No. 33 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 33 Squadron of the Royal Air Force
operates the Puma HC.1
from RAF Benson
, Oxfordshire
.
.
Formed in 1971 at RAF Odiham
as the RAF's first Puma squadron, the squadron has flown in a large number of operations. These include the Gulf War
of 1991, and Operation Agricola, the NATO Kosovo
Force, Operation Barwood in Mozambique
, NATO operations in Bosnia
and in Iraq
during Operation Telic
.
at Filton
on 12 January 1916. For the remainder of the First World War the squadron was employed in the Home Defence role in Lincolnshire
, guarding against German airship raids against northern England
, being first equipped with Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2
s, these being supplemented with Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2s. Its headquarters were at Gainsborough
, with its flights spread over three separate stations: RAF Scampton
(A Flight), RAF Kirton in Lindsey
(B Flight) and RAF Elsham Wolds
(C Flight). The FE.2s were replaced by Bristol Fighter
s in June 1918, which were in turn replaced by dedicated night fighter
Avro 504
in August. The squadron did not destroy any enemy airships, despite a number of interceptions; it was disbanded in June 1919.
and, in February 1930, became the first squadron to receive the brand-new Hawker Hart
, an aircraft faster than the RAFs current fighter aircraft
. In 1935, as part of Britain's response to the Italian invasion of Abyssinia
the unit moved to Egypt
, taking part in air policing in Palestine. In February 1938, the squadron re-equipped with Gloster Gladiator
s, changing role to a fighter squadron, although at first it continued in support of British ground forces in Palestine.
With the exception of a time in Greece and Crete in 1941 (for part of this time the squadron was commanded by Marmaduke Pattle
, one of the RAF's top aces), 33 Sqn remained in the Middle East for most of World War II
. Equipped initially with the Gloster Gladiators they had used in Palestine, the Squadron claimed its first victories of the Second World War on 14 June 1940, when the squadron shot down an Italian Caproni Ca 310 and a Fiat CR.32
. It suffered its first losses of the war five days later in a combat with Fiat CR.42
s,with one Gladiator being shot down in exchange for two Fiats. The squadron re-equipped with Hurricanes in October 1940, allowing it to intercept the Italian SM.79
bombers, which were faster than the Squadron's Gladitors.
It was withdrawn from the desert fighting in January 1941, in order to help resist the Italian invasion of Greece
. The squadron was involved in heavy fighting following the German intervention
, with Pattle, the Squadrons commanding officer and by now the leading Commonwealth air ace, being killed on 20 April and the Squadron being withdrawn to Crete on 27 April, with the remnants retiring to Egypt by the end of May after the Battle of Crete
.
The Squadron returned to flying support of the Army in the Western Desert, including at the Battle of El Alamein
, trading its Hurricanes for Supermarine Spitfire
s in December 1943.
Returning to the UK
in 1944 the squadron flew the Spitfire IX as part of 2 TAF
, carrying out a mix of escort and fighter-bombing missions. It flew fighter support for the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944, moving to France in October 1944, when it concentrated on ground-attack operations. It re-equipped with the Hawker Tempest
in December, returning to action from Gilze-Rijen
in February 1945, flying fighter sweeps in North West Europe. They remained in Germany
until 1949. Over 200 air kills were claimed 1940-45.
, Hong Kong
, but was quickly deployed to Kuala Lumpur
in Malaya
, flying their Tempests in ground attack missions against Communist guerrillas
during the Malayan Emergency
. It re-equipped with twin-engined de Havilland Hornet
s in 1951, disbanding in March 1955, having flown 6,150 sorties during its stay in Malaya.
In October 1955 it reformed as a night fighter squadron flying de Havilland Venom
NF.2s from RAF Driffield
,being disbanded in June 1957, but was reformed on 1 October 1957 by renumbering 264 Squadron
, another night fighter squadron that operated Gloster Meteor
s. It re-equipped with Gloster Javelin
s in April 1958, being disbanded again on 18 November 1962. A number of different types were operated during several disbandments and reformations throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s. In April 1965 33 Squadron became a Bloodhound
surface-to-air missile unit based at Butterworth in Malaya, being disbanded in February 1969.
