Set of 15: Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Flying Corps

Front:
2345 BOMBAY (2) B4863 Go TO 12 651 H651 J-8834 8834 9578 ****** WT -9578 (WT) anarc 9940 J9941 V7137 DTOC ON BUCCA EAST INDIA SQUADRON JOS R6923 อ ML778 NSOZ POOS TPOF RB222 F XV574 B XW768 XSIOZ

Back:
No. 4 VICKERS FB5 No. 5 Sqn. RFC To the Vickers FB5 belongs the distinction of being the aircraft that equipped the first unit of any air force in the world to be created as a fighter squadron: No. 11 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps, which went to France on 25th July, 1915. Other Vickers FB5s had earlier formed part of the equipment of RFC Squadrons Nos. 2, 5, 7 and 16; No. 18 Squadron was later fully equipped with the type, and a few were used by the Royal Naval Air Service at Dunkerque. The FB5 was designed before the war, and its specific purpose of carrying a machine-gun soon earned it the unofficial nickname of Vickers Gun Bus. It remained in operational use until the Spring of 1916. A somewhat refined development of the FB5 was produced as the FB9, but few aircraft of the later type saw operational use. Most FB5s and FB9s ended their service at training units. Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force No. 12 No. 56 Sqn. RFC SE5a The SE5a was considered by many pilots to be the best British single-seat fighter of the 1914-18 war. The first production aircraft had the 150 hp Hispano-Suiza, were designated SE5, and were first flown operationally in April, 1917 by No. 56 Squadron RFC. The later SE5a had the 200 or 220 hp Hispano-Suiza or 200 hp Wolseley Viper engine. In France, Palestine, Macedonia and Mesopotamia the SE5a gave outstanding service with squadrons of the RFC, RAF, Australian Flying Corps and United States Air Service. Large-scale production in the United States was stopped only by the Armistice. The SE5a was flown by the leading British fighting pilots, including Captain W. A. Beauchamp-Proctor, VC, DSO, MC, DFC; Major W. A. Bishop, VC, DSO, MC, DFC; Major J. T. B. McCudden, VC, DSO, MC, DFC, MM; and Major E. W. Mannock, VC, DSO, MC; the earlier SE5 had been flown by Captain Albert Ball, VC, DSO, MC. Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force No. 17 VICKERS VIMY RAE FARNBOROUGH The Vimy was designed in 1917 with range enough to attack Berlin from bases on the Western Front but the war ended before it could be used operationally. Subsequently it served with nine RAF units at home and overseas and with various training squadrons in Britain and Egypt. It was withdrawn from the bomber role in 1924 but many were used as training aircraft until the early 1930s. The Vimy is best remembered for its long-distance flights: in June, 1919 the first non-stop crossing of the Atlantic by Captain John Alcock and Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown; in November, 1919 the first flight from Britain to Australia by Captain Ross Smith and Lieutenant Keith Smith. Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force No. 18 ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH SISKIN MK IIIA No. 1 Sqn. RAF Two versions of the Siskin were used by RAF squadrons: the Siskin III, of composite wood-and-metal construction, which equipped fighter squadrons Nos. 41 and 111; and the all-metal Siskin IIIA, which entered service in 1927 and was used by Squadrons Nos. 1, 17, 19, 25, 29, 32, 41, 43, 56 and 111. As a means of providing work for the British aircraft industry in the inter-war years, production orders for the Siskin IIIA were given to the Gloster, Bristol and Blackburn companies in addition to the Armstrong Whitworth firm. More than 350 were built between 1926 and 1931. Despite its heavy appearance the Siskin was a highly manoeuverable aircraft and was a regular performer in aerobatic items at Hendon Air Displays. A dual-control two-seat version saw limited service as a trainer, and a few Siskins were used by the Royal Canadian Air Force. Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force No. 24 BRISTOL BULLDOG MK II No. 3 Sqn. RAF One of the classic single-seat fighters of the inter-war period, the Bulldog was designed by Captain F. S. Barnwell, who had also created the superb Bristol F2B fighter of 1917-18. The first aircraft to enter RAF service were Bulldog Mk Ils, which replaced the Hawker Woodcocks of Squadrons Nos. 3 and 17 in 1929. Later deliveries were of the more numerous Bulldog IIA, which ultimately equipped ten of the thirteen fighter squadrons that constituted the Air Defence of Great Britain in the 1930s. The Bulldog was immensely popular in the RAF and its excellence is reflected in the fact that it was also used by the air forces of Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Denmark, Finland, and by the Royal Australian Air Force. It remained a front-line fighter with the RAF until 1937. A two-seat trainer version was built in some numbers for the RAF. Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force No. 25 HAWKER HART No. 57 Sqn. RAF First flown in 1928, the Hawker Hart day bomber was one of the finest military aircraft of its time, having a performance superior to that of any fighter aircraft in existence or on order, with the exception of its almost contemporary stablemate, the Hawker Fury. The Hart was ordered for the RAF and was first supplied to No. 33 Squadron in January, 1930. The Hart itself subsequently equipped Squadrons Nos. 6, 11, 12, 15, 18, 24, 39, 40, 57, 60 and 142, and the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Squadrons Nos. 500, 501, 503, 600, 601, 602, 603, 605, 609, 610 and 611. Versions of the Hart were supplied to many overseas air forces. From the basic Hart design were developed the Audax, Demon, Hardy, Osprey, Hind and Hector, all of which were supplied to the RAF in large numbers for widely varying duties, and the Hartbees, built for the South African Air Force. Some of these later variants saw limited operational use in the 1939-45 war. Fra Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force HAWKER HURRICANE MK I No. 257 Sqn. RAF The first fighter aircraft in the world to have eight machine-guns, the Hurricane went into production in 1936. First deliveries were made to No. 111 Squadron late in 1937, and by September, 1939 the RAF had nineteen Hurricane squadrons. The Hurricane was astonishingly versatile and rugged. Its armament was progressively increased and augmented by bombs or rockets. The Mk IID, armed with two 40 mm Vickers or Rolls- Royce guns, was used with shattering effect as an anti-tank weapon. Best remembered for its heroic part in the Battle of Britain, the Hurricane in 1940 shot down more enemy aircraft than all other home defence elements combined. It fought in France, Russia (over 2,900 were sent to the Russian Air Force), North Africa and Burma, and, in its Sea Hurricane form, operated from aircraft carriers and was carried on catapults aboard merchant ships. No. 34 Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force No. 37 VICKERS WELLINGTON MK III No. 150 Sqn. RAF The Wellington served the RAF in many roles from the time of its introduction into the Service in October, 1938 through the entire war period and on until 1953, when the last Wellington T10 trainer was withdrawn. Distinguished from its contemporaries by the ingenious geodetic form of construction devised by Dr. Barnes Wallis, the Wellington was the backbone of Bomber Command in the early years of the 1939-45 war. Wellington bombers made their last operational flight on the night of 8th/9th October, 1943, but by then other variants were in service with Coastal Command, some equipped with Leigh lights and some armed with rockets. Others, fitted with vast electrically energised hoops of duralumin, were employed to explode magnetic mines. Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force SUPERMARINE SPITFIRE MK VB No. 92 Sqn. RAF Possibly the most famous fighter aircraft in history, the Spitfire combined great beauty of line with excellent flying qualities, high manoeuverability and heavy armament. The prototype flew some four months later than its great contemporary, the Hurricane, and the Spitfire was considerably the faster of the two. First deliveries of production Spitfires were made to No. 19 Squadron in August, 1938 and by September, 1939 Fighter Command had nine full squadrons of Spitfires. The design proved capable of almost infinite variety of employment and development. In the later Marks the Rolls-Royce Griffon engine replaced the peerless Merlin, and as power and weight increased the Spitfire's handling qualities demanded more of pilots. Not the least of its distinctions was its unique claim to be the only Allied fighter to remain continuously in production throughout the 1939-45 war. No. 36 Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force No. 40 SHORT SUNDERLAND GRV No. 201 Sqn. RAF The Sunderland, a military development of the Short Empire civil flying-boat had been produced in sufficient numbers to equip a few squadrons by the time war broke out in 1939. With its long-range, great load-carrying capability and heavy defensive armament, the Sunderland proved to be a formidable weapon on oversea patrols and a pugnacious adversary when attacked by enemy aircraft. It added fresh laurels to its war record by its part in the Berlin airlift, during which Sunderlands operated from the Havelsee in West Berlin. Sunderlands again flew operationally throughout the Korean war and against Malayan terrorists. It was withdrawn from RAF service in May, 1959. Sunderlands remained in service with the French Aeronavale until 1960 and with the Royal New Zealand Air Force until 1967. Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force No. 43 AVRO LANCASTER MK I No. 467 Sqn. RAF Probably the most famous British heavy bomber of the 1939-45 war, the Lancaster was virtually a four-engine development of the unsuccessful Avro Manchester. The first prototype flew in January, 1941, and the first squadron to be fully equipped with Lancasters was No. 44, early in 1942. The Lancaster had an outstanding performance and excellent flying characteristics. It was therefore ordered in large numbers, and a total of 7,377 were delivered. Widely used by Bomber Command until the war ended, the Lancaster won a place in history as the aircraft that made the successful attacks on the Mohne and Eder dams on 16th/17th May, 1943. It was also the only British bomber capable of carrying the 12,000 lb 'Tallboy' and 22,000 lb 'Grand Slam' bombs. The last Lancaster in RAF service was withdrawn in October, 1956. Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force No. 45 HAWKER TYPHOON MK IB No. 198 Sqn. RAF The Typhoon, designed from the outset as a 12 gun fighter, was intended to be the successor to the Hurricane. It suffered many development troubles, both in the airframe and its complex 24 cylinder Sabre engine; and its climbing performance was disappointing. Nevertheless, it was at the time of its introduction in 1941 the fastest Allied fighter at low level. It was at low levels, especially in the close-support role, that the Typhoon excelled; and as a tank destroyer the rocket-armed Typhoon played a decisive part in land battles. The ground-attack Typhoons wrought havoc among enemy communications throughout the final European campaign and harassed enemy coastal shipping. By the end of the war it was being replaced by the Tempest, and today only one specimen survives in the RAF Museum. Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force No. 57 MCDONNELL DOUGLAS PHANTOM FG MK 1 No. 43 Sqn. RAF The Phantom, developed as a two-seat fighter, has been used in the Royal Air Force in the air defence and ground attack and tactical reconnaissance roles. It was designed for the US Navy in 1960 but did not begin to equip the RAF until 1968 after Rolls Royce Spey turbofans had replaced the American General Electric engines. Delivery of 168 Phantoms to the United Kingdom was completed in October, 1969. With the entry of the Jaguar into service as the principal tactical ground-attack aircraft, the Phantom reverted to pure interceptor duties partially replacing the Lightning in Strike Command. Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force No. 55 HAWKER SIDDELEY HARRIER GR MK 1A No. 3 Sqn. RAF The Harrier was the first VTOL combat aircraft to enter regular squadron service with any air force in the world, joining No. 1 Squadron RAF in July, 1969. Developed from the P1127 Kestrel, it was completely re-engineered to accommodate a more powerful engine, a sophisticated navigation/attack system, increased internal fuel capacity and an in-flight refuelling capability. Based in England and Germany, the Harrier is deployed as a ground attack and reconnaissance aircraft. It is also used by the United States Marine Corps. Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force No. 54 HAWKER SIDDELEY GNAT T MK I ROYAL AIR FORCE AEROBATIC TEAM - THE RED ARROWS This small high performance aircraft was designed by Follands as a lightweight fighter and first flew as the Midge in July, 1955. It was not adopted by the RAF but its potentialities as a two-seat advanced trainer were fully realized and it entered service as the Gnat in 1962. It superseded the Vampire T11 as the RAF's standard advanced trainer giving the pupil all the high-speed performance of a fighter whilst providing special low-speed and landing characteristics required for training. The Gnat has been the well-known choice of the Red Arrows, the RAF's aerobatic team, for many years. It will remain in service until replacement by the Hawk. Aeroplanes of the Royal Naval Air Service, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force