No. 56 Squadron RAF
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Number 56 (R) Squadron is one of the oldest and most successful squadrons in the Royal Air Force, with battle honours from many of the significant air campaigns of both world wars.
[edit] Squadron History
The squadron was formed in 1916 and, in April 1917, equipped with the then brand new SE5 fighter, it was posted to France. Its arrival at the Front with a brand new scout fighter, combined with the unusually high proportion of experienced pilots in its ranks, led to rumours among its German opponents the Squadron was specifically the 'Anti-Richtofen Squadron', dedicated to the removal of the Red Baron. Though there was no truth in these rumours it was ironic that the squadron did shoot down and kill Richtofen's nearest 1917 rival Leutnant Werner Voss. By the end of the war 56 squadron had scored 427 'victories' and been home to many famous fighter aces such as Ball, Barlow, Hoidge, Rhys Davids and McCudden. 40 pilots were killed in action, 20 wounded and 31 taken prisioner.
The squadron disbanded and was reformed several times between the wars, symbolic of the phoenix, which was, ironically, the squadron’s emblem.
The squadron entered the Second World War equipped with Hawker Hurricanes which they flew, first during the Battle of France, and then as part of 11 Group from North Weald throughout the Battle of Britain. At the close of the battle they were posted to Boscombe Down to recuperate. During 1940 the squadron claimed just over a hundred aircraft shot down.
A year later, in 1941, the squadron was the first to receive the new Hawker Typhoons which they developed through 1942-43 into the fighter/bomber role against targets in Europe. In 1944 the squadron converted to Hawker Tempests, giving the squadron’s pilots the top speed needed to be able to shoot down over sixty V1 flying bombs before moving, in September of that year, to a ground support role for the ongoing invasion of Europe. During WW2 the squadron claimed a total of 149 aircraft shot down.
Since World War Two the squadron has been the RAF’s display team, ‘The Firebirds’ flying English Electric Lightnings, taken part in the 1974 defence of the British bases in Cyprus and been the RAF’s operational conversion unit flying Tornados.
Despite this remarkable history, many people still remember 56 Squadron as the unwitting victims of a friendly fire incident now known as the Battle of Barking Creek. Tragically two pilots of the squadron were shot down and one, Montague Hulton-Harrop, was killed, becoming the first RAF casualty of the war.
[edit] Modern Day
The squadron now flies the Tornado F3 and is based at RAF Leuchars in Fife. The squadron, nicknamed the Firebirds, was until 2005 the display squadron for the F3. It was announced in December 2005 that, as a cost cutting measure, the RAF would no longer do a Tornado F3 display . The squadron will continue to be the Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) for the Tornado F3.
