56 Squadron
One of the most famous fighter squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps and early RAF, Number 56 Squadron was formed at Fort Rowner, Gosport on 9 June 1916 and soon after set about introducing the new Sopwith SE5 fighter/scout into service. In April 1917, the unit moved to France. Several famous Royal Flying Corps pilots served with the Squadron; Captain Albert Ball was a founder member, but was killed in May 1917 and posthumously awarded the VC; Lieutenant APF Rhys David spent a number of months with the Squadron and perhaps the most famous Royal Flying Corps pilot of the First World War, Captain James McCudden arrived with seven victories to his name. Six months later he left with a score of 57! By the time the War ended, the Squadron claimed 427 victories - all with SE5As.
The post-war cutbacks saw the Squadron disband in January 1920, but eight days later it was reformed at Aboukir, Egypt this time equipped with Sopwith Snipes. The unit was officially disbanded on 23 September 1922, but elements were hastily formed in a Flight and moved to Turkey during the Chanak crisis, remaining in-theatre until August 1923 under the control of No 208 Squadron at Constantinople. Somewhat confusingly, No 56 Squadron had reformed at Hawkinge in November 1922!
Between the Wars, the Squadron proper flew a succession of bi-plane fighters until, in May 1938, the Hurricane arrived. It was with this aircraft that the Squadron provided air cover for the Dunkirk evacuation and flew for the entire period of the Battle of Britain in the south of England before replacing them with Typhoon ground-attack aircraft in September 1941. The full potential of the aircraft was not realised until fighter-bomber operations started in November 1943. Summer 1944 saw the Squadron convert to Tempests and the unit concentrated on anti-V1 ('flying bomb') patrols before moving to France in September. No 56 remained in Germany until it was renumbered No 16 Squadron in March 1946, reforming the next day at Bentwaters with the renumbering of No 124 Squadron.
The following eight years were spent flying a variety of Meteor jet fighters until, in 1954 the ill-fated Supermarine Swift replaced them. Hunters arrived in May 1955, and these served until 1961 when the first Lightning twin-engined interceptors began to arrive. During the mid-1960s, the Squadron was chosen as Fighter Command's official demonstration team, and nine aircraft were often seen around the country performing at airshows and deafening the crowd! Following a four year stay in Cyprus, the Squadron converted to Phantoms in 1976 finally retiring the last of these in 1992 when the Squadron number was assigned as the Reserve Squadron identity for the Tornado F3 Operational Conversion Unit at Coningsby. At Coningsby the squadron adopted the title of 56(Reserve) Squadron. It became the RAF's Operational Conversion Unit (229 OCU) conducting training of Ab initio crew and aircrew converting from other aircraft types to the Tornado F3. Following the announcement that the RAF's new fighter aircraft, the Eurofighter Typhoon would be stationed at Coningsby, it was decided that 56(R) Sqn would relocate to RAF Leuchars in Fife, home to 43(F) Squadron and 111 Squadron (with whom 56 Sqn had previously shared their Wattisham home), both flying the Tornado F3. The Squadron moved north in March 2003, initially moving into the 'Ark Royal' hangar before moving into their new building on the northern side of the airfield.[10] The squadron, nicknamed the Firebirds, was until 2005 the display squadron for the F3. It was announced in December 2005 that, as a cost cutting measure, the RAF would no longer have a Tornado F3 display .
On 5 February 2008, it was reported that 56(R) squadron at RAF Leuchars would disappear after being merged with 43(F) Squadron on 22 April as the Tornado fleet was phased out to be replaced with the Eurofighter Typhoon. The 56 Squadron nameplate was transferred to the Air Command and Control Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operational Evaluation Unit (AIR C2ISR OEU) at RAF Waddington on 22 April 2008 as 56(R) Sqn, The ISTAR OEU. The ISTAR OEU is the centre of excellence for the RAF's AWACS, Nimrod R1/MR2 and Sentinel aircraft.
The post-war cutbacks saw the Squadron disband in January 1920, but eight days later it was reformed at Aboukir, Egypt this time equipped with Sopwith Snipes. The unit was officially disbanded on 23 September 1922, but elements were hastily formed in a Flight and moved to Turkey during the Chanak crisis, remaining in-theatre until August 1923 under the control of No 208 Squadron at Constantinople. Somewhat confusingly, No 56 Squadron had reformed at Hawkinge in November 1922!
Between the Wars, the Squadron proper flew a succession of bi-plane fighters until, in May 1938, the Hurricane arrived. It was with this aircraft that the Squadron provided air cover for the Dunkirk evacuation and flew for the entire period of the Battle of Britain in the south of England before replacing them with Typhoon ground-attack aircraft in September 1941. The full potential of the aircraft was not realised until fighter-bomber operations started in November 1943. Summer 1944 saw the Squadron convert to Tempests and the unit concentrated on anti-V1 ('flying bomb') patrols before moving to France in September. No 56 remained in Germany until it was renumbered No 16 Squadron in March 1946, reforming the next day at Bentwaters with the renumbering of No 124 Squadron.
The following eight years were spent flying a variety of Meteor jet fighters until, in 1954 the ill-fated Supermarine Swift replaced them. Hunters arrived in May 1955, and these served until 1961 when the first Lightning twin-engined interceptors began to arrive. During the mid-1960s, the Squadron was chosen as Fighter Command's official demonstration team, and nine aircraft were often seen around the country performing at airshows and deafening the crowd! Following a four year stay in Cyprus, the Squadron converted to Phantoms in 1976 finally retiring the last of these in 1992 when the Squadron number was assigned as the Reserve Squadron identity for the Tornado F3 Operational Conversion Unit at Coningsby. At Coningsby the squadron adopted the title of 56(Reserve) Squadron. It became the RAF's Operational Conversion Unit (229 OCU) conducting training of Ab initio crew and aircrew converting from other aircraft types to the Tornado F3. Following the announcement that the RAF's new fighter aircraft, the Eurofighter Typhoon would be stationed at Coningsby, it was decided that 56(R) Sqn would relocate to RAF Leuchars in Fife, home to 43(F) Squadron and 111 Squadron (with whom 56 Sqn had previously shared their Wattisham home), both flying the Tornado F3. The Squadron moved north in March 2003, initially moving into the 'Ark Royal' hangar before moving into their new building on the northern side of the airfield.[10] The squadron, nicknamed the Firebirds, was until 2005 the display squadron for the F3. It was announced in December 2005 that, as a cost cutting measure, the RAF would no longer have a Tornado F3 display .
On 5 February 2008, it was reported that 56(R) squadron at RAF Leuchars would disappear after being merged with 43(F) Squadron on 22 April as the Tornado fleet was phased out to be replaced with the Eurofighter Typhoon. The 56 Squadron nameplate was transferred to the Air Command and Control Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Operational Evaluation Unit (AIR C2ISR OEU) at RAF Waddington on 22 April 2008 as 56(R) Sqn, The ISTAR OEU. The ISTAR OEU is the centre of excellence for the RAF's AWACS, Nimrod R1/MR2 and Sentinel aircraft.