. The inquest coroner called 33 Squadron "a sloppy outfit", that allowed an unqualified crew to operate the helicopter. A recording played at the inquest revealed pilot Dave Sale remarking, "let's scare the shit out of this taxi", before apparently flying 5 feet above a taxi, an incident that happened 2 hours prior to the crash during the same flight.
(RAF) memorial in Crete to the airmen of 30
and 33 Squadrons who died during the battle of Crete. The memorial is located (35.525363°N 23.828619°W) behind the roadside hedge between Maleme and Tavronitis overlooking the (35.526625°N 23.825604°W) Iron Bridge across the Tavronitis River and the end of Maleme Airport
runway.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
operates the Puma HC.1
Aérospatiale Puma
The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France.-Development:...
from RAF Benson
RAF Benson
RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force station near Benson in South Oxfordshire, England. It is home to the Royal Air Force's support helicopters, the Aérospatiale Puma and the EH-101 Merlin, known as the Puma HC.Mk 1 and the Merlin HC.Mk 3 and Mk 3a....
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
.
Current role
The squadron is part of the RAF Support Helicopter force, which reports into the Joint Helicopter CommandJoint Helicopter Command
Joint Helicopter Command is a tri-service organisation uniting military helicopters of the British Armed Forces for command and coordination purposes...
.
Formed in 1971 at RAF Odiham
RAF Odiham
RAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force station situated a little to the south of the historic small village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift helicopter, the Chinook HC2, HC2A and HC3...
as the RAF's first Puma squadron, the squadron has flown in a large number of operations. These include the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
of 1991, and Operation Agricola, the NATO Kosovo
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
Force, Operation Barwood in Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
, NATO operations in Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
and in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
during Operation Telic
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
.
First World War
No. 33 Squadron was formed from part of 12 SqnNo. 12 Squadron RAF
No. 12 Squadron of the Royal Air Force currently operates the Tornado GR4 from RAF Lossiemouth.-History:No. 12 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed in February 1915 from a flight of No. 1 Squadron RFC at Netheravon. The squadron moved to France in September 1915 and operated a variety of aircraft...
at Filton
Filton
Filton is a town in South Gloucestershire, England, situated on the northern outskirts of the city of Bristol, about from the city centre. Filton lies in Bristol postcode areas BS7 and BS34. The town centres upon Filton Church, which dates back to the 12th century and is a grade II listed building...
on 12 January 1916. For the remainder of the First World War the squadron was employed in the Home Defence role in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, guarding against German airship raids against northern England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, being first equipped with Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2
Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2
The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine two-seat biplane which was in service with the Royal Flying Corps from 1912 until the end of World War I. The "Bleriot" in its designation refers to the fact that, like the Bleriot types it was of tractor configuration, with the...
s, these being supplemented with Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2s. Its headquarters were at Gainsborough
Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
Gainsborough is a town 15 miles north-west of Lincoln on the River Trent within the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. At one time it served as an important port with trade downstream to Hull, and was the most inland in England, being more than 55 miles from the North...
, with its flights spread over three separate stations: RAF Scampton
RAF Scampton
Royal Air Force Station Scampton is a Royal Air Force station situated north of Lincoln in England, near the village of Scampton, on the site of an old First World War landing field.-First World War:...
(A Flight), RAF Kirton in Lindsey
RAF Kirton in Lindsey
RAF Kirton in Lindsey is a Royal Air Force airfield in Lincolnshire. The field is located 15 miles north of Lincoln.It hosts No.1 Air Control Centre , the RAF’s only deployable ground-based early warning and air control radar unit, parented by RAF Scampton.-First World War:The Royal Flying Corps...
(B Flight) and RAF Elsham Wolds
RAF Elsham Wolds
RAF Elsham Wolds is a former Royal Air Force station in England, which operated in World War I and World War II. It is located just to the north east of the village of Elsham in north Lincolnshire.-World War I:...
