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Cranston Fine Arts  Aviation Art and Artists World War Two Squadrons UK and Commonwealth No.1 Sqn to No.37 Sqn  No.6 Sqn |
[UP] - No.1 Sqn - No.1 Sqn SAAF - No.3 Sqn - No.3 Sqn RAAF - No.6 Sqn - No.7 Sqn - No.9 Sqn - No.12 Sqn - No.14 Sqn - No.15 Sqn - No.16 Sqn RNZAF - No.17 Sqn - No.19 Sqn - No.21 Sqn - No.22 Sqn - No.23 Sqn - No.25 Sqn - No.32 Sqn - No.35 Sqn - No.37 Sqn |
Oculi exercitus - The eyes of the army
The squadron was formed on 31 January 1914, at Farnborough as No. 6 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Its first squadron commander was Major John Becke. The Squadron finished the war flying RE8s, and shortly after the end of the War, it transferred to Iraq and re-equipped with Bristol Fighters.
During the following years, it undertook operations against various uprisings before transferring to Egypt in 1929 and receiving Fairey Gordon bombers. Following increased tension between Arabs and Jews No 6 Sqn moved to Ramleh in Palestine during 1937 with Hawker Hardys. During the early part of WWII, the Squadron and its Lysanders remained in Palestine, but detached aircraft to the Western Desert until 1941 when Hurricanes were on strength. Further action in the Desert on anti-tank duties continued from 1942 until the end of the North African campaign. After converting to rocket-firing Hurricanes in 1944, the Squadron moved to Italy and flew the remainder of the War over the Balkans. A brief stint in Palestine after the War as followed by a move to Cyprus with Tempests.In July 1945, the squadron moved to Palestine. They cooperated with the police, patrolling the Kirkuk-to-Haifa oil pipeline to prevent terrorist attacks. The squadron remained in the Middle East until 1969. During this period, the squadron went from being equipped with Hurricanes (and for a brief period four Spitfires due to a lack of available Hurricanes) to Hawker Tempest Mk. VIs and subsequently De Havilland Vampire FB.5s. In January 1950 the squadron moved to RAF Habbaniya in Iraq with many moves back and forth between RAF Habbaniya and RAF Shaibah in Iraq, RAF Abu Sueir and RAF Deversoir in the Suez Canal Zone, RAF Nicosia in Cyprus, RAF Mafraq and RAF Amman in Jordan and detachments throughout the Middle East Throughout this period, it continued to operate Vampires and a twin-seat Gloster Meteor T.7 until re-equipped with De Haviland Venoms
The Squadron finally left the Middle East in 1969 when it moved to Coningsby to become the first Phantom Squadron. During 1974, No 6 Sqn moved to RAF Coltishall and re-equipped with Jaguar fighter bombers. Operational deployments with the Jaguar have seen the squadron involved in Operation Granby (Gulf War 1), Warden (later Op Resinate North - Northern Iraq - until 2003) and Deny Flight (Balkans). In April 2006 No 6 Sqn moved to RAF Coningsby where it was the last RAF Sqn operating the Jaguar.
On Monday 6 September 2010, No 6 Squadron, the first Typhoon fighter squadron in Scotland, officially stood up at Royal Air Force Leuchars.
