|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John Elkington
| Wing Commander John Elkington (deceased) John (Tim) Elkington was born in 1920 and joined the RAF in September 1939. Commissioned as a Pilot Officer in July 1940 he was immediately posted to join 1 Squadron flying Hurricanes atTangmere. On 15 August he shot down an Me109 over the Channel, but the following day he was himself shot down over Thorney Island. He baled out injured and was admitted to hospital, his Hurricane crashing at Chidham. He died on 1st February 2019. |
  This Sceptred Isle by Robert Taylor. |   Quiet Reflection by Richard Taylor. |   The Greatest Day by Robert Taylor. |   Arctic Hurricanes by Richard Taylor. |
Items Signed by Wing Commander John Elkington (deceased) |
  | Those Valiant Few by Robert Taylor. SOLD OUT | The Battle of Britain commenced at the beginning of June 1940, and for the next two and a half gruelling months the young men of Royal Air Force Fighter Command, duelled with the cream of Goerings Luftwaffe over the skies of southern England. It wa...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Those Valiant Few by Robert Taylor. (AP) SOLD OUT | The Battle of Britain commenced at the beginning of June 1940, and for the next two and a half gruelling months the young men of Royal Air Force Fighter Command, duelled with the cream of Goerings Luftwaffe over the skies of southern England. It wa...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Those Valiant Few by Robert Taylor. (B) SOLD OUT | The Battle of Britain commenced at the beginning of June 1940, and for the next two and a half gruelling months the young men of Royal Air Force Fighter Command, duelled with the cream of Goerings Luftwaffe over the skies of southern England. It wa...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | Spitfire Alley by Ivan Berryman. (C) Price : £120.00 | A pair of Spitfire Mk.IXs of 402 Squadron Royal Canadian Air Force, based at Kenley, practise combat manoeuvres in the skies above Kent in May, 1943. ...... | |
  | Typhoons Outward Bound by Richard Taylor. Price : £95.00 | In the months following D-Day, Hawkers hard-hitting, snub-nosed Typhoon struck terror into the German formations in Normandy, crack Panzer units wilted under the constant hail of rockets and bombs. Several times a day the Typhoon pilots would cross ...... |
| | Typhoons Outward Bound by Richard Taylor. (AP) SOLD OUT | In the months following D-Day, Hawkers hard-hitting, snub-nosed Typhoon struck terror into the German formations in Normandy, crack Panzer units wilted under the constant hail of rockets and bombs. Several times a day the Typhoon pilots would cross ...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Typhoons Outward Bound by Richard Taylor. (B) Price : £395.00 | In the months following D-Day, Hawkers hard-hitting, snub-nosed Typhoon struck terror into the German formations in Normandy, crack Panzer units wilted under the constant hail of rockets and bombs. Several times a day the Typhoon pilots would cross...... | |
| | Typhoons Outward Bound by Richard Taylor. (C) Price : £625.00 | In the months following D-Day, Hawkers hard-hitting, snub-nosed Typhoon struck terror into the German formations in Normandy, crack Panzer units wilted under the constant hail of rockets and bombs. Several times a day the Typhoon pilots would cross...... | |
  | Height and Sun by Robert Taylor. (AP) SOLD OUT | If you had the height, you controlled the battle. If you came out of the sun, the enemy could not see you. If you held your fire until you were very close, you seldom missed. These three basic rules contributed to the prowess in aerial combat of som...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Height and Sun by Robert Taylor. (B) SOLD OUT | If you had the height, you controlled the battle. If you came out of the sun, the enemy could not see you. If you held your fire until you were very close, you seldom missed. These three basic rules contributed to the prowess in aerial combat of som...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | Guardian Angel by Gerald Coulson. (AP) SOLD OUT | As Britain holds itself ready for perhaps the greatest battle it has ever fought, a pair of Mk 1 Hurricanes of 213 Squadron set out from their base at Biggin Hill for an early morning patrol over the Channel, they could meet the enemy at any moment....... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Guardian Angel by Gerald Coulson. (RM) SOLD OUT | As Britain holds itself ready for perhaps the greatest battle it has ever fought, a pair of Mk 1 Hurricanes of 213 Squadron set out from their base at Biggin Hill for an early morning patrol over the Channel, they could meet the enemy at any moment....... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | Into the Fray by Richard Taylor. (AP) Price : £175.00 | Squadron Leader Douglas Bader leads the Hurricanes of 242 Squadron in an aggressive diving attack upon a large force of Heinkel 111s approaching the Kent coast, whilst Spitfires from 66 Squadron tangle with the escorting Bf109s of JG52. It is Septe...... | |
