No. 511 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 511 Squadron was a Royal Air Force
transport squadron, active during World War II, the Berlin Airlift and during the sixties and early seventies. It operated, during its three periods of existence, aircraft such as the Douglas Dakota
, the Avro York
, the Handley Page Hastings
and the Bristol Britannia
.
. The squadron continued the work of the Flight operating regular transport schedules to Gibraltar
using the Consolidated Liberator
s. To extend the route from Gibraltar to Malta
the squadron also operated the Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle
. As the Second World War
progressed, no. 511 Squadron expanded its long-range transport role and it was the first squadron to operate the Avro York
transport (A transport based on the Avro Lancaster
). At first the Liberators and Yorks were operated as separate Flights, but the Liberator Flight became 246 Squadron
in 1944. The squadron continued to fly trooping flights, particularly between the United Kingdom and India until the squadron was disbanded on 7 October 1946.
operator. It continued to fly the long-distance routes to India and the Far East until, like a lot of transport squadrons, it became involved in the Berlin Airlift. The squadron then re-equipped with the Handley Page Hastings
and in 1957 the squadron moved to join other operators of the Hastings at RAF Colerne
. A year later the squadron disbanded when it was re-numbered to 36 Squadron
on 1 September 1958.
on 15 December 1959, as the second squadron to operate the Bristol Britannia
on long-range trooping flights. It moved out of RAF Lyneham for RAF Brize Norton
in June 1970, as Lyneham became the base for the new Lockheed Hercules
. The squadron was disbanded on 6 January 1976, when it was decided to withdraw the Britannia from service.
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...
transport squadron, active during World War II, the Berlin Airlift and during the sixties and early seventies. It operated, during its three periods of existence, aircraft such as the Douglas Dakota
C-47 Skytrain
The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and...
, the Avro York
Avro York
The Avro York was a British transport aircraft that was derived from the Second World War Lancaster heavy bomber, and used in both military and airliner roles between 1943 and 1964.-Design and development:...
, the Handley Page Hastings
Handley Page Hastings
The Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings was a British troop-carrier and freight transport aircraft designed and built by Handley Page Aircraft Company for the Royal Air Force...
and the Bristol Britannia
Bristol Britannia
The Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire...
.
In World War II
Formed on 14 October 1942, No. 511 Squadron was formed from No. 1425 Flight at RAF LynehamRAF Lyneham
RAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It was the home of all the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force before they were relocated to RAF Brize Norton.The station was also home to No...
. The squadron continued the work of the Flight operating regular transport schedules to Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
using the Consolidated Liberator
B-24 Liberator
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber...
s. To extend the route from Gibraltar to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
the squadron also operated the Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle
The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.41 Albemarle was a British twin-engine transport aircraft that entered service during the Second World War.Originally designed as a medium bomber that could be built by non-aviation companies without using light alloys, the Albemarle never served in that role, instead...
. As the Second World War
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...
progressed, no. 511 Squadron expanded its long-range transport role and it was the first squadron to operate the Avro York
Avro York
The Avro York was a British transport aircraft that was derived from the Second World War Lancaster heavy bomber, and used in both military and airliner roles between 1943 and 1964.-Design and development:...
transport (A transport based on the Avro Lancaster
Avro Lancaster
The Avro Lancaster is a British four-engined Second World War heavy bomber made initially by Avro for the Royal Air Force . It first saw active service in 1942, and together with the Handley Page Halifax it was one of the main heavy bombers of the RAF, the RCAF, and squadrons from other...
). At first the Liberators and Yorks were operated as separate Flights, but the Liberator Flight became 246 Squadron
No. 246 Squadron RAF
-In the World War I:The squadron was formed at the former Royal Naval Air Station Seaton Carew, England on 18 August 1918 to provide coastal patrols. It was the only RAF squadron to operate the Blackburn Kangaroo...
in 1944. The squadron continued to fly trooping flights, particularly between the United Kingdom and India until the squadron was disbanded on 7 October 1946.
Post-war 1: On Yorks and Hastings
Within a few days (16 October 1946) the squadron was formed again as a Avro YorkAvro York
The Avro York was a British transport aircraft that was derived from the Second World War Lancaster heavy bomber, and used in both military and airliner roles between 1943 and 1964.-Design and development:...
operator. It continued to fly the long-distance routes to India and the Far East until, like a lot of transport squadrons, it became involved in the Berlin Airlift. The squadron then re-equipped with the Handley Page Hastings
Handley Page Hastings
The Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings was a British troop-carrier and freight transport aircraft designed and built by Handley Page Aircraft Company for the Royal Air Force...
and in 1957 the squadron moved to join other operators of the Hastings at RAF Colerne
RAF Colerne
RAF Colerne now known as Colerne Airfield or AEF Colerne is a former World War II RAF Fighter Command and Bomber Command airfield located on the outskirts of the village of Colerne, Wiltshire...
. A year later the squadron disbanded when it was re-numbered to 36 Squadron
No. 36 Squadron RAF
No. 36 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Cramlington on February 1, 1916 and was disbanded for the last time in 1975.-First World War:No...
on 1 September 1958.