| No.6 Sqn Aviation Art Prints, Paintings and Drawings Aviation Prints |
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| Text for the above items : |
Jaguar Farewell by Michael Rondot. The Jaguar served with the Royal Air Force from 1974 to 2007 as a strike/attack and reconnaissance fighter bomber, equipping eight squadrons in Germany and the UK during the Cold War, and was used in combat during the first Gulf War and in the Balkans conflict. Now at the end of its RAF career, it will be remembered as a rugged and reliable aircraft, capable of finding and putting bombs on a target in bad weather with unprecedented accuracy. This print portrays the Jaguar in typical Jaguar weather climbing on full reheat afterburners! Showing off the classic lines of this incredible aircraft and chosen by the Pilots of 6 Sqn, the final Jaguar Sqn, it is sure to be the true collectors choice for as Michael Rondot, drawing on his own experiences as a Jaguar pilot, has created a fine tribute and a fitting epitaph to an outstanding combat aircraft. |
Can Openers by David Pentland. Two Hawker Hurricane Mk.IID tank busters of No.6 Shiny Six Squadron about to attack retreating axis mechanised units, November 1942 at El Alamein. |
Lanoe G Hawker by Ivan Berryman. Major Lanoe G Hawkers Bristol Scout C 1611, the No 6 Sqn aircraft in which he shot down two enemy planes on 25th July, 1915, and sufficiently damaged a third enemy aircraft to force it to the ground. He is shown here in combat with an Albatross C.III - soon to fall as one of his victims that day. Lanoe G Hawker earned the first aerial Victoria Cross (VC) of the war for this action, but was killed in November 1916, after a lengthy battle with the infamous Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen, becoming his 11th victim. |
Tribute to Louis Strange by Ivan Berryman. Having made his name as a fine fighter pilot, innovator and prankster, Royal Navy pilot Captain Louis Strange took the air in his 6 Sqn BE2c on Christmas Day 1914, flew menacingly low over the German occupied airfield at Lille and bombed it with footballs. |
| No.6 Sqn RAF Aircraft details |
 Anson Manufacturer : Avro Built : 11020 | Anson he Avro Anson originated from the Avro 652 commercial aircraft which first flew on 7th January 1935. It was a twin-engine British-built multi-role aircraft which saw distinctive service with both the Royal Air Force and The Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm as well as The Royal Canadian Air Force during and after the Second World War. The prototype 652A first flew at Woodford on 7th January 1935 and was developed from an initial airliner design and named after Admiral George Anson. The adaptation for a coastal reconnaissance role resulted in the production variant, the Avro 652a, which flew at Woodford on New Years Eve 1935 with the type entering service in March 1936 as the Anson Mk1. Initially it was flown with a 3-man crew but later developments in its reconnaissance role required a 4th crew member. The Anson entered service on 6 March 1936 with 48 Squadron equipped with the Anson. At the start of the Second World War, the RAF had received 824 Ansons and there were 26 RAF squadrons operating the Anson I: 10 with Coastal Command and 16 with Bomber Command. All of the squadrons in Bomber Command in 1939 with Anson Is were operational training squadrons that prepared crews for frontline service. 12 of the squadrons were in No. 6 (Operational Training) Group. Newly formed crews having completed individual flying and technical training were first trained as bomber crews in Ansons and then advanced to the various frontline aircraft types, which were also in the same squadrons with the Ansons. After training in the frontline aircraft type, crews would advance to the frontline bomber squadrons with those aircraft types (Fairey Battle, Bristol Blenheim, Vickers Wellington, Armstrong Whitworth Whitley, and Handley-Page Hampden). At the start of the war, the Lockheed Hudson was beginning to replace the Ansons in Coastal Command with one squadron of Hudsons and one with both Ansons and Hudsons. Limited numbers of Ansons continued to serve in operational roles such as coastal patrols and air/sea rescue. Early in the war, an Anson scored a probable hit on a German U-boat. In June 1940, a flight of three Ansons was attacked by nine Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf 109s. Remarkably, before the dogfight ended, without losing any of their own, one of the Ansons destroyed two German aircraft and damaged a third. The aircraft's true role, however, was to train pilots for flying multi-engined bombers such as the Avro Lancaster. The Anson was also used to train the other members of a bomber's aircrew, such as navigators, wireless operators, bomb aimers and air gunners. Postwar, the Anson continued in the training and light transport roles. The last Ansons were withdrawn from RAF service with communications units on 28 June 1968. The Royal Australian Air Force operated 1,028 Ansons, mainly Mk Is, until 1955 |
