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No. 39 Squadron RAF
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No. 39 Squadron RAF
Number 39 Squadron is an inactive squadron of the Royal Air Force. It last operated the General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper from Creech AFB, Nevada, between January 2007 and July 2022. It had previously operated the English Electric Canberra PR.7, PR.9 and T.4 from RAF Marham, Norfolk, as No. 39 (1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit) Squadron between July 1992 and July 2006.
No. 39 Squadron was founded at Hounslow Heath Aerodrome on 15 April 1916 with Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2s and B.E.12s in an attempt to defend against German Zeppelin raids on London. Having moved to RFC Suttons Farm, 39 Squadron achieved its first success on the night of 2/3 September 1916, when Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson shot down the German Airship Schütte-Lanz SL11, being awarded the Victoria Cross for this action. On 23 September 1916, the German Navy launched another Zeppelin raid against London. Responding to this raid, 2nd Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey of No. 39 Squadron shot down Zeppelin L.32, while Alfred Brandon in another No. 39 Squadron B.E.2 engaged Zeppelin L.33, already damaged by anti-aircraft fire, with L.33 force landing at Little Wigborough, Essex, and being destroyed by its crew. On the night of 1/2 October 1916, 2nd Lieutenant W. L. Tempest of 39 Squadron, flying a B.E.2c, spotted Zeppelin L.31 illuminated by searchlights over southwest London and shot it down with the loss of the entire airship crew.
The squadron continued in the defence of London, supplementing its B.E.2s and B.E.12s with three Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5s to help deal with daylight attacks by German Gotha bombers, with at least one Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 also operated by the unit. The squadron re-equipped with Bristol F.2 Fighters in September 1917, but had no more success against German raiders until the night of 19/20 May 1918, when a No. 39 Squadron Bristol Fighter shot down a Gotha bomber. In October 1918, it was re-equipped with Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b aircraft and sent to France for night bombing, but was disbanded five days after the Armistice.
It was reformed on 1 July 1919, when 37 Squadron based at Biggin Hill was renumbered. The squadron was reduced to a cadre in December 1919, but did not disband, and in April 1921 the squadron was returned to operations, by May, the squadron was fully manned and received a number of Avro 504 to train aircrew in preparation for operating modern aircraft. These arrived in February 1923 when the squadron, now at RAF Spitalgate in Lincolnshire received 18 Airco DH.9As. With training for day bombing, the squadron also was chosen to perform a formation flying display at the RAF Air Pageant at Hendon in 1923, repeating its appearance in 1926 and 1927, when it flew joint formation flying and bombing displays with 207 Squadron.
In January 1928, the squadron moved to RAF Bircham Newton in Norfolk, where it began to prepare to a prospective move to British India. In December 1929 it left the United Kingdom, leaving behind its DH.9As to equip No. 101 Squadron. It arrived at Risalpur, North-West Frontier Province India (now part of Pakistan) at the end of January 1929, receiving its complement of twelve Westland Wapitis (which had been shipped separately) in March that year. It was used for Air Policing in the North West Frontier, carrying out bombing missions against rebel tribesmen, their villages and support for the army. In December 1931, it was re-equipped with Hawker Harts, operations continuing as before, also being used as part of the relief effort following the 1935 Quetta earthquake, flying supplies to Quetta and carrying out medical evacuations. Military operations included support of the Second Mohmand Campaign of 1935 against hostile tribesmen in Mohmand Territory and the Waziristan campaign against supporters of the Faqir of Ipi in 1938.
In 1939, the squadron re-equipped with more modern Bristol Blenheim I twin-engined monoplane bombers. As the threat of war increased, it was decided to strengthen British defences in the Far East by moving No. 39 Squadron to Singapore, with the squadron setting off with nine Blenheims on 6 August. The ferry trip was a disaster, with six aircraft wrecked, and three men killed, including Wing Commander Burton Ankers, commander of the 2nd Indian Wing Station at Risalpur, whose Blenheim caught fire and crashed after being struck by lightning. In April 1940, the squadron was ordered back to India, arriving at Lahore on 25 April, and then to strengthen defences in the Middle East, being ordered to reinforce Aden, setting out on 5 May, with the air component reaching Aden on 13 May and the groundcrew arriving by ship on 10 June 1940.
On that day, Italy declared war on Great Britain and France, and No. 39 Squadron was quickly committed to action against Italian East Africa, carrying out its first combat mission of the war on 12 June when a force of Blenheims attacked Dire Dawa airfield in Ethiopia, causing little damage. The squadron continued operations against Italian forces until 24 November, when it was ordered to transfer to Egypt to support the planned offensive in the Western Desert (Operation Compass), with the first aircraft leaving Aden for RAF Helwan on 29 November.
A detachment of three Blenheims operated with 45 Squadron over the Western Desert from 10 December, flying harassment raids against Italian-held airfields, while the remainder of the Squadron remained at Helwan while it recovered from the operations in East Africa, and started to replace its Blenheim Is with Blenheim IVs. In January, the squadron was ordered to recall the three aircraft detachment and hand over the squadron's Blenheims to 11 Squadron, which was to deploy to Greece. To replace its Blenheim IVs, 39 Squadron received Martin Maryland bombers, originally built for the French Air Force, becoming the first RAF squadron to operate the Maryland. Owing to the long-range of the Maryland, No. 39 Squadron used it mainly for reconnaissance. The squadron was in action during the Battle of Crete, claiming at least two Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft shot down in its operations during the battle.
