No. 74 Squadron RAF
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Number 74 Squadron, also known as "Tiger Squadron" from its tiger-head motif, was a
squadron Squadron may refer to: * Squadron (army), a military unit of cavalry, tanks, or equivalent subdivided into troops or tank companies * Squadron (aviation), a military unit that consists of three or four flights with a total of 12 to 24 aircraft, ...
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 ...
. It operated
fighter aircraft Fighter aircraft are fixed-wing military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air superiority of the battlespace. Domination of the airspace above a battlefield ...
from 1917 to the 1990s, and then trainers until its disbandment in 2000. It was the Royal Air Force's member of the
NATO Tiger Association The NATO Tiger Association or the Association of Tiger Squadrons was established in 1961. Promoted by French Defence minister Pierre Messmer, its role is to promote solidarity between NATO air forces. It is not, though, part of the formal NA ...
from 1961 until the squadron's disbandment, it has since been replaced by No. 230 Squadron. Forming in 1917 as No. 74 (Training Depot) Squadron, the unit began life as a training squadron.Cossey 1992, p. 19. Sent to the Western Front in 1918 as No. 74 (Fighter) Squadron, the unit quickly developed a fierce reputation during the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
due to its pilots having an aggressive 'Tiger' like spirit. With many aces amongst its ranks (such as
Mick Mannock Edward Corringham "Mick" Mannock (24 May 1887 – 26 July 1918) was a British flying ace in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force during the First World War. Mannock was a pioneer of fighter aircraft tactics in aerial warfare. At the time ...
, Taffy Jones and Sydney Carlin), No. 74 (F) Squadron managed 225 victories in only 7 months at the Front. ''The Tigers'' went on to serve during 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 ...
, fighting 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 ...
. After the war, it formed the first all jet fighter wing with No. 616 Squadron and No. 504 Squadron, flying 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. In 1960, they became the first unit in the RAF to operate the
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.1. Between 1962 and 1963, No. 74 (F) Squadron operated an aerobatic display team called 'The Tigers' made up of nine Lightnings – it was the first display team in the world to fly aircraft capable of Mach 2. From October 1984 onwards, ''the Tigers'' operated 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 ...
, flying the unique McDonnell Douglas F-4J(UK) Phantom. These were kept up until January 1991, when they were exchanged for the Spey–powered Phantom FGR.2s. 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, it was decided to retire the remaining Phantom squadrons (No. 74 (F) Squadron and No. 56 (F) Squadron), with this coming to fruition by October 1992. ''The Tigers'' spent their last eight years as No. 74 (Reserve) Squadron, operating the BAe Hawk T.1/T.1A from
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 ...
training future pilots. No. 74 (R) Squadron disbanded for the last time on 22 September 2000.