 Bristol F2B Manufacturer : Bristol Built : 0 | Bristol F2B The Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 First World war early two-seater pusher biplane and was used by the Royal Flying Corps as a fighter and also as a day or night bomber. The FE2 was one of the few aircraft which gave the allies the edge over the Fokker aircraft of 1914/1915. In May 1915 the F.E.2b entered service with No 6 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and it was 20 squadron which was the first squadron to be totally equipped with Fe2 aircraft which was deployed in January 1916. The Fe2B remained in day use throughout 1916 and 1917 and in 1918 was used solely as a night bomber. The FE2b equipped 22 squadrons, 16 of which served in France with the other 6 serving the home defence. As the German fighters got better the FE2B was outclassed and was used only as a light night bomber or used on the home defense front against the Zeppelins. Crew: Two Speed: 80 knots (91.5 mph,) Endurance 3 hours Ceiling 11,000 ft Maximum take off weight 3,037 lbs Length: 32 ft 3 in Height: 12 ft 8 in Wingspan 495 ft² Engine Beardmore 6 cylinder inline piston engine giving 160 HP |
FE.2 Manufacturer : the Royal Aircraft Factory Built : 1939 | FE.2 The F.E.2a entered service in May 1915 with No. 6 Squadron RFC, which used the F.E.2 in conjunction with B.E.2s and a single Bristol Scout. The first squadron to be equipped entirely with the F.E.2 was 20 Squadron, deploying to France on 23 January 1916. At this stage it served as a fighter-reconnaissance aircraft – eventually about ⅔ of the F.E.2s were built as fighters (816) and ⅓ as bombers (395). The F.E.2b and F.E.2d variants remained in day operations well into 1917, while the "b" continued as a standard night bomber until August 1918. At its peak, the F.E.2b equipped 16 RFC squadrons in France and six Home Defence squadrons in England. On 18 June 1916, German flying ace Max Immelmann was killed in combat with F.E.2bs of No. 25 Squadron RFC. The squadron claimed the kill, but the German version of the encounter is either that Immelmann's Fokker Eindecker broke up, after his synchroniser gear failed and he shot off his own propeller or that he was hit by friendly fire from German anti-aircraft guns. In any case, by this time the F.E.2b was at least encountering the German monoplane fighters on more or less even terms and the so-called "Fokker scourge" ended. By autumn 1916, the arrival of more modern German fighters such as the Albatros D.I and Halberstadt D.II meant that even the F.E.2d was outperformed and by April 1917, it had been withdrawn from offensive patrols. Despite its obsolescence in 1917, the F.E.2 was still well liked by its crews for its strength and good flight characteristics and it still occasionally proved a difficult opponent for even the best German aces. Rittmeister Baron von Richthofen was badly wounded in the head during combat with F.E.2d aircraft in June 1917 – the Red Baron, like most German pilots of the period, classed the F.E.2 as a "Vickers" type, confusing it with the earlier Vickers F.B.5. |
Hardy | Hardy No profile available |
 Hart Manufacturer : Hawker Built : 1042 | Hart During the mid 1920’s The British Air Ministry recoignised the need for a light Bomber. The options were proposed the Avro Antelope, Fairey Fox and the Hawker Hart. Due to the low cost of maintenance for the hawker hart. It was chosen over the other two. The first prototype flew in June 1928 (J9052). Hawker Harts were first used in 1930 by No.33 Squadron at Eastchurch. Many of these aircraft were used overseas in India, the Middle East and South Africa, with some alterations being made to tropicalise the aircraft. With the Outcome being the Hart India. The Hawker Hart saw service during the Abyssinian Crisis in 1935/36 and served also in the North West Frontier of India. However, in Britain, most were being replaced by 1936, some still operating well into World War Two. Mainly in communication and Training roles until 1943 having been used by a total of 20 RAF and AAF Squadrons. A total of 1042 of this aircraft were built. The Hawker Hart saw service with many air forces. Including The Swedish Air Force who used it to great success as a dive bomber. (calling the Hart the B4), Egyptian Air Force, Royal Indian Air Force, Southern Rhodesian Air Force and Yugoslavian air force. |
