Lucky13
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After buying the old vintage 172 Airfix, I've been playing with the idea of getting the Valom 1/72 Hampden, to see what's what, because I suspect that the Airfix Hampden out now, is re-pop of the old molds, right?
This time I was thinking a No. 144 Squadron bird..
On 11 January 1937, No 144 was re-formed at Bicester as a bomber unit and was equipped, at first, with four Boulton-Paul Overstrand aircraft (loaned by its "foster-parent", No 101 Squadron.) No. 144 was flying Handley Page Hampdens from RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire, at the outbreak of the Second World War but did not get an opportunity to do any operational work, until the war was nearly three weeks old. Then, on 26 September 1939, its chance finally came when it was ordered to despatch 12 Hampdens to search for and attack enemy naval vessels which had been reported in the North Sea. Flying in two formations of six, the Hampdens approached to within about 12 miles of the German coast but the only naval vessels sighted were two submarines-presumably of unknown nationality and the aircraft returned to base with their bomb loads intact.
The squadron's next mission, another armed reconnaissance over the North Sea on 29 September, was a very different story indeed. Eleven Hampdens, split into two sections - a section of five led by Wing Commander JC Cunningham, the CO, and a section of six led by Squadron Leader WJH Lindley - were detailed to search part of the Heligoland Bight to within sight of the German coast. Cunningham's section left Hemswell at 4.50pm and was not heard from again. Lindley's section found two enemy destroyers in the search area steaming east in line astern at 20 knots but, owing to the destroyers' manoeuvres and "flak" umbrella, only three Hampdens were able to attack; the results were not observed. All six Hampdens returned safely to base.
In the ensuing months the squadron "stood to" for shipping searches on several occasions but only once - on 14 December - was it required to operate; the mission was uneventful.
The first occasion on which No, 144 Squadron flew over the German mainland was the night of 24/25 February 1940, when propaganda leaflets or Nickels were dropped on Hamburg. On 6 March, by which time it had Nickelled several other German towns and by which time also it had flown a number of security patrols, the squadron took part in Bomber Command's first attack on a German land objective - the minelaying-seaplane base at Hornum. Just over two months later (by which time minelaying had been added to its duties) No 144 shared in another notable "first" - the first big bombing attack on the German mainland (the exits of München-Gladbach).
The Squadron continued to operate with Bomber Command until 1942, and during this period, in addition to its normal night-bombing attacks and minelaying expeditions, it occasionally undertook certain other tasks such as daylight bombing against German warships at Brest and night-intruder operations against enemy searchlight installations. One night in November 1941, one of the squadron's Hampdens bombed from a very low level and set on fire a 10,000-ton merchantman - the largest of several vessels in an enemy convoy - off the Frisian Islands. It was learned afterwards that Major-General Felix Varda, the commander of the Western anti-aircraft defences, was on board this ship and was among those killed as a result of the Hampden's attack.
On 21 April 1942, the squadron's association with Bomber Command ended when it was transferred to Coastal Command.
Are these 5 Hampdens still reported as missing, that's how I read this, that they disappeared....anyway to find out codes besides their PL?
This time I was thinking a No. 144 Squadron bird..
On 11 January 1937, No 144 was re-formed at Bicester as a bomber unit and was equipped, at first, with four Boulton-Paul Overstrand aircraft (loaned by its "foster-parent", No 101 Squadron.) No. 144 was flying Handley Page Hampdens from RAF Hemswell, Lincolnshire, at the outbreak of the Second World War but did not get an opportunity to do any operational work, until the war was nearly three weeks old. Then, on 26 September 1939, its chance finally came when it was ordered to despatch 12 Hampdens to search for and attack enemy naval vessels which had been reported in the North Sea. Flying in two formations of six, the Hampdens approached to within about 12 miles of the German coast but the only naval vessels sighted were two submarines-presumably of unknown nationality and the aircraft returned to base with their bomb loads intact.
The squadron's next mission, another armed reconnaissance over the North Sea on 29 September, was a very different story indeed. Eleven Hampdens, split into two sections - a section of five led by Wing Commander JC Cunningham, the CO, and a section of six led by Squadron Leader WJH Lindley - were detailed to search part of the Heligoland Bight to within sight of the German coast. Cunningham's section left Hemswell at 4.50pm and was not heard from again. Lindley's section found two enemy destroyers in the search area steaming east in line astern at 20 knots but, owing to the destroyers' manoeuvres and "flak" umbrella, only three Hampdens were able to attack; the results were not observed. All six Hampdens returned safely to base.
In the ensuing months the squadron "stood to" for shipping searches on several occasions but only once - on 14 December - was it required to operate; the mission was uneventful.
The first occasion on which No, 144 Squadron flew over the German mainland was the night of 24/25 February 1940, when propaganda leaflets or Nickels were dropped on Hamburg. On 6 March, by which time it had Nickelled several other German towns and by which time also it had flown a number of security patrols, the squadron took part in Bomber Command's first attack on a German land objective - the minelaying-seaplane base at Hornum. Just over two months later (by which time minelaying had been added to its duties) No 144 shared in another notable "first" - the first big bombing attack on the German mainland (the exits of München-Gladbach).
The Squadron continued to operate with Bomber Command until 1942, and during this period, in addition to its normal night-bombing attacks and minelaying expeditions, it occasionally undertook certain other tasks such as daylight bombing against German warships at Brest and night-intruder operations against enemy searchlight installations. One night in November 1941, one of the squadron's Hampdens bombed from a very low level and set on fire a 10,000-ton merchantman - the largest of several vessels in an enemy convoy - off the Frisian Islands. It was learned afterwards that Major-General Felix Varda, the commander of the Western anti-aircraft defences, was on board this ship and was among those killed as a result of the Hampden's attack.
On 21 April 1942, the squadron's association with Bomber Command ended when it was transferred to Coastal Command.
Are these 5 Hampdens still reported as missing, that's how I read this, that they disappeared....anyway to find out codes besides their PL?
