RFC Home Defence Squadrons

cspellman · 27 January 2003, 05:40 AM

I need a concise listing of the Home Defence squadrons in England between 1916-1918, the sort of aircraft they flew and where they were located. *Were most RNAS? *Where can I find this information?

Graeme · 27 January 2003, 11:30 AM

The RFC officially took over the role of Home Defence in December 1915 and at that time had 10 permanent airfields.

By December 1916 there were 11 RFC Home Defence Squadrons - 33 (FE2) at Gainsborough, 36 (BE2, BE12, FE2) at Seaton Carew, 37 (BE12, FE2) at Woodham Mortimer, 39 (BE2) at Woodford, 43 (Sopwith Strutter) at Northolt, 50 (BE2, BE12) at Harrietsham, 51 (BE2, BE12) at Hingham, 75 (Avro 504NF) at Goldington, 76 (BE2, BE12) at Ripon, 77 (BE2, BE12) at Turnhouse and 78 (BE2, BE12) at Hove.

At the date of formation of the RAF, Home Defence units were:

33 (FE2) at Gainsborough, 36 (Bristol F2b) at Seaton Carew, 37 (BE12, FE2, Strutter) at Woodham Mortimer, 39 (Bristol F2b) at Woodford, 44 (Camel) at Hainault Farm, 50 (Camel) at Bekesbourne, 51 (Avro 504) at Marham, 61 (SE5a) at Rochford, 75 (BE12) at Elmswell, 76 (Bristol F2b) at Ripon, 77 (Avro 504) at Penston, 78 (Strutter) at Sutton's Farm, 141 (Bristol F2b) at Biggin Hill and 143 (Camel) at Detling.

At the Armistice, the active units were:

39 (Bristol F2b) at North Weald Bassett, 44 (Camel) at Hainault Farm, 78 (Camel) at Sutton's Farm, 141 (Bristol F2b) at Biggin Hill, 37 (Camel) at Stow Maries, 61 (Camel) at Rochford, 75 (Avro 504) at Elmswell, 50 (Camel) at Bekesbourne, 112 (Camel) at Throwley, 143 (Camel) at Detling, 33 (Avro 504) at Kirton-in-Lindsay, 36 (Bristol F2b) at Usworth, 50 (Camel) at Bekesbourne; 77 (Avro 504) at Penston was a Training Squadron only.

Graeme

cspellman · 27 January 2003, 11:53 AM

You da man Graeme! *Thanks! *Now all I need to know is the actions these units fought against invading Gothas!

Quote:

The RFC officially took over the role of Home Defence in December 1915 and at that time had 10 permanent airfields.

By December 1916 there were 11 RFC Home Defence Squadrons - 33 (FE2) at Gainsborough, 36 (BE2, BE12, FE2) at Seaton Carew, 37 (BE12, FE2) at Woodham Mortimer, 39 (BE2) at Woodford, 43 (Sopwith Strutter) at Northolt, 50 (BE2, BE12) at Harrietsham, 51 (BE2, BE12) at Hingham, 75 (Avro 504NF) at Goldington, 76 (BE2, BE12) at Ripon, 77 (BE2, BE12) at Turnhouse and 78 (BE2, BE12) at Hove. *

At the date of formation of the RAF, Home Defence units were:

33 (FE2) at Gainsborough, 36 (Bristol F2b) at Seaton Carew, 37 (BE12, FE2, Strutter) at Woodham Mortimer, 39 (Bristol F2b) at Woodford, 44 (Camel) at Hainault Farm, 50 (Camel) at Bekesbourne, 51 (Avro 504) at Marham, 61 (SE5a) at Rochford, 75 (BE12) at Elmswell, 76 (Bristol F2b) at Ripon, 77 (Avro 504) at Penston, 78 (Strutter) at Sutton's Farm, 141 (Bristol F2b) at Biggin Hill and 143 (Camel) at Detling.