 Hurricane Manufacturer : Hawker Built : 14533 | Hurricane Royal Air Force Fighter, the Hawker Hurricane had a top speed of 320mph, at 18,200 feet and 340mph at 17,500, ceiling of 34,200 and a range of 935 miles. The Hurricane was armed with eight fixed wing mounted .303 browning machine guns in the Mark I and twelve .303 browning's in the MKIIB in the Hurricane MKIIC it had four 20mm cannon. All time classic fighter the Hurricane was designed in 1933-1934, the first prototype flew in June 1936 and a contract for 600 for the Royal Air Force was placed. The first production model flew ion the 12th October 1937 and 111 squadron of the Royal Air Force received the first Hurricanes in January 1938. By the outbreak of World war two the Royal Air Force had 18 operational squadrons of Hurricanes. During the Battle of Britain a total of 1715 Hurricanes took part, (which was more than the rest of the aircraft of the Royal air force put together) and almost 75% of the Victories during the Battle of Britain went to hurricane pilots. The Hawker Hurricane was used in all theatres during World war two, and in many roles. in total 14,533 Hurricanes were built. |
 Jaguar | Jaguar No profile available |
 Spitfire Manufacturer : Supermarine Built : 20351 | Spitfire Royal Air Force fighter aircraft, maximum speed for mark I Supermarine Spitfire, 362mph up to The Seafire 47 with a top speed of 452mph. maximum ceiling for Mk I 34,000feet up to 44,500 for the mark XIV. Maximum range for MK I 575 miles . up to 1475 miles for the Seafire 47. Armament for the various Marks of Spitfire. for MK I, and II . eight fixed .303 browning Machine guns, for MKs V-IX and XVI two 20mm Hispano cannons and four .303 browning machine guns. and on later Marks, six to eight Rockets under the wings or a maximum bomb load of 1,000 lbs. Designed by R J Mitchell, The proto type Spitfire first flew on the 5th March 1936. and entered service with the Royal Air Force in August 1938, with 19 squadron based and RAF Duxford. by the outbreak of World war two, there were twelve squadrons with a total of 187 spitfires, with another 83 in store. Between 1939 and 1945, a large variety of modifications and developments produced a variety of MK,s from I to XVI. The mark II came into service in late 1940, and in March 1941, the Mk,V came into service. To counter the Improvements in fighters of the Luftwaffe especially the FW190, the MK,XII was introduced with its Griffin engine. The Fleet Air Arm used the Mk,I and II and were named Seafires. By the end of production in 1948 a total of 20,351 spitfires had been made and 2408 Seafires. The most produced variant was the Spitfire Mark V, with a total of 6479 spitfires produced. The Royal Air Force kept Spitfires in front line use until April 1954. |
 Tempest Manufacturer : Hawker Built : 1395 | Tempest The Hawker Tempest was a much improved development of the Typhoon and first flew in June 1943. and started service with the RAF in April 1944. mainly serving in the attack role in Europe against ground targets including the V1 Flying Bomb installations. It remained in service after the war until 1949 when it was eventually replaced by the Jet Aircraft. but continued for another 4 years in the Indian and Pakistan air forces. In total no less than 1395 Hawker Tempests were built. Speed: 426mph at 18,500 feet, Crew One. Range 800 miles. Armament: Four 20mm Hispano cannons mounted in the wings and a bomb payload of upto 2,000 lbs. |
 Venom | Venom No profile available |
| No.6 Sqn RAF Pilot and aircrew signature details |
Flight Lieutenant Paul Binns Our estimated value of this signature : £15 | Flight Lieutenant Paul Binns Jaguar pilot, No.16 Sqn. Flight Lieutenant Paul Binns joined the Royal Air Force in 1988 and completed his Officer Training at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell. Following flying training on the Jet Provost and the Hawk, he was posted to Lossiemouth in 1990 to 237(R) Squadron, the Buccaneer Operational Conversion Unit. After his conversion course, Paul was posted to 12(B) Squadron to fly the Buccaneer S2B in the maritime Strike/Attack Role. When 12(B) Squadron re-roled, Paul was posted 208 Squadron to continue flying the Buccaneer. With the demise of the Buccaneer in 1994, Paul was posted to 6 Squadron at Coltishall, flying the Jaguar GR1A. He has flown on exercises throughout Europe, North America and the Middle-East in addition to flying on peace-keeping operations over the former Yugoslavia. In 1998 Paul completed the Jaguar Qualified Weapons Instructor Course and was posted to the instructional staff of 16(R) Squadron, the Jaguar Operational Conversion Unit at Lossiemouth. When not displaying, his job on the Squadron is to teach pilots to fly and operate the Jaguar. |
