No. 92 Squadron RAF
Active	1 September 1917 (RFC) - 1919 1939 - 1946 1947 - 1994 2009 - present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Motto	Latin: Aut Pugna Aut Morere ("Either fight or die")
Post-1950 aircraft insignia
Battle honours	Western Front, 1918*; Somme, 1918; Hindenburg Line; Amiens; Home Defence, 1940-1941; France & Low Countries, 1940; Battle of Britain, 1940*; Fortress Europe, 1941-1941*; Egypt & Libya, 1942-1943; El Alamein*; El Hamma*; Mediterranean, 1943; Sicily, 1943*; Italy, 1943-1945; Anzio & Nettuno*; Gustav Line; Gothic Line*. Honours marked with an asterisk* are those actually emblazoned on the Squadron Standard
Insignia
Squadron Badge Crest heraldry	A cobra entwining a sprig of maple leave The maple leaf signifies the squadron's association as a Canadian unit in World War I whilst the cobra represents the fact that No. 92 squadron was one of the East India gift squadrons in World War II.[1]
Squadron Codes	GR (1939 - May 1940) QJ (May 1940 - Dec 1946) DL (Jan 1947 - Sep 1950) (formerly No 91 Sqn) 8L (Sep 1950 - Apr 1951)

No. 92 Squadron, also known as No 92 (East India) Squadron, of the Royal Air Force was formed as part of the Royal Flying Corps at London Colney as a fighter squadron on 1 September 1917. It deployed to France in July 1918 and saw action for just four months, until the end of the war. During the conflict it flew both air superiority and direct ground support missions. It was disbanded at Eil on 7 August 1919. Reformed on 10 October 1939, the unit was supposed to be equipped with medium bombers but in the spring of 1940 it became one of the first RAF units to receive the Supermarine Spitfire.

Operational history[link]

Serny, France, November 1918. A score board recording the claims for enemy aircraft destroyed by No. 80 Wing RAF from July–November 1918. The squadrons listed are: No. 92 Squadron, No. 4 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps (AFC), No. 88 Squadron RAF, No. 2 Squadron AFC, No. 103 Squadron RAF, No. 46 Squadron RAF, and No. 54 Squadron RAF. The other columns are headed "In Flames", "Crashed", "O.O.C." (Out of Control), "Driven Down" and "Balloons Destroyed"."

First World War[link]

It was established at London Colney on 1 September 1917, working up as a scout squadron with Sopwith Pups, Spads, and SE.5as.^[1] The Squadron became part of the RAF on its formation on 1 April 1918. Standardising on SE.5as, the squadron went to France in July 1918, at first operating in the Dunkirk area. It was then moved to Serny in August 1918, where it began scoring victories. During the Somme offensive of 1918 the squadron was heavily involved, and continued to operate over the Western Front until the Armistice. It was disbanded on 7 August 1919, while stationed at Eil with the Army of Occupation. It had claimed a total of 37 victories during its World War I service. Eight aces had served in the squadron, including Oren Rose, Thomas Stanley Horry, William Reed, Earl Frederick Crabb, future Air Chief Marshal James Robb, Evander Shapard, Herbert Good, and future Air Marshal Arthur Coningham.

Second World War[link]

A 92 Sqn. Spitfire VB in 1941.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War 92 Squadron reformed on 10 October 1939 at RAF Tangmere. Initially it flew Bristol Blenheims but in early 1940 it became operational on the Supermarine Spitfire, various marks of which it flew for the rest of the War. 92 Squadron first saw action over the Dunkirk evacuation beaches. During the latter stages of the Battle of Britain 92 Squadron flew from RAF Biggin Hill. The Squadron was the first into action on September 15, 1940 now known as Battle of Britain Day.

In February 1942, the Squadron was posted to Egypt to join Air Headquarters Western Desert to support the Allies on the ground. Personnel arrived in Egypt in April but no aircraft were available. Some pilots flew operations with Hurricanes of No. 80 Squadron. Spitfires finally arrived in August and the squadron commenced operations from RAF Heliopolis over the El Alamein sector, and then with their Spitfire Vs at Landing Ground 173 in the Western Desert. No. 92 Squadron provided air cover at the Battle of El Alamein and on April 18, 1943, 11 Spitfires from the squadron flew top cover at the Palm Sunday Massacre during which approximately 75 axis aircraft were disabled or destroyed.^[2] Following the Allied victory in North Africa, the Squadron moved to Malta in June. It went on to provide air cover for the 8th Army during the campaigns in Sicily and Italy, arriving on Italian soil on 14 September 1943. No. 92 Squadron then followed the armies up the Italian coast as part of No. 244 Wing and No. 211 (Offensive Fighter) Group. During World War II the Squadron claimed the highest number of victories scored, 317, in the RAF.^[3]

Post war[link]

Following the cessation of hostilities, 92 Squadron was disbanded at Zeltweg in Austria on 30 December 1946. No. 91 Squadron RAF was disbanded on 31 January 1947 at RAF Acklington and re-numbered as No 92 as part of RAF Fighter Command with the Gloster Meteor. It went on a goodwill tour of Scandinavia in 1949.