| | Into the Fray by Richard Taylor. (B) Price : £150.00 | Squadron Leader Douglas Bader leads the Hurricanes of 242 Squadron in an aggressive diving attack upon a large force of Heinkel 111s approaching the Kent coast, whilst Spitfires from 66 Squadron tangle with the escorting Bf109s of JG52. It is Septe...... | |
| | Into the Fray by Richard Taylor. (C) SOLD OUT | Squadron Leader Douglas Bader leads the Hurricanes of 242 Squadron in an aggressive diving attack upon a large force of Heinkel 111s approaching the Kent coast, whilst Spitfires from 66 Squadron tangle with the escorting Bf109s of JG52. It is Septe...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Into the Fray by Richard Taylor. (RM) Price : £395.00 | Squadron Leader Douglas Bader leads the Hurricanes of 242 Squadron in an aggressive diving attack upon a large force of Heinkel 111s approaching the Kent coast, whilst Spitfires from 66 Squadron tangle with the escorting Bf109s of JG52. It is Septe...... | |
| | Into the Fray by Richard Taylor. (RMB) SOLD OUT | Squadron Leader Douglas Bader leads the Hurricanes of 242 Squadron in an aggressive diving attack upon a large force of Heinkel 111s approaching the Kent coast, whilst Spitfires from 66 Squadron tangle with the escorting Bf109s of JG52. It is Septe...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | Valiant Response by Robert Taylor. (AP) SOLD OUT | The Spitfires of 54 Squadron, quickly scrambled from nearby Hornchurch, clash with the Me109s from 1./JG51 over Kent. Below, Me110s from KPRG210 are about to receive unwelcome attention as the rest of the Spitfires hurtle down upon them and in the ...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Valiant Response by Robert Taylor. (B) Price : £295.00 | The Spitfires of 54 Squadron, quickly scrambled from nearby Hornchurch, clash with the Me109s from 1./JG51 over Kent. Below, Me110s from KPRG210 are about to receive unwelcome attention as the rest of the Spitfires hurtle down upon them and in the ...... | |
| | Valiant Response by Robert Taylor. (C) SOLD OUT | The Spitfires of 54 Squadron, quickly scrambled from nearby Hornchurch, clash with the Me109s from 1./JG51 over Kent. Below, Me110s from KPRG210 are about to receive unwelcome attention as the rest of the Spitfires hurtle down upon them and in the ...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | The Hard Way Home by Robert Taylor. (AP) Price : £395.00 | The Battle of Britain had been won by the young fighter pilots of Fighter Command, but now it fell to another band of young men to wage total warfare against the Nazi war machine - the aircrew of RAF Bomber Command. And like the fighter pilots of th...... | |
| | The Hard Way Home by Robert Taylor. (B) Price : £325.00 | The Battle of Britain had been won by the young fighter pilots of Fighter Command, but now it fell to another band of young men to wage total warfare against the Nazi war machine - the aircrew of RAF Bomber Command. And like the fighter pilots of t...... | |
| | The Hard Way Home by Robert Taylor. (D) SOLD OUT | The Battle of Britain had been won by the young fighter pilots of Fighter Command, but now it fell to another band of young men to wage total warfare against the Nazi war machine - the aircrew of RAF Bomber Command. And like the fighter pilots of t...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. Price : £170.00 | Of the many famous combat aircraft to serve their respective countries in the Second World War, two perhaps more than any others, created huge impact and consternation upon seasoned opposing pilots when they first appeared on the battlefront - the Su...... | |
| | Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. (AP) SOLD OUT | Of the many famous combat aircraft to serve their respective countries in the Second World War, two perhaps more than any others, created huge impact and consternation upon seasoned opposing pilots when they first appeared on the battlefront - the S...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. (B) Price : £220.00 | Of the many famous combat aircraft to serve their respective countries in the Second World War, two perhaps more than any others, created huge impact and consternation upon seasoned opposing pilots when they first appeared on the battlefront - the S...... | |
| | Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. (C) Price : £280.00 | Of the many famous combat aircraft to serve their respective countries in the Second World War, two perhaps more than any others, created huge impact and consternation upon seasoned opposing pilots when they first appeared on the battlefront - the S...... | |
| | Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. (XX) Price : £150.00 | Of the many famous combat aircraft to serve their respective countries in the Second World War, two perhaps more than any others, created huge impact and consternation upon seasoned opposing pilots when they first appeared on the battlefront - the S...... | |
| | Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. (Y) SOLD OUT | Of the many famous combat aircraft to serve their respective countries in the Second World War, two perhaps more than any others, created huge impact and consternation upon seasoned opposing pilots when they first appeared on the battlefront - the S...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | Tommy Leader by Robert Taylor. (AP) SOLD OUT | The long balmy summer days of 1940 provided perfect flying weather for the vast armadas of Luftwaffe bombers and fighters wreaking havoc over the southern counties of England. As summer wore on the enemy stepped up their attacks on airfields, radar ...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | Vital Force by Richard Taylor. (AP) SOLD OUT | For perhaps the sixth time today, profoundly outnumbered, the RAFs young fighter pilots will intercept yet another Luftwaffe force as the evil raiders invade their beloved airspace. It is August 1940, and the Battle of Britain is raging towards its ...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Vital Force by Richard Taylor. (B) Price : £395.00 | For perhaps the sixth time today, profoundly outnumbered, the RAFs young fighter pilots will intercept yet another Luftwaffe force as the evil raiders invade their beloved airspace. It is August 1940, and the Battle of Britain is raging towards its ...... | |
| | Vital Force by Richard Taylor. (C) Price : £625.00 | For perhaps the sixth time today, profoundly outnumbered, the RAFs young fighter pilots will intercept yet another Luftwaffe force as the evil raiders invade their beloved airspace. It is August 1940, and the Battle of Britain is raging towards its ...... | |
  | Undaunted by Odds by Robert Taylor. (C) Price : £425.00 | On 6th November 1935, a prototype aircraft took to the air for the very first time. As Sydney Camm's sturdy, single-engine monoplane fighter climbed into the sky, few realized that it was destined to become one of the enduring symbols of the gr...... | |
  | Bitter Engagement by Robert Taylor. (AP) SOLD OUT | Just after midday on 27 September 1940 one of the bitterest engagements of the Battle of Britain took place in the skies over Kent when the Spitfires of 19 Squadron took on the Bf109s of JG54. In the huge dogfight that ensued, 19 Squadron claimed 8...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Bitter Engagement by Robert Taylor. (B) SOLD OUT | Just after midday on 27 September 1940 one of the bitterest engagements of the Battle of Britain took place in the skies over Kent when the Spitfires of 19 Squadron took on the Bf109s of JG54. In the huge dogfight that ensued, 19 Squadron claimed 8...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
  | Channel Sweep by Richard Taylor. Price : £80.00 | On 14th June 1940, the first German jackboots were heard on the streets of Paris. Within days France signed an armistice and Hitler could now turn his avaricious eyes north and across the grey waters of the Channel. The island of Britain stood alone...... | |
| | Channel Sweep by Richard Taylor. (AP) Price : £120.00 | On 14th June 1940, the first German jackboots were heard on the streets of Paris. Within days France signed an armistice and Hitler could now turn his avaricious eyes north and across the grey waters of the Channel. The island of Britain stood alone...... | |
| | Channel Sweep by Richard Taylor. (B) Price : £425.00 | On 14th June 1940, the first German jackboots were heard on the streets of Paris. Within days France signed an armistice and Hitler could now turn his avaricious eyes north and across the grey waters of the Channel. The island of Britain stood alone...... | |
