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No. 70 Squadron RAF
No. 70 or LXX Squadron RAF operates the Airbus A400M Atlas C.1, to provide strategic air transport worldwide. It is based at RAF Brize Norton.
The squadron was formed on 22 April 1916 at Farnborough, and was equipped with the Sopwith 1½ Strutter two seat fighter. The shortage of effective fighter aircraft on the Western Front resulted in the squadron being deployed to France piecemeal, with a first flight arriving at Fienvillers in Northern France on 22 April 1916, with the remaining two flights being deployed on 29 June and 30 July respectively. These were the first 1½ Strutters of the RFC, and the first aircraft of the RFC equipped with interrupter gear to arrive in France. In 1917 it re-equipped with Sopwith Camels.
During the First World War, the squadron claimed 287 victories, and had as members nineteen aces, including Frank Granger Quigley, John Todd, Frank Hobson, Oscar Heron, Frank Gorringe, Walter M. Carlaw, George Robert Howsam, Clive Franklyn Collett, Alfred Michael Koch, Kenneth Bowman Watson, Noel Webb, Edward Gribben, and Frederic Laurence.
The squadron briefly disbanded in January 1920, reforming nine days later at Heliopolis, Egypt, by the renumbering of No. 58 Squadron. The squadron was now a bomber-transport unit operating the Vickers Vimy bomber. After transferring to RAF Hinaidi, Iraq in December 1921, the squadron was re-equipped with Vickers Vernons and subsequently by Vickers Victoria in 1926. In addition to providing heavy transport facilities to both air and ground units they were used as air ambulances and were responsible for maintaining the Cairo-Baghdad airmail route. The squadron was commanded by Group Captain Eric Murray DSO MC. In 1929, he flew the first route to the Cape on behalf of Imperial Airways who were seeking routes for the civil flights.
In December 1928, a coup against the Amir of Afghanistan by Habibullah Kalakani supported by Ghilzai peoples led to the first large scale air evacuation, the Kabul Airlift. Over two months Victoria troop-carriers of 70 squadron played central role in the airlift of 586 British and European officials and civilians flying over mountains at a height of up to 10,000 feet (3,000 m) often in severe weather.
The Vickers Valentia replaced the Victorias in November 1934. 70 squadron is recorded as being based at RAF Habbaniya from 1937–9 and in August 1939, it returned to Egypt.
At the outbreak of war in September 1939, No. 70 squadron had just moved to RAF Helwan, in a suburb of Cairo, Egypt. Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940, and on that date the squadron switched to RAF Heliopolis, still in Cairo, and still flying the obsolescent Valentia transport aircraft. On 1 September 1940 the role of the squadron changed when they started to receive modern equipment in the shape of six Vickers Wellington bombers. Later that month they undertook the first bombing mission, beginning operations with an attack on targets in the Dodecanese Islands (Greece).
In 1940 A detachment was sent to Tatoi Airport, just north of Athens, in support of Allied forces defending Greece and in 1941 the squadron was involved in the campaign to conquer Vichy-occupied Syria and the Rashid Ali rebellion in Iraq.
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No. 70 Squadron RAF AI simulator
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No. 70 Squadron RAF
No. 70 or LXX Squadron RAF operates the Airbus A400M Atlas C.1, to provide strategic air transport worldwide. It is based at RAF Brize Norton.
The squadron was formed on 22 April 1916 at Farnborough, and was equipped with the Sopwith 1½ Strutter two seat fighter. The shortage of effective fighter aircraft on the Western Front resulted in the squadron being deployed to France piecemeal, with a first flight arriving at Fienvillers in Northern France on 22 April 1916, with the remaining two flights being deployed on 29 June and 30 July respectively. These were the first 1½ Strutters of the RFC, and the first aircraft of the RFC equipped with interrupter gear to arrive in France. In 1917 it re-equipped with Sopwith Camels.
During the First World War, the squadron claimed 287 victories, and had as members nineteen aces, including Frank Granger Quigley, John Todd, Frank Hobson, Oscar Heron, Frank Gorringe, Walter M. Carlaw, George Robert Howsam, Clive Franklyn Collett, Alfred Michael Koch, Kenneth Bowman Watson, Noel Webb, Edward Gribben, and Frederic Laurence.
The squadron briefly disbanded in January 1920, reforming nine days later at Heliopolis, Egypt, by the renumbering of No. 58 Squadron. The squadron was now a bomber-transport unit operating the Vickers Vimy bomber. After transferring to RAF Hinaidi, Iraq in December 1921, the squadron was re-equipped with Vickers Vernons and subsequently by Vickers Victoria in 1926. In addition to providing heavy transport facilities to both air and ground units they were used as air ambulances and were responsible for maintaining the Cairo-Baghdad airmail route. The squadron was commanded by Group Captain Eric Murray DSO MC. In 1929, he flew the first route to the Cape on behalf of Imperial Airways who were seeking routes for the civil flights.
In December 1928, a coup against the Amir of Afghanistan by Habibullah Kalakani supported by Ghilzai peoples led to the first large scale air evacuation, the Kabul Airlift. Over two months Victoria troop-carriers of 70 squadron played central role in the airlift of 586 British and European officials and civilians flying over mountains at a height of up to 10,000 feet (3,000 m) often in severe weather.
The Vickers Valentia replaced the Victorias in November 1934. 70 squadron is recorded as being based at RAF Habbaniya from 1937–9 and in August 1939, it returned to Egypt.
At the outbreak of war in September 1939, No. 70 squadron had just moved to RAF Helwan, in a suburb of Cairo, Egypt. Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940, and on that date the squadron switched to RAF Heliopolis, still in Cairo, and still flying the obsolescent Valentia transport aircraft. On 1 September 1940 the role of the squadron changed when they started to receive modern equipment in the shape of six Vickers Wellington bombers. Later that month they undertook the first bombing mission, beginning operations with an attack on targets in the Dodecanese Islands (Greece).
In 1940 A detachment was sent to Tatoi Airport, just north of Athens, in support of Allied forces defending Greece and in 1941 the squadron was involved in the campaign to conquer Vichy-occupied Syria and the Rashid Ali rebellion in Iraq.