History


First World War

No. 74 Squadron was first formed at
Northolt Northolt is a town in West London, England, spread across both sides of the A40 trunk road. It is west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the seven major towns that make up the London Borough of Ealing. It had a population of 30,304 at ...
on 1 July 1917, as No. 74 (Training Depot) Squadron of the
Royal Flying Corps "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colors = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = , decorations ...
(RFC), before relocating to the aerodrome at
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 ...
nine days later. Beginning life as a training unit, the squadron initially flew the Avro 504Ks, among other types, before working-up to a fighter squadron. In February 1918,
Mick Mannock Edward Corringham "Mick" Mannock (24 May 1887 – 26 July 1918) was a British flying ace in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force during the First World War. Mannock was a pioneer of fighter aircraft tactics in aerial warfare. At the time ...
became the flight commander of the squadron as it reached front-line status, becoming No. 74 (Fighter) Squadron. On 20 March 1918, the squadron received its first operational fighters, the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a. On 30 March, the squadron was sent over to the RFC headquarters in
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 ...
. No. 74 (F) Squadron saw its first action on 12 April when it engaged in a dogfight near Merville against the German
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 ...
, with Mannock scoring ''the Tigers'' first kill – an Albatros Scout. Within 70 days of being on the continent, No. 74 (F) Squadron had notched 100 enemy kills to just one loss. The squadron served in France from April until February 1919, when it returned home to RAF Lopcombe Corner,
Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants) is a ceremonial county, ceremonial and non-metropolitan county, non-metropolitan counties of England, county in western South East England on the coast of the English Channel. Home to two major English citi ...
where it was disbanded on 3 July 1919. During its 7-month-long wartime service, it was credited with 140 enemy planes destroyed and 85 driven down out of control, for 225 victories. Seventeen aces had served in the squadron, including
Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
winner Major Edward "Mick" Mannock, Ira "Taffy" Jones,
Benjamin Roxburgh-Smith Benjamin Roxburgh-Smith (1884–1951) was a British World War I fighter ace credited with 22 aerial victories. After the war, he pioneered aviation in southern Africa. He also served in World War II. Early life and military service Roxburgh-S ...
, future Air Commodore
Keith Caldwell Air Commodore Keith Logan "Grid" Caldwell CBE, MC, DFC & Bar (16 October 1895 – 28 November 1980) was a New Zealand fighter ace of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I who also rose to the rank of Air Commodore in the Royal New Zealand ...
,
Andrew Kiddie Captain Andrew Cameron Kiddie (1889 – 1964) was a World War I flying ace credited with 15 aerial victories. Early service After serving with the 18th South African Mounted Rifles, Kiddie betook himself to England to join the Royal Flying ...
,
Frederick Stanley Gordon Frederick Stanley Gordon, (29 October 1897 – 27 July 1985) was a New Zealand flying ace of the First World War. While serving in Britain's Royal Air Force, he scored nine aerial victories as a fighter pilot. Early life Frederick Stanley Gordon ...
, Sydney Carlin, Frederick Hunt,
Clive Glynn Captain Clive Beverley Glynn (9 April 1893 – 4 December 1946) was a British soldier of the First World War, who entered the infantry as a private. After being commissioned as an officer, he transferred into the Royal Flying Corps, trained as ...
,
George Hicks George Hicks may refer to: * George Hicks (trade unionist) (1879–1954), British trade unionist and politician * George Hicks (footballer) (1902–?), English footballer * George Elgar Hicks (1824–1914), English painter * George Hicks (RAF off ...
,
Wilfred Ernest Young Major Wilfred Ernest Young was an English World War I flying ace credited with 11 confirmed aerial victories. Early life and service Wilfred Ernest Young was born in Bournemouth, England on 28 December 1891.Shores, et al., p. 391. He began his ...
,
Henry Dolan Lieutenant Henry Eric Dolan (20 January 1896 – 12 May 1918) was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories. Biography Henry Eric Dolan was born in England, a son of Alfred Archer Dolan, a mining engineer and Violet Eliza ...
, Harris Clements, George Gauld, and Frederick Luff. Retrieved 18 February 2010.


Interwar years

In response to the ongoing
Abyssinia Crisis The Abyssinia Crisis (; ) was an international crisis in 1935 that originated in what was called the Walwal incident during the ongoing conflict between the Kingdom of Italy and the Empire of Ethiopia (then commonly known as "Abyssinia"). The Leag ...
of 1935, the squadron was reformed in unusual circumstances on 3 September. The squadron was reborn out of the combination of detachments of Nos. 3, 23, 32, 56, 65 and
601 __NOTOC__ Year 601 ( DCI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. The denomination 601 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era bec ...
Squadrons who were on board the troopship ship ''Neutralia'', which was en-route to
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 ...
. After arrival, No. 74 (F) Squadron operated
Hawker Demon The Hawker Hart is a British two-seater biplane light bomber aircraft that saw service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft. The Hart was a prominent British aircra ...
two-seater fighters. While it had been officially re-established, the squadron was prohibited from identifying its aircraft by squadron number until 14 November 1935 due to security reasons – until then it was referred to as 'Demon Flights'. In the following July, the squadron and its Demons, were shipped back to England, with the squadron arriving at
RAF Hornchurch Royal Air Force Hornchurch or RAF Hornchurch is a former Royal Air Force sector station in the parish of Hornchurch, Essex (now the London Borough of Havering in Greater London), located to the southeast of Romford. The airfield was known as Sut ...
in September 1936. On 20 December 1936, Adolph Gysbert "Sailor" Malan was posted to ''the Tigers''. In February 1937, after years of unofficial use, No. 74 (F) Squadron had its squadron badge design – a tiger's face – officially approved by
King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of Ind ...
. ''The Tigers'' re-equipped with
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 ...
s in April 1937, forming part of the newly created
Fighter Command RAF Fighter Command was one of the commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War. It earned near-immortal fame during the Battle of Britai ...
. The Gauntlets were kept up until February 1939, when the squadron began converting to the Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I.


