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Operation Banquet
Operation Banquet was a British Second World War plan to use every available aircraft against a German invasion in 1940 or 1941. After the Fall of France in June 1940, the British Government made urgent anti-invasion preparations as the Royal Air Force (RAF) engaged the German ''Luftwaffe'' in a struggle for air superiority in the Battle of Britain. In May 1940, the Air Ministry had realised that beyond the normal reserves of the RAF, it may be necessary to throw every serviceable aircraft into the battle. On 17 May, an Air Ministry meeting outlined ambitious plans to make use of various aircraft in the event of an invasion. Plan On 13 July 1940, the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Training Command, was ordered to plan to make the maximum practical number of aircraft available for operations. The plan was called Operation Banquet and was divided into several operations that could be enacted independently. In ''Banquet 6 Group'', Bomber Command decided to use the aircraft of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). Following the Allies of World War I, Allied victory over the Central Powers in 1918, the RAF emerged as the largest air force in the world at the time. Since its formation, the RAF has played History of the Royal Air Force, a significant role in Military history of the United Kingdom, British military history. In particular, during the Second World War, the RAF established Air supremacy, air superiority over Nazi Germany's Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain, and led the Allied strategic bombing effort. The RAF's mission is to support the objectives of the British Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Ministry of Defence (MOD), which are to "provide the capabilities nee ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Henschel Hs 123
The Henschel Hs 123 was a single-seat biplane dive bomber and close air support, close-support aircraft flown by the Germany, German aircraft manufacturer Henschel & Son, Henschel. It was the last biplane to be operated by the ''Luftwaffe''.. The Hs 123 started development in 1933 in response to a request for a single-seat biplane dive bomber. Henschel's design team opted to produce an aircraft with all-metal construction, relatively clean lines and a high level of manoeuvrability. Its principal competitor was the Fieseler Fi 98, which was eventually cancelled when the Hs 123 proved to be more promising. On 1 April 1935, the first prototype performed its maiden flight; a total of four prototypes were produced, the fourth of which featured strengthened centre-section struts after two of the earlier prototypes were lost due to structural failures during high speed dives. Upon its introduction to ''Luftwaffe'' in autumn 1936, the Hs 123 quickly displaced the Heinkel He 50 biplane, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British Hardened Field Defences Of World War II
British hardened field defences of World War II were small fortified structures constructed as a part of British anti-invasion preparations of World War II, British anti-invasion preparations. They were popularly known as ''Pillbox (military), pillboxes'', a reference to their shape. Background With the Battle of Belgium, German invasion of Low Countries in May 1940 came the realisation that the United Kingdom was vulnerable to invasion. Late in May 1940, the Chiefs of Staff Committee decided that vulnerable beaches needed to be fortified with pillboxes and anti-tank obstacles. This proposal was resisted by the Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces, Sir Walter Kirke, who favoured a mobile reserve to counter invasion, but shortly afterwards, he was replaced by Sir Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside, Edmund Ironside. Having very few tanks or lorries to form such a reserve, Ironside formulated a plan to have a "coastal crust" of defended beaches, backed up by a network of "stop lines" ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and over 3.1 million people in the Cologne Bonn Region, Cologne Bonn urban region. Cologne is also part of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region, the List of EU metropolitan regions by GDP#2021 ranking of top four German metropolitan regions, second biggest metropolitan region by GDP in the European Union. Centered on the left bank of the Rhine, left (west) bank of the Rhine, Cologne is located on the River Rhine (Lower Rhine), about southeast of the North Rhine-Westphalia state capital Düsseldorf and northwest of Bonn, the former capital of West Germany. The city's medieval Cologne Cathedral () was the History of the world's tallest buildings#Churches and cathedrals: Tallest buildings between the 13th and 20th century, world's talles ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bombing Of Cologne In World War II
The German city of Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raidsStadtlandschaften versus Hochstadt at www.koelnarchitektur.de "Internet portal for the architecture of Cologne". (In German). by the during , all by the (RAF). A total of of bombs were dropped on the city causing 20,000 civilian casualties. While air raid alarms had gone off in the winter and spri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Marshall Of Cambridge
Marshall Group (registered as Marshall of Cambridge (Holdings) Ltd,) is a British company headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom. Subsidiaries include Marshall Aerospace, an aircraft maintenance, modification, and design company located at Cambridge City Airport. Other subsidiaries are Marshall Land Systems (ground defence), Marshall Slingsby Advanced Composites, Marshall Fleet Solutions, Marshall Skills Academy and Marshall Property. Marshall also owns and operates the airport itself. The company was originally founded by David Gregory Marshall in 1909. Initially operating chauffeur services, the firm soon branched out into vehicle repair and dealership activities. During the 1930s, Marshall became increasingly engaged in aviation; by the end of the Second World War, the company had trained in excess of 20,000 aircrew for service within the Royal Air Force. It was also engaged in repair and modification of military aircraft during the conflict. During the postwar era, th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miles Magister
