No. 56 Squadron RAF
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Number 56 Squadron, nicknamed ''the Firebirds'' for their ability to always reappear intact regardless of the odds, is one of the oldest and most successful squadrons of the
Royal Air Force 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 ...
, with
battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In European military t ...
s from many of the significant air campaigns of both the
First First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...
and
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
s. During the First World War, the squadron had many aces amongst its ranks such as
James McCudden James Thomas Byford McCudden, (28 March 1895 – 9 July 1918) was a British flying ace of the First World War and among the most highly decorated airmen in British military history. Born in 1895 to a middle class family with military traditions ...
,
Albert Ball Albert Ball, (14 August 1896 – 7 May 1917) was a British fighter pilot during the First World War. At the time of his death he was the United Kingdom's leading flying ace, with 44 victories, and remained its fourth-highest scorer b ...
,
Reginald Hoidge Reginald Theodore Carlos Hoidge MC & Bar (28 July 1894 – 1 March 1963) was a Canadian First World War flying ace, officially credited with 28 victories. He served initially in the Canadian Royal Garrison Artillery before transferring ...
and
Arthur Rhys-Davids Arthur Percival Foley Rhys-Davids, (26 September 1897 – 27 October 1917) was a British flying ace of the First World War. Rhys-Davids was born in 1897 to a distinguished family. His father was a professional academic and his mother a prolifi ...
, developing a fierce reputation for the unit. In the Second World War, they fought in the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
, and operated as a successful fighter-bomber unit for most of the war. In the 1960s, the squadron had their own aerobatic display team, 'The Firebirds', which consisted of nine
English Electric Lightning The English Electric Lightning is a British fighter aircraft that served as an interceptor during the 1960s, the 1970s and into the late 1980s. It was capable of a top speed of above Mach 2. The Lightning was designed, developed, and manufa ...
F.1As, which participated at many airshows. From March 1976 to July 1992, No. 56 (Fighter) Squadron operated the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2, flying from
RAF Wattisham Royal Air Force Station Wattisham or more simply RAF Wattisham is a former Royal Air Force station located in East Anglia just outside the village of Wattisham, south of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England. During the Cold War it was a major front- ...
,
Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...
, becoming the penultimate unit to fly the type. Until 18 April 2008, the squadron was the Operational Conversion Unit for the Panavia Tornado F.3 at RAF Leuchars,
Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
. As of March 2021, the squadron is based at
RAF Waddington Royal Air Force Waddington otherwise known as RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located beside the village of Waddington, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire in England. The station is the RAF's Intelligence Surveillance Target A ...
,
Lincolnshire Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...
and serves as the Air Command and Control Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operational Evaluation Unit (AIR C2ISR OEU) for the RAF, a role held since 22 April 2008.