Post-war 2: Comes the Britannia
The squadron was formed again at RAF LynehamRAF Lyneham
RAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It was the home of all the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force before they were relocated to RAF Brize Norton.The station was also home to No...
on 15 December 1959, as the second squadron to operate the Bristol Britannia
Bristol Britannia
The Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire...
on long-range trooping flights. It moved out of RAF Lyneham for RAF Brize Norton
RAF Brize Norton
RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, is the largest station of the Royal Air Force. It is close to the settlements of Brize Norton, Carterton and Witney....
in June 1970, as Lyneham became the base for the new Lockheed Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
. The squadron was disbanded on 6 January 1976, when it was decided to withdraw the Britannia from service.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1942 | March 1944 | Consolidated Liberator B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber... |
Mk.I |
| October 1942 | July 1944 | Consolidated Liberator B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber... |
Mk.II |
| November 1942 | March 1944 | Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.41 Albemarle was a British twin-engine transport aircraft that entered service during the Second World War.Originally designed as a medium bomber that could be built by non-aviation companies without using light alloys, the Albemarle never served in that role, instead... |
Mk.I |
| December 1942 | December 1942 | Handley Page Halifax Handley Page Halifax The Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing... |
Mk.II |
| September 1943 | July 1944 | Douglas Dakota C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and... |
Mks.I, III |
| November 1943 | October 1946 | Avro York Avro York The Avro York was a British transport aircraft that was derived from the Second World War Lancaster heavy bomber, and used in both military and airliner roles between 1943 and 1964.-Design and development:... |
Mk.I |
| July 1944 | December 1944 | Consolidated Liberator B-24 Liberator The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and a small number of early models were sold under the name LB-30, for Land Bomber... |
Mk.VII |
| October 1945 | April 1946 | Avro Lancastrian Avro Lancastrian |-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Franks, Richard A. The Avro Lancaster, Manchester and Lincoln: A Comprehensive Guide for the Modeller. London: SAM Publications, 2000. ISBN 0-9533465-3-6.... |
C.2 |
| October 1946 | September 1949 | Avro York | C.1 |
| September 1949 | September 1958 | Handley Page Hastings Handley Page Hastings The Handley Page H.P.67 Hastings was a British troop-carrier and freight transport aircraft designed and built by Handley Page Aircraft Company for the Royal Air Force... |
C.1 |
| May 1952 | September 1958 | Handley Page Hastings | C.2 |
| December 1959 | January 1976 | Bristol Britannia Bristol Britannia The Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a British medium-to-long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly across the British Empire... |
C.1 & C.2 |
Squadron bases
| From | To | Base | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 October 1942 | 7 October 1946 | RAF Lyneham RAF Lyneham RAF Lyneham is a Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire, England. It was the home of all the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft of the Royal Air Force before they were relocated to RAF Brize Norton.The station was also home to No... , Wiltshire Wiltshire Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers... |
Dets. at RAF Gibraltar RAF Gibraltar Royal Air Force Station Gibraltar, better known as RAF Gibraltar and formally as North Front, is a Royal Air Force station on Gibraltar. No military aircraft are currently stationed there, but there are regular visits... ; RCAF Dorval RCAF Station Lachine RCAF Station Lachine was a Royal Canadian Air Force station located near Lachine and Dorval, Quebec, Canada, to the west of Montreal. The location of the station was Dorval Airport, which became the Montréal-Dorval International Airport .RCAF Station Lachine began operation in 1941 as a transit... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... and RAF Northolt RAF Northolt RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station situated in South Ruislip, east by northeast of Uxbridge in the London Borough of Hillingdon, West London. Approximately north of London Heathrow Airport, the station also handles a large number of private civil flights... , Middlesex Middlesex Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time... |
| 16 October 1946 | 1 May 1957 | RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire | Det. at RAF Wunstorf Wunstorf Wunstorf is a town in the district of Hanover, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated approx. 22 km west of Hanover. The following localities belong to the city of Wunstorf: Blumenau , Bokeloh, Grossenheidorn, Idensen , Klein Heidorn, Kolenfeld, Luthe, Mesmerode, Steinhude, Wunstorf.... , 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... for Berlin Airlift |
| 1 May 1957 | 1 September 1958 | RAF Colerne RAF Colerne RAF Colerne now known as Colerne Airfield or AEF Colerne is a former World War II RAF Fighter Command and Bomber Command airfield located on the outskirts of the village of Colerne, Wiltshire... , Wiltshire |
|
| 15 December 1959 | 16 June 1970 | RAF Lyneham, Wiltshire | |
| 16 June 1970 | 6 January 1976 | RAF Brize Norton RAF Brize Norton RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, about west north-west of London, is the largest station of the Royal Air Force. It is close to the settlements of Brize Norton, Carterton and Witney.... , Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire .... |
Commanding Officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| October 1942 | March 1943 | W/Cdr. Wing Commander (rank) Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries... W.J. Pickard |
| March 1943 | June 1943 | W/Cdr. J.N. Glover |
| June 1943 | June 1944 | W/Cdr. C.E. Slee, MVO Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys... , AFC Air Force Cross (United Kingdom) The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"... |
| June 1944 | August 1945 | W/Cdr. E.W. Whitaker, DFC Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against... , AFC |
| September 1945 | October 1946 | W/Cdr. S.W.R. Hughes, OBE Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions... |
| October 1946 | January 1948 | W/cdr. R.J. Burrough, DFC |
| January 1948 | January 1950 | S/Ldr. Squadron Leader Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these... G.H. Smith |
| January 1950 | April 1952 | S/Ldr. M.C.S. Haycroft |
| April 1952 | May 1954 | S/Ldr. Langdon |
| May 1954 | June 1956 | S/Ldr. R.E. Dyson, DFC |
| June 1956 | May 1958 | S/Ldr. G.W. Turner |
| May 1958 | September 1958 | S/Ldr. WL. Green |
| December 1959 | W/Cdr. A.W.G. Le Hardy | |
| W/Cdr. J.H. Lewis | ||
| June 1972 | W/Cdr. P.A. Ward | |
| June 1972 | July 1974 | W/Cdr. R.J. Hutchings |
| July 1974 | January 1976 | W/Cdr. R.G. Robertson |