role. The squadron continued in support of the Eighth Army
Eighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
for the remainder of the North African Campaign
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
.
It flew its Baltimores on bombing raids in support of the Allied invasion of Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
and the subsequent invasion of Italy
Allied invasion of Italy
The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
. It re-equipped with Boston light bombers in October 1944. The squadron moved to Greece in September 1945, replacing its Bostons with de Havilland Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
s in June 1946, disbanding in December that year.
Victors
No. 55 Squadron did not reform until 1 September 1960 at RAF HoningtonRAF Honington
RAF Honington is a Royal Air Force station located south of Thetford near Ixworth in Suffolk, England. Although used as a bomber station during the Second World War, RAF Honington is now the RAF Regiment depot and home to the Joint CBRN Regiment.-RAF use:...
, when it became part of the RAF's V bomber
V bomber
The term V bomber was used for the Royal Air Force aircraft during the 1950s and 1960s that comprised the United Kingdom's strategic nuclear strike force known officially as the V-force or Bomber Command Main Force...
force, being the fifth squadron equipped with the Handley Page Victor
Handley Page Victor
The Handley Page Victor was a British jet bomber aircraft produced by the Handley Page Aircraft Company during the Cold War. It was the third and final of the V-bombers that provided Britain's nuclear deterrent. The other two V-bombers were the Avro Vulcan and the Vickers Valiant. Some aircraft...
when it received Victor B.1As. When the Vickers Valiant
Vickers Valiant
The Vickers-Armstrongs Valiant was a British four-jet bomber, once part of the Royal Air Force's V bomber nuclear force in the 1950s and 1960s...
was grounded in December 1964 owing to metal fatigue
Metal Fatigue
Metal Fatigue , is a futuristic science fiction, real-time strategy computer game developed by Zono Incorporated and published by Psygnosis and TalonSoft .-Plot:...
, the RAF lost its aerial refueling
Aerial refueling
Aerial refueling, also called air refueling, in-flight refueling , air-to-air refueling or tanking, is the process of transferring fuel from one aircraft to another during flight....
tanker force, and a rush programme was launched to convert Victor B.1s to fill the tanker gap. From May 1965 when it moved to RAF Marham
RAF Marham
Royal Air Force Station Marham, more commonly known as RAF Marham, is a Royal Air Force station; a military airbase, near the village of Marham in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia....
, 55 Squadron received six interim two-point Victor BK.1A tanker conversions, allowing it to become operational in the tanker role in August 1965. It had replaced the interim BK.1As with the definitive three-point tankers (Victor K.1 and K.1A) by December 1966, retaining them until 1975, when they were replaced by the more powerful Victor K.2.
55 Squadron provided tanker support during the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
in 1982, including for the Operation Black Buck
Operation Black Buck
During the Falklands War, Operations Black Buck 1 to Black Buck 7 were a series of seven extremely long-range ground attack missions by Royal Air Force Vulcan bombers planned against Argentine positions in the Falkland Islands...
raids, where they refuelled Avro Vulcan
Avro Vulcan
The Avro Vulcan, sometimes referred to as the Hawker Siddeley Vulcan, was a jet-powered delta wing strategic bomber, operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A V Roe & Co designed the Vulcan in response to Specification B.35/46. Of the three V bombers produced,...
bombers to allow them to reach the Falklands from Ascension Island
Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island in the equatorial waters of the South Atlantic Ocean, around from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America, which is roughly midway between the horn of South America and Africa...
. 55 Squadron's Victors went to war again in 1991, when it was deployed to the Gulf as part of Operation Granby
Operation Granby
Operation Granby was the name given to the British military operations during the Gulf War. 53,462 troops were deployed during the conflict. The total cost of operations was £2.434 billion of which at least £2.049 billion was paid for by other nations such as Kuwait and Saudi Arabia; £200...
, Britain's response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, refuelling coalition aircraft during Operation Desert Storm. It disbanded on 15 October 1993, the last Squadron to operate the Victor.
Training roles
On the same day as 55 Squadron disbanded as a Victor squadron, No. 241 Operational Conversion Unit RAF at RAF Brize NortonRAF Brize Norton
RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, is the largest station of the Royal Air Force. It is close to the settlements of Brize Norton, Carterton and Witney....
was renumbered No. 55 (Reserve) Squadron. This OCU was responsible for training Vickers VC10
Vickers VC10
The Vickers VC10 is a long-range British airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs Ltd, and first flown in 1962. The airliner was designed to operate on long-distance routes with a high subsonic speed and also be capable of hot and high operations from African airports...
and Lockheed TriStar crews, although it had no aircraft of its own. Disbanding again on 31 March 1996, it reformed at RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell
RAF Cranwell is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire close to the village of Cranwell, near Sleaford. It is currently commanded by Group Captain Dave Waddington...
on 1 November 1996 when the Navigation Squadron of No. 3 Flying Training School, flying Hawker Siddeley Dominie Weapon Systems Officer
Weapon systems officer
A Weapon Systems Officer is an air Flight Officer directly involved in all air operations and weapon systems of the fighter in the United States Navy. A Weapon Systems Officer ("WSO", pronounced "wizzo") is an air Flight Officer directly involved in all air operations and weapon systems of the...
trainers, adopted its identity. The Dominie was withdrawn from service when WSO training ended on 20 January 2011.