History


First World War

No. 56 Squadron was formed on 8 June 1916 at
Gosport Gosport ( ) is a town and non-metropolitan borough on the south coast of Hampshire, South East England. At the 2011 Census, its population was 82,662. Gosport is situated on a peninsula on the western side of Portsmouth Harbour, opposite t ...
, from members of No. 28 Squadron, as part of the
Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...
(RFC). On 14 July, the squadron relocated to
London Colney London Colney () is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Hertfordshire, England. It is located to the north of London, close to Junction 22 of the M25 motorway. It is near St Albans and part of the City and District of St Al ...
. No. 56 Squadron received its first aircraft, a Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c on 7 August, which was followed by numerous other types. Captain
Albert Ball Albert Ball, (14 August 1896 – 7 May 1917) was a British fighter pilot during the First World War. At the time of his death he was the United Kingdom's leading flying ace, with 44 victories, and remained its fourth-highest scorer b ...
joined No. 56 Squadron as a Flight Commander in February 1917. On 13 March 1917, the squadron became the first unit in the entire RFC to be equipped with the then brand new Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 fighter. On 31 March, No. 56 Squadron received orders to relocate to the RFC HQ at
Saint-Omer Saint-Omer (; vls, Sint-Omaars) is a commune and sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department in France. It is west-northwest of Lille on the railway to Calais, and is located in the Artois province. The town is named after Saint Audomar, ...
,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. By 8 April, the entire Squadron had made the move from London Colney, with the pilots having their photograph in their S.E.5s taken before they left on the 7 April. From Saint-Omer, the squadron relocated to Vert Galant on 20 April to support the
Second Battle of Arras The Battle of Arras (also known as the Second Battle of Arras) was a British Empire, British offensive on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British troops attacked German Empi ...
and flew their first mission on the 22 April. Its arrival at the front with the latest fighter, combined with the unusually high proportion of experienced pilots in its ranks, led to rumours among its German opponents that the squadron was an 'Anti-Richthofen Squadron', specifically dedicated to the removal of the
Red Baron Red is the color at the long wavelength end of the visible spectrum of light, next to orange and opposite violet. It has a dominant wavelength of approximately 625–740 nanometres. It is a primary color in the RGB color model and a secondary ...
. The squadron did shoot down and kill Richthofen's nearest 1917 rival Leutnant
Werner Voss Werner Voss (; 13 April 1897 – 23 September 1917) was a World War I German flying ace credited with 48 aerial victories. A dyer's son from Krefeld, he was a patriotic young man while still in school. He began his military career in Novem ...
in an epic dogfight, on 23 September 1917 by Lieutenant
Arthur Rhys-Davids Arthur Percival Foley Rhys-Davids, (26 September 1897 – 27 October 1917) was a British flying ace of the First World War. Rhys-Davids was born in 1897 to a distinguished family. His father was a professional academic and his mother a prolifi ...
. Albert Ball scored No. 56 Squadron's first kill, his 32nd, on 23 April, when he shot down an
Albatros D.III The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service ('' Luftstreitkräfte'') during World War I. A modified licence model was built by Oeffag for the Austro-Hungarian Air Service ( ''Luftfahrtruppen''). ...
. The squadron suffered its first loss on 30 April when Lieutenant Maurice Alfred Kay was shot down. Ball himself was killed in action on 7 May, the same day as Lieutenant Roger Michael Chaworth-Musters. No. 56 Squadron was sent north to
Estrée-Blanche Estrée-Blanche (; vls, Strate) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. History Indian cavalry were stationed at Estrée-Blanche during the First World War. Geography Estrée-Blanche is a fa ...
on 31 May 1917, to provide support for the upcoming Battle of Messines. From May 1917, the Germans began bombing London using their new
Gotha G.IV The Gotha G.IV was a heavy bomber used by the (Imperial German Air Service) during World War I. It was the first mass-produced large airplane. Development Experience with the earlier G.III showed that the rear gunner could not efficientl ...
bombers – with the first raid occurring on 25 May inflicting 290 casualties in London and Folkestone (due to diversion); the second raid was aborted and focused on Kent; the third was a daytime raid on 13 June in which there were 594 casualties, which went unanswered with the Germans losing no bombers. In response to this, No. 56 Squadron was recalled back to England and based at RFC Bekesbourne on 21 June. The squadron participated in the
Battle of Passchendaele The Third Battle of Ypres (german: link=no, Dritte Flandernschlacht; french: link=no, Troisième Bataille des Flandres; nl, Derde Slag om Ieper), also known as the Battle of Passchendaele (), was a campaign of the First World War, fought by t ...
, marking numerous victories throughout it. Captain
James McCudden James Thomas Byford McCudden, (28 March 1895 – 9 July 1918) was a British flying ace of the First World War and among the most highly decorated airmen in British military history. Born in 1895 to a middle class family with military traditions ...
, eventual highest scoring pilot of the squadron, joined on 13 August. Rhys-Davids made his final sortie on 27 October 1917, taking off for a routine patrol he chased after a group of Albatros fighters after which he was never seen again. The
Luftstreitkräfte The ''Deutsche Luftstreitkräfte'' (, German Air Force)—known before October 1916 as (Flyer Troops)—was the air arm of the Imperial German Army. In English-language sources it is usually referred to as the Imperial German Air Service, alt ...
credited
Karl Gallwitz Leutnant Karl Gallwitz (18 August 1895 – 17 May 1984) was a World War I flying ace credited with ten aerial victories. Early life Karl Gallwitz was born in Sigmaringen, the German Empire, in 1895. He visited the Gymnasium-school in Nordhausen. ...
with the kill, word only reached the RFC on 29 December that Rhys-Davids had been killed. On 18 November, No. 56 Squadron was relocated to Laviéville in support of the Battle of Cambrai. In December 1917, McCudden scored 14 victories – including 4 on 23 December, a first for the RFC.Revell 1987, pp. 26–27. In January 1918, the squadron moved to Baizieux. McCudden was sent back to England on 5 March, where he was promoted to Major and received the Victoria Cross, he died on 9 July in an accident while on his way to take command of No. 60 Squadron. On 21 March, the Germans began their Spring Offensive, this forced No. 56 Squadron to pull back to Valheureux, where from they conducted air-to-air patrols for the next four months. The squadron supported the buildup to and provided support during the Battle of Amiens (beginning 8 August), which would later be known as the start of the
Hundred Days Offensive The Hundred Days Offensive (8 August to 11 November 1918) was a series of massive Allies of World War I, Allied offensives that ended the First World War. Beginning with the Battle of Amiens (1918), Battle of Amiens (8–12 August) on the Wester ...
. On 1 August, No. 56 Squadron, in tandem with No. 3 Squadron, attacked a German aerodrome in which 6 hangars and 16 enemy aircraft were destroyed. By the end of the war, No. 56 Squadron had scored 427 victories, at a cost of 40 pilots killed, 20 wounded and 31 taken prisoner.Shores Franks and Guest 1990, p. 36 A good impression of the demobilisation of the squadron is given in the final pages of ''Wind in the Wires'' by
Duncan Grinnell-Milne Captain Duncan William Grinnell-Milne (6 August 1896 – November 1973) was an English First World War pilot credited with six confirmed aerial victories, a prisoner of war who escaped from German captivity, a flying ace, and an author. Initia ...
, the squadron's last CO. The squadron tune during the later stages of the war was
The Darktown Strutters' Ball "Darktown Strutters' Ball" is a popular song by Shelton Brooks, published in 1917. The song has been recorded many times and is considered a popular and jazz standard. There are many variations of the title, including "At the Darktown Strutters' B ...
.