Cold War[link]

92 Squadron Sabre F.4 in 1955 wearing the squadron's red and yellow check markings on its fuselage

Subsequently equipped with the Meteor F.8, it received the Canadair Sabre F.4 in February 1954, becoming part of the only Sabre wing in Fighter Command alongside No. 66 Squadron RAF, before getting the Hawker Hunter in April 1956 while based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

In 1960 the Squadron was chosen as Fighter Command's official aerobatic squadron the RAF Aerobatic Display Team, taking over from "Treble One" adopting the name the Blue Diamonds and operating from RAF Middleton St. George. With its bright blue painted Hawker Hunters 92 squadron thrilled the crowds with its precision display including looping a formation of 18 aircraft - still a record to this day. When they re-equipped with the English Electric Lightning F2 from April 1963 onward they continued to perform with these.

In December 1965, along with No. 19 Squadron RAF they were reallocated to RAF Germany initially at RAF Geilenkirchen, moving to join 19 Sqn at RAF Gutersloh. They remained at RAF Gutersloh from January 1968 to disbandment on 31 March 1977.

In January 1977 No 92 (Designate) Squadron had begun training as a McDonnell Douglas Phantom air defence unit at RAF Wildenrath and on 1 April this unit formally adopted the 92 numberplate. Due to the rundown of RAF Germany following the fall of the Berlin Wall the squadron disbanded on 5 July 1991.

In 1992, No. 92 (Reserve) Squadron reformed at RAF Chivenor as part of No 7 Flying Training School for weapons training. With the transfer to RAF Valley of the FTS, the squadron disbanded on 30 September 1994.

In Nov 2008 it was announced that the Tactics and Training Wing of the Air Warfare Centre was to become No 92 Squadron.

Today, based at RAF Waddington within the Air Warfare Centre building, it is under the command of a former Tornado F3 Navigator

Honours[link]

In 1950 the Battle of Britain class steam locomotive No. 34081 was named "92 Squadron". This locomotive was saved from the scrapyard in 1976 and is now owned and operated by The Battle of Britain Locomotive Society ^[4] and having been based on the North Norfolk Railway ^[5] in recent years, has not long returned to the Nene Valley Railway – where it was originally restored – pending a major overhaul and a return to traffic following the expiration of its boiler ticket in mid-2008.

Aces[link]

• Robert Stanford Tuck 27 enemy aircraft destroyed, two shared destroyed, six probably destroyed, six damaged and one shared damaged
• Allan Wright 11 kills three shared kills, five probable kills and seven damaged.
• Brian Kingcome 11 kills
• Ronnie Fokes nine kills, four shared kills, two unconfirmed kills, three probables. one damaged and one shared damaged.
• John Fraser Drummond eight kills, one shared kill, three probables and four damaged, all in less than five months.

See also[link]

• List of RAF squadrons

References[link]

Notes[link]

Bibliography[link]

External links[link]

• RAFWeb.org
• John Fraser Drummond: 92 Squadron and the Battle of Britain
• A Cobra in the Sky - The History of 92 Squadron Royal Air Force

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• - The Battle Of Britain Locomotive Society
• - 92 Squadron in Pictures

Roland Robert Stanford Tuck
180px Stanford Tuck c. 1940.
Nickname	Bob
Born	(1916-07-01)1 July 1916 Catford, London, England
Died	5 May 1987(1987-05-05) (aged 70) Canterbury, Kent, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1935–1949
Rank	Wing Commander
Commands held	No. 257 Squadron RAF (1940-1942) Commanding Officer RAF Coltishall (1947-1948)
Battles/wars	World War II Battle of France Battle of Britain
Awards	Distinguished Service Order Distinguished Flying Cross & Two Bars Air Force Cross Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Mentioned in Despatches (three times)[1][2][3]

