#fighter squadron

• No.56 Fighter Squadron RAF

Motto: Quid si coelum ruat ( 'What if heaven falls?')

Squadron Code: US

Number 56 Squadron, nicknamed the Firebirds for their ability to always reappear intact regardless of the odds, is one of the oldest and most successful squadrons of the Royal Air Force, with battle honours from many of the significant air campaigns of both World War I and World War II.

No. 56 Squadron was formed on June 8th, 1916 at Gosport, from members of No. 28 Squadron, as part of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC). On July 14th, the squadron relocated to London Colney. No. 56 Squadron received its first aircraft, a Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c on August 7th, which was followed by numerous other types. On March 13th, 1917, the squadron became the first unit in the entire RFC to be equipped with the then brand new Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5 fighter. on April 20th the squadron was moved to support the Second Battle of Arras and flew their first mission on the April 22nd. Its arrival at the front with the latest fighter, combined with the unusually high proportion of experienced pilots in its ranks, led to rumours among its German opponents that the squadron was an 'Anti-Richthofen Squadron', specifically dedicated to the removal of the Red Baron. The squadron did shoot down and kill Richthofen's nearest 1917 rival Leutnant Werner Voss in an epic dogfight.

On March 21st, 1918, the Germans began their Spring Offensive, this forced No. 56 Squadron to pull back to Valheureux, where from they conducted air-to-air patrols for the next four months. The squadron supported the buildup to and provided support during the Battle of Amiens. By the end of the war, No. 56 Squadron had scored 402 victories. During the course of the war, forty of the squadron's pilots were killed in action, twenty wounded and thirty-one taken prisoner. Following the interwar period, the squadron was repeatedly disbanded and relocated. In September 1924, No. 56 Squadron was assigned a red and white checker pattern as a means of squadron identification, something which the squadron would actively use up until 2008.

The squadron finally settled at RAF North Weald in October 1927, where it remained until the end of 1939 and the start of the Second World War. No. 56 Squadron converted to their last biplane, the Gloster Gladiator Mk.I, in July 1937. The Gladiators were flown up until May 1938 when the squadron acquired Hawker Hurricane Mk.Is. The squadron would operate the Hurricane in the opening stages of WW2. No. 56 Squadron's introduction to the Second World War came on September 6th, 1939. The Firebirds, then based at RAF North Weald, were the victims of a friendly fire incident by No. 74 Squadron known as the Battle of Barking Creek. The squadron entered the Second World War equipped with the Hawker Hurricane Mk.I and first saw action during the Battle of France, although they remained based in England and sent flights to France for short periods. The Firebirds ended the campaign by covering the Dunkirk evacuation.

As part of No. 11 Group, No. 56 Squadron was based at RAF North Weald at the beginning of the Battle of Britain. From there the squadron first engaged German aircraft on 31 July 1940. It was heavily involved in the fighting in the south of England during August, although the squadron moved to RAF Boscombe Down on September 1st. It was one of the few fighter squadrons to remain based in the south of England continuously through the battle, scoring 59 kills by the end. Afterwards restationed to Essex, while based here that No. 56 Squadron upgraded to the Hurricane Mk.IIb in February 1941. In April 1941, No. 56 Squadron gained its 'Punjab' nickname after the Indian province of Punjab raised money to have their name attached to a fighter, thus becoming an Indian 'gift' squadron. In September 1941, No. 56 Squadron became the first unit to receive the Hawker Typhoon Mk.Ia which, although troublesome to begin with, the squadron helped turn into a usable fighter.

From August 1942 to July 1943, the unit was based with No. 12 Group at RAF Matlaske in Norfolk. During this time, No. 56 Squadron's role changed from that of low-level defence against Focke-Wulf Fw 190 and Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter-bomber attacks into becoming fighter bombers themselves, attacking ground and sea targets. No. 56 Squadron was to score one confirmed victory while flying Typhoons. After moving around multiple bases in the UK, the squadron moved up to RAF Scorton, Yorkshire on April 7th, 1944, where they converted to the Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX. From here the squadron flew escort and reconnaissance missions. As a unit of No. 150 Wing, under the command of Wing Commander Roland Beamont, No. 56 Squadron became an air defence squadron. It was tasked with defending Britain from V-1 flying bombs – of which between 70 and ​77 1⁄2 were shot down by the squadron.

”Jolly Rogers”