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No.40 Sqn RAF Founded : 26th February 1916
Hostem coelo expellere - To drive the enemy from the sky 40 Squadron Royal Air Force: 40 squadron was formed at Gosport on 26th February 1916 as a scout squadron equipped with the FE8. One flight went to France in early August and the rest of the squadron at the end of the month. However, the FE8 was soon obsolete and 40 squadron was unable to be effective in its task of fighting when faced with a faster aircraft. In March 1917 the squadron suffered heavy casualties when 9 aircraft were caught on patrol by Jasta 11 led by Manfred von Richthofen and all aircraft were brought down with four pilots killed. Before the end of March they were re-equipped with Nieuport Scouts and with these, 40 squadron began a successful career, flying offensive patrols and developing its own tactics for observation balloon attacks. During this period one of the 40 Squadron officers Lieutenant Edward Mannock (later Major Mannock VC) destroyed 6 enemy aircraft and went on to a highly successful fighting career in command of two other squadrons. Before the end of 1917, 40 Squadron replaced its scouts with the highly successful S.E.5.a and continued offensive operations against the German armed forces until the end of the First World War. It ended the war with a squadron tally of 130 enemy aircraft and 30 balloons destroyed. The squadron returned to the UK in February 1919 and was disbanded 4th July the same year. It was reformed on 1st April 1931 as a bomber squadron and served in the UK and the Middle East theatre. It was disbanded in Egypt during 1947 and reformed later that year as a transport squadron until 1950. In 1953 it was again reformed as a bomber squadron before being finally disbanded in 1956. |
No.40 Sqn RAF
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