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No.109 Sqn RAF - Squadron Profile.

No.109 Sqn RAF

Founded : 1st November 1917
Country : UK
Fate : Disbanded 1st February 1957
Known Aircraft Codes : HS

Primi hastati - The first of the legion

The squadron first formed on 1 November 1917 as 109 Squadron Royal Flying Corps at South Carlton and began training on the de Havilland DH.9 bomber but was disbanded on 19 August 1918 without becoming operational On 10th December 1940, the squadron was re-born from the Wireless Intelligence Development Unit (WIDU) whose headquarters were at Boscombe Down, Wilts. Using Anson and Wellington aircraft it was engaged during the next two years in development of radio counter-measures and also new radar aids, notably the blind bombing system known as Oboe. In August, 1942, No. 109 moved to Wyton to become one of the original units of the Pathfinder Force.1 In December it converted to Oboe Mosquitoes and on 2Oth/21st made World War 2 history by flying the first Oboe sorties over enemy territory - on a calibration raid against a power station at Lutterade in Holland. Eight nights later, on 31st December/1st January 1943, it made history again when it pioneered Oboe target marking for a following force of heavy bombers; the target was Düsseldorf. The squadron remained an Oboe Mosquito marker unit for the rest of the war and from mid-1943 had a friendly PFF rival in No. 105 Squadron. One of No. 109's most outstanding successes was on 5/6th March, 1943, when eight of its Mosquitoes led Bomber Command's devastating assault on Essen which laid waste more than 160 acres of that city and heralded the Battle of the Ruhr. Included among the squadron's many other wartime claims to fame is the claim that the last bombs to be dropped on Berlin were dropped by one of its Mosquitos at 2.14am on 21st April, 1945. On 30 September 1945 the Squadron was disbanded. Among the scores of decorations won by No. 109 Squadron personnel was a Victoria Cross. It was awarded posthumously to Squadron Leader BAM Palmer, "in recognition of most conspicuous bravery" while flying a Lancaster of No. 582 Squadron (mainly with a 582 Squadron crew) and acting as Oboe leader of a Lancaster force against Cologne on 23rd December 1944. On 1 October 1945, No. 627 Squadron at Woodhall Spa was renumbered 109 Squadron and flew Mosquitoes as a target marking unit until conversion to Canberras began in July 1952. It eventually re-equipped with Canberras and saw action in the Suez campaign. With the increase of the V bomber force the squadron was no longer needed and was finally disbanded on 1 February 1957 at RAF Binbrook.

No.109 Sqn RAF

No.109 Sqn RAF Artwork

No.109 Sqn RAF Artwork Collection



Clipped Signature - Ron Curtis.


Top Dog by Robert Taylor.

Aircraft for : No.109 Sqn RAF
A list of all aircraft known to have been flown by No.109 Sqn RAF. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name.
SquadronInfo

Anson


Click the name above to see prints featuring Anson aircraft.

Manufacturer : Avro

Anson

Full profile not yet available.

Lancaster




Click the name above to see prints featuring Lancaster aircraft.

Manufacturer : Avro
Production Began : 1942
Retired : 1963
Number Built : 7377

Lancaster

The Avro Lancaster arose from the avro Manchester and the first prototype Lancaster was a converted Manchester with four engines. The Lancaster was first flown in January 1941, and started operations in March 1942. By March 1945 The Royal Air Force had 56 squadrons of Lancasters with the first squadron equipped being No.44 Squadron. During World War Two the Avro Lancaster flew 156,000 sorties and dropped 618,378 tonnes of bombs between 1942 and 1945. Lancaster Bomberss took part in the devastating round-the-clock raids on Hamburg during Air Marshall Harris' Operation Gomorrah in July 1943. Just 35 Lancasters completed more than 100 successful operations each, and 3,249 were lost in action. The most successful survivor completed 139 operations, and the Lancaster was scrapped after the war in 1947. A few Lancasters were converted into tankers and the two tanker aircraft were joined by another converted Lancaster and were used in the Berlin Airlift, achieving 757 tanker sorties. A famous Lancaster bombing raid was the 1943 mission, codenamed Operation Chastise, to destroy the dams of the Ruhr Valley. The operation was carried out by 617 Squadron in modified Mk IIIs carrying special drum shaped bouncing bombs designed by Barnes Wallis. Also famous was a series of Lancaster attacks using Tallboy bombs against the German battleship Tirpitz, which first disabled and later sank the ship. The Lancaster bomber was the basis of the new Avro Lincoln bomber, initially known as the Lancaster IV and Lancaster V. (Becoming Lincoln B1 and B2 respectively.) Their Lancastrian airliner was also based on the Lancaster but was not very successful. Other developments were the Avro York and the successful Shackleton which continued in airborne early warning service up to 1992.