Interwar years

On 22 November 1918, No. 56 Squadron moved to
Béthencourt Béthencourt () is a commune in the Nord department in northern France. Population Heraldry See also *Communes of the Nord department The following is a list of the 648 communes of the Nord department of the French Republic. The com ...
, France. It stayed here until it moved back to Britain on 15 February 1919, arriving at
RAF Narborough RAF Narborough was a military aerodrome in Norfolk operated in the First World War. It opened on 28 May 1915, originally as a Royal Naval Air Station for RNAS Great Yarmouth tasked with defending against Zeppelin raids. The airfield covered a s ...
along with No. 60 Squadron and No. 64 Squadron. Only days after being disbanded, No. 80 Squadron, based at RAF Aboukir, in
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
, was renumbered on 1 February 1920 to No. 56 Squadron. From here they flew
Sopwith Snipe The Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War, and came into squadron service a few weeks before the end of th ...
s. The squadron was disbanded again on 23 September 1922; however, one flight was hastily reformed on 26 September and sent to Turkey for the
Chanak Crisis The Chanak Crisis ( tr, Çanakkale Krizi), also called the Chanak Affair and the Chanak Incident, was a war scare in September 1922 between the United Kingdom and the Government of the Grand National Assembly in Turkey. ''Chanak'' refers to Ça ...
. This flight was officially attached to No. 208 Squadron and remained in Turkey until August 1923. However it continued to use the 56 numberplate, even though No. 56 Squadron had reformed officially in November 1922 at
RAF Hawkinge Royal Air Force Hawkinge or more simply RAF Hawkinge is a former Royal Air Force station located east of Ashford, north of Folkestone, Kent and west of Dover, Kent, England. The airfield was used by both the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal ...
. This flight returned and rejoined the rest of the squadron at
RAF Biggin Hill London Biggin Hill Airport is an operational general aviation airport at Biggin Hill in the London Borough of Bromley, located south-southeast of Central London. The airport was formerly a Royal Air Force station RAF Biggin Hill, and a smal ...
. In September 1924, No. 56 Squadron was assigned a red and white checker pattern as a means of squadron identification, something which the squadron would actively use up until 2008. The same month saw the squadron convert to the
Gloster Grebe The Gloster Grebe was developed by the Gloster Aircraft Company from the Gloster Grouse (an experimental aircraft later developed as a trainer), and was the Royal Air Force's first post- First World War fighter aircraft, entering service in 1 ...
Mk.II, flying them until they were exchanged for
Armstrong Whitworth Siskin The Armstrong Whitworth Siskin was a biplane single-seat fighter aircraft developed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. It was also the first all-metal fighter to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RA ...
Mk.IIIas in September 1927. The squadron finally settled at
RAF North Weald North Weald Airfield is an operational general aviation aerodrome, in the civil parish of North Weald Bassett in Epping Forest, Essex, England. It was an important fighter station during the Battle of Britain, when it was known as the RAF Stati ...
in October 1927, where it remained until the end of 1939 and the start of the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. On 14 November 1928, the No. 56 Squadron was allowed to use a
phoenix Phoenix most often refers to: * Phoenix (mythology), a legendary bird from ancient Greek folklore * Phoenix, Arizona, a city in the United States Phoenix may also refer to: Mythology Greek mythological figures * Phoenix (son of Amyntor), a ...
for its crest along with the motto ''Quid si coelum ruat''. The squadron converted to the
Bristol Bulldog The Bristol Bulldog is a British Royal Air Force single-seat biplane fighter designed during the 1920s by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. More than 400 Bulldogs were produced for the RAF and overseas customers, and it was one of the most fa ...
Mk.IIa in October 1932, these were kept until May 1936 when the squadron received
Gloster Gauntlet The Gloster Gauntlet was a single-seat biplane fighter designed and produced by the British aeroplane manufacturer Gloster Aircraft in the 1930s. It was the last fighter to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) to have an open cockpit, and ...
Mk.IIs. No. 56 Squadron's crest and motto were officially approved by
King Edward VIII Edward VIII (Edward Albert Christian George Andrew Patrick David; 23 June 1894 – 28 May 1972), later known as the Duke of Windsor, was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Empire and Emperor of India from 20 January 1 ...
in July 1936. No. 56 Squadron converted to their last biplane, the
Gloster Gladiator The Gloster Gladiator is a British biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) (as the Sea Gladiator variant) and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. Developed private ...
Mk.I, in July 1937. The Gladiators were flown up until May 1938 when the squadron acquired
Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...
Mk.Is. The squadron would operate the Hurricane in the opening stages of WW2.