Second World War


Battle of France and Britain

At the outbreak of war, No. 74 (F) Squadron was operating from
RAF Rochford London Southend Airport is an international airport situated on the outskirts of Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England, approximately from the Charing Cross#Official use as central point, centre of London. The airport straddles the boundaries b ...
, a satellite aerodrome of RAF Hornchurch. On 6 September 1939, after an early morning air raid alert, a flight of No. 56 (F) Squadron
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 ...
s took off from North Weald. These were followed by two reserve Hurricanes. The two reserves were identified as enemy aircraft and Spitfires from RAF Hornchurch, among them No. 74 (F) Squadron, were ordered to attack them. Both were shot down. One pilot, P/O Montague Hulton-Harrop was killed; the other pilot, Frank Rose, survived. The pilot who fired the fatal shots was No. 74 (F) Squadron's John Freeborn. The exact story of what happened in this incident, which came to be 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 ...
", may never be known. Even the origin of the name is obscure, as it did not take place above Barking Creek but near
Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line r ...
, in
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 ...
. This was the first RAF operational death of the war. At the subsequent court martial, it was accepted that the entire incident was an unfortunate error. The squadron, as part of No. 12 Group, first saw combat in May 1940 during the evacuation from Dunkirk, in battles which exacted a heavy toll on both pilots and aircraft. Thereafter No. 74 (F) Squadron served successfully through 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 ...
, being heavily involved throughout June and July. On 11 August, the squadron flew four sorties and by the end of the day had claimed 24 victories and 14 damaged. On 14 August, No. 74 (F) Squadron was posted to
RAF Wittering Royal Air Force Wittering or more simply RAF Wittering is a Royal Air Force station within the unitary authority area of Peterborough, Cambridgeshire and the unitary authority area of North Northamptonshire. Although Stamford, Lincolnshire, Sta ...
for rest and shortly after moved onto
RAF Kirton in Lindsey Royal Air Force Kirton in Lindsey or more simply RAF Kirton in Lindsey is a former Royal Air Force station located north of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England. It's an RAF habit (inherited from the RFC) to name its bases after the nearest railway ...
and then onto
RAF Coltishall Royal Air Force Coltishall, more commonly known as RAF Coltishall , is a former Royal Air Force station located North-North-East of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia, which operated from 1938 to 2006. It was a fighter airf ...
,
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 ...
. It was here at Coltishall in September 1940 that the squadron replaced their Spitfire Mk.Is with the Mk.IIa. The squadron moved back south to
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 October for the end of the Battle. Between November and December 1940, No. 74 (F) Squadron destroyed 38 enemy aircraft. With the Battle of Britain won, the squadron were posted to
RAF Manston Royal Air Force Manston or more simply RAF Manston is a former Royal Air Force station located in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site was split between a commercial airport Kent International Airpor ...
,
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 ...
, in February 1941. The squadron then went to the north of England 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 initial ...
in July 1941 to regroup, from there moving around to stations in Wales (
RAF Llanbedr Llanbedr () is a village and community south of Harlech. Administratively, it lies in the Ardudwy area, formerly Meirionnydd, of the county of Gwynedd, Wales. History Ancient monuments at Llanbedr include Neolithic standing stones; the Sto ...
) and Northern Ireland (
RAF Long Kesh Royal Air Force Long Kesh or more simply RAF Long Kesh is a former Royal Air Force station at Maze, Lisburn, Northern Ireland. Various aircraft operated from the airfield during the Second World War, including the Supermarine Seafire and Spitfi ...
). During this time the
Governor of Trinidad and Tobago This article lists governors of Trinidad and Tobago. Governors of Trinidad and Tobago 1889–1962 See also * List of governors of Trinidad *List of governors of Tobago * List of heads of state of Trinidad and Tobago * List of prime minist ...
, Sir Hubert Winthrop Young, made a presentation of Spitfires to No. 74 (F) Squadron. This subsequently led to ''the Tigers'' being named the "Trinidad Squadron", a name that lasted until the 1950s.


