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No. 41 Squadron RAF
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No. 41 Squadron RAF
No. 41 Squadron Royal Air Force is a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF), currently operating as the Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES) for the RAF's Typhoon, presently based at RAF Coningsby in the English county of Lincolnshire in the United Kingdom. Its current official abbreviated title is 41 TES. The squadron was originally formed in April 1916, during First World War as part of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), and served on the Western Front as a ground attack and fighter squadron. Disbanded in 1919 as part of the post-war draw down, No. 41 Squadron was re-formed as an RAF squadron in 1923, and remained on home service until 1935, when it was deployed to Aden during the Abyssinian crisis.
During the Second World War, the squadron flew Supermarine Spitfire fighters, and saw action over Dunkirk and the during the Battle of Britain in the early years of the war. Combat operations were flown from Britain over German-occupied Europe during 1941–1944, before the squadron moved to the continent after the Normandy landings. During 1944–1945, the squadron supported the Allied advance into Germany, and it remained there until mid-1946 as part of the occupation force following the end of hostilities. In the post-war years, the squadron was disbanded and re-formed several times, operating a variety of jet aircraft in the fighter, reconnaissance, and interceptor roles. In 2006, the squadron was re-roled as the Fast Jet & Weapons Operational Evaluation Unit. It remained in this role until 2010, when it became the Test and Evaluation Squadron of the Royal Air Force.
No. 41 Squadron Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was formed at Fort Rowner, Gosport, in mid April 1916, with a nucleus of men from No. 28 Squadron RFC. However, on 22 May 1916, the squadron was disbanded again when it was re-numbered 'No. 27 Reserve Squadron RFC'.
No. 41 Squadron was re-formed on 14 July 1916 with a nucleus of men from No. 27 Reserve Squadron, and equipped with the Vickers F.B.5 Gun Bus and Airco D.H.2 Scout. These were replaced in early September 1916 with the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.8, and it was these aircraft which the squadron took on their deployment to France on 15 October 1916. Eighteen aircraft departed Gosport for the 225 miles (362 kilometres) flight to Saint-Omer, but only twelve actually made it, the others landing elsewhere with technical problems. The twelve pilots spent a week at Saint-Omer before moving to Abeele, where the ground crews reached them by road, and the remaining six pilots by rail, minus their aircraft.
The F.E.8 was already obsolete as a pure fighter, and the squadron used theirs mainly for ground attack. On 24 January 1917, the squadron claimed its first victories. These fell to Sergeant Pilot Cecil Tooms, who himself was killed in action only four hours later. While equipped with the F.E.8, the squadron participated in the Battle of Arras (April–May 1917) and the Battle of Messines (June 1917). By this time, the unit had become the last 'pusher' fighter squadron in the RFC. In July 1917, the squadron was re-equipped with the Airco DH.5 fighter, which proved disappointing; in October 1917, the squadron finally received the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a fighter, with which they were equipped for the duration of the war.
The squadron provided distinguished service in the Battle of Cambrai (November 1917), and subsequently in the German spring offensive (March 1918), and the Battle of Amiens (August 1918). The squadron claimed its final victory of the war two days prior to the cessation of hostilities. In the aftermath, the unit was reduced to a cadre of just sixteen men on 7 February 1919, and returned to the United Kingdom. Their new base was RAF Tangmere, West Sussex, but they were moved to RAF Croydon, Surrey, in early October, and formally disbanded on 31 December 1919.
During the war, some seventeen flying aces served with No. 41 Squadron, including:
The unit had a remarkable number of Canadian aces in it; ten out of the seventeen. The squadron's pilots and ground crews were awarded four Distinguished Service Orders, six Military Crosses, nine Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Military Medals, and four Mentions in Dispatches. The pilots were credited with destroying 111 aircraft and 14 balloons, sending down 112 aircraft out of control, and driving down 25 aircraft and five balloons. Thirty-nine men were killed or died on active service, 48 were wounded or injured, and 20 pilots became prisoners of war, including Australian Captain Norman Bruce Hair.