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No. 39 Squadron RAF
Number 39 Squadron is an inactive squadron of the Royal Air Force. It last operated the General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper from Creech AFB, Nevada, between January 2007 and July 2022. It had previously operated the English Electric Canberra PR.7, PR.9 and T.4 from RAF Marham, Norfolk, as No. 39 (1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit) Squadron between July 1992 and July 2006.
No. 39 Squadron was founded at Hounslow Heath Aerodrome on 15 April 1916 with Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2s and B.E.12s in an attempt to defend against German Zeppelin raids on London. Having moved to RFC Suttons Farm, 39 Squadron achieved its first success on the night of 2/3 September 1916, when Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson shot down the German Airship Schütte-Lanz SL11, being awarded the Victoria Cross for this action. On 23 September 1916, the German Navy launched another Zeppelin raid against London. Responding to this raid, 2nd Lieutenant Frederick Sowrey of No. 39 Squadron shot down Zeppelin L.32, while Alfred Brandon in another No. 39 Squadron B.E.2 engaged Zeppelin L.33, already damaged by anti-aircraft fire, with L.33 force landing at Little Wigborough, Essex, and being destroyed by its crew. On the night of 1/2 October 1916, 2nd Lieutenant W. L. Tempest of 39 Squadron, flying a B.E.2c, spotted Zeppelin L.31 illuminated by searchlights over southwest London and shot it down with the loss of the entire airship crew.
The squadron continued in the defence of London, supplementing its B.E.2s and B.E.12s with three Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5s to help deal with daylight attacks by German Gotha bombers, with at least one Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 also operated by the unit. The squadron re-equipped with Bristol F.2 Fighters in September 1917, but had no more success against German raiders until the night of 19/20 May 1918, when a No. 39 Squadron Bristol Fighter shot down a Gotha bomber. In October 1918, it was re-equipped with Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b aircraft and sent to France for night bombing, but was disbanded five days after the Armistice.
It was reformed on 1 July 1919, when 37 Squadron based at Biggin Hill was renumbered. The squadron was reduced to a cadre in December 1919, but did not disband, and in April 1921 the squadron was returned to operations, by May, the squadron was fully manned and received a number of Avro 504 to train aircrew in preparation for operating modern aircraft. These arrived in February 1923 when the squadron, now at RAF Spitalgate in Lincolnshire received 18 Airco DH.9As. With training for day bombing, the squadron also was chosen to perform a formation flying display at the RAF Air Pageant at Hendon in 1923, repeating its appearance in 1926 and 1927, when it flew joint formation flying and bombing displays with 207 Squadron.
In January 1928, the squadron moved to RAF Bircham Newton in Norfolk, where it began to prepare to a prospective move to British India. In December 1929 it left the United Kingdom, leaving behind its DH.9As to equip No. 101 Squadron. It arrived at Risalpur, North-West Frontier Province India (now part of Pakistan) at the end of January 1929, receiving its complement of twelve Westland Wapitis (which had been shipped separately) in March that year. It was used for Air Policing in the North West Frontier, carrying out bombing missions against rebel tribesmen, their villages and support for the army. In December 1931, it was re-equipped with Hawker Harts, operations continuing as before, also being used as part of the relief effort following the 1935 Quetta earthquake, flying supplies to Quetta and carrying out medical evacuations. Military operations included support of the Second Mohmand Campaign of 1935 against hostile tribesmen in Mohmand Territory and the Waziristan campaign against supporters of the Faqir of Ipi in 1938.
In 1939, the squadron re-equipped with more modern Bristol Blenheim I twin-engined monoplane bombers. As the threat of war increased, it was decided to strengthen British defences in the Far East by moving No. 39 Squadron to Singapore, with the squadron setting off with nine Blenheims on 6 August. The ferry trip was a disaster, with six aircraft wrecked, and three men killed, including Wing Commander Burton Ankers, commander of the 2nd Indian Wing Station at Risalpur, whose Blenheim caught fire and crashed after being struck by lightning. In April 1940, the squadron was ordered back to India, arriving at Lahore on 25 April, and then to strengthen defences in the Middle East, being ordered to reinforce Aden, setting out on 5 May, with the air component reaching Aden on 13 May and the groundcrew arriving by ship on 10 June 1940.
On that day, Italy declared war on Great Britain and France, and No. 39 Squadron was quickly committed to action against Italian East Africa, carrying out its first combat mission of the war on 12 June when a force of Blenheims attacked Dire Dawa airfield in Ethiopia, causing little damage. The squadron continued operations against Italian forces until 24 November, when it was ordered to transfer to Egypt to support the planned offensive in the Western Desert (Operation Compass), with the first aircraft leaving Aden for RAF Helwan on 29 November.
A detachment of three Blenheims operated with 45 Squadron over the Western Desert from 10 December, flying harassment raids against Italian-held airfields, while the remainder of the Squadron remained at Helwan while it recovered from the operations in East Africa, and started to replace its Blenheim Is with Blenheim IVs. In January, the squadron was ordered to recall the three aircraft detachment and hand over the squadron's Blenheims to 11 Squadron, which was to deploy to Greece. To replace its Blenheim IVs, 39 Squadron received Martin Maryland bombers, originally built for the French Air Force, becoming the first RAF squadron to operate the Maryland. Owing to the long-range of the Maryland, No. 39 Squadron used it mainly for reconnaissance. The squadron was in action during the Battle of Crete, claiming at least two Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft shot down in its operations during the battle.
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