At the Armistice, the active units were:

39 (Bristol F2b) at North Weald Bassett, 44 (Camel) at Hainault Farm, 78 (Camel) at Sutton's Farm, 141 (Bristol F2b) at Biggin Hill, 37 (Camel) at Stow Maries, 61 (Camel) at Rochford, 75 (Avro 504) at Elmswell, 50 (Camel) at Bekesbourne, 112 (Camel) at Throwley, 143 (Camel) at Detling, 33 (Avro 504) at Kirton-in-Lindsay, 36 (Bristol F2b) at Usworth, 50 (Camel) at Bekesbourne; 77 (Avro 504) at Penston was a Training Squadron only.

Graeme

cspellman · 27 January 2003, 01:26 PM

Hmmm, I could have swore some of the Home Defence Sqdns were flying Sopwith Pups. *I know that during the 1917 Gotha raids there are accounts of the bombers being confronted by Pups off the coast. *Any idea what unit they may have come from?

cspellman · 27 January 2003, 01:38 PM

This from www.pilots-n-planes-ww1.com concerning the Pup:

*"With the Pup's ability to maintain altitude, coupled with its maneuverability (even at attitude), the aircraft was far from finished in squadron service (except over the Western Front). During the Summer of 1917, two Pup squadrons were moved from France to England for Home Defense duties, while a further two squadrons were formed in the British Isles for the same purpose. Most of the Pups used for Home Defense were modified with 100 hp Gnome Monosoupape engines in long chord cowlings which featured addition cooling air intakes on the upper lip of the cowling. The increase in power gave these aircraft an improved rate of climb and a slight increase in top speed at altitude. Additionally, a number had their synchronized forward Vickers gun augmented by a fixed.303 Lewis gun mounted above the upper wing center section; however, this armament configuration remained experimental and did not become standard."

*"After it was withdrawn from front line squadrons in France, the Pup continued in use for a wide spectrum of trials and experiments. Others were used as hacks for officers who were lucky enough to procure one. British ace James McCudden was to later recall how he used his personal Sopwith Pup in an attempt to intercept German Gotha bombers that were operating at 15,000 feet over Kent during in the Summer of 1917."

Frank_Olynyk · 27 January 2003, 05:01 PM

The best reference is "The Air Defence of Britain 1914-1918", by Christopher COle and E F Cheesman, published by Putnam in 1984. It can still be found, and as far as I know, nothing better exists. Basically a daily record of every operational HD flight, serials, times, results. Details given of the important flights.

Frank.

MikeW · 27 January 2003, 10:48 PM

CSpellman

As can be seen from Graeme's list of aircraft, the RFC hadn't got a clue about home defence provision. It took them a long time to realise that pups, camels, brisfits, and SEs were necessary, and that the old junk rejected by the training squadrons wasn't any good.

The RNAS stations in the southeast maintained aircraft in readiness at all times to be able to respond to enemy incursions. The most famous and perhaps most successful being the Manston War Flight which flew Pups, Triplanes and Camels.

As Frank Olynyk says "The Air Defence Of Britain 1914-18" is indispensible if you want to know about this subject. Frank Cheesman was researching this subject for 14 years before he started to write the book. All raids and the home defence response to them are meticulously detailed.

Mike

Graeme · 28 January 2003, 09:54 AM

As far as I know, the only Pup-equipped Home Defence squadron was No 61 which used the type between August 1917 and January 1918 when it converted to SE5s.

No 36 Sqn had a Pup or two on its strength before "standardising" on the Bristol Fighter in April 1918. Similarly, No 50 Sqn used the type, but not exclusively, having on its strength at various times examples of the BE2, BE12, RE8 and FK8.

No 46 Squadron was certainly equipped with Pups when it returned to the UK briefly in July and August 1917, but was never a designated Home Defence squadron.

32 victories (including Culley's victory over L53) in "Home Waters", were achieved by RFC and RNAS pilots of which three were in Pups, two by Harold Kerby and one by Bernard Smart (Zeppelin L23).

I echo Frank and Mike in commending Frank Cheeseman's book - it's a corker.

Graeme

cspellman · 28 January 2003, 02:45 PM

Great information guys, thank you! More screenplay fodder!