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No. 8 Group RAF
No. 8 Group was a Royal Air Force group which existed during the final year of the First World War and during the Second World War. First World War No. 8 Group was formed in April 1918 as a training unit and designated 8 Group (Training). It remained in this function throughout the rest of the war and was disbanded in May 1919. Second World War First formation The Group was re-established as No 8 (Bomber) Group on 1 September 1941 only to be disbanded around five months later on 28 January 1942. Reformation of Group 8 8 Group was re-constituted when Bomber Command's Pathfinder Force was renamed No. 8 (Pathfinder Force) Group on 8 January 1943. The group consisted of specialist squadrons that marked targets for the main attacks of Bomber Command aircraft. The Force, which had been formed in August 1942 with five Squadrons from the existing Bomber Command Groups flying a mix of Short Stirlings, Handley Page Halifaxes, Avro Lancasters and Vickers Wellingtons. When new aircraft ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played the central role in the Strategic bombing during World War II#Europe, strategic bombing of Germany in World War II. From 1942 onward, the British bombing campaign against Germany became Area bombing directive, less restrictive and increasingly targeted industrial sites and the civilian manpower base essential for German war production. In total 364,514 operational sorties were flown, 1,030,500 tons of bombs were dropped and 8,325 aircraft lost in action. Bomber Command crews also suffered a high casualty rate: 55,573 were killed out of a total of 125,000 aircrew, a 44.4% death rate. A further 8,403 men were wounded in action, and 9,838 became prisoners of war. Bomber Command stood at the peak of its post-war Armed forces, military power in the 1960s, the V bombers holding the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent and a supplemental force of En ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Oakington
Royal Air Force Oakington or more simply RAF Oakington was a Royal Air Force station located north of Oakington, Cambridgeshire, England and north-west of Cambridge. History Second World War Construction was started in 1939, but was affected by the outbreak of war. The original plan called for Type-C hangars but two type J were erected instead. It was used by No. 2 Group in July 1940 for No. 218 Squadron which had recently returned from France. In September, Oakington was passed on for the No. 2 Group which stationed the first Short Stirling Squadron No. 7. The newly formed No. 3 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit RAF started to use RAF Oakington to conduct high altitude work for Bomber Command's target. However, there were poor surface conditions at RAF Oakington so No. 3 PRU often operated from RAF Alconbury. Post war During the 1950s RAF Oakington was an Advanced Flying Training School, No. 5 Flying Training School RAF (5 FTS), which reformed at the airfield on 1 J ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John Miles Steel
Air Chief Marshal Sir John Miles Steel, (11 September 1877 – 2 December 1965) was a senior Royal Air Force commander. Military career Steel attended the training ship ''Britannia'' from 1892 to 1894. and subsequently served in the Royal Navy. He was promoted to sub-lieutenant in 1897 and served in the Second Boer War as a member of the Naval Brigade. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1900, and was posted temporary in July 1902 to , serving in the Channel Squadron. A permanent posting followed in September that year, when he was posted to , coast guard ship at Portsmouth. Promotion to commander followed in 1912, and to captain in 1916. In 1917 Steel was transferred from fleet duties to the Royal Naval Air Service and was appointed Officer Commanding RNAS Eastchurch. In early 1918 Steel was appointed Officer Commanding No. 58 Wing which was based at Eastchurch and in March, at the age of 40, Steel learned to fly. Meanwhile, he became General Officer Commanding No. 8 Group. On 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brigadier-General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000 troops (four battalions). Variants Brigadier general Brigadier general (Brig. Gen.) is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000 troops (four battalions). In some countries, this rank is given the name of '' brigadier'', which is usually equivalent to ''brigadier general'' in the armies of nations that use the rank. The rank can be traced back to the militaries of Europe where a "brigadier gene ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Downham Market