Second World War

No. 56 Squadron's introduction to the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
came on 6 September 1939. ''The Firebirds'', then based at
RAF North Weald North Weald Airfield is an operational general aviation aerodrome, in the civil parish of North Weald Bassett in Epping Forest, Essex, England. It was an important fighter station during the Battle of Britain, when it was known as the RAF Stati ...
, were the victims of a
friendly fire In military terminology, friendly fire or fratricide is an attack by belligerent or neutral forces on friendly troops while attempting to attack enemy/hostile targets. Examples include misidentifying the target as hostile, cross-fire while eng ...
incident by No. 74 Squadron known as the
Battle of Barking Creek The Battle of Barking Creek was a friendly fire incident over England on that caused the first death of a British fighter pilot in the Second World War. Battle At on 6 September 1939, a radar fault led to a false alarm that unidentified airc ...
. Two pilots of the squadron were shot down and one, P/O Montague Hulton-Harrop, was killed, becoming the RAF's first casualty in the defence of the UK.First casualties of the RAF were crews from Bomber Command. The squadron entered the Second World War equipped with the
Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...
Mk.I and first saw action during the
Battle of France The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of French Third Rep ...
, although they remained based in England and sent flights to France for short periods. ''The Firebirds'' ended the campaign by covering the
Dunkirk evacuation The Dunkirk evacuation, codenamed Operation Dynamo and also known as the Miracle of Dunkirk, or just Dunkirk, was the evacuation of more than 338,000 Allied soldiers during the Second World War from the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, in the ...
. As part of No. 11 Group, No. 56 Squadron was based at RAF North Weald at the beginning of the
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...
. From there the squadron first engaged German aircraft on 31 July 1940. It was heavily involved in the fighting in the south of England during August, although the squadron moved to
RAF Boscombe Down MoD Boscombe Down ' is the home of a military aircraft testing site, on the southeastern outskirts of the town of Amesbury, Wiltshire, England. The site is managed by QinetiQ, the private defence company created as part of the breakup of the Def ...
on the 1 September. It was one of the few fighter squadrons to remain based in the south of England continuously through the battle, scoring 59 kills by the end. The squadron relocated away from RAF Boscombe Down on 29 November to
RAF Middle Wallop Middle Wallop is a village in the civil parish of Nether Wallop in Hampshire, England, on the A343 road. At the 2011 Census the population was included in the civil parish of Over Wallop. The village has a public house, The George Inn, and a pet ...
where they stayed until 17 December when ''the Firebirds'' returned to RAF North Weald in
Essex Essex () is a county in the East of England. One of the home counties, it borders Suffolk and Cambridgeshire to the north, the North Sea to the east, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent across the estuary of the River Thames to the south, and G ...
. It was while based here that No. 56 Squadron upgraded to the Hurricane Mk.IIb in February 1941. In April 1941, No. 56 Squadron gained its 'Punjab' nickname after the Indian province of
Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
raised money to have their name attached to a fighter, thus becoming an Indian 'gift' squadron. ''The Firebirds'' then relocated for a brief stay at
RAF Martlesham Heath Royal Air Force Martlesham Heath or more simply RAF Martlesham Heath is a former Royal Air Force station located southwest of Woodbridge, Suffolk, England. It was active between 1917 and 1963, and played an important role in the development of ...
,
Suffolk Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...
on 23 July before settling at
RAF Duxford Duxford Aerodrome is located south of Cambridge, within the civil parish of Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England and nearly west of the village. The airfield is owned by the Imperial War Museum (IWM) and is the site of the Imperial War Muse ...
on 26 July. In September 1941, No. 56 Squadron became the first unit to receive the
Hawker Typhoon The Hawker Typhoon is a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. It was intended to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, as a replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, but several design problems were encountered and i ...
Mk.Ia which, although troublesome to begin with, the squadron helped turn into a usable fighter. Before leaving RAF Duxford, the squadron upgraded to the Typhoon Mk.Ib in March 1942, moving to
RAF Snailwell Royal Air Force Snailwell or more simply RAF Snailwell is a former Royal Air Force station located near to the village of Snailwell, Cambridgeshire, located north of Newmarket, Suffolk, England. History * USAAF 347th Fighter Squadron Opera ...
on 30 March. From 24 August 1942 to 22 July 1943, the unit was based with No. 12 Group at RAF Matlaske in
Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
. During this time, No. 56 Squadron's role changed from that of low-level defence against
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 The Focke-Wulf Fw 190, nicknamed ''Würger'' (" Shrike") is a German single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank at Focke-Wulf in the late 1930s and widely used during World War II. Along with its well-known counterpart, ...
and
Messerschmitt Bf 109 The Messerschmitt Bf 109 is a German World War II fighter aircraft that was, along with the Focke-Wulf Fw 190, the backbone of the Luftwaffe's fighter force. The Bf 109 first saw operational service in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War an ...
fighter-bomber attacks into becoming
fighter bomber A fighter-bomber is a fighter aircraft that has been modified, or used primarily, as a light bomber or attack aircraft. It differs from bomber and attack aircraft primarily in its origins, as a fighter that has been adapted into other roles, wh ...
s themselves, attacking ground and sea targets. With ''the Firebirds'' using bombs from November 1943 and rockets from February 1944. No. 56 Squadron was to score one confirmed victory while flying Typhoons. After moving around multiple bases in the UK, the squadron moved up to
RAF Scorton Royal Air Force Scorton or more simply RAF Scorton is a former Royal Air Force Royal Air Force station, satellite station located next to the village of Scorton, North Yorkshire, Scorton in North Yorkshire, England. The base was opened in Octobe ...
,
Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
on 7 April 1944, where they converted to the
Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...
Mk.IX. From here the squadron flew escort and reconnaissance missions. On 28 April 1944, No. 56 Squadron moved to RAF Newchurch,
Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
where the squadron converted to the
Hawker Tempest The Hawker Tempest is a British fighter aircraft that was primarily used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Second World War. The Tempest, originally known as the ''Typhoon II'', was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, intended to ...
Mk.V in June. Squadron Leader Frederick Higginson left the squadron at this time, being posted to No. 83 Group. Due to his knowledge of the pilot escape routes in France; his total victory count, all with No. 56 Squadron, was 15. As a unit of No. 150 Wing, under the command of
Wing Commander Wing commander (Wg Cdr in the RAF, the IAF, and the PAF, WGCDR in the RNZAF and RAAF, formerly sometimes W/C in all services) is a senior commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and air forces of many countries which have historical ...
Roland Beamont Wing Commander Roland Prosper "Bee" Beamont, (10 August 1920 – 19 November 2001) was a British fighter pilot for the Royal Air Force (RAF) and an experimental test pilot during and after the Second World War. He was the first British pilot to ...
, No. 56 Squadron became an
air defence Anti-aircraft warfare, counter-air or air defence forces is the battlespace response to aerial warfare, defined by NATO as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It includes surface based, ...
squadron. It was tasked with defending Britain from
V-1 flying bomb The V-1 flying bomb (german: Vergeltungswaffe 1 "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Ministry of Aviation (Nazi Germany), Reich Aviation Ministry () designation was Fi 103. It was also known to the Allies as the buz ...
s – of which between 70 and were shot down by the squadron. No. 56 Squadron transferred to advance landing ground B.60 at
Grimbergen Grimbergen () is a municipality in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, 10 km north of the capital Brussels. It comprises the towns of Beigem, Grimbergen, Humbeek, and Strombeek-Bever. In 2017, it had a population of 37,030 and an are ...
in
Belgium Belgium, ; french: Belgique ; german: Belgien officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. The country is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to th ...
on 28 September 1944, becoming part of No. 122 Wing,
Second Tactical Air Force The RAF Second Tactical Air Force (2TAF) was one of three tactical air forces within the Royal Air Force (RAF) during and after the Second World War. It was made up of squadrons and personnel from the RAF, other British Commonwealth air forces, ...
.122 Wing consisted of 3 Sqn., 56 Sqn., 80 Sqn., 274 Sqn. (to March 1945), and 486(NZ) Sqn. During subsequent operations No. 56 Squadron was to become the equal highest scoring Tempest unit, with No. 486 (NZ) Squadron, totalling 59 confirmed victories. In the latter months of the war, the ''Firebirds'' were deployed to several airfields in Europe: including
Volkel Volkel (Brabantian: ''Vollekul'') is a village in the Netherlands. It is situated in the north-east corner of the province of North Brabant, south-east of the town of Uden. On 1 January 2021, Volkel had 3,435 inhabitants. It used to be part of th ...
, in the Netherlands;
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...
; and numerous bases in Germany. During the Second World War, the No. 56 Squadron claimed a total of 149 aircraft shot down.