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No. 41 Squadron RAF
No. 41 Squadron Royal Air Force is a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF), currently operating as the Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES) for the RAF's Typhoon, presently based at RAF Coningsby in the English county of Lincolnshire in the United Kingdom. Its current official abbreviated title is 41 TES. The squadron was originally formed in April 1916, during First World War as part of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC), and served on the Western Front as a ground attack and fighter squadron. Disbanded in 1919 as part of the post-war draw down, No. 41 Squadron was re-formed as an RAF squadron in 1923, and remained on home service until 1935, when it was deployed to Aden during the Abyssinian crisis.
During the Second World War, the squadron flew Supermarine Spitfire fighters, and saw action over Dunkirk and the during the Battle of Britain in the early years of the war. Combat operations were flown from Britain over German-occupied Europe during 1941–1944, before the squadron moved to the continent after the Normandy landings. During 1944–1945, the squadron supported the Allied advance into Germany, and it remained there until mid-1946 as part of the occupation force following the end of hostilities. In the post-war years, the squadron was disbanded and re-formed several times, operating a variety of jet aircraft in the fighter, reconnaissance, and interceptor roles. In 2006, the squadron was re-roled as the Fast Jet & Weapons Operational Evaluation Unit. It remained in this role until 2010, when it became the Test and Evaluation Squadron of the Royal Air Force.
No. 41 Squadron Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was formed at Fort Rowner, Gosport, in mid April 1916, with a nucleus of men from No. 28 Squadron RFC. However, on 22 May 1916, the squadron was disbanded again when it was re-numbered 'No. 27 Reserve Squadron RFC'.
No. 41 Squadron was re-formed on 14 July 1916 with a nucleus of men from No. 27 Reserve Squadron, and equipped with the Vickers F.B.5 Gun Bus and Airco D.H.2 Scout. These were replaced in early September 1916 with the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.8, and it was these aircraft which the squadron took on their deployment to France on 15 October 1916. Eighteen aircraft departed Gosport for the 225 miles (362 kilometres) flight to Saint-Omer, but only twelve actually made it, the others landing elsewhere with technical problems. The twelve pilots spent a week at Saint-Omer before moving to Abeele, where the ground crews reached them by road, and the remaining six pilots by rail, minus their aircraft.
The F.E.8 was already obsolete as a pure fighter, and the squadron used theirs mainly for ground attack. On 24 January 1917, the squadron claimed its first victories. These fell to Sergeant Pilot Cecil Tooms, who himself was killed in action only four hours later. While equipped with the F.E.8, the squadron participated in the Battle of Arras (April–May 1917) and the Battle of Messines (June 1917). By this time, the unit had become the last 'pusher' fighter squadron in the RFC. In July 1917, the squadron was re-equipped with the Airco DH.5 fighter, which proved disappointing; in October 1917, the squadron finally received the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a fighter, with which they were equipped for the duration of the war.
The squadron provided distinguished service in the Battle of Cambrai (November 1917), and subsequently in the German spring offensive (March 1918), and the Battle of Amiens (August 1918). The squadron claimed its final victory of the war two days prior to the cessation of hostilities. In the aftermath, the unit was reduced to a cadre of just sixteen men on 7 February 1919, and returned to the United Kingdom. Their new base was RAF Tangmere, West Sussex, but they were moved to RAF Croydon, Surrey, in early October, and formally disbanded on 31 December 1919.
During the war, some seventeen flying aces served with No. 41 Squadron, including:
The unit had a remarkable number of Canadian aces in it; ten out of the seventeen. The squadron's pilots and ground crews were awarded four Distinguished Service Orders, six Military Crosses, nine Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Military Medals, and four Mentions in Dispatches. The pilots were credited with destroying 111 aircraft and 14 balloons, sending down 112 aircraft out of control, and driving down 25 aircraft and five balloons. Thirty-nine men were killed or died on active service, 48 were wounded or injured, and 20 pilots became prisoners of war, including Australian Captain Norman Bruce Hair.
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