No. 77 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 77 Squadron RAF was formed on 1 October 1916 at Edinburgh
, and was equipped with B.E.2 and B.E.12
aircraft. The squadron disbanded at RAF Turnhouse on June 13, 1919.
The squadron was reformed on 14 June 1937, at RAF Finningley
from 'B' Flight of No. 102 Squadron
. It operated the Hawker Audax until November 1937, then re-equipped with the Vickers Wellesley
. In 1938 the squadron moved to RAF Driffield
, to form part of No. 4 Group
, and re-equipped with Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
s. The squadron joined Coastal Command in May 1942 and was engaged in anti-submarine patrols, based at Chivenor.
In October 1942, the squadron converted to Halifaxes
at Elvington
, moving to Full Sutton in May 1944. On 8 May 1945 the squadron joined Transport Command, and in July 1945 re-equipped with Douglas Dakotas. The squadron moved to Broadwell
in August 1945 followed by a posting to India
in October 1945. The squadron was disbanded by being renumbered as No. 31 Squadron
on 1 November 1945.
It was reformed at Broadwell in December 1945 when No. 271 Squadron
was re-numbered. The squadron operated Dakotas during the Berlin Airlift, and then disbanded on 1 June 1949 at Waterbeach.
. The squadron was equipped with three Thor
Intermediate range ballistic missiles. and based at RAF Feltwell
.
In October 1962, during the Cuban missile crisis
, the squadron was kept at full readiness, with the missiles aimed at strategic targets in the USSR.
The squadron was disbanded on 10 July 1963 with the termination of the Thor Program in Britain.
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, and was equipped with B.E.2 and B.E.12
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12
|-See also:-External links:*...
aircraft. The squadron disbanded at RAF Turnhouse on June 13, 1919.
The squadron was reformed on 14 June 1937, at RAF Finningley
RAF Finningley
RAF Finningley is a former Royal Air Force station at Finningley, South Yorkshire, partly within the traditional county boundaries of Nottinghamshire and partly in the West Riding of Yorkshire, now wholly within the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster....
from 'B' Flight of No. 102 Squadron
No. 102 Squadron RAF
No. 102 Squadron was a Royal Air Force night bomber squadron in World War I and a heavy bomber squadron in World War II. After the war it flew briefly as a transport squadron before being reformed a light bomber unit with the Second Tactical Air Force within RAF Germany. Its last existence was as a...
. It operated the Hawker Audax until November 1937, then re-equipped with the Vickers Wellesley
Vickers Wellesley
The Vickers Wellesley was a British 1930s light bomber built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Brooklands near Weybridge, Surrey, for the Royal Air Force...
. In 1938 the squadron moved to 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...
, to form part of No. 4 Group
No. 4 Group RAF
No. 4 Group was a Royal Air Force group, originally formed in World War I, and reformed in the wake of the Second World War, mostly part of RAF Bomber Command, but ending its days in RAF Transport Command.-Formation in World War I:...
, and re-equipped with Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley
The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.38 Whitley was one of three British twin-engine, front line medium bomber types in service with the Royal Air Force at the outbreak of the Second World War...
s. The squadron joined Coastal Command in May 1942 and was engaged in anti-submarine patrols, based at Chivenor.
In October 1942, the squadron converted to Halifaxes
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...
at Elvington
RAF Elvington
RAF Elvington, located at Elvington, south east of York in Yorkshire was a Royal Air Force bomber base which operated from the beginning of World War II until 1992.-History:...
, moving to Full Sutton in May 1944. On 8 May 1945 the squadron joined Transport Command, and in July 1945 re-equipped with Douglas Dakotas. The squadron moved to Broadwell
RAF Broadwell
RAF Broadwell was a Royal Air Force station located 2 miles north of Broadwell and 3 miles southeast of Burford, Oxfordshire, within 2 miles of RAF Brize Norton. It opened on 15 November 1943 and closed on 31 March 1947, operating under RAF Transport Command...
in August 1945 followed by a posting to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in October 1945. The squadron was disbanded by being renumbered as No. 31 Squadron
No. 31 Squadron RAF
No. 31 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, known as the 'Goldstars', currently operates the Tornado GR4 from RAF Marham, Norfolk.-History:The squadron was formed at Farnborough on October 11, 1915. Its first deployment was to Risulpur, India with its BE2Cs and Farmans, and during this time it took...
on 1 November 1945.