Mosquito




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Manufacturer : De Havilland
Production Began : 1940
Retired : 1955
Number Built : 7781

Mosquito

Used as a night fighter, fighter bomber, bomber and Photo-reconnaissance, with a crew of two, Maximum speed was 425 mph, at 30,300 feet, 380mph at 17,000ft. and a ceiling of 36,000feet, maximum range 3,500 miles. the Mosquito was armed with four 20mm Hospano cannon in belly and four .303 inch browning machine guns in nose. Coastal strike aircraft had eight 3-inch Rockets under the wings, and one 57mm shell gun in belly. The Mossie at it was known made its first flight on 25th November 1940, and the mosquito made its first operational flight for the Royal Air Force as a reconnaissance unit based at Benson. In early 1942, a modified version (mark II) operated as a night fighter with 157 and 23 squadron's. In April 1943 the first De Haviland Mosquito saw service in the Far east and in 1944 The Mosquito was used at Coastal Command in its strike wings. Bomber Commands offensive against Germany saw many Mosquitos, used as photo Reconnaissance aircraft, Fighter Escorts, and Path Finders. The Mosquito stayed in service with the Royal Air Force until 1955. and a total of 7781 mosquito's were built.

Wellington




Click the name above to see prints featuring Wellington aircraft.

Manufacturer : Vickers
Production Began : 1938
Retired : 1953

Wellington

The Vickers Wellington was a Bomber aircraft and also used for maritime reconnaissance. and had a normal crew of six except in the MKV and VI where a crew of three was used. Maximum speed was 235 mph (MK1c) 255 mph (MK III, X) and 299 mph (MK IIII), normal operating range of 1805 miles (except MK III which was 1470miles) The Wellington or Wimpy as it was known, was the major bomber of the Royal Air Force between 1939 and 1943. The Royal Air Force received its first Wellingtons in October 1938 to 99 squadron. and by the outbreak of World war two there were 6 squadrons equipped with the Vickers Wellington. Due to heavy losses on daylight raids, the Wellington became a night bomber and from 1940 was also used as a long range bomber in North Africa. and in 1942 also became a long range bomber for the royal Air Force in India. It was well used by Coastal Command as a U-Boat Hunter. The Wellington remained in service with the Royal Air Force until 1953. Probably due to its versatile use, The aircraft was also used for experimental work including the fitting of a pressure cabin for High altitude tests. The Vickers Wellington could sustain major damage and still fly, probably due to its construction of its geodesic structure and practical application of geodesic lines. Designed by Sir Barnes Wallis
Signatures for : No.109 Sqn RAF
A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking their name.
NameInfo

Squadron Leader Ron Curtis DSO DFC
Click the name above to see prints signed by Squadron Leader Ron Curtis DSO DFC
Squadron Leader Ron Curtis DSO DFC

Qualifying as an Observer in 1941, Ron joined 144 Squadron on Hamden’s before transferring to 44 Squadron at Waddington as a Navigator on Lancaster’s. At the end of the 1942 he moved to Marham, converting to Mosquitos, and in 1943 was posted to 109 Squadron equipped with Oboe as part of the Pathfinder Force. He flew 104 Oboe operations and 139 ops in total, and was widely credited with helping advance development of the Oboe system.




Arthur Dunlop
Click the name above to see prints signed by Arthur Dunlop
Arthur Dunlop

Flight Lieutenant A.C. Dunlop R.A.F.V.R (Navigator) joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in November 1940 and trained in Canada. On return to the UK he crewed up with Max Sparks in July 1942 with whom he undertook 35 operations. Posted to 487 R.N.Z A.F Squadron, they first flew Lockheed Venturas (modified airliners) against targets such as dockyards (e.g. Rotterdam), airfields and marshalling yards in occupied Europe. Fortunately, after escalating losses, the Squadron was re-equipped with De Havilland Mosquito Mk VIs in August 1943 and low-level operations against pinpoint targets such as VI and V2 rocket sites were undertaken, together with night intruder sorties. It was in February 1944 that 487 Squadron was selected to lead the low level raid on Amiens Prison whereby breaching the walls enabled 285 French patriots to escape execution by the Germans, where his Mosquito HX982 EG-T was damaged by flak and suffered an undercarriage failure on its return to base. He and his pilot were ok. In July 1944 Flt.Lt. A.C Dunlop left '487' when he was posted to India as an instructor. On his return to the U.K. he was posted to Bomber Command 105 and 139 (Jamaica) Squadrons and demobilised in April 1946.



Squadron Leader Leonard C. Jacobe DFC RAAF
Click the name above to see prints signed by Squadron Leader Leonard C. Jacobe DFC RAAF
Squadron Leader Leonard C. Jacobe DFC RAAF

Joined the RAAF in February 1941 and after training and instructing, was posted to fly Mosquitos with 109 Sqn PFF in June 1943. During his time with 109, Len completed 96 sorties, flew LR503 on two occasions, and attacked every main target with the squadron, including ground marking of German coastal batteries on the eve of the Normandy landings on June 6th 1944.



No victories listed for this squadron

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