What if heaven falls?

Firebird Farewell

Firebirds

Firebirds on Display

Following the disbandment of XXV Squadron at RAF Leeming another Panavia Tornado F3 Squadron disbanded on the 22nd of April 2008 in the form of 56(Reserve) based at Royal Air Force Leuchars in Fife. During their time at Leuchars and, previously Coningsby 56(R) Squadron have served as the OCU or Operational Conversion Unit for the RAF Tornado F3 fleet, responsible for training new crews before they progress into a frontline squadron. With thanks to Lew Paterson for additional information.

To mark this occasion a special diamond nine formation consisting of Tornado's belonging to 56(R) was flown on 18th April 2008. The formation took in several parts of Eastern Scotland including Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen before returning to Leuchars.

Steven Hadlow reports on one of the best known squadrons in the Royal Air Force, photographs are copyright as marked.

56 are a squadron with a rich fighter history stretching back to the days of the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War. The squadron formed in 1916 at Fort Rowner, Gosport in June and soon went on to being one of the first units to operate the now legendary Royal Aircraft Factory SE5 aircraft in operational service.

On it's arrival at the Western Front the squadron contained an unusual amount vastly experienced pilots within it's ranks. Such legends, among others who served with the Squadron included Albert Ball (VC), Rhys David and James McCudden. By the end of the war the total of the squadron was at an astounding 427 victories which were all claimed with the venerable SE5.

A common myth often held is that the Squadrons highly experienced make-up was an attempt at neutralising the threat of Manfred von Richthofen, better known as the Red Baron. Whilst this was not true, one of the squadrons pilots, Rhys David was credited with shooting down one of the Barons main rivals, Leutnant Werner Voss on 23rd September 1917. David was on patrol with McCudden and Cecil Lewis when Voss bounced them on a lone patrol. The skilled German pilot then went on to attack repeatedly with great ability until Davids attacked him and managed to score the hits that brought the great German pilot down.

After the First World War came to a close the dreaded Geddes Axe cut into the RAF with many squadrons being culled. 56 did fall victim to the axe as the squadron were withdrawn in January of 1920. However the squadron re-formed a week later at the coastal strip at Abū Qīr in Egypt equipped with the Sopwith Snipe. A rather confusing time for the unit followed as, in September 1922 the squadron was officially disbanded but elements of the now disbanded Squadron were sent to Turkey during the Chanak crisis until August 1923. However, rather strangely, 56 officially reformed at RAF Hawkinge in Kent in November of 1922!

Between wars the Squadron operated a number of biplane types such as Grebes, Bulldogs, Siskins, Gauntlets and Gladiators. However it was on the eve of the Second World War in May of 1938 that the Squadron entered the monoplane age, taking delivery of it's first Hawker Hurricanes.

It was whilst flying the Hurricane that the Squadron entered World War Two participating in the Battle Of France, covering the evacuation of the Allied forces from Dunkirk. The Squadron continued flying the Hurricane through the famous Battle Of Britain conflict. 56 were in the thick of the conflict as part of 11 group defending the country from the main brunt of the Luftwaffe assault on Britain based at RAF North Weald. On 27th June 1940 56, along with 151 Squadron were visited by the King, inspiring confidence. 56 took part in a major battle over their station on 16th August. The squadron was scrambled and only a few minutes later at least 50 Luftwaffe aircraft appeared out of the cloud base and began to attack the station. Thankfully, damage was limited and the Hurricanes claimed several attacking aircraft.

Following the Battle of Britain in September 1941 the Squadron took delivery of a new aircraft, the Hawker Typhoon. The Typhoon was a ground attack aircraft which was extremely troublesome at the start of it's life as a operational aircraft, meaning the first job of the Squadron was taming their fiery mount. Indeed, it wasn't until November 1943 that the true potential of the Typhoon was realised as their role switched from defence against the Luftwaffe fighter-bombers to being ground attack aircraft themselves. In 1944, 56 were transferred onto the Tempest, the fighter variant of the Typhoon. It was whilst flying these that the Squadron became a Air Defence Of Great Britain squadron and took on the duty of defending the country from attacks by V-1 'Doodlebug' flying bombs. By the end of the war 56 were the joint highest scoring Tempest unit credited with 59 victories with an overall total in World War 2 of 149 kills.

Following the cessation of hostilities 56 Squadron was renumbered 16 whilst based in Germany. However the squadron returned the next day (!) as a result of a renumbering of 124 Squadron to 56 meaning the squadron was now stationed at RAF Bentwaters in Suffolk. The first jet type the squadron operated was the Gloster Meteor, Britain's fist operational jet. 

After operating the Gloster for eight years the squadron took delivery of the all new Supermarine Swift in 1954. Initially, the Swift was intended for service as an interceptor aircraft. However the design suffered from several fatal flaws, one major problem being frequent engine flame-outs. The type did find a permanent role to which it was well suited eventually in the form of photo reconnaissance missions which it continued to do until the early 1970s, but 56 Squadron only operated the type for a year until May 1955 when it took delivery of a new aircraft.

The Hawker Hunter, widely regarded as one of the greatest jet fighters ever built arrived with the squadron in May 1955. In 1958 56 Squadron moved to RAF Wattisham in Suffolk. Also stationed at the station at the time was the 111 Squadron display team 'The Black Arrows'. At the 1958 Farnborough Airshow 'The Black Arrows' of Treble One Squadron, aided by aircraft supplied from 56 Squadron completed an astonishing loop consisting of 22 Hunters. Despite inevitably taking a back-seat to Treble One during their time at Wattisham it was 56 who carried out the day to day activities whilst Treble One carried out PR duties.

The Hunter continued to serve with 56 Squadron until 1961, when delivery of the all-new interceptor the English Electric Lightning began. The Lightning era was to be a major boost to the Squadrons image as the MoD selected the squadron to be Fighter Commands Demonstration Team, replacing the Hunter equipped 'Blue Diamonds'. This meant the squadron made many an appearance at UK Airshows and this surge also gave birth to the spectacular 'checkerboard' scheme on the tail of one of the Lightning's. In 1967, 56 moved West with it's new base in Cyprus at RAF Akrotiri.

The Squadron stayed out in the warmer climate of Cyprus for eight years, before finally returning home to it's old base at RAF Wattisham.In 1976 the Squadron converted to the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, which was known as the F-4M Phantom FGR2 in RAF service. The Phantom continued to serve with the Squadron until the early 1990s before finally being retired to allow the squadron to become the Operational Conversion Unit on the Tornado F3. The Squadron got it's reserve squadron identity as part of this change. The Squadron operated the F3 out of Coningsby until 2003, when they moved to RAF Leuchars.

So another squadron has disbanded. 56(R) Squadron personnel will now be absorbed into 43(F) Squadron, who are also based at Leuchars meaning that 43 Squadron will take over the OCU duties along with it's normal front-line operations. The Squadron name will however go on, as the new 56 (R) Squadron will be based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. As the ISTAR OEU, 56 (R) Squadron will now be responsible for Operational Test and Evaluation of Sentry AEW1 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS); Sentinel R1 and associated Airborne Stand Off Radar (ASTOR) systems; Nimrod R1, Nimrod MR2 and Nimrod MRA4 aircraft. In addition, 56 (R) Squadron is also responsible for a wide range of ground system testing including Air Defence radars and the Counter Rocket, Artillery and Mortar (C-RAM) weapon system.