#1075 Dominie T1
Purchased products will not feature the Squadron Prints watermark
Description
Squadron Prints Lithograph No. 1075 - Dominie T1, XS731 \'J\', 55(R) Squadron, No. 3 Flying Training School, RAFC Cranwell.
No. 55 Squadron formed at Castle Bromwich on 27 April 1916 as a training squadron moving to France in March 1917 as the DH 4 day-bomber unit. In June 1918 it began strategic raids on targets in Germany as part of the Independent Force and operated on mail carrying duties after the end of the war. It returned to the UK in January 1919 and disbanded at Shotwick on 22 January 1920. Inactivity was short-lived as the Squadron reformed on 1 February 1920 at Suez flying DH 9s and began 19 years of air-control operations against raiding tribes in Iraq. It re-equipped with Wapitis in 1930 and Vincents in 1937, with Blenheim Is arriving in March 1939. The Squadron moved to Ismailia in Egypt in August 1939 and, after flying shipping patrols in the Gulf of Suez, it began bombing raids on targets in Libya. In September 1941 it transferred to anti-shipping sweeps, but converted to Baltimores in May 1942 and resumed its bombing activities in support of the 8th Army. It progressed through Libya, Tunisia and Italy, where it received Bostons in October 1944. The Squadron moved to Hassani in Greece on 20 September 1945, re-equipping with Mosquito FB26s in June 1946, disbandment coming on 1 November 1946. 55 Squadron reformed at Honington on 1 September 1960 equipped with Victor B1s as part of the V-bomber force. In May 1965 it moved to Marham, where it became the first Victor in-flight refuelling squadron. Initially flying modified Victor K1s, it received K2s from July 1975. During the Falklands campaign in 1982 No. 55 flew unarmed reconnaissance sorties over South Georgia as well as numerous vital tanking missions in support of the Vulcan raids against Port Stanley. Nimrod maritime patrols and Hercules supply missions were also refuelled. In 1990 and 1991, 55 Squadron Victors were in action again supporting the coalition forces in the Gulf. It disbanded as a Victor squadron on 15 October 1993 transferring its identity in reserve status to No. 241 OCU at Brize Norton. This unit was disbanded on 28 March 1996 and on 1 November 1996 55(Reserve) Squadron reformed as the flying arm of the Navigator and Airman Aircrew School within No. 3 FTS at RAFC Cranwell. On 1 November 2001 the organisations combined to become 55(Reserve) Squadron providing all the flying training for the Royal Air Force’s rear crew. The Dominie T1 is a military derivative of the Hawker Siddely (HS) 125 business jet. The Dominie is a purpose-built training aircraft with the emphasis on mission systems and radar training. Although it first entered service in 1965, a major upgrade in 1996 has ensured the aircraft’s relevance in training Weapons System Officers and Weapons System Operators until the projected out of service date of 2013.
You may also like
-
Nimrod - 41 Years of Service mug
XV250; XV226; XZ280; XV253201 Sqn; 206 Sqn; 120 Sqn; 42 Sqn; 203 SqnRAF Kinloss; RAF St. Mawgan