Middle East and the liberation of Europe

The squadron finally made a move from RAF Long Kesh in April 1942 when it was sent the Middle East, arriving in Egypt in June. The ship carrying their aircraft they had been due to fly had been sunk leaving ''the Tigers'' without anything to fly. No. 74 (F) Squadron was then moved to Palestine in July where a decision was made for the squadron to operate as a maintenance unit for
USAAF The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
B-24 Liberators The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models des ...
. The squadron finally recovered its air capability in December 1942 when they received Hurricane Mk.IIBs, forming part of No. 219 (Fighter) Group. During this time they operated from
RAF Habbaniya Royal Air Force Habbaniya, more commonly known as RAF Habbaniya ( ar, قاعدة الحبانية الجوية), (originally RAF Dhibban), was a Royal Air Force station at Habbaniyah, about west of Baghdad in modern-day Iraq, on the banks of the E ...
in Iraq and were also based in Iran. The squadron moved back to Egypt in May 1943, arriving at Landing Ground 106 near
El Dabaa El Dabaa ( ar, الضبعة  ) is a town in the Matrouh Governorate, Egypt. It lies from Cairo on the north coast and is served by the El Alamain International Airport. It is famous for the Russian technology nuclear power plant being const ...
, in order to carry out shipping patrols. On 23 July, ''the Tigers'' took part in a large offensive over
Axis An axis (plural ''axes'') is an imaginary line around which an object rotates or is symmetrical. Axis may also refer to: Mathematics * Axis of rotation: see rotation around a fixed axis *Axis (mathematics), a designator for a Cartesian-coordinate ...
-occupied
Crete Crete ( el, Κρήτη, translit=, Modern: , Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and ...
in which they attacked RDF stations and barracks, among other targets, severely damaging them. The squadron converted back to Spitfires in September 1943, this time to Mk.Vbs and Mk.Vcs, as they were transferred over to
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 ...
to participate in the failed Dodecanese campaign. ''The Tigers'' withdrew back to Egypt and in late October 1943, the squadron got Mk.IX Spitfires, which were swapped for Mk.XVIes in March 1944. No. 74 (F) Squadron returned home in April 1944 to
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 ...
before moving onto
RAF Lympne 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 ...
. They had arrived back just in time to participate in the buildup for
Operation Overlord Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allies of World War II, Allied operation that launched the successful invasion of German-occupied Western Front (World War II), Western Europe during World War II. The operat ...
(the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944). It was equipped with the Spitfire Mk.IX HF operating while from RAF Lympne in
Air Defence of Great Britain The Air Defence of Great Britain (ADGB) was a RAF command comprising substantial army and RAF elements responsible for the air defence of the British Isles. It lasted from 1925, following recommendations that the RAF take control of homeland air ...
, though under the operational control of
RAF 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, ...
(2nd TAF). During this time they attacked Axis railway yards and escorted Allied bombing raids on
V-1 V1, V01 or V-1 can refer to version one (for anything) (e.g., see version control) V1, V01 or V-1 may also refer to: In aircraft * V-1 flying bomb, a World War II German weapon * V1 speed, the maximum speed at which an aircraft pilot may abort ...
launch sites in occupied France as part of D-Day preparations. On 3 July, the squadron left RAF Lympe for
RAF Tangmere RAF Tangmere was a Royal Air Force station located in Tangmere, England, famous for its role in the Battle of Britain, and one of several stations near Chichester, West Sussex. The famous Second World War aces Wing Commander Douglas Bader, a ...
, as part of No. 134 Wing, before leaving for Sommervieu,
Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...
in August 1944 and joining No. 145 Wing. From here they supported the Allied advance through France, Belgium and the Netherlands in a fighter-bomber role. No. 74 (F) Squadron operated from airbases in
Lille Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Pref ...
,
Courtrai Kortrijk ( , ; vls, Kortryk or ''Kortrik''; french: Courtrai ; la, Cortoriacum), sometimes known in English as Courtrai or Courtray ( ), is a Belgian city and municipality in the Flemish province of West Flanders. It is the capital and larges ...
,
Duerne Duerne () is a commune in the Rhône department in eastern France. See also *Communes of the Rhône department The following is a list of the 208 communes of the Rhône department of France. This list does not includes the Lyon Metropolis ...
and
Schijndel Schijndel () is a town and former municipality in the southern Netherlands, in the province of North Brabant. Schijndel is located approximately southeast of 's-Hertogenbosch. Schijndel was founded on 6 December in the year 1309. On 1 January 201 ...
during this time. In March 1945, the squadron received Spitfire Mk.XVIs, which they operated alongside their Mk.IXs. On 16 April, ''the Tigers'' were based at Drope in Germany, from here they were used to carry out reconnaissance missions over
Wilhelmshaven Wilhelmshaven (, ''Wilhelm's Harbour''; Northern Low Saxon: ''Willemshaven'') is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea, and has a population of 76,089. Wilhelmsha ...
. It was while based here that No. 74 (F) Squadron received news of Germany's surrender. The squadron finally left Germany on 11 May 1945, returning to Britain.