| | Channel Sweep by Richard Taylor. (RM) Price : £395.00 | On 14th June 1940, the first German jackboots were heard on the streets of Paris. Within days France signed an armistice and Hitler could now turn his avaricious eyes north and across the grey waters of the Channel. The island of Britain stood alone...... |
| | Channel Sweep by Richard Taylor. (RMB) Price : £625.00 | On 14th June 1940, the first German jackboots were heard on the streets of Paris. Within days France signed an armistice and Hitler could now turn his avaricious eyes north and across the grey waters of the Channel. The island of Britain stood alone...... | |
| | Arctic Hurricanes by Richard Taylor. Price : £110.00 | From a remote and windswept airfield 15 miles north-west of Murmansk in the freezing Arctic wastelands, a small group of RAF Hurricane pilots held the Luftwaffe at bay. Following his failure to invade Britain, Hitler soon turned his predatory gaze ...... | |
| | Arctic Hurricanes by Richard Taylor. (AP) Price : £150.00 | From a remote and windswept airfield 15 miles north-west of Murmansk in the freezing Arctic wastelands, a small group of RAF Hurricane pilots held the Luftwaffe at bay. Following his failure to invade Britain, Hitler soon turned his predatory gaze ...... | |
| | Arctic Hurricanes by Richard Taylor. (RM) Price : £395.00 | From a remote and windswept airfield 15 miles north-west of Murmansk in the freezing Arctic wastelands, a small group of RAF Hurricane pilots held the Luftwaffe at bay. Following his failure to invade Britain, Hitler soon turned his predatory gaze ...... | |
| | Arctic Hurricanes by Richard Taylor. (RMB) Price : £625.00 | From a remote and windswept airfield 15 miles north-west of Murmansk in the freezing Arctic wastelands, a small group of RAF Hurricane pilots held the Luftwaffe at bay. Following his failure to invade Britain, Hitler soon turned his predatory gaze ...... |
  | We All Stand Together by Robert Taylor. (B) Price : £210.00 | Spitfires of 616 Squadron scramble from RAF Kenley during the heavy fighting of the Battle of Britain, late August 1940. Below them a Hurricane of 253 Squadron, sharing the same base, is being prepared for its next vital mission at a distant disper...... | |
| | The Greatest Day by Robert Taylor. Price : £210.00 | Sunday 15 September 1940 and Luftwaffe supremo Hermann Goering believed victory over the RAF was at hand. Today, he decreed, would be the day that his 'glorious' Luftwaffe would finally break the back of Fighter Command's stubborn resist...... | |
| | The Greatest Day by Robert Taylor. (AP) Price : £375.00 | Sunday 15 September 1940 and Luftwaffe supremo Hermann Goering believed victory over the RAF was at hand. Today, he decreed, would be the day that his 'glorious' Luftwaffe would finally break the back of Fighter Command's stubborn resist...... | |
| | The Greatest Day by Robert Taylor. (B) Price : £275.00 | Sunday 15 September 1940 and Luftwaffe supremo Hermann Goering believed victory over the RAF was at hand. Today, he decreed, would be the day that his 'glorious' Luftwaffe would finally break the back of Fighter Command's stubborn resist...... | |
| | The Greatest Day by Robert Taylor. (C) Price : £495.00 | Sunday 15 September 1940 and Luftwaffe supremo Hermann Goering believed victory over the RAF was at hand. Today, he decreed, would be the day that his 'glorious' Luftwaffe would finally break the back of Fighter Command's stubborn resist...... |
| | The Greatest Day by Robert Taylor. (D) SOLD OUT | Sunday 15 September 1940 and Luftwaffe supremo Hermann Goering believed victory over the RAF was at hand. Today, he decreed, would be the day that his 'glorious' Luftwaffe would finally break the back of Fighter Command's stubborn resist...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
| | Quiet Reflection by Richard Taylor. Price : £95.00 | June 1940 and the freedom of Britain lay in the hands of a small band of young RAF fighter pilots. Facing them across the Channel, the all-conquering Luftwaffe stood in eager anticipation of an easy victory, one that would allow were Hitler's mi...... | |
| | Quiet Reflection by Richard Taylor. (AP) Price : £125.00 | June 1940 and the freedom of Britain lay in the hands of a small band of young RAF fighter pilots. Facing them across the Channel, the all-conquering Luftwaffe stood in eager anticipation of an easy victory, one that would allow were Hitler's mi...... | |
 | Decisive Blow by Anthony Saunders. (AP) Price : £250.00 | The Luftwaffe had done everything in its power to pummel London into submission but they failed. By the end of September 1940 their losses were mounting. For weeks since the early days of September, London had been the main target for the Luftwaffe ...... | |