Squadron Leader Robin Langdon-Davies DFC Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2005 | Squadron Leader Robin Langdon-Davies DFC Officer Commanding 6 Squadron 1944, Hurricane ground attack Pilot. Born in Southampton in 1920 to pacifist Quakers, Robin and his family sailed on the Lancastria for New York in 1925, and lived fleetingly in Ridgewood, New Jersey, and then, very happily, from 1926 to 1928, at San Feliu de Guixols in Catalonia. He and his older brother led lives of enviable freedom even if not allowed to play warlike games, except cavaliers and roundheads. Robin was the roundhead. Their parents' marriage broke up and they moved to Devon, but the boys ran away from the progressive Dartington Hall and were sent to Leighton Park. Back in England after the Spanish civil war, Robin began studying chartered accountancy, and while taking his articles in Oxford he met Cicely Dyer. They married in 1941. The civil war had deeply affected him, and he devoted himself to campaigning for the Spanish republic. In July 1940, he enlisted in the RAF and went on to fly Hurricanes, Spitfires and Mustangs. His favourite plane was the Bristol Beaufighter, which he flew with 6 Squadron in the Adriatic in 1943 on anti-shipping missions. One day, out of four fighter-bombers two, were lost. Retaliatory action was taken and his co-pilot recalled Robin observing 'this is worth a posthumous DFC'. Robin got the medal two months later and became officer in charge of 6 Squadron in 1944. Sadly he passed away in October 2005 aged 84. |
Squadron Leader Ron Mudge Our estimated value of this signature : £45 | Squadron Leader Ron Mudge 6 Squadron Western Desert 1942 Hurricane IID Vickers 40mm Cannon fitter/armourer |
Flying Officer Burt Newman Our estimated value of this signature : £40 | Flying Officer Burt Newman 6 Squadron Hurricane ground attack Pilot 1944-1946. Awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. |
Group Captain Herbert M Pinfold Our estimated value of this signature : £55 Died : 2009 | Group Captain Herbert M Pinfold Group Captain Herbert Moreton Pinfold, Battle of Britian pilot with 56 Squadron flying Hurricanes, he also flew with 6, 64, 502 and 603 Squadrons. Sadly, Herbert Pinfold passed away on 19th October 2009. Group Captain Herbert Moreton Pinfold was born 5th February 1913 and joined the Royal Air Force in August 1934 at the age of 21. In September Herbert Pinfold was posted to 5 FTS, Sealand and with training completed, on the 5th of September he was sent to join 6 Squadron at Ismailia, Egypt. He returned to the UK on 19th March 1936 and joined the newly formed 64 Squadron. The squadron were flying Hawker Demons, and were moved to the Western Desert to combat the Italian Air Force threat. The squadron returned to the UK in September. After a short spell as personal assistant and pilot to AOC 11 Group, Herbert Pinfold was sent on a Flying Instructors Course at RAF Upavon. After completing the instructors course he was posted to 502 Squadron, AuxAF as Flying Instructor and Adjutant at RAF Aldergrove, Northern Ireland on 16th July 1938. In January 1939, Herbert Pinfold went to RAF Turnhouse, Edinburgh and joined 603 Squadron where the squadron were flying Gladiators and then Spitfires. He went to 3 FTS, South Cerney on 2nd July 1940, as an instructor. On the 11th of August Penfold went to Aston Down and converted to Hurricanes. Herbert Pinfold took command of 56 Squadron at North Weald on the 25th, remaining with it until 29th January 1941, after this he was posted to 10 FTS at Tern Hill when he returned to flying instruction with a posting to 10 FTS, Tern Hill. Herbert Pinfold completed the RAF Staff College course and went on a number fo staff positions in the UK and also overseas including Ceylon and Singapore. Coming back to the UK Herbert Pinfold took command of Duxford, at that time flying Meteors, after which was posted to the Air Ministry. In 1953 Herbert was appointed Air Attache in Rome, before returning to the UK in 1956 for a second spell as Station Commander of Duxford. On the 1st of October 1958 Herbet Pinfold retired at the rank of Group Captain. Sadly, Herbert Pinfold passed away on 19th October 2009. |
 Wing Commander Mike Seares MBE Our estimated value of this signature : £45 Died : 2005 | Wing Commander Mike Seares MBE Mike Seares joined the RAF in 1984 and graduated from flying training with HRH Prince Feisal in 1988 and joined 54(F) Sqn. He flew Jaguars during the 1991 Gulf War before becoming a QWI and flight commander on 6Sqn. He achieved 3,000 hours on the type during the squadron's diamond-nine flypast at the Families' Day. One of the youngest squadron commanders in the RAF, he assumed command of 6 Sqn at RAF Coltishall in 2002. He was promoted to Headquarters Strike Command at High Wycombe, Bucks, before being made Group Captain in November 2004. Sadly, Mike Seares died in August 2005. |
Wing Commander John Sullivan Our estimated value of this signature : £10 | Wing Commander John Sullivan CO of No.6 Squadron, the last RAF Jaguar squadron at the retirement of the aircraft in 2007. |
Warrant Officer Kaz Yajima Our estimated value of this signature : £40 | Warrant Officer Kaz Yajima 6 Squadron Hurricane ground attack Pilot 1944-1946 |
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