|
|
|
||
|
|
|||
| Click Here For Full Artist Print Indexes | Aviation History Archive |
|
Aviation Art Prints Countries UK Squadron Index More Squadrons Squadrons 88 to 126 No.100 Sqn |
[UP] - No.88 Sqn - No.89 Sqn - No.90 Sqn - No.91 Sqn - No.92 Sqn - No.97 Sqn - No.99 Sqn - No.100 Sqn - No.101 Sqn - No.102 Sqn - No.103 Sqn - No.104 Sqn - No.105 Sqn - No.106 Sqn - No.107 Sqn - No.109 Sqn - No.110 Sqn - No.111 Sqn - No.112 Sqn - No.120 Sqn - No.124 Sqn - No.126 Sqn |
No.100 Sqn
Country : UK
Founded : 12th July 1917
Codes : , AS, FZ, HJ, HW, NK, RA,
Sarang tebuan jangan dijolok - Never stir up a hornets nest
100 Squadron formed at Hingham, Norfolk on 23 February 1917, and moved to France a month later. On arrival it was issued with modified FE2B two-seat pushers biplanes and operations against aerodromes, railway stations and rail junctions commenced. On the night of 5/6 April 1917, when eleven FE2b aircraft attacked Douai airfield, where Manfred von Richthofen's 'Flying Circus' was based; Richthofen referred to this raid in his book, 'Der Rote Kampfflieger'. By the end of the year, No 100 in conjunction with No 55 Squadron, RFC and Naval 'A' Squadron had formed the nucleus of what was to become the Independent Force used for the strategic bombing of Germany with its Handley Page 0/400 heavy bombers.
After the War, the unit remained on the continent for a year before transferring to Baldonnel in Ireland and re-equipping with Bristol Fighters. With the division of the island in 1922, the Squadron returned to England and bombing duties, this time with Vimys and DH9As.
After the end of the war, the squadron remained on the continent until September 1919 as a cadre before transferring to RAF Baldonnel, near Dublin and re-forming to full strength, re-equipping with Bristol F.2 Fighters for army co-operation. Close air support operations were flown during the Irish War of Independence. Following the end of hostilities the squadron was moved to Spitalgate, Lincs. in February 1922 and converted to bombing, this time with Vickers Vimys and DH9As.[4]
In May 1924, the unit flew Fairey Fawn. With these aircraft, In September of that year, the squadron took Hawker Horsley aircraft on complement and in November 1930 moved to Donibristle, Fife, converting to torpedo-bombing. and designated as 'No. 100 (Torpedo-Bomber) Squadron' in 1933.
In November 1932, took delivery of Vickers Vildebeest and with this aircraft the squadron was deployed as part of the operation to defend Singapore, arriving at Seletar in January 1934.
ancient aircraft stood little chance of stopping the Japanese advance, and eventually the Squadron, and its sister Vildebeest unit, No 36, had been decimated.
On 15 December 1942, No 100 Squadron reformed at Waltham as a night-time heavy bomber squadron and was part of No. 1 Group, RAF Bomber Command. In January 1943, the squadron received the first of its new complement of Avro Lancasters; the first operation of the squadron was on 4 March 1943 against a U-Boat base at St Nazaire. A few days later the squadron was involved in a raid against Nuremberg in Germany and from then on, in support of Bomber Command's strategic role against Germany, took part in every major raid.
At the end of 1943, the squadron had completed the second largest number of successful operations of units within No. 1 Group Bomber Command and had the lowest 'loss' rate. On the night of 16/17 December 1943, the squadron received orders to attack Berlin. The raid became known as 'Black Thursday' as Bomber Command lost 25 aircraft on the raid and 28 in crashes at fog-shrouded airfields
Surviving the post-war defence cuts and moving to Malaya to join Operation Firedog with its Lincolns during 1950. Four years later, No 100 moved to Kenya during the Mau Mau uprising, before returning to England and converting to the Canberra. The Canberras were used for trials work in conjunction with British nuclear tests in the Pacific, before disbanding again in 1959. Reformed at Wittering as part of the V-Force until September 1968 following withdrawal of the Blue Steel stand-off weapon. No 100 Squadron returned to Canberra flying when it was reformed at West Raynham in February 1972, this time to provide target towing facilities for RAF fighter squadrons, later undertaking specialist electronic warfare training before the Canberras were finally retired at the end of 1991 and replaced by the Hawk. With the closure of its base, RAF Wyton, the unit moved to Finningley, relocating to Leeming in 1995
100 Squadron now operates in a mixed target facilities role along with exercise and training support which include WSO training, and dedicated aircraft to support the Joint Forward Air Controllers Training and Standards Unit.
| No.100 Sqn Aviation Art Prints, Paintings and Drawings Aviation Art |
|
|
| Text for the above items : |
Hawk T Mk.1A XX194 CO by G Henderson. A Hawk trainer of No.100 Sqn. |
The Annals of 100 Squadron. Major C Gordon Burge. 100 Squadron was a pioneer night bombing unit, and was the first to be raised specifically for that purpose by Hugh Trenchard, the father of the RAF who contributes a foreword to this history, commending the squadron, and its willingness to go out and bomb in all weathers, and the ability of its groundcrew to keep their aircraft airbourne in all conditions. . This book traces the squadrons story from its formation in March 1917 to the Armistice in November 1918. Equipped with F.E.2B and BE2 aircraft, the squadron, based at Izel Le Hameau airfield, commenced its life with a raid against Douai aerodrome. In May 1917 the squadron transferred to Trexennes airfield near Aire, where, according to the author the concert pitch of the Squadrons work was achieved. Forced to evacuate this site during the German advance of 1918, 100 transferred to Ochey in Alsace-Lorriane from where it carried out night raids on Germany itself. - including on Frankfurt, Mannheim and Ludwigshafen. Shortly before the war ended, the squadron took delivery of the new and advanced Handley-Page bombers. This full history of the squadrons activities included many photographs of its men, its machines, and reconnaisance shots of the damage it did. |
|
Contact Details |
Sign Up To Our Newsletter!
This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com
|
|
|
|