| | Decisive Blow by Anthony Saunders. (B) Price : £165.00 | The Luftwaffe had done everything in its power to pummel London into submission but they failed. By the end of September 1940 their losses were mounting. For weeks since the early days of September, London had been the main target for the Luftwaffe ...... |
| | Decisive Blow by Anthony Saunders. (RM) Price : £350.00 | The Luftwaffe had done everything in its power to pummel London into submission but they failed. By the end of September 1940 their losses were mounting. For weeks since the early days of September, London had been the main target for the Luftwaffe ...... | |
| | Decisive Blow by Anthony Saunders. (RMB) Price : £550.00 | The Luftwaffe had done everything in its power to pummel London into submission but they failed. By the end of September 1940 their losses were mounting. For weeks since the early days of September, London had been the main target for the Luftwaffe ...... | |
| | This Sceptred Isle by Robert Taylor. Price : £175.00 | For nearly a thousand years the white cliffs of southern England had taunted many a foreign army. These fortress walls of chalk, however, were defended by the moat-like waters of the Channel, and together they had shielded the British from her enemi...... | |
| | This Sceptred Isle by Robert Taylor. (AP) Price : £345.00 | For nearly a thousand years the white cliffs of southern England had taunted many a foreign army. These fortress walls of chalk, however, were defended by the moat-like waters of the Channel, and together they had shielded the British from her enem...... | |
| | This Sceptred Isle by Robert Taylor. (B) Price : £245.00 | For nearly a thousand years the white cliffs of southern England had taunted many a foreign army. These fortress walls of chalk, however, were defended by the moat-like waters of the Channel, and together they had shielded the British from her enem...... |
| | This Sceptred Isle by Robert Taylor. (C) Price : £425.00 | For nearly a thousand years the white cliffs of southern England had taunted many a foreign army. These fortress walls of chalk, however, were defended by the moat-like waters of the Channel, and together they had shielded the British from her enem...... | |
| | This Sceptred Isle by Robert Taylor. (D) SOLD OUT | For nearly a thousand years the white cliffs of southern England had taunted many a foreign army. These fortress walls of chalk, however, were defended by the moat-like waters of the Channel, and together they had shielded the British from her enem...... | NOT AVAILABLE |
Packs with at least one item featuring the signature of Wing Commander John Elkington (deceased) |
    | Trudgian RAF Fighter Print Pack. Pack Price : £1040.00 Saving : £724 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Their Finest Hour by Nicolas Trudgian. (B) September Victory by Nicolas Trudgian. (B) Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. Operation Bodenplatte by Nicolas Trudgian. Where Thoroughbreds Play by Ivan Berryman. | |
    | Nicolas Trudgian Trade Price Spitfire Pack. Pack Price : £1550.00 Saving : £909 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Their Finest Hour by Nicolas Trudgian. (B) September Victory by Nicolas Trudgian. (B) Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. Operation Bodenplatte by Nicolas Trudgian. Head to Head by Nicolas Trudgian Combat Over Beachy Head by Nicolas Trudgian. Normandy Fighter Sweep by Nicolas Trudgian. Victory Over Gold by Nicolas Trudgian. Where Thoroughbreds Play by Ivan Berryman. | |
    | Nicolas Trudgian Combat Over Europe Aviation Prints Pack. Pack Price : £500.00 Saving : £390 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Twilight Conquest by Nicolas Trudgian. Checkertail Clan by Nicolas Trudgian Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. End Game by Nicolas Trudgian. Dinah Might by Ivan Berryman. (C) | |
 | Nicolas Trudgian World War Two Art Prints. Pack Price : £230.00 Saving : £240 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. End Game by Nicolas Trudgian. Messerschmitt Me262B-1a/U1 by Ivan Berryman. | |
   | Special Sale Pack of 5 Prints - 4 FREE! Pack Price : £190.00 Saving : £200 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. The Struggle for Malta by Ivan Berryman. (F) LCT 312 by Ivan Berryman. (D) Typhoons Over Normandy by Ivan Berryman. (D) Dinah Might by Ivan Berryman. |
 | Pack 693. Pack of two Hawker Hurricane prints by Richard Taylor and Graeme Lothian. Pack Price : £570.00 Saving : £325 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Vital Force by Richard Taylor. (B) Hurricane Patrol by Graeme Lothian (GS) | |