Early Cold War (1946–1960)

On 31 March 1946, the No. 56 (Punjab) Squadron nameplate was transferred over to No. 16 Squadron. No. 56 (Fighter) Squadron then reformed the next day, 1 April, at
RAF Bentwaters Royal Air Force Bentwaters or more simply RAF Bentwaters, now known as Bentwaters Parks, is a former Royal Air Force station about northeast of London and east-northeast of Ipswich, near Woodbridge, Suffolk in England. Its name was taken fro ...
when No. 124 Squadron was renumbered. Upon their reformation, ''the Firebirds'' converted to their first jet fighter, the
Gloster Meteor The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies of World War II, Allies' only jet aircraft to engage in combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turb ...
F.3. No. 56 (F) Squadron left RAF Bentwaters on 16 September, moving to
RAF Boxted Royal Air Force Boxted or more simply RAF Boxted is a former Royal Air Force station located north-northeast of Colchester, Essex England. Opened in 1943, it was used by the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF). RAF Boxted has the distinction ...
. They remained here before relocating on 10 November to
RAF Acklington Royal Air Force Acklington, simply known as RAF Acklington, is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station located south west of Amble, Northumberland and north east of Morpeth, Northumberland. The airfield was operational initia ...
, eventually moving on to
RAF Wattisham Royal Air Force Station Wattisham or more simply RAF Wattisham is a former Royal Air Force station located in East Anglia just outside the village of Wattisham, south of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England. During the Cold War it was a major front- ...
on 20 December. No. 56 (F) Squadron moved on to
RAF Duxford Duxford Aerodrome is located south of Cambridge, within the civil parish of Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England and nearly west of the village. The airfield is owned by the Imperial War Museum (IWM) and is the site of the Imperial War Muse ...
on 17 April 1947 staying there until 31 August before returning once again on 30 November, where they would last until 2 February 1948. The squadron upgraded to the Meteor F.4 in August 1948. ''The Firebirds'' settled at
RAF Waterbeach Royal Air Force Waterbeach or more simply RAF Waterbeach is a former Royal Air Force station located in Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire which is about north of Cambridge, England. The site was transferred to the Royal Engineers, part of the British A ...
on 10 May 1950, where they would operate from for the next nine years. In December 1950, No. 56 (F) Squadron upgraded to the improved Meteor F.8. In February 1954, No. 56 (F) Squadron became the first, and only, squadron to receive the
Supermarine Swift The Supermarine Swift is a British single-seat jet fighter aircraft that was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was developed and manufactured by Supermarine during the 1940s and 1950s. The Swift featured many of the new jet age innova ...
F.1, and the subsequent Swift F.2s they received in August. The squadron evaluated both Swift variants up until March 1955 when the F.1 and F.2s were withdrawn from service due to their poor performance. Continuing to operate the Meteor F.8 after the Swift, No. 56 (F) Squadron finally converted to a new aircraft in May 1955 when they received the
Hawker Hunter The Hawker Hunter is a transonic British jet-powered fighter aircraft that was developed by Hawker Aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was designed to take advantage of the newly developed Rolls-R ...
F.5. On 10 July 1958, the squadron moved to RAF Wattisham, where they would spend some 35 years defending UK airspace, intercepting Tupolev Tu-95 "Bear" aircraft. No. 56 (F) Squadron upgraded to Hunter F.6s in November 1958.


The Lightning Years (1960–1976)

In December 1960, the squadron began to convert to the English Electric Lightning F.1A, with their last Hunters disbanding in January 1961. In 1963, No. 56 (F) Squadron formed a display team called "
The Firebirds The Firebirds are a British band, founded in 1981 by their former frontman John Plummer. The band now consists of four musicians; Jim Plummer, Dan Plummer, Richie Lorriman and Paul Willmott. The band has backed artists such as Jerry Lee Lewi ...
", flying nine red and silver Lightnings. On 6 June 1963, the display team suffered an accident at RAF Wattisham during preparations for the 25th
Paris Air Show The Paris Air Show (french: Salon international de l'aéronautique et de l'espace de Paris-Le Bourget, Salon du Bourget) is a trade fair and air show held in odd years at Paris–Le Bourget Airport in north Paris, France. Organized by the French ...
. The incident occurred when a pair of Lightnings (''XM179'' and ''XM181'') collided during a bomb-burst manoeuvre – ''XM179'', piloted by Flt. Lt. Michael Cooke, crashed, while ''XM181'' landed safely. Cooke ejected and was left with severe spinal injuries, being confined to a wheelchair. The Firebirds display team was disbanded in 1964, becoming the last RAF aerobatic team to fly fighter jets. In October 1965, No. 56 (F) Squadron deployed to
RAF Luqa Royal Air Force Luqa was a Royal Air Force station located on the island of Malta, now developed into the Malta International Airport. It hosted aircraft of Air Headquarters Malta (AHQ Malta) during the Second World War. Particularly during ...
,
Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
, to participate in an Armament Practice Camp (APC). The following October, ''the Firebirds'' deployed once more to Luqa, this time to participate in an air defence exercise alongside
Avro Vulcan The Avro Vulcan (later Hawker Siddeley Vulcan from July 1963) is a jet-powered, tailless, delta-wing, high-altitude, strategic bomber, which was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A.V. Roe and ...
s, English Electric Canberra PR.9s and No. 29 (F) Squadron Gloster Javelin FAW.9s. No. 56 (F) Squadron left RAF Wattisham on 11 May 1967, deploying to
RAF Akrotiri RAF Akrotiri ( el, Βασιλική Πολεμική Αεροπορία Ακρωτηρίου) is a large Royal Air Force base on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. It is located in the Western Sovereign Base Area, one of two areas which compr ...
in
Cyprus Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is geo ...
. Between 11 and 20 July 1968, ''the Firebirds'' deployed from Akrotiri to Luqa for Exercise Island Litex. In August 1971, the squadron acquired Lightning F.6s after No. 74 (F) Squadron flew them over from
RAF Tengah ''Tengah'' is an Indonesian and Malay word meaning "Central". It can be found in topography, e.g. *Kalimantan Tengah *Tengah Islands or Central Archipelago. *Tengah, Singapore *Tengah Air Base The Tengah Air Base is a military airbase of th ...
,
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
before they disbanded. A detachment of four Lightnings deployed to Luqa between 11 and 20 December 1971 to carry out scrambles, night flying and practise in-flight refuelling with a Handley Page Victor K.1A of No. 57 Squadron. ''The Firebirds'' deployed two more ten day attachments to RAF Luqa in May 1973 and June 1974. No. 56 (F) Squadron flew extensive top cover over Cyprus during the
1974 Cypriot coup d'état The 1974 Cypriot coup d'état was a military coup d'état sponsored by the Greek Army in Cyprus, the Cypriot National Guard and the Greek junta, Greek military junta. On 15 July 1974 the coup plotters removed the sitting President of Cyprus, Arch ...
and the subsequent Turkish invasion of the island. ''The Firebirds'' returned to RAF Wattisham on 21 January 1975. While based at RAF Akrotiri, No. 56 (F) Squadron also operated a number of Canberras – these included a mixture of T.4s and B.2s.