The Miles M.14 Magister is a two-seat monoplane basic trainer aircraft designed and built by the United Kingdom, British aircraft manufacturer Miles Aircraft. It was affectionately known as the ''Maggie''. It was authorised to perform aerobatics. The Magister was developed during the 1930s to List of Air Ministry Specifications, Specification T.40/36, itself based on the existing Miles Hawk Trainer which had been ordered in small numbers. The first prototype's maiden flight was on 20 March 1937. It quickly became praised for its handling qualities, and was ordered into quantity production. Entering service barely a year before the start of the Second World War, the Magister became a key training aircraft. It was the first monoplane designed as a trainer to be used by the Royal Air Force (RAF). During the war it was purchased in large numbers for the RAF, the Fleet Air Arm and various overseas military operators. It proved an ideal introduction to the Supermarine Spitfire, Spit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
MoD Boscombe Down
MOD Boscombe Down ' is the home of a military aircraft testing site, on the south-eastern outskirts of the town of Amesbury, Wiltshire, England. The site is managed by QinetiQ, the private defence company created as part of the breakup of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) in 2001 by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD). The base was originally conceived, constructed, and operated as Royal Air Force Boscombe Down, more commonly known as RAF Boscombe Down, and since 1939, has evaluated aircraft for use by the British Armed Forces. The airfield has one active runway in length. The airfield's evaluation centre is currently home to Rotary Wing Test and Evaluation Squadron (RWTS), Fast Jet Test Squadron (FJTS), Heavy Aircraft Test Squadron (HATS), Handling Squadron, and the Empire Test Pilots' School (ETPS). It will be home to an anti-jamming test facility by 2026. History First World War An aerodrome opened at the Boscombe Down site in October 1917 and operated as a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aeroplane And Armament Experimental Establishment
The Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) was a research facility for British military aviation from 1918 to 1992. Established at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk, the unit moved in 1939 to Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, where its work continues following privatisation as part of the Qinetiq company. History In 1917, the Experimental Aircraft Flight of the Central Flying School was transferred from Upavon, Wiltshire to a site on the heathland at Martlesham, Suffolk, and on 16 January 1917 Martlesham Heath Airfield was officially opened, as an experimental airfield. The unit was renamed the Aeroplane Experimental Unit, Royal Flying Corps. After the end of World War I the site continued to be used and was, once again, renamed as the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment of the Royal Air Force. At the outbreak of the Second World War, on 9 September, the A&AEE was removed to RAF Boscombe Down, Wiltshire, owing to the proximity of Martlesham Heath t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hereward De Havilland
Hereward de Havilland (2 December 1894 – 12 September 1976) was a pioneer British aviator, test pilot and member of the de Havilland company. One of the three sons of Rev. Charles de Havilland, he was the younger brother of Geoffrey de Havilland. Actresses Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine were his cousins. He had a son Peter Adam de Havilland (m. Barabara Bolt) and grandchildren John and Joanna de Havilland. Hereward and his brothers Geoffrey and Ivon had a mechanical workshop at their home at the rectory in Crux Easton near Newbury. Geoffrey's first flight took place with Frank Hearle and Hereward in 1909 at Seven Barrows in Dorset. They practised at their grandfather's farm Medley Manor near Port Meadow just outside Oxford. De Havilland flew in various air campaigns in Europe and the Middle East in World War I and reached the rank of Major. On 10 March 1917, he was awarded a DSO for distinguished service in the field in Mesopotamia, the youngest airman at that ti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iraq
Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and Kuwait to the Iraq–Kuwait border, southeast, Jordan to Iraq–Jordan border, the southwest, and Syria to Iraq–Syria border, the west. The country covers an area of and has Demographics of Iraq, a population of over 46 million, making it the List of countries by area, 58th largest country by area and the List of countries by population, 31st most populous in the world. Baghdad, home to over 8 million people, is the capital city and the List of largest cities of Iraq, largest in the country. Starting in the 6th millennium BC, the fertile plains between Iraq's Tigris and Euphrates rivers, referred to as Mesopotamia, fostered the rise of early cities, civilisations, and empires including Sumer, Akkadian Empire, Akkad, and Assyria. Known ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
De Havilland Dragon
The de Havilland DH.84 Dragon is a successful small commercial aircraft that was designed and built by the de Havilland company. Design and construction Following the commercial success of its single-engined de Havilland Fox Moth that had first flown in March 1932, that aircraft's original commercial operator Hillman's Airways requested that a larger twin-engined version be built. The Dragon was a simple, light design with a plywood box fuselage using the same type of engine and similar outer wing sections of the earlier single-engined aircraft. It was originally designated the DH.84 "Dragon Moth" but marketed as the "Dragon". A prototype, which first flew at Stag Lane Aerodrome on 12 November 1932, and the next four aircraft were delivered to Hillman's which started a commercial service in April 1933. It could carry six passengers, each with 45 lb (20 kg) of luggage on the London-Paris route on a fuel consumption of just 13 gal (49 L) per hour. The wing pan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
