Post by carmedic on Mar 12, 2016 17:10:16 GMT
Most of RAF Bardney has been returned to agriculture, It is mainly know as the home of IX Sdn (No. 9 Sqn)
S0852107 by Chris Hall, on Flickr
but the tower survives and is used by the Bardney Flyers Model Club
S0842106 by Chris Hall, on Flickr
behind the tower is a surviving hangar and in commercial use.
S0822104 by Chris Hall, on Flickr
A few miles away on Bardney village green, there is a memorial to RAF Bardney and IX Sqn. It is made from the three-bladed propeller and spinner from a Lancaster and a piece of Norwegian stone, mounted in a low wall.
S0872109e by Chris Hall, on Flickr
S0892112 by Chris Hall, on Flickr
The Second World War began with the unit being one of the few equipped with modern aircraft, the Vickers Wellington bomber, flying out of RAF Honington; the Wellington later gave way to the Avro Lancaster, with which the unit would complete its most famous sorties.
On 4 September 1939, the squadron’s Wellington aircraft and crews were the first to hit the enemy, the first to get into a dogfight, possibly the first to shoot down an enemy aircraft, the first to be shot down by one and, towards the end of the war, the first to hit the German battleship Tirpitz with the Tallboy 12,000 pound bomb, an achievement by the crew of a Lancaster on her 102nd operation with the squadron.
Due to the sinking of the Tirpitz having been attributed to 9 Squadron, an intense rivalry developed between 617 (AKA The Dambusters) and 9 Squadron after the sinking of the warship. The Tirpitz Bulkhead that was presented to Bomber Command by the Royal Norwegian Air Force, in commemoration of friendship and co-operation during World War II was of particular interest with both Squadrons "owning" the bulkhead at various times until 2002 when the bulkhead was presented to the Bomber Command Museum.
No. 9 sqn currently operates from RAF Marham, Norfolk operating the Tornado.
S0852107 by Chris Hall, on Flickrbut the tower survives and is used by the Bardney Flyers Model Club
S0842106 by Chris Hall, on Flickrbehind the tower is a surviving hangar and in commercial use.
S0822104 by Chris Hall, on FlickrA few miles away on Bardney village green, there is a memorial to RAF Bardney and IX Sqn. It is made from the three-bladed propeller and spinner from a Lancaster and a piece of Norwegian stone, mounted in a low wall.
S0872109e by Chris Hall, on FlickrS0892112 by Chris Hall, on FlickrThe Second World War began with the unit being one of the few equipped with modern aircraft, the Vickers Wellington bomber, flying out of RAF Honington; the Wellington later gave way to the Avro Lancaster, with which the unit would complete its most famous sorties.
On 4 September 1939, the squadron’s Wellington aircraft and crews were the first to hit the enemy, the first to get into a dogfight, possibly the first to shoot down an enemy aircraft, the first to be shot down by one and, towards the end of the war, the first to hit the German battleship Tirpitz with the Tallboy 12,000 pound bomb, an achievement by the crew of a Lancaster on her 102nd operation with the squadron.
Due to the sinking of the Tirpitz having been attributed to 9 Squadron, an intense rivalry developed between 617 (AKA The Dambusters) and 9 Squadron after the sinking of the warship. The Tirpitz Bulkhead that was presented to Bomber Command by the Royal Norwegian Air Force, in commemoration of friendship and co-operation during World War II was of particular interest with both Squadrons "owning" the bulkhead at various times until 2002 when the bulkhead was presented to the Bomber Command Museum.
No. 9 sqn currently operates from RAF Marham, Norfolk operating the Tornado.