The Phantom Years (1976–1992)

On 22 March 1976, No. 56 (Designate) Squadron formed at
RAF Coningsby Royal Air Force Coningsby or RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located south-west of Horncastle, and north-west of Boston, in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is a Main Operating Base of the RAF and hom ...
with the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2. It wasn't until 29 June that the Lightning F.6s were disbanded and the Squadron Standard was formally handed over to RAF Coningsby. No. 56 (Fighter) Squadron returned to RAF Wattisham on 9 July, where they would remain for the next 16 years. Upon their return, ''The Firebirds'' found themselves sharing RAF Wattisham with No. 23 (F) Squadron. The squadron deployed to RAF Luqa in Malta for the last time between 13 October and November 1977 with ten Phantom FGR.2s. In October 1978, ''the Firebirds'' became the first squadron in the RAF to operate an aircraft in air superiority grey when Phantom FGR.2 ''XV474'' was delivered to RAF Wattisham, marking a change from the old green and grey schemes. On 21 June 1979, Phantom FGR.2 ''XV424'' from No. 56 (F) Squadron re-enacted the
transatlantic flight of Alcock and Brown British aviators John Alcock and Arthur Brown made the first non-stop transatlantic flight in June 1919. They flew a modified First World War Vickers Vimy bomber from St. John's, Newfoundland, to Clifden, County Galway, Ireland. The Secretar ...
to celebrate its 60th anniversary. The flight was undertaken by pilot, Sqd. Ldr. A. J. N. Alcock (nephew of John Alcock who made the original flight), and navigator, Flt. Lt. W. N. Browne, who brought the original 1919 mascot 'Twinkletoes' with them on their journey. No. 23 (F) Squadron departed RAF Wattisham on 21 March 1983 when their nameplate was passed to No. 29 (F) Squadron at
RAF Stanley Port Stanley Airport is an airport in the Falkland Islands, outside the capital, Stanley. The airport is the only civilian airport in the islands with a paved runway. However, RAF Mount Pleasant, located to the west of Stanley, functions ...
on the
Falkland Islands The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubouzet ...
, from where they provided air defence. ''The Firebirds'' were not alone for long however with No. 74 (F) Squadron reforming at RAF Wattisham on 19 October 1984. ''The Tigers'' were equipped with unique F-4J(UK) Phantoms, procured from the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
due to the re-basing of Phantoms to the Falklands. These contrasted with No. 56 (F) Squadron's Phantom FGR.2s which used
Rolls-Royce Spey The Rolls-Royce Spey (company designations RB.163 and RB.168 and RB.183) is a low-bypass turbofan engine originally designed and manufactured by Rolls-Royce that has been in widespread service for over 40 years. A co-development version of th ...
engines, UK MOD Radar systems and other RAF modifications. No. 74 (F) Squadron eventually exchanged their F-4J(UK)s for the Phantom FGR.2 in January 1991, due to their availability from other squadrons converting to the Panavia Tornado F.3. Plans had originally been for the RAF to retain both Phantom squadrons but under the
Options for Change Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in summer 1990 after the end of the Cold War. Until this point, UK military strategy had been almost entirely focused on defending Western Europe against the Soviet Armed Forces, ...
defence review in 1990 the decision was made to withdraw both units. Both No. 56 (F) Squadron and No. 74 (F) Squadron participated in their last APC at RAF Akrotiri in early June 1992. On 13 June 1992, ''the Firebirds'' and ''the Tigers'' participated in
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
's official birthday flypast, flying over
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
with a 16-ship diamond formation, which was made up of eight Phantoms from each squadron. No. 56 (F) Squadron ended their operations at RAF Wattisham at the end of July 1992. No. 74 (F) Squadron would continue to operate there until October 1992 when they stood down and reformed at
RAF Valley Royal Air Force Valley or more simply RAF Valley ( cy, Llu Awyr Brenhinol Y Fali) is a Royal Air Force station on the island of Anglesey, Wales, and which is also used as Anglesey Airport. It provides both basic and advanced fast-jet training ...
as a training squadron. RAF Wattisham itself was handed over to the
Army Air Corps Army Air Corps may refer to the following army aviation corps: * Army Air Corps (United Kingdom), the army aviation element of the British Army * Philippine Army Air Corps (1935–1941) * United States Army Air Corps (1926–1942), or its p ...
becoming
Wattisham Airfield Wattisham Airfield is an operational Army Airfield located next to the village of Wattisham in Suffolk, England. It is home to 3 Regiment Army Air Corps and 4 Regiment Army Air Corps. They are part of the Attack Helicopter Force (AHF) withi ...
in March 1993.