| | Luftwaffe and RAF Prints by Nicolas Trudgian. Pack Price : £260.00 Saving : £160 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. Operation Bodenplatte by Nicolas Trudgian. | |
 | Spitfire Aircraft Prints. Pack Price : £240.00 Saving : £170 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Canadian Wing by Robert Taylor Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. | |
 | Spitfire Pilot Signed Aviation Art by Ivan Berryman. Pack Price : £210.00 Saving : £130 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Spitfire Alley by Ivan Berryman. (C) In Them We Trust by Ivan Berryman. (H) | |
 | Spitfire Pilot Signed Aviation Art Prints by Ivan Berryman. Pack Price : £230.00 Saving : £95 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : In the Playground of the Gods by Ivan Berryman. (APB) Spitfire Alley by Ivan Berryman. (C) |
 | Wing Commander Bob Foster Signed WW2 Spitfire Prints by Ivan Berryman. Pack Price : £190.00 Saving : £140 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Spitfire F Mk21 by Ivan Berryman. (C) Spitfire Alley by Ivan Berryman. (C) | |
 | Typhoon Aviation Art Prints by Richard Taylor and Ivan Berryman. Pack Price : £140.00 Saving : £85 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Typhoons Outward Bound by Richard Taylor. Hard Hitter by Ivan Berryman. (AP) | |
 | Normandy Invasion Typhoon Aviation Art by Richard Tayor and Gerald Coulson. Pack Price : £250.00 Saving : £90 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Typhoons Outward Bound by Richard Taylor. Normandy Sunrise by Gerald Coulson. | |
 | Typhoon Aviation Art by Richard Taylor and Gerald Coulson. Pack Price : £200.00 Saving : £160 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Typhoons Outward Bound by Richard Taylor. Striking Back by Gerald Coulson. | |
 | Nicolas Trudgian Spitfire Print Pack. Pack Price : £200.00 Saving : £170 | Aviation Print Pack. ...... Titles in this pack : Victory Over the Rhine by Nicolas Trudgian. Fighter Legend - Johnnie Johnson by Nicolas Trudgian. |
| Squadrons for : Wing Commander John Elkington | ||
| A list of all squadrons known to have been served with by Wing Commander John Elkington. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name. | ||
| Squadron | Info | |
Country : UK Founded : 13th May 1912 In Omnibus Princeps - First in all things | No.1 Sqn RAF On 13 May 1912, with the establishment of the Royal Flying Corps, No. 1 Company of the Air Battalion was redesignated No. 1 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. No. 1 Squadron was one of the original three Royal Flying Corps squadrons. Maitland continued as the new squadron's Officer Commanding and he was promoted to major several days after the establishment of the squadron. It retained the airships Beta and Gamma, adding Delta and Eta, as well as kites and a few spherical balloons. However, in October 1913 a sudden decision was made to transfer all the airships to the Naval Wing of the RFC (which became the Royal Naval Air Service by Admiralty dictat, not Cabinet decision, on 1 July 1914). While retaining kites 1 Squadron was reorganised as an 'aircraft park' for the British Expeditionary Force. On 1 May 1914, Major Charles Longcroft was appointed as the new squadron commander. Apart from a few weeks as a supernumerary in August and September 1914, Longcroft continued as the squadron commander until January 1915. The squadron returned to the UK from France in March 1919, being formally disbanded on 20 January 1920. On the next day it reformed at Risalpur in the North West Frontier of India (now part of Pakistan), flying the Sopwith Snipe. and from January 1920. It moved to Hinaidi near Baghdad in Iraq in May 1921, to carry out policing duties, retaining its Snipes, although it also received one Bristol Jupiter engined Nieuport Nighthawk for evaluation. It remained in Iraq, carrying out strafing and bombing against hostile tribal forces until November 1926 when it was disbanded. In early 1927 it was reformed at Tangmere, Sussex as a Home Defence Fighter Squadron, equipped with the Armstrong Whitworth Siskin. After receiving the Hawker Fury Mk.1 in February 1932, the squadron gained a reputation for aerobatics, giving displays throughout the United Kingdom and at the Zurich International Air Meeting in July 1937, where its display impressed but it was clear that it was outclassed by the German Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Dornier Do 17 also displayed at Zurich. The squadron re-equipped with the Hurricane