British Military Aviation in 1942 - Part 1

Part 2

January
During the course of this month, the Luftwaffe mounts a total of 1,973 sorties against Malta. SixRoyal Air Force (RAF) aircraft are destroyed on the ground during the Luftwaffe raids and a further 54 are damaged.

3 January
51 Hawker Hurricane fighters arrive in Singapore with the advance parties of Nos. 17, 135, 136 and 232 Squadrons.

20 January
Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricanes based in Singapore shoot down 8 of a formation of 27 unescorted Japanese bombers over Singapore.

21 January
Following recent British successes, the Afrika Korps launch a counter-offensive In the Western Desert. Benghazi is recaptured by the Germans on 28 January, but the German advance grinds to a halt at Gazala on 4 February.

25 January
Seven Hurricanes, approximately a quarter of Malta's serviceable fighters, are shot down by Luftwaffe Messerschmitt Bf109s.

26 January
Twelve Vickers Vildebeests of No.36 and No.100 Squadrons, escorted by Hawker Hurricanes and Brewster Buffaloes, attack the Japanese landing at Endau in southern Malaya and five Vildebeests are shot down. A further nine Vildebeests are lost during the course of a subsequent attack, which is accompanied by a smaller fighter escort.

27-30 January
48 Hawker Hurricane Mk11A fighters are flown off HMS Indomitable by pilots of Nos. 242, 258 and 605 Squadrons to reinforce the defences of Singapore.

January
Thirty Hawker Hurricane Mk1 fighters, together with the Bristol Blenheim bombers of No.113 Squadron, arrive in Burma from the Middle East for the defence of Rangoon.

January
The remnants of the Royal Air Force (RAF) bomber force on Singapore are evacuated to Sumatra.

February
The Luftwaffe's onslaught against the island of Malta continues throughout February. During the course of this month, 2,447 sorties are flown against the island, the airfield at Luqa is attacked no fewer than 142 times, Ta'Kali 37 times, Hal Far 23 times and the 'Q' (decoy) site at Krendi 20 times.

1 February
The RAF Regiment is formed. A senior Army officer, Major General C.F. Liardet, is seconded to the Royal Air Force to command this new formation.

1 February
The Mingaladon Wing is formed under the command of Wing Commander Frank Carey for the defence of Rangoon in Burma.

6-14 February
During a series of Japanese air attacks on the Palembang area, the Royal Air Force loses thirty Hawker Hurricanes, most of which are destroyed on the ground on 7 February. Subsequently, six enemy transports are sunk for the loss of seven aircraft on 14 February.

8-9 February
Following heavy air bombardment Japanese forces land on Singapore Island capturing RAF Tengah airfield.

10 February
The remnants of the Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter force on Singapore is withdrawn to bases in Sumatra.

11-12 February
The 'Channel Dash'. Following repeated attacks on the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the cruiser Prinz Eugen by RAF Bomber Command, in an effort to prevent them sailing to intercept British shipping in the Atlantic, it is decided that the ships should be withdrawn to Germany (Operation Cerberus). In parallel, the Luftwaffe draw up a plan centred on the assembly of a massive fighter screen to protect the vessels en route through the English Channel known as Operation Donnerkeil (Thunderbolt).

Under the cover of poor weather, the ships sortied from Brest at 2245hrs on the night of 11 February. Misfortune dogged the comprehensive surveillance network established by the Royal Air Force (RAF) to detect the German capital ships as soon as they sailed (Operation Fuller) and, due to a combination of circumstances, standing patrols failed to detect the force as it left Brest. It was not until 1110hrs that a positive sighting was reported in the English Channel.

In response, 6 Fairey Swordfish of No.825 Squadron at RAF Manston launched a torpedo attack. All 6 aircraft were destroyed and 13 men lost. The commander of this force, Lieutenant Commander Eugene Esmonde of the Royal Navy, was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for the gallantry that he and his fellow airmen demonstrated. Subsequently, attacks by Bristol Beaufort torpedo bombers and Lockheed Hudson maritime patrol aircraft of RAF Coastal Command, in appalling weather conditions, failed to hit the German warships, as did any of the 242 aircraft despatched by No.5 Group, RAF Bomber Command.

However, both Scharnhorst and Gneisenau detonated air-dropped mines previously laid by the Royal Air Force, although Gneisenau was only slightly damaged, Scharnhorst could only limp into the German port of Wilhelmshaven at twelve knots, having shipped a thousand tons of water.

Part 2