From Tornados to the Air Warfare Centre

On 1 August 1992, the No. 56 (Fighter) Squadron nameplate was transferred to No. 65 Squadron at RAF Coningsby becoming No. 56 (Reserve) Squadron. It became the RAF's Operational Conversion Unit (No. 229 OCU) conducting training of ''
Ab initio ''Ab initio'' ( ) is a Latin term meaning "from the beginning" and is derived from the Latin ''ab'' ("from") + ''initio'', ablative singular of ''initium'' ("beginning"). Etymology Circa 1600, from Latin, literally "from the beginning", from ab ...
'' crew and aircrew converting from other aircraft types to the Tornado F.3. Following the announcement that the
Eurofighter Typhoon The Eurofighter Typhoon is a European multinational twin-engine, canard delta wing, multirole fighter. The Typhoon was designed originally as an air-superiority fighter and is manufactured by a consortium of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo ...
would be stationed at Coningsby, it was decided that No. 56 (R) Squadron would relocate north to RAF Leuchars in
Fife Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
, home to No. 43 (F) Squadron and No. 111 (F) Squadron. The squadron moved north in March 2003, initially moving into the 'Ark Royal' hangar before moving into a new building on the northern side of the airfield. No. 56 (R) Squadron flew an aerobatic display from 1993 until December 2005 when it was announced, that as a cost-cutting measure, the RAF would no longer have a Tornado F.3 display. With the introduction of the Eurofighter Typhoon into RAF service it was decided that No. 56 (R) Squadron would be amalgamated with No. 43 (F) Squadron as part of the Tornado F.3 force draw down, with ''the Fighting Cocks'' taking over the OCU role. No. 56 (R) Squadron disbanded on 18 April 2008 at RAF Leuchars, with the occasion marked by a diamond nine formation flypast over Eastern Scotland. The No. 56 (R) Squadron nameplate and standard was transferred to the
Air Warfare Centre The Air and Space Warfare Centre (ASWC) is a Royal Air Force research and testing organisation based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. It has a training branch nearby as a lodger unit of RAF Cranwell and other branches elsewhere, including ...
Air Command and Control Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operational Evaluation Unit (AIR C2ISR OEU) at
RAF Waddington Royal Air Force Waddington otherwise known as RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located beside the village of Waddington, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire in England. The station is the RAF's Intelligence Surveillance Target A ...
on 22 April 2008. Upon their move to Waddington, ''the Firebirds'' initially tested and evaluated the: Boeing E-3D Sentry AEW.1; Raytheon Sentinel R.1; Hawker Siddeley Nimrod R.1, MR.2 and BAE Systems Nimrod MRA.4. On 1 February 2018, all (Reserve) nameplates were rescinded by the RAF thus changing No. 56 (Reserve) Squadron to just No. 56 Squadron. On 10 June 2018, ''the Firebirds'' paraded through the village of
North Weald North Weald Bassett or simply North Weald is a village and civil parish in the Epping Forest district of Essex, England. The village is within the North Weald Ridges and Valleys landscape area. A market is held every Saturday and Bank Holiday Mo ...
, where the squadron was based between 1927 and 1941, after being awarded the 'Freedom of the District' by the local council. As of 2020, the squadron provides operational test and evaluation, and specialist advice, for RAF airborne ground surveillance, airborne electronic sensors, airborne command and control, aerospace battle management and intelligence exploitation. In March 2021, the Sentinel R.1 was withdrawn from use, having made its last flight on 25 February 2021.


Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated include: * Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c (Aug 1916–Apr 1917) *
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine tractor two-seat biplane designed and developed at the Royal Aircraft Factory. Most of the roughly 3,500 built were constructed under contract by private companies, including establish ...
e (1916–Apr 1917) *
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12 The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12 was a British single-seat aeroplane of The First World War designed at the Royal Aircraft Factory. It was essentially a single-seat version of the B.E.2. Intended for use as a long-range reconnaissance and bom ...
(1916–Apr 1917) * Curtiss Scout (1916–Apr 1917) *
Bristol Scout The Bristol Scout was a single-seat rotary-engined biplane originally designed as a racing aircraft. Like similar fast, light aircraft of the period it was used by the RNAS and the RFC as a " scout", or fast reconnaissance type. It was one o ...
(1916–Apr 1917) *
Sopwith 1½ Strutter The Sopwith Strutter was a British single- or two-seat multi-role biplane aircraft of the First World War.Lake 2002, p. 40. It was the first British two-seat tractor fighter and the first British aircraft to enter service with a synchronised ...
(1916–Apr 1917) * Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 (Mar 1917–Aug 1917) * Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a (June 1917–Feb 1919) *
Sopwith Snipe The Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War, and came into squadron service a few weeks before the end of th ...
(Feb 1920–Nov 1924) *
Gloster Grebe The Gloster Grebe was developed by the Gloster Aircraft Company from the Gloster Grouse (an experimental aircraft later developed as a trainer), and was the Royal Air Force's first post- First World War fighter aircraft, entering service in 1 ...
Mk.II (Sep 1924–Sep 1927) *
Armstrong Whitworth Siskin The Armstrong Whitworth Siskin was a biplane single-seat fighter aircraft developed and produced by the British aircraft manufacturer Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. It was also the first all-metal fighter to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RA ...
Mk.IIIa (Sep 1927–Oct 1932) *
Bristol Bulldog The Bristol Bulldog is a British Royal Air Force single-seat biplane fighter designed during the 1920s by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. More than 400 Bulldogs were produced for the RAF and overseas customers, and it was one of the most fa ...
Mk.IIa (Oct 1932–May 1936) *
Gloster Gauntlet The Gloster Gauntlet was a single-seat biplane fighter designed and produced by the British aeroplane manufacturer Gloster Aircraft in the 1930s. It was the last fighter to be operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) to have an open cockpit, and ...
Mk.II (May 1936–July 1937) *
Gloster Gladiator The Gloster Gladiator is a British biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) (as the Sea Gladiator variant) and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. Developed private ...
Mk.I (July 1937–May 1938) *
Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s–40s which was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by ...
Mk.I (Apr 1938–Feb 1941) * Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIa (Feb 1941–Mar 1942) * Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIb (Feb 1941–Mar 1942) *
Hawker Typhoon The Hawker Typhoon is a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. It was intended to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, as a replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, but several design problems were encountered and i ...
Mk.Ia (Sep 1941–Dec 1942) * Hawker Typhoon Mk.Ib (Mar 1942–May 1944) * Hawker Hurricane Mk.I (May 1942–June 1944) *
de Havilland Tiger Moth The de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s British biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and built by the de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and other operators as a primary trainer aircraft. ...
Mk.II (Oct 1942–Sep 1944) *
Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and other Allied countries before, during, and after World War II. Many variants of the Spitfire were built, from the Mk 1 to the Rolls-Royce Grif ...
Mk.IX (Apr 1944–July 1944) *
Hawker Tempest The Hawker Tempest is a British fighter aircraft that was primarily used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Second World War. The Tempest, originally known as the ''Typhoon II'', was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, intended to ...
Mk.V (June 1944–Mar 1946) *
Gloster Meteor The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies of World War II, Allies' only jet aircraft to engage in combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turb ...
F.3 (Apr 1946–Aug 1948) *
North American Harvard The North American Aviation T-6 Texan is an American single-engined advanced trainer aircraft used to train pilots of the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), United States Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force and other air forces ...
(Apr 1947–Dec 1947) *
Airspeed Oxford The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford is a twin-engine monoplane aircraft developed and manufactured by Airspeed. It saw widespread use for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery roles throughout the Seco ...
(Dec 1947–June 1949) *
Gloster Meteor The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies of World War II, Allies' only jet aircraft to engage in combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turb ...
F.4 (July 1948–Dec 1950) * Gloster Meteor T.7 (Aug 1949–July 1955) * Gloster Meteor F.8 (Dec 1950–June 1960) *
de Havilland Vampire The de Havilland Vampire is a British jet fighter which was developed and manufactured by the de Havilland, de Havilland Aircraft Company. It was the second jet fighter to be operated by the Royal Air Force, RAF, after the Gloster Meteor, and ...
T.11 (Feb 1954–July 1959) *
Supermarine Swift The Supermarine Swift is a British single-seat jet fighter aircraft that was operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was developed and manufactured by Supermarine during the 1940s and 1950s. The Swift featured many of the new jet age innova ...
F.1 (Feb 1954–Mar 1955) * Supermarine Swift F.2 (Aug 1954–Mar 1955) *
Hawker Hunter The Hawker Hunter is a transonic British jet-powered fighter aircraft that was developed by Hawker Aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was designed to take advantage of the newly developed Rolls-R ...
F.5 (May 1955–Dec 1958) *
Gloster Meteor The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies of World War II, Allies' only jet aircraft to engage in combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turb ...
F.7 (July 1957–Apr 1960) * Hawker Hunter F.6 (Nov 1958–Apr 1961) * Hawker Hunter T.7/T.7A (Feb 1959–Jun 1966) *
English Electric Lightning The English Electric Lightning is a British fighter aircraft that served as an interceptor during the 1960s, the 1970s and into the late 1980s. It was capable of a top speed of above Mach 2. The Lightning was designed, developed, and manufa ...
F.1A (Dec 1960–Jun 1965) * English Electric Lightning T.4 (Jan 1963–Apr 1966) * English Electric Lightning F.3 (Mar 1965–Aug 1975) * English Electric Lightning T.5 (Dec 1965–June 1976) * English Electric Lightning F.1A (May 1966–Oct 1966) *
English Electric Canberra The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber. It was developed by English Electric during the mid- to late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havil ...
B.2 (Jul 1968–Jan 1975) * English Electric Canberra T.4 (Jul 1968–Jan 1975) * English Electric Lightning F.3 (Jan 1975–June 1976) * English Electric Lightning F.6 (Sep 1971–June 1976) * McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2 (Mar 1976–July 1992) * Panavia Tornado F.3 (July 1992–Apr 2008) * Boeing E-3D Sentry AEW.1 (Apr 2008–present) * Raytheon Sentinel R.1 (Apr 2008–Feb 2021) * Hawker Siddeley Nimrod R.1 (Apr 2008–June 2011) * Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR.2 (Apr 2008–June 2011) * BAE Systems Nimrod MRA.4 (Apr 2008–Oct 2010) * Hawker Beechcraft Shadow R.1 (2009–present) * Boeing RC-135W Airseeker R.1 (Jan 2011–present)


Commanding officers

*Major Blomfield *R Balcombe-Brown (May 1917 - 2 May 1918) *E Gilchrist *
Duncan Grinnell-Milne Captain Duncan William Grinnell-Milne (6 August 1896 – November 1973) was an English First World War pilot credited with six confirmed aerial victories, a prisoner of war who escaped from German captivity, a flying ace, and an author. Initia ...


See also

*
List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons Squadron (aviation), Squadrons are the main form of flying unit of the Royal Air Force (RAF). These include Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) squadrons incorporated into the RAF when it was formed on 1 April 1918, dur ...
*
List of Battle of Britain airfields During the Battle of Britain, the defence of the UK's airspace was divided up within RAF Fighter Command into four Groups, each comprising several airfields and squadrons. The groups involved, 10, 11, 12 and 13, saw very different levels of a ...
*
Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain, also known as the Air Battle for England (german: die Luftschlacht um England), was a military campaign of the Second World War, in which the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) of the Royal Navy defende ...


References

;Notes ;Citations ;Bibliography * Beamont, Roland. ''My Part of the Sky''. London, UK: Patrick Stephens, 1989. . * Beamont, Roland. ''Tempest over Europe''. London, UK: Airlife, 1994. . * Grinnell-Milne, Duncan. ''Wind in the Wires''. London, UK: Hurst & Blackett, 1933. (revised later editions also exist) * Ramsay, Winston G (editor).''The Blitz Then and Now; Volume 1''. London, UK: Battle of Britain Prints International Limited, 1987. * Rawlings, John D. R. ''Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft''. Somerton, UK: Crécy Books, 1993. . * Revell, Alex (1987). ''James McCudden VC''. Albatros Productions, Hertfordshire. * * Thomas, Chris. ''Typhoon and Tempest Aces of World War 2''. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1999. . * Thomas, Chris and Shores, Christopher. ''The Typhoon and Tempest Story''. London: Arms and Armour Press, 1988. .


External links


Official RAF 56 Squadron web page
to 72 Sqn. squadron histories]
Article from North Weald Airfield History about the Battle of BritainArticle from North Weald Airfield History about the Battle of Barking Creek
{{Royal Air Force Royal Flying Corps squadrons, 056 Squadron 056 Squadron Military units and formations established in 1916 1916 establishments in the United Kingdom