RAF Downham Market was a Royal Air Force station in the west of the county of Norfolk, England which operated during the second half of the Second World War. History RAF Downham Market opened as a satellite station for RAF Marham in the Summer of 1942. The station was equipped with three concrete runways, one of 1,900 yards and two of 1,400 yards. Originally there were 36 hardstandings, although this dropped to 34 when an additional B1 hangar was added in the north west of the station. Six T2 hangars were built, three of which were for the storage of gliders. Accommodation was provided for 1,719 males and 326 females, with Bexwell Hall being used as the officer's mess. In October 1943 the station was equipped with the FIDO fog dispersal system. The first operational squadron at the station was 218 Squadron, operating Short Stirling aircraft, who arrived from Marham in July 1942. In August 1943, 623 Squadron formed at Downham, also operating Stirling aircraft. This S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Little Staughton
Royal Air Force Little Staughton or more simply RAF Little Staughton is a former Royal Air Force station located south of Great Staughton, Cambridgeshire and west of St Neots, Cambridgeshire, England. Station history The airfield was first handed over to the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) in 1942. *1st Bomb Wing USAAF **2nd Advanced Air Depot USAAF RAF Little Staughton was returned to the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 1 March 1944 * No. 47 Group Communications Flight * No. 48 Group Communications Flight * No. 2731 Squadron RAF Regiment * No. 2746 Squadron RAF Regiment * Path Finder Force 8 Group - No. 109 Squadron RAF from 2 April 1944 with the de Havilland Mosquito XVI before being disbanded on 30 April 1945. * Path Finder Force 8 Group - No. 582 Squadron RAF formed at the airfield on 1 April 1944 with the Avro Lancaster Mks I and III before being disbanded on 10 September 1945. The airfield was placed into care and maintenance in 1945, and during the 1950s the United Stat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Bourn
Royal Air Force Bourn or more simply RAF Bourn is a former Royal Air Force station located north of Bourn, Cambridgeshire and west of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England. History Bourn Airfield was constructed for RAF Bomber Command in 1940 as a satellite airfield for nearby RAF Oakington. It was used by No. 101 Squadron RAF Vickers Wellingtons for training purposes from 23 July 1941, and from October of that year 101 and 7 Squadrons used the airfield when Oakington became unavailable. On 9 April 1941, the airfield was subjected to the first of four raids when a Junkers Ju 88C strafed the airfield buildings and bombed the runway; however, little damage was done and there were no injuries. Two more raids on 8 and 23 May 1944 were made, the latter damaging two parked de Havilland Mosquitoes. As the strategic bombing offensive intensified, the losses mounted. By the time of the last operational sortie on 4 April 1945, a total of 164 aircraft had been lost, either from the sq ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
RAF Gransden Lodge
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). Following the Allied victory over the Central Powers in 1918, the RAF emerged as the largest air force in the world at the time. Since its formation, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history. In particular, it played a large part in the Second World War where it fought its most famous campaign, the Battle of Britain. The RAF's mission is to support the objectives of the British Ministry of Defence (MOD), which are to "provide the capabilities needed to ensure the security and defence of the United Kingdom and overseas territories, including against terrorism; to support the Government's foreign policy objectives particularly in promoting international peace and security". The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
405 Long Range Patrol Squadron
405 Long Range Patrol Squadron is a unit of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) within the Canadian Forces, initially formed as No. 405 Squadron RCAF during the Second World War. Service history World War II No. 405 Squadron RCAF was formed at Driffield, Yorkshire, on 23 April 1941 as an Article XV squadron and equipped with the Vickers Wellington bomber. It flew the RCAF's first bombing operation ten weeks later on 12/13 June, attacking the railway marshalling yards at Schwerte. It converted to the Handley Page Halifax in April 1942, taking part in the historic 1,000-bomber raid on Cologne on the night of 30/31 May 1942. In late October 1942, the squadron was loaned to Coastal Command to fly anti-submarine patrols in the Bay of Biscay at the time of the North African landings. Returning to Bomber Command at the beginning of March 1943, the squadron flew with No. 6 Group RCAF for short time before being selected for the elite No. 8 (Pathfinder) Group based at Gransden Lod ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