Mk.I in October 1938 By the outbreak of the Second World War the Squadron had worked up sufficiently to deploy to France as part of 67 Wing of the Advanced Air Striking Force. In October it flew over enemy territory for the first time and on the 30th of that month claimed its first victory, a Dornier DO17. Further occasional combat took place and the successes mounted. However, the situation developed significantly in April 1940, and 10th May was the date on which No 1(Fighter) Squadron became fully operation in every sense of the word. Fighting was intense and a week later the Squadron was bombed out of its base at Berry-au-Bac; then began a series of retreats ending finally in a return to the UK. The Squadron was back at Tangmere by 23rd June and operational the following month. In August it marked its entry into the Battle of Britain by destroying 2 Messerschmitt BF110s; there was no let up in the fighting until 9th September when the Squadron moved North to Wittering for a rest. It returned South for the New Year when it engaged in fighter sweeps and carried out bomber escort duties. In February, it started Rhubarb and night flying; during the month the first of its Hurricane 11As arrived. This heralded a period of change for the Squadron whose strength now included both Czechs and Poles; the emphasis increasingly focused on night flying. In July the Squadron returned to Tangmere and, having achieved night operational status, this became its main task. The Squadron continued to conduct night intruder patrol until re-equipping with Hawker Typhoons in July 1942;it then moved North to Acklington where it reverted to daytime operations. The Unit exchanged its Typhoons for Spitfire X1s in April 1944 and with these continued its bombing raids. In June the Squadron began anti-V patrols (Divers) and this became its exclusive occupation, eventually tallying 39 hits. In the autumn it reverted to carrying out bomber escorts; to extend its range it sued the airfield at Haldegham on the Continent as an advanced landing ground. In May 1945 it converted to Spitfire F21s but these were only used operationally to cover the Channel Island landings. In 1946 the Squadron returned to Tangmere and took delivery of its first jet aircraft, Gloster Meteors. These aircraft were followed by Hawker Hunter F5s, which were flown from Cyprus during 1956 Suez crisis. In June 1958 No 1(Fighter) Squadron was disbanded but was reformed almost immediately on 1st July, to fly Hunter F6s from Stradishall, by renumbering No 2683 Squadron. It then moved to Waterbeach from where, flying Hunter FGA9s, it operated in the ground attack role as part of 38 Group. The Squadron continued in this role for the next 8 years, operating out of Waterbeach and then West Raynham. July 1969 heralded a move to Wittering to commence conversion to the Harrier and become the first operational squadron in the world to fly this unique vertical/short take off and landing aircraft. Since this time No 1(Fighter) Squadron has served in many parts of the globe, including Belize and most notably, the South Atlantic during the Falklands War in 1982, where it undertook the air defence role in Ascension Island before deploying for aircraft carrier based operations over the Falkland Islands equipped with Sidewinder air to air missile. Aircraft flew for 9 hours, direct to Ascension Island which set a new distance/duration record for the Harrier. Some aircraft then flew direct to the South Atlantic, where they operated from HMS HERMES. During this conflict, over 130 sorties were flown against heavily defended targets on the Islands; 3 aircraft were shot down by enemy fire. All 3 pilots ejected successfully, although one, who sustained shoulder injuries, was captured and became the only prisoner of war; he was later repatriated to the UK. The Squadron moved to RAF Stanley in the Falkland Islands at the end of hostilities and took on air defence duties until the latter part of the year when it returned to Wittering. | |
| Aircraft for : Wing Commander John Elkington | |||
| A list of all aircraft associated with Wing Commander John Elkington. A profile page including a list of all art prints for the aircraft is available by clicking the aircraft name. | |||
| Squadron | Info | ||
Manufacturer : Hawker Production Began : 1936 Number 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. | ||
|
Contact Details |
Sign Up To Our Newsletter!
This website is owned by Cranston Fine Arts. Torwood House, Torwoodhill Road, Rhu, Helensburgh, Scotland, G848LE Contact: Tel: (+44) (0) 1436 820269. Email: cranstonorders -at- outlook.com
|
|