It was reformed at Broadwell in December 1945 when No. 271 Squadron
No. 271 Squadron RAF
No. 271 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was operational for two periods; a few brief months between 27 September 1918 and 9 December 1918 operating flying boats to protect shipping from German U-boats, and between 28 March 1940 and 1 December 1946 No. 271 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was...
was re-numbered. The squadron operated Dakotas during the Berlin Airlift, and then disbanded on 1 June 1949 at Waterbeach.
Strategic missiles
The squadron was again reformed - as 77(SM) Sqn. - on 1 September 1958 as one of 20 Strategic Missile (SM) squadrons associated with Project EmilyProject Emily
Project Emily was the deployment of American-built PGM-17 Thor Intermediate-range ballistic missiles in the United Kingdom between 1959 and 1963....
. The squadron was equipped with three Thor
PGM-17 Thor
Thor was the first operational ballistic missile of the U.S. Air Force . Named after the Norse god of thunder, it was deployed in the United Kingdom between 1959 and September 1963 as an intermediate range ballistic missile with thermonuclear warheads. Thor was in height and in diameter. It was...
Intermediate range ballistic missiles. and based at RAF Feltwell
RAF Feltwell
RAF Feltwell is a Royal Air Force station in Norfolk, East Anglia that is currently used by the United States Air Forces Europe. The station is located about 10 miles west of Thetford, and is in the borough of King's Lynn at approximate Ordnance Survey grid reference .A former Second World War...
.
In October 1962, during the Cuban missile crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
, the squadron was kept at full readiness, with the missiles aimed at strategic targets in the USSR.
The squadron was disbanded on 10 July 1963 with the termination of the Thor Program in Britain.
Aircraft operated
- 1916-1918 Royal Aircraft Factory BE2c
- 1916-1918 Royal Aircraft Factory BE12Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12|-See also:-External links:*...
- 1916 Airco DH.6Airco DH.6The Airco DH.6 was a British military trainer biplane used by the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. Known by various nicknames, including the "Skyhook", the trainer became a widely used light civil aircraft in the postwar era....
- 1916 Royal Aircraft Factory BE2d
- 1917-1918 Royal Aircraft Factory BE2e
- 1917-1918 Royal Aircraft Factory RE8Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8The Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 was a British two-seat biplane reconnaissance and bomber aircraft of the First World War designed by John Kenworthy. Intended as a replacement for the vulnerable B.E.2, the R.E.8 was more difficult to fly, and was regarded with great suspicion at first in the Royal...
- 1917-1918 Royal Aircraft Factory BE12bRoyal Aircraft Factory B.E.12|-See also:-External links:*...
- 1918-1919 Avro 504K (NF)Avro 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...
- 1937 Hawker Audax
- 1937-1938 Vickers WellesleyVickers WellesleyThe Vickers Wellesley was a British 1930s light bomber built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Brooklands near Weybridge, Surrey, for the Royal Air Force...
- 1938-1939 Armstrong Whitworth Whitley IIIArmstrong Whitworth WhitleyThe Armstrong Whitworth A.W.38 Whitley was one of three British twin-engine, front line medium bomber types in service with the Royal Air Force at the outbreak of the Second World War...
- 1939-1942 Armstrong Whitworth Whitley V
- 1942-1945 Handley Page Halifax II, III, VI and VHandley Page HalifaxThe 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...
- 1945-1946 Douglas DakotaC-47 SkytrainThe 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...
- 1946-1949 Douglas Dakota
- 1958-1963 Thor IRBMPGM-17 ThorThor was the first operational ballistic missile of the U.S. Air Force . Named after the Norse god of thunder, it was deployed in the United Kingdom between 1959 and September 1963 as an intermediate range ballistic missile with thermonuclear warheads. Thor was in height and in diameter. It was...
External links
- http://www.raf.mod.uk/bombercommand/h77.html
- http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn076-80.htm
- http://www.77squadronrafassociation.org.uk