Post-War


Meteors, Hunters and Lightnings

Upon arrival back to England, No. 74 (F) Squadron converted to their first jet aircraft – 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, being based at
RAF Colerne Royal Air Force Colerne or more simply RAF Colerne is a former Royal Air Force station which was on the outskirts of the village of Colerne in Wiltshire, England, and was in use from 1939 to 1976. The site is now known as Azimghur Barracks and ...
,
Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated Wilts) is a historic and ceremonial county in South West England with an area of . It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset to the southwest, Somerset to the west, Hampshire to the southeast, Gloucestershire ...
. The squadron soon moved to
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 ...
before finally settling at
RAF Horsham St Faith RAF Horsham St Faith is a former Royal Air Force station near Norwich, Norfolk, England which was operational from 1939 to 1963. It was then developed as Norwich International Airport. RAF Bomber Command use The airfield was first developed ...
in August 1946. While here, as one of the first adopters of the Meteor F.3, the squadron formed the first all jet fighter wing with No. 616 Squadron and No. 504 Squadron. ''The Tigers'' had a brief stay at RAF Lübeck between July and August 1947. From December 1947, onward, the squadron began to re-equip with Meteor F.4s completing conversion by March 1948. In October 1950, the squadron received the much improved Meteor F.8. From 1954 onward the squadron's Meteors began to be camouflaged in Dark Green and Dark Sea Grey, this coincidentally marked the return of "tiger stripe" markings on the squadron's aircraft – something not seen since the Gloster Gauntlets. After 12 years of flying Meteors, No. 74 (F) Squadron converted to 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.4 in March 1957. The Hunter F.4s wouldn't be operated for long as the squadron started to re-equip with Hunter F.6s in November 1957 with the Hunter F.4s being phased out by January 1958. On 8 June 1959, ''the Tigers'', under the command of
Squadron Leader Squadron leader (Sqn Ldr in the RAF ; SQNLDR in the RAAF and RNZAF; formerly sometimes S/L in all services) is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also ...
John "Johnny" Howe, moved to
RAF Coltishall Royal Air Force Coltishall, more commonly known as RAF Coltishall , is a former Royal Air Force station located North-North-East of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia, which operated from 1938 to 2006. It was a fighter airf ...
for re-equipment with the
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.1 in June 1960; this was the first squadron in the RAF to receive the Lightning. In 1962, No. 74 (F) Squadron formed an aerobatic display team – 'The Tigers', replacing No. 92 Squadron's Blue Diamonds as the RAF's official display team. On 2 March 1964, the squadron moved up to
RAF Leuchars Royal Air Force Leuchars or RAF Leuchars was a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. Throughout the Cold War and beyond, the station was home to fighter aircraft which policed northern UK airspac ...
in Scotland before getting the Lightning F.3 in April. While based at RAF Leuchars, No. 74 (F) Squadron held their first Tiger Meet between 5 and 9 July 1966, having joined the NATO Tiger Association at its inception in 1961. ''The Tigers'' upgraded to Lightning F.6s in November 1966, with the last Lightning F.3s remaining up until January 1967. The squadron moved to
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 ...
in
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 ...
in June 1967, where it operated alongside No. 20 Squadron, which flew Hunters, and No. 81 Squadron, which flew Canberra PR.9s. In June 1969, while based in Singapore, four Lightning F.6s flew a distance of 2,000 miles from RAF Tengah to
Darwin, Northern Territory Darwin ( ; Larrakia: ) is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. With an estimated population of 147,255 as of 2019, the city contains the majority of the residents of the sparsely populated Northern Territory. It is the smalle ...
in
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, setting the longest non-stop flight made by a Lightning. In 1971, the squadron flew its Lightning F.6s 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 ...
,
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 ...
, to hand them over to No. 56 (F) Squadron, who were flying Lightning F.3s, and then disbanded on 25 August 1971.Halley 1988, p. 143.