(C Flight). The FE.2s were replaced by Bristol Fighter
Bristol Fighter
Bristol Fighter may refer to:*Bristol F.2 Fighter aircraft*Bristol Beaufighter aircraft*Bristol Fighter , an automobile by Bristol Cars...
s in June 1918, which were in turn replaced by dedicated night fighter
Night fighter
A night fighter is a fighter aircraft adapted for use at night or in other times of bad visibility...
Avro 504
Avro 504
The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during...
in August. The squadron did not destroy any enemy airships, despite a number of interceptions; it was disbanded in June 1919.
Between the wars
The Squadron was reformed at RAF Netheravon on 1 March 1929 as a bomber unit equipped first with the Hawker HorsleyHawker Horsley
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Jarrett, Philip. "By Day and By Night: Hawker Horsley part 1". Aeroplane Monthly, Volume 21 No 10, Issue 246, October 1993. pp. 32–40....
and, in February 1930, became the first squadron to receive the brand-new Hawker Hart
Hawker Hart
The Hawker Hart was a British two-seater biplane light bomber of the Royal Air Force , which had a prominent role during the RAF's inter-war period. The Hart was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and built by Hawker Aircraft...
, an aircraft faster than the RAFs current fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
. In 1935, as part of Britain's response to the Italian invasion of Abyssinia
Second Italo-Abyssinian War
The Second Italo–Abyssinian War was a colonial war that started in October 1935 and ended in May 1936. The war was fought between the armed forces of the Kingdom of Italy and the armed forces of the Ethiopian Empire...
the unit moved to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, taking part in air policing in Palestine. In February 1938, the squadron re-equipped with Gloster Gladiator
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
s, changing role to a fighter squadron, although at first it continued in support of British ground forces in Palestine.
Second World War
Marmaduke Pattle
Squadron Leader Marmaduke Thomas St. John "Pat" Pattle DFC & Bar was a South African-born Second World War flying ace for the Royal Air Force. Pattle was a fighter ace with a very high score, and is sometimes noted as being the highest-scoring British and Commonwealth pilot of the Second World War...
, one of the RAF's top aces), 33 Sqn remained in the Middle East for most of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Equipped initially with the Gloster Gladiators they had used in Palestine, the Squadron claimed its first victories of the Second World War on 14 June 1940, when the squadron shot down an Italian Caproni Ca 310 and a Fiat CR.32
Fiat CR.32
The Fiat CR.32 was an Italian biplane fighter used in the Spanish Civil War and World War II. This nimble little Fiat was compact, robust and highly manoeuvrable and gave impressive displays all over Europe in the hands of the Pattuglie Acrobatiche. The CR.32 fought in North and East Africa, in...
. It suffered its first losses of the war five days later in a combat with Fiat CR.42
Fiat CR.42
The Fiat CR.42 Falco was a single-seat sesquiplane fighter which served primarily in Italy's Regia Aeronautica before and during World War II. The aircraft was produced by the Turin firm, and entered service, in smaller numbers, with the air forces of Belgium, Sweden and Hungary...
s,with one Gladiator being shot down in exchange for two Fiats. The squadron re-equipped with Hurricanes in October 1940, allowing it to intercept the Italian SM.79
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 Sparviero was a three-engined Italian medium bomber with a wood and metal structure. Originally designed as a fast passenger aircraft, this low-wing monoplane, in the years 1937–39, set 26 world records that qualified it for some time as the fastest medium bomber in the...
bombers, which were faster than the Squadron's Gladitors.
It was withdrawn from the desert fighting in January 1941, in order to help resist the Italian invasion of Greece
Greco-Italian War
The Greco-Italian War was a conflict between Italy and Greece which lasted from 28 October 1940 to 23 April 1941. It marked the beginning of the Balkans Campaign of World War II...
