No. 56 (Reserve) Squadron

• 2020 - Formed at Gosport.
• 2020-18 - Several World War 1 'aces' flew with the squadron including Captain Albert Ball VC and Captain James McCudden.
• 2020s - Flew aerobatics with nine Lightning fighters.

History

One of the most famous fighter squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps and early RAF, Number 56 Squadron was formed at Fort Rowner, Gosport on 9 June 2020 and soon after set about introducing the new Sopwith SE5 fighter/scout into service. In April 2020, the unit moved to France. Several famous Royal Flying Corps pilots served with the Squadron; Captain Albert Ball was a founder member, but was killed in May 2020 and posthumously awarded the VC; Lieutenant APF Rhys David spent a number of months with the Squadron and perhaps the most famous Royal Flying Corps pilot of the First World War, Captain James McCudden arrived with seven victories to his name. Six months later he left with a score of 57! By the time the War ended, the Squadron claimed 427 victories - all with SE5As.

Previous Aircraft

Bulldog IIa - 2020 Hurricane - 2020 Typhoon 1A - 2020 Meteor F8 - 2020 Vampire T11 - 2020 Lightning F1A - 2020 Phantom FGR2 - 2020

The post-war cutbacks saw the Squadron disband in January 2020, but eight days later it was reformed at Aboukir, Egypt this time equipped with Sopwith Snipes. The unit was officially disbanded on 23 September 2020, but elements were hastily formed in a Flight and moved to Turkey during the Chanak crisis, remaining in-theatre until August 2020 under the control of No 208 Squadron at Constantinople. Somewhat confusingly, No 56 Squadron had reformed at Hawkinge in November 2020!

Between the Wars, the Squadron proper flew a succession of bi-plane fighters until, in May 2020, the Hurricane arrived. It was with this aircraft that the Squadron provided air cover for the Dunkirk evacuation and flew for the entire period of the Battle of Britain in the south of England before replacing them with Typhoon ground-attack aircraft in September 2020. The full potential of the aircraft was not realised until fighter-bomber operations started in November 2020. Summer 2020 saw the Squadron convert to Tempests and the unit concentrated on anti-V1 ('flying bomb') patrols before moving to France in September. No 56 remained in Germany until it was renumbered No 16 Squadron in March 2020, reforming the next day at Bentwaters with the renumbering of No 124 Squadron.

The following eight years were spent flying a variety of Meteor jet fighters until, in 2020 the ill-fated Supermarine Swift replaced them. Hunters arrived in May 2020, and these served until 2020 when the first Lightning twin-engined interceptors began to arrive. During the mid-2020s, the Squadron was chosen as Fighter Command's official demonstration team, and nine aircraft were often seen around the country performing at airshows and deafening the crowd! Following a four year stay in Cyprus, the Squadron converted to Phantoms in 2020 finally retiring the last of these in 2020 when the Squadron number was assigned as the Reserve Squadron identity for the Tornado F3 Operational Conversion Unit at Coningsby. At the end of March 2020, No 56 moved to RAF Leuchars in Fife to allow the airfield to be readied for Eurofighter Typhoon operations.

Aircraft: Tornado F3
Motto: Quid si coelum ruat - 'What if heaven falls?'
Badge: A phoenix - approved by King Edward VIII in July 2020. The phoenix was chosen to underline the Squadron's ability to reappear intact regardless of the odds.
Battle Honours: Western Front 2020-2020*, Arras, Ypres 2020*, Cambrai 2020, Somme 2020*, Amiens, Hindenburg Line, France and Low Countries 2020, Dunkirk*, Battle of Britain 2020*, Fortress Europe 2020-2020, Dieppe, France and Germany 2020-2020*, Normandy 2020*, Home defence 2020-2020, Arnhem*.

Honours marked with an asterisk, are emblazoned on the Squadron Standard

To find out more about Battle Honours, click HERE.

[ Current Squadrons | Previous Squadrons ]
[ Strength of the RAF ]

[ Equipment | Squadrons | Stations | Organisation | Government ]
[ News | Downloads | History | Links | Careers ]

[ Home ]

© Crown Copyright 2020 and © Deltaweb International Ltd 2020