Phantoms, Hawks and final disbandment

After a dormancy of 13 years, No. 74 (Fighter) Squadron was reformed at
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, on 19 October 1984, with ex-
US 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 of ...
McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom IIs (designated as the F-4J(UK) in RAF service). These were purchased by the RAF as a stop gap measure to replace those of No. 23 (F) Squadron that had been sent to the
Falklands 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 ...
after the war. The 15 F-4Js cost $125 million and underwent a full rework at the Naval Air Rework Facility at
Naval Air Station North Island Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island , at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay in San Diego, California, is part of the largest aerospace-industrial complex in the United States Navy – Naval Base Coronado (N ...
,
San Diego San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the List of United States cities by population, eigh ...
. Here they received the ability to use the
Skyflash The Skyflash, or Sky Flash in marketing material, was a medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile derived from the US AIM-7 Sparrow missile and carried by Royal Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantoms and Tornado F3s, Italian ...
air-to-air missile, their radar was upgraded and were brought up to a spec similar to the more definitive F-4S – they were also sprayed in a distinct duck egg blue colour. The F-4J(UK)s were then ferried across the
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
in three different batches supported by
Vickers VC10 The Vickers VC10 is a mid-sized, narrow-body long-range British jet airliner designed and built by Vickers-Armstrongs (Aircraft) Ltd and first flown at Brooklands, Surrey, in 1962. The airliner was designed to operate on long-distance route ...
s, with the last group arriving on 5 January 1985. Late April and early May 1985 saw ''the Tigers'' participate in their first major exercise – Exercise Priory, which sought to test UK air defences. July 1985 saw a deployment out to RAF Akrotiri to undergo an Armament Practice Camp (APC) – which also saw them carry out
dissimilar air combat training Dissimilar air combat training (DACT) was introduced as a formal part of US air combat training after disappointing aerial combat exchange rates in the Vietnam War. Traditionally, pilots would undertake air combat training against similar aircra ...
(DACT) with
Grumman F-14A Tomcat The Grumman F-14 Tomcat is an American carrier-capable supersonic, twin-engine, two-seat, twin-tail, variable-sweep wing fighter aircraft. The Tomcat was developed for the United States Navy's Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program after t ...
s of
VF-41 Fighter Squadron 41 or VF-41 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. Originally established as VF-75A on 1 June 1945, redesignated as VF-75 on 1 August 1945, redesignated as VF-3B on 15 November 1946, redesignated as VF-41 on 1 September 19 ...
and
VF-84 Fighter Squadron 84 or VF-84 was an aviation unit of the United States Navy. Originally established on 1 May 1944, it was disestablished on 8 October 1945. It was the first US Navy squadron to be designated as VF-84. Operational history VF-84 flew ...
(from USS ''Nimitz''). The squadron's operational capability was declared on 31 December 1985. No. 74 (F) Squadron's first intercept of the Phantom era was made on 7 April 1986, when a Tupolev Tu-142 Bear-F was intercepted. October 1986 saw a squadron exchange with 350th Squadron of the
Belgian Air Force The Belgian Air Component ( nl, Luchtcomponent, french: Composante air) is the air arm of the Belgian Armed Forces, and until January 2002 it was officially known as the Belgian Air Force ( nl, Belgische Luchtmacht; french: Force aérienne belg ...
, seeing four SABCA F-16 Fighting Falcons arriving at Wattisham and four F-4J(UK)s going to
Beauvechain Air Base Beauvechain Air Base is a Belgian Air Component military airfield in Belgium, located south of Beauvechain in Wallonia (Walloon Brabant Province); east-southeast of Brussels. It is home to the 1st Wing, operating A109BA helicopters, and the ...
. The squadron underwent another APC between February and March 1987, once again carrying out DACT with
U.S. 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 of ...
Tomcats. On 1 July 1987, ''the Tigers'' celebrated their 70th anniversary by attempting to break the London-to-Edinburgh speed record, succeeding in doing so with a time of 27 minutes and 3 seconds. On 26 August 1987, No. 74 (F) Squadron lost F-4J(UK) Phantom ''ZE358'' in a fatal accident near
Aberystwyth Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...
,
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
. Both crew members, Flt. Lt. Euan Holm Murdoch and Fg. Off. Jeremy Lindsey Ogg were killed. ''The Tigers'' operated their unique F-4J(UK)s up until January 1991 when they converted over to surplus Phantom FGR.2s, which were available due to other squadrons converting to the Panavia Tornado F.3. Although converted to the Phantom FGR.2, the squadron continued to make F-4J(UK) flights throughout February 1991 delivering them to their new homes to undertake varies new duties – such as ''ZE360'', which was delivered to RAF Manston on 22 February 1991 to become a fire training aid. Plans had originally been for the RAF to retain two Phantom squadrons, ''the Tigers'' and her sister No. 56 (F) Squadron (''the Firebirds''), at RAF Wattisham but with the end of the Cold War these plans were shelved. Instead 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 all remaining Phantoms would be withdrawn from service. The disbanding of No. 228 OCU at RAF Leuchars led to ''the Tigers'' operating the Phantom Training Flight between 1 February 1991 and 31 December 1991. No. 74 (F) Squadron participated in their penultimate Tiger Meet as a fighter squadron at
Los Llanos Air Base Albacete Airport is an airport operated by Aena located about south of the city of Albacete, the capital of the province of Albacete in Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It shares the runway and some facilities with Los Llanos Air Base, operated by t ...
,
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
between 14 and 22 May 1992. Both Phantom squadrons carried out their final APC at RAF Akrotiri in early June, marking a draw down in operations. On 13 June 1992, both No. 56 (F) Squadron and No. 74 (F) Squadron 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 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 (8 Phantoms from each squadron), one of the last acts by the Phantom fleet. By August 1992, No. 56 (F) Squadron had relocated to
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 ...
– having stood down on 31 July – and became the Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) for the Tornado F.3, leaving ''the Tigers'' as the RAF's last remaining Phantom squadron. Throughout its last year, No. 74 (F) Squadron flew an aerobatic display around the country, sporting colours of both ''the Tigers'' and ''the Firebirds''. The Phantom FGR.2 ''XT914'' was flown by Squadron Leader Archie Liggat and Flt. Lt. Mark "Manners" Manwaring. ''The Tigers'' held a mini Tiger Meet at RAF Wattisham between 14 and 17 September to mark the Phantom's retirement, inviting the
Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...
,
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
,
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
and the
USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sign ...
among others – British Aerospace Hawk T.1s from No. 4 FTS, which No. 74 (F) Squadron would soon operate, also participated. One of No. 74 (F) Squadron's last acts was to flyover RAF Wattisham in a diamond nine formation before finally disbanding on 1 October 1992. Although disbanded, ''the Tigers'' made their last Phantom flight on 1 November 1992 with a pair of Phantoms departing Wattisham – with one (''XV474'') going to the
Imperial War Museum Duxford Imperial War Museum Duxford is a branch of the Imperial War Museum near Duxford in Cambridgeshire, England. Britain's largest aviation museum, Duxford houses the museum's large exhibits, including nearly 200 aircraft, military vehicles, artill ...
,
Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire (abbreviated Cambs.) is a Counties of England, county in the East of England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and North ...
. RAF Wattisham shortly thereafter began its transition 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) within ...
in March 1993. On 5 October 1992, No. 74 (Reserve) Squadron stood up with the Hawk T.1 as part of No. 4 Flying Training School 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 ...
in the weapon instruction role. At the 1993 Tiger Meet, No. 74 (R) Squadron won the coveted 'Silver Tiger' trophy while competing against the likes of
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
Mirage F1 The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French fighter and attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Dassault Aviation. It was developed as a successor to the popular Mirage III family. During the 1960s, Dassault commenced development of what would b ...
s and Belgian F-16s; as Flt. Lt. Will Jonas said, "Not bad for a training unit eh?!" With the rationalisation of No. 4 FTS to just two squadrons, No. 74 (R) Squadron was disbanded on 22 September 2000. Upon disbandment, the squadron Standard was laid up at
RAF College Cranwell The Royal Air Force College (RAFC) is the Royal Air Force military academy which provides initial training to all RAF personnel who are preparing to become commissioned officers. The College also provides initial training to aircrew cadets and ...
in the rotunda of the College Hall Officers’ Mess.