. The squadron was involved in heavy fighting following the German intervention
Battle of Greece
The Battle of Greece is the common name for the invasion and conquest of Greece by Nazi Germany in April 1941. Greece was supported by British Commonwealth forces, while the Germans' Axis allies Italy and Bulgaria played secondary roles...
, with Pattle, the Squadrons commanding officer and by now the leading Commonwealth air ace, being killed on 20 April and the Squadron being withdrawn to Crete on 27 April, with the remnants retiring to Egypt by the end of May after the Battle of Crete
Battle of Crete
The Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
.
The Squadron returned to flying support of the Army in the Western Desert, including at the Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
, trading its Hurricanes for Supermarine Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s in December 1943.
Returning to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1944 the squadron flew the Spitfire IX as part of 2 TAF
RAF Second Tactical Air Force
The former RAF Second Tactical Air Force was one of three tactical air forces within the Royal Air Force during and after the Second World War...
, carrying out a mix of escort and fighter-bombing missions. It flew fighter support for the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944, moving to France in October 1944, when it concentrated on ground-attack operations. It re-equipped with the Hawker Tempest
Hawker Tempest
The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....
in December, returning to action from Gilze-Rijen
Gilze-Rijen Air Base
Gilze-Rijen Air Base is a military airbase in the Netherlands located between the cities of Breda and Tilburg, in the Noord-Brabant province. It is mainly, but not exclusively used as a base for attack helicopters. The airfield has two runways, the longest, complete with instrument landing...
in February 1945, flying fighter sweeps in North West Europe. They remained in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
until 1949. Over 200 air kills were claimed 1940-45.
Post War operations
From 1949 to 1970, 33 Squadron spent much of its time in the Far East. It was initially based at Kai TakKai Tak Airport
Kai Tak Airport was the international airport of Hong Kong from 1925 until 1998. It was officially known as the Hong Kong International Airport from 1954 to 6 July 1998, when it was closed and replaced by the new Hong Kong International Airport at Chek Lap Kok, 30 km to the west...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, but was quickly deployed to Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
in Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
, flying their Tempests in ground attack missions against Communist guerrillas
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
during the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
. It re-equipped with twin-engined de Havilland Hornet
De Havilland Hornet
The de Havilland DH.103 Hornet was a piston engine fighter that further exploited the wooden construction techniques pioneered by de Havilland's classic Mosquito. Entering service at the end of the Second World War, the Hornet equipped postwar RAF Fighter Command day fighter units in the UK and was...
s in 1951, disbanding in March 1955, having flown 6,150 sorties during its stay in Malaya.
In October 1955 it reformed as a night fighter squadron flying de Havilland Venom
De Havilland Venom
The de Havilland DH 112 Venom was a British postwar single-engined jet aircraft developed from the de Havilland Vampire. It served with the Royal Air Force as a single-seat fighter-bomber and two-seat night fighter....
NF.2s from RAF Driffield
RAF Driffield
RAF Driffield was a Royal Air Force station situated near Driffield in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.Situated between Kelleythorpe and Eastburn on the A614 road, there stands an aerodrome. In recent times, it was known as Alamein Barracks and used as an Army driving school...
,being disbanded in June 1957, but was reformed on 1 October 1957 by renumbering 264 Squadron
No. 264 Squadron RAF
No. 264 Squadron RAF also known as No 264 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force formed from two former Royal Naval Air Service flights, No. 439 and No. 440, on 27 September 1918 at Souda Bay, Crete to perform anti-submarine patrols. It operated the Short 184 floatplanes on patrols in the...
, another night fighter squadron that operated Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
s. It re-equipped with Gloster Javelin
Gloster Javelin
The Gloster Javelin was an "all-weather" interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s...
s in April 1958, being disbanded again on 18 November 1962. A number of different types were operated during several disbandments and reformations throughout the late 1950s and early 1960s. In April 1965 33 Squadron became a Bloodhound
Bloodhound SAM
The Bristol Bloodhound is a British surface-to-air missile developed during the 1950s as the UK's main air defence weapon, and was in large-scale service with the Royal Air Force and the forces of four other countries. The Bloodhound Mk. I entered service in December 1958 and the last Mk...
surface-to-air missile unit based at Butterworth in Malaya, being disbanded in February 1969.
