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No. 211 Group RAF
No 211 Group or No. 211 (Medium Bomber) Group was a Group (air force), Group of the Royal Air Force (RAF) formed on 10 December 1941 by renaming Nucleus Group Western Desert. The group was officially disbanded from 3 February 1942 to 12 March 1943, although some references refer to some of its original squadrons during this period as being with 211 Group. On 12 March 1943, the group reformed as No. 211 (Offensive Fighter) Group and Air Commodore Richard Atcherley assumed command of the group on 11 April 1943. At this time, 211 Group was the principle fighter force of the Desert Air Force (DAF) commanded by Air Vice Marshal Harry Broadhurst, and DAF was a sub-command of Air Marshal Sir Arthur Coningham's Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF). The group included many units from the South African Air Force (SAAF), as well as several from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), with one each from the Hellenic Air Force and Royal Ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Allied Invasion Of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, also known as Operation Husky, was a major campaign of World War II in which the Allied forces invaded the island of Sicily in July 1943 and took it from the Axis powers ( Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany). It began with a large amphibious and airborne operation, followed by a six-week land campaign, and initiated the Italian campaign. To divert some of the Axis forces to other areas, the Allies engaged in several deception operations, the most famous and successful of which was Operation Mincemeat. Husky began on the night of 9–10 July 1943 and ended on 17 August. Strategically, Husky achieved the goals set out for it by Allied planners; the Allies drove Axis air, land and naval forces from the island and the Mediterranean sea lanes were opened for Allied merchant ships for the first time since 1941. These events led to the Italian leader, Benito Mussolini, being toppled from power in Italy on 25 July, and to the Allied invasion of Italy on 3 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Martin Baltimore
The Martin 187 Baltimore was a twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company in the United States as the A-30. The model was 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 diverted to Great Britain and after mid-1941, supplied by the U.S. as Lend Lease equipment. Development of the Baltimore was hindered by a series of problems, although the type eventually became a versatile combat aircraft. Produced in large numbers, the Baltimore was not used operationally by United States armed forces but eventually served with the British, Canadian, Australian, South African, Hellenic and the Italian air forces. it was subsequently used almost exclusively in the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II. Design and development Initially designated the A-23 (derived from the A-22 Martin 167 Maryland design), the Model 187 (company des ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Martin Maryland
The Martin Model 167 Maryland was an American medium bomber that first flew in 1939. It saw action in World War II with France and the United Kingdom. Design and development In response to a December 1937 United States Army Air Corps requirement for an attack aircraft capable of carrying a bombload of over a range of at a speed of , the Glenn L. Martin Company produced its Model 167, which was given the official designation XA-22, competing with designs from Bell Aircraft (the Model 9), Douglas (the Douglas DB-7), North American (the NA-40) and Stearman (the Stearman XA-21). Martin's design was a twin-engine all-metal monoplane, capable of around 310 mph (500 km/h) with a crew of three. The XA-22 was not adopted for operational service in the U.S., because the contract was won by the Douglas DB-7, which became the A-20 Havoc, but Martin received foreign orders, and about 450 of the fast, twin-engined bombers were built. The prototype Model 167W was powered by twin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
60 Squadron SAAF
60 Squadron SAAF is a squadron of the South African Air Force. It is a transport, aerial refuelling and EW(electronic warfare)/ELINT(electronic intelligence) squadron. It was first formed at Nairobi in December 1940. In 1943 the 60th Squadron was a part of the North African Photo Reconnaissance Wing, which later became the Mediterranean Allied Photo Reconnaissance Wing. In several flights during 1944 Mosquitos took many of the later discussed pictures of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camps, in which the Holocaust was visible but was not recognized. During its first years the squadron flew the British Aircraft Double Eagle, Martin Maryland, de Havilland Mosquito, and the Lockheed Ventura. The squadron was reequipped with Boeing 707s in 1986. While it was based for a long period at AFB Waterkloof, Pretoria, due to ongoing runway and taxiway repairs at that base, the squadron operated temporarily for a period out of Johannesburg International Airport. Operations wound down with the la ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
40 Squadron SAAF
40 Squadron SAAF existed as a combat unit from early 1940 through to late 1945. It served in the East African Campaign (World War II), East African Campaign, Western Desert (North Africa), Western Desert, Tunisia, and Italy, reaching Austria by the end of World War II. The squadron's motto in those years was ''Amethlo e Impi'' – the eyes of the army. History East Africa 40 Squadron was formed in May 1940 at AFB Waterkloof, Waterkloof Air Station, under the command of Major (later Major-General) JT Durrant, Jimmy Durrant, as part of the South African Air Force's expansion early in World War II. It was an Army Co-Operation squadron equipped with Hartbees aircraft (a South African variant of the Hawker Hart). The squadron deployed to Kenya in August 1940, and in September started operations in Italian East Africa supporting the South African 1st Infantry Division, South African 1st Division. This effort continued throughout the East African Campaign (World War II), East Afri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
7 Squadron SAAF
7 Squadron was a unit of the South African Air Force which served in the Second World War as well as in South Africa between 1951 and 1992. During the war, the squadron was used as a fighter squadron deployed to the Western Desert as well as in the Aegean, Italy and Ceylon. The squadron was inactive from the end of the war until 1951 when it re-activated as a citizen force training squadron, a role it retained during two periods of active service until 1992, when it was disbanded for the last time. History 7 Squadron was formed as a South African Air Force unit on 12 January 1942 at Zwartkop Air Station equipped with Harvard and Mohawk aircraft, with Douglas Loftus as commanding officer. It was re-equipped with Hurricane Mk Is in April 1942 and was then moved to Egypt. By the time the war in Africa had been concluded, the squadron was equipped with Spitfire Mk Vs in July 1943 and was tasked with convoy escort and fighter-interception sorties. On 10 September 1943 six pilots and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colin Falkland Gray
Group Captain Colin Falkland Gray, (9 November 1914 – 1 August 1995) was a Royal Air Force (RAF) officer and the top New Zealand Flying ace, fighter ace of the Second World War. Born in Christchurch, Gray was accepted into the RAF in 1939 on a short service commission, after two previous attempts failed on medical grounds. He flew with No. LIV Squadron RAF, No. 54 Squadron during the Battle of France. His twin brother, who had also joined the RAF and was a bomber pilot, was killed in a flying accident at this time. He flew extensively for the majority of the Battle of Britain and by September 1940, he had shot down 14 enemy aircraft and had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom), Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). He fulfilled a training role for the next few months before returning to offensive operations in early 1941. Gray commanded No. 616 Squadron RAF, No. 616 Squadron on the Channel Front and was awarded a medal bar, Bar to his DFC before ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1 Squadron SAAF
1 Squadron SAAF was an air force squadron of the South African Air Force and was formed at Air Force Station Swartkop in February 1920, equipped with De Havilland DH.9's part of the Imperial Gift donation to South Africa by Britain. On 31 August 1939 the squadron was re-designated as 1 Bomber/Fighter Squadron and this was then changed to 11 (Bomber) Squadron in December 1939. The squadron was resurrected in February 1940 by the renumbering of 6 Squadron, equipped with four Hurricane Mk 1's and six Furies. 1 Squadron saw active service in East Africa in 1940, the Western Desert, Malta, Sicily and ended their war service in Italy in 1945. In 1950 the squadron's Spitfires were replaced with Vampires and these in turn were replaced by Sabre Mk6's in 1956. In 1976 the squadron received Mirage F1AZ attack aircraft and it was disbanded when the F1AZ's were retired on 25 November 1997. History Establishment There had been no official squadron designations in the South African Air For ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
66th Fighter Squadron
066 may refer to: * Air France Flight 066 * Uncial 066 * 0-6-6 Under the Whyte notation for the classification of steam locomotives, represents the wheel arrangement of no leading wheels, six powered and coupled driving wheels on three axles and six trailing wheels on three axles. Overview The wheel arra ... type of locomotive See also * 66 (other) {{numberdis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
335th Bomber Squadron (HAF)
The 335th Squadron ( el, 335 Μοίρα, 335 M), callsign "Tigers", is the oldest squadron in service with the Hellenic Air Force formed on the 10th of October 1941 at Aqir airfield in Palestine as a unit in exile. It is based at Araxos Air Base in the Peloponnese, forming part of the 116th Combat Wing. Until March 2008, the squadron was equipped with the A-7H Corsair, and is operating with 30 newly purchased F-16 Block 52+ aircraft. During World War II it served under the Royal Air Force as a unit in exile operating in the middle east. Participating in convoy protection, bomber escort, and ground attack roles. Significant battles which the squadron was involved with include the Second Battle of El Alamein, and the Italian campaign. In November the Greek squadrons returned to liberated Greece, where they were engaged in operations against the remaining German garrisons in the Aegean islands and Crete. On 31 July 1945, the squadron was disbanded from the RAF and transferred t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
5 Squadron SAAF
5 Squadron SAAF was a South African Air Force "Through hardships to the stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , equipment ... Fighter / Fighter-Bomber squadron during World War II. It was disbanded at the end of the war and was re-commissioned in 1950. It remained active until 2 October 1992, when it was disbanded; its Atlas Cheetah E aircraft were also decommissioned. History The squadron was initially designated as a fighter-bomber unit and formed in Cape Town in April 1939. It was only active for eight months and was disbanded in December that year. It was re-formed on 7 May 1941 as a fighter squadron operating from Zwartkop Air Station equipped with Mohawk Vs. It deployed to Egypt in December 1941 re-equipped with Tomahawk IIBs. The squadron was initially tasked with providing anti-shipping patrols and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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