Famous pilots

Famous pilots associated with the squadron: *
Keith Caldwell Air Commodore Keith Logan "Grid" Caldwell CBE, MC, DFC & Bar (16 October 1895 – 28 November 1980) was a New Zealand fighter ace of the Royal Flying Corps in World War I who also rose to the rank of Air Commodore in the Royal New Zealand ...
*
John Freeborn John Connell Freeborn, (1 December 1919 – 28 August 2010) was a fighter pilot and flying ace in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. In 1939, he shot down another RAF fighter in a friendly-fire incident that marked the firs ...
– 12 kills, 1 probable, 5 damaged, was with his squadron longer than any other Battle of Britain pilot and had flown more operational hours. * A. G. "Sailor" Malan – 32 victories *
Edward Mannock Edward Corringham "Mick" Mannock (24 May 1887 – 26 July 1918) was a British flying ace in the Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force during the First World War. Mannock was a pioneer of fighter aircraft tactics in aerial warfare. At the time ...
– 61 victories of which 35 were made with No. 74 Squadron. *
John Mungo-Park John Colin Mungo-Park, (25 March 1918 – 27 June 1941) was a Royal Air Force fighter pilot and flying ace of the Second World War. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1940, and a Bar to the medal in 1941. Background and early li ...


Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated included: *
Avro 504K The Avro 504 was a First World War 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 tha ...
(Jul 1917 – Mar 1918) *
Sopwith Pup The Sopwith Pup is a British single-seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristi ...
(Jan 1918 – Mar 1918) *
Sopwith Scout The Sopwith Pup is a British single-seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Naval Air Service and the Royal Flying Corps in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristi ...
(Jan 1918 – Mar 1918) * Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a (Mar 1918 – Feb 1919) *
Hawker Demon The Hawker Hart is a British two-seater biplane light bomber aircraft that saw service with the Royal Air Force (RAF). It was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and manufactured by Hawker Aircraft. The Hart was a prominent British aircra ...
Mk.I (Sep 1935 – Apr 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 (Mar 1937) *
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 (Mar 1937 – Feb 1939) *
Miles Magister The Miles M.14 Magister is a two-seat monoplane basic trainer aircraft designed and built by the United Kingdom, British aircraft manufacturer Miles Aircraft. It was affectionately known as the ''Maggie''. It was authorised to perform aerobatics ...
Mk.I (1938–1944) *
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.I/Ia (Feb 1939 – Sep 1940) *
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.IIa/IIb (Jun 1940 – Dec 1941) *
Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public in 18 ...
-
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.Vb (May 1941 – Mar 1942) *
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/IIb/IIc (Dec 1942 – Sep 1943) *
Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public in 18 ...
-
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.Vb (Sep 1943 – Apr 1944) *
Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public in 18 ...
-
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.Vc (Sep 1943 – Apr 1944) *
Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public in 18 ...
-
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 (Oct 1943 – Apr 1944) *
Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public in 18 ...
-
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 ...
LF.IXe (Apr 1944 – Mar 1945) *
Vickers Vickers was a British engineering company that existed from 1828 until 1999. It was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by Edward Vickers and his father-in-law, and soon became famous for casting church bells. The company went public in 18 ...
-
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 ...
LF.XVIe (Mar 1945 – May 1945) *
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 (May 1945 – Mar 1948) *
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 (Dec 1947 – Oct 1950) *
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 ...
T.7 (1950–1957) *
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.8 (Oct 1950 – Mar 1957) *
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.4 (Mar 1957 – Jan 1958) *
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.6 (Nov 1957–1960) *
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 ...
T.7 (1958–1966) *
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.1/F.1a (Jun 1960 – Apr 1964) *
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.3 (Apr 1964 – Sep 1967) *
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 ...
T.4 (1961–1966) *
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 ...
T.5 (Jun 1967 – Aug 1971) *
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.6 (Jun 1966 – Aug 1971) * McDonnell Douglas F-4J(UK) Phantom (Aug 1984 – Jan 1991) * McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2 (Jan 1991 – Oct 1992) *
British Aerospace Hawk The BAE Systems Hawk is a British single-engine, jet-powered advanced trainer aircraft. It was first flown at Dunsfold, Surrey, in 1974 as the Hawker Siddeley Hawk, and subsequently produced by its successor companies, British Aerospace and B ...
T.1/T.1A (Oct 1992 – Sep 2000)