Fatal crash investigation
In August, 2007, a crash of a 33 Squadron Puma left three personnel dead out of 12 on board in Catterick GarrisonCatterick Garrison
Catterick Garrison is a major Army base located in Northern England. It is the largest British Army garrison in the world with a population of around 12,000, plus a large temporary population of soldiers, and is larger than its older neighbour...
. The inquest coroner called 33 Squadron "a sloppy outfit", that allowed an unqualified crew to operate the helicopter. A recording played at the inquest revealed pilot Dave Sale remarking, "let's scare the shit out of this taxi", before apparently flying 5 feet above a taxi, an incident that happened 2 hours prior to the crash during the same flight.
Previous aircraft
- Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 used between January 1916 and November 1916
- Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2The Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 was a two-seat pusher biplane that was operated as a day and night bomber and as a fighter aircraft by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War...
used between November 1916 and June 1918 - Bristol F.2 FighterBristol F.2 FighterThe Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...
used between June 1918 and August 1918 - Avro 504Avro 504The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during...
used between August 1918 and June 1919 - Hawker HorsleyHawker Horsley|-See also:-Bibliography:* Jarrett, Philip. "By Day and By Night: Hawker Horsley part 1". Aeroplane Monthly, Volume 21 No 10, Issue 246, October 1993. pp. 32–40....
used between March 1929 and February 1930 - Hawker HartHawker HartThe Hawker Hart was a British two-seater biplane light bomber of the Royal Air Force , which had a prominent role during the RAF's inter-war period. The Hart was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and built by Hawker Aircraft...
used between February 1930 and February 1938 - Gloster GladiatorGloster GladiatorThe Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
used between February 1938 and October 1940 - Hawker HurricaneHawker HurricaneThe Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
used between September 1940 and December 1943 - Supermarine SpitfireSupermarine SpitfireThe Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
used between February 1943 and December 1944 and from November 1945 till 1946 - Hawker TempestHawker TempestThe Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....
used between December 1944 and November 1945 (Tempest V) and between 1946 and 1951 (Tempest F.2) - de Havilland HornetDe Havilland HornetThe de Havilland DH.103 Hornet was a piston engine fighter that further exploited the wooden construction techniques pioneered by de Havilland's classic Mosquito. Entering service at the end of the Second World War, the Hornet equipped postwar RAF Fighter Command day fighter units in the UK and was...
used between 1951 and March 1955 - de Havilland VenomDe Havilland VenomThe de Havilland DH 112 Venom was a British postwar single-engined jet aircraft developed from the de Havilland Vampire. It served with the Royal Air Force as a single-seat fighter-bomber and two-seat night fighter....
used between October 1955 and January 1957 - Gloster MeteorGloster MeteorThe Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
used between October 1957 and August 1958 - Gloster JavelinGloster JavelinThe Gloster Javelin was an "all-weather" interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s...
used between July 1958 and November 1962 - Bristol Bloodhound (Missile)
Memorials
There is an Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF) memorial in Crete to the airmen of 30
No. 30 Squadron RAF
No. 30 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the second generation C-130J Hercules from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. The squadron operates alongside No. 24 Squadron and No. 47 Squadron all flying the Hercules.-History:...
and 33 Squadrons who died during the battle of Crete. The memorial is located (35.525363°N 23.828619°W) behind the roadside hedge between Maleme and Tavronitis overlooking the (35.526625°N 23.825604°W) Iron Bridge across the Tavronitis River and the end of Maleme Airport
Maleme Airport
Maleme Airport is an airport situated at Maleme, Crete. It has two runways & with no lights. The airport is closed for commercial aviation but it's used by Chania Aeroclub. The airport operated until 1959 as the main public airport of Chania. Today the use from the Hellenic Air Force is limited...
runway.