Wing Commander Roland Robert Stanford Tuck DSO, DFC & Two Bars, AFC (1 July 1916 – 5 May 1987) was a British fighter pilot and test pilot. Tuck joined the RAF in 1935. Tuck first engaged in combat during the Battle of France, over Dunkirk, claiming his first victories. In September 1940 he was promoted to Squadron Leader and commanded a Hawker Hurricane squadron. In 1941-1942, Tuck participated in fighter sweeps over northern France. On 28 January 1942, Tuck was hit by anti-aircraft fire and forced landed in France and was taken prisoner. At the time of his capture, Tuck had claimed 29 enemy aircraft destroyed, two shared destroyed, six probably destroyed, six damaged and one shared damaged.^[4]

Early years[link]

Tuck was born of Jewish parents at Catford, SE London. After a less-than-stellar school career he left St Dunstan's College, Catford in 1932 to join the Merchant Navy as a sea cadet before joining the RAF on a short service commission as an acting pilot officer in 1935.^[5] Following flying training, Tuck joined 65 Squadron in September 1935 as an acting probationary pilot officer. He became a pilot officer on probation in September 1936^[6] and his pilot officer rank was confirmed in early 1937^[7] (which was backdated to December 1936).^[8] In September 1938 he was promoted to flying officer^[9] and in May 1940, he was posted to 92 Squadron, based at Croydon, as a Flight Commander flying Spitfires.

Battle of France[link]

Tuck led his first combat patrol on 23 May 1940, over Dunkirk, claiming three German fighters shot down. The following day he shot down two German bombers and as aerial fighting intensified over the next two weeks his score rapidly mounted. Tuck was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) on June 11^[10] and received it from King George VI at RAF Hornchurch on June 28. The citation for this award, published in the London Gazette reads:

Acting Flight Lieutenant Robert Roland Stanford TUCK (37306).
During May, 1940, this officer led his flight in company with his squadron on two offensive patrols over Northern France. As a result of one of these patrols in which the squadron engaged a formation of some 60 enemy aircraft, the Squadron Commander was later reported missing, and the flight commander wounded and in hospital. Flight Lieutenant Tuck assumed command, and on the following day led the squadron, consisting of only eight aircraft, on a further patrol engaging an enemy formation of fifty aircraft. During these engagements the squadron has shot down ten enemy aircraft and possibly another twenty-four. Throughout the combats this officer has displayed great dash and gallantry.^[10]

Battle of Britain[link]

Bob Stanford Tuck, colour painting by Cuthbert Orde, 1941

His combat successes continued into July and August as the Battle of Britain gathered pace, although he himself was forced to bail out on 18 August. While attacking a formation of Junkers Ju-88s over Kent he shot one down and damaged another. However, during the exchange his Spitfire was hit by return fire and he bailed out near Tunbridge Wells. In another incident on 25 August Tuck's Spitfire was badly damaged during combat with a Dornier Do 17 bomber, which he destroyed, 15 miles off the coast. His aircraft had a dead engine but he glided it back to dry land to make a forced landing.

On 11 September, during the height of the Battle of Britain, Tuck was promoted to acting Squadron Leader and posted to command the Hawker Hurricane-equipped No. 257 Squadron RAF, based at RAF Coltishall (his substantive rank had been raised to flight lieutenant on 3 September^[11]). He led his squadron into combat through September and continued to claim further victories. His last two official victories of the Battle were on 28 October, where he claimed two “probable” Bf 109s. He received a Bar to his DFC on 25 October.^[12] The official citation for his second DFC, published in the London Gazette reads:

Flight Lieutenant Roland Robert Stanford TUCK, D.F.C. (37306).
Since the 11th June, 1940, this officer has destroyed six enemy aircraft, and probably destroyed or damaged six more. One day in August, 1940, he attacked three Junkers 88's, destroyed two and damaged the third. Later in the month he intercepted two - Junkers 88's at 15,000 feet, and in a headon attack destroyed one. In a similar attack on the second, a cannon shell blew away his oil and glycol tank and a piece of his propeller, but he reached the coast and landed by parachute. In September, 1940, he shot down one Messerschmitt 110 and probably a Messerschmitt 109, and one week later destroyed a Messerschmirt 109 over the sea. Flight Lieutenant Tuck has displayed gallant and determined leadership.^[12]

In January 1941 he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO)^[13] and the citation published in the London Gazette reads:

Acting Squadron Leader Roland Robert Stanford TUCK, D.F.C. (37306), No. 257 Squadron.
This officer has commanded his squadron with great success, and his outstanding leadership, courage and skill have been reflected in its high morale and efficiency. 1Since 4th October, 1940, he has destroyed