Association

The 74 (F) Tiger Squadron Association brings together former ''Tigers'' from all generations for a yearly reunion dinner. Pending raising the necessary funds, plans are in place to create a museum dedicated to the squadron's history at their former RAF base of Horsham St. Faith, now
Norwich Airport Norwich Airport is an international airport in Hellesdon, Norfolk, England, north of Norwich. In 2017, Norwich Airport was the 28th busiest airport in the UK and busiest in the East Anglia region. Norwich Airport has a CAA Public Use Aero ...
. Since then plans have been made to create a special section at the
City of Norwich Aviation Museum The City of Norwich Aviation Museum is a volunteer-run museum and charitable trust dedicated to the preservation of the aviation history of the county of Norfolk, England. The museum is located on the northern edge of Norwich International ...
dedicated to the 'Tiger Squadron'. In 2019, the association, along with the British Phantom Aviation Group, acquired F-4J(UK) Phantom ''ZE360'' at the Manston Fire School, with plans to restore it and display it at
Cotswold Airport Cotswold Airport (formerly Kemble Airfield) is a private general aviation airport, near the village of Kemble, Gloucestershire, Kemble in Gloucestershire, England. Located southwest of Cirencester, it was built as a Royal Air Force (RAF) stat ...
.


See also

*
List of RAF squadrons 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, during the First World ...


References


Notes


Bibliography

* Cossey, Bob. ''Tigers: The Story of 74 Squadron, RAF''. London: Arms & Armour Press, 1992. . * Ken Delve, ''D-Day: The Air Battle'', London: Arms & Armour Press, 1994, . * Halley, James J. ''The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988''. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. . * Jefford, C.G. ''RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912''. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 1998 (second edition 2001). . * Jones, Wing Commander Ira "Taffy". ''Tiger Squadron: The Story of 74 Squadron R.A.F., in Two World Wars''. London: W.H. Allen, 1954 (republished by Award books in 1966, White Lion Publishers Ltd. in 1972 and by Time Life Education in 1994). * Lake, A. ''Flying Units of the RAF''. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 1999. * Oughton, Frederick and Vernon Smyth. ''Ace With One Eye. The Life and Combats of Major Edward Mannock VC, DSO (2 bars), MC (1 bar), Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force''. London: Frederick Muller Ltd., 1963. * Rawlings, John D.R. ''Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft''. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (new edition 1976, reprinted 1978). . * Tidy, Douglas. ''I Fear No Man: The History of No.74 Squadron Royal Air Force''. London: Macdonald & Co. (Publishers) Ltd., 1972, & revised edition 1998. * Tidy, Douglas. ''I Fear No Man: The History of No.74 Squadron Royal Air Force 1917–1997''. J&KHP Publishers., 1998.


External links


74 Squadron Association



Official history of No. 74 Squadron

Official history of No. 74 Squadron (Archived)

Article about the Battle of Barking Creek from North Weald Airfield History


{{DEFAULTSORT:No. 74 Squadron Raf Military units and formations established in 1917 074 Squadron 074 Squadron Military units and formations disestablished in 2000 No. 74 1917 establishments in the United Kingdom Military units and formations in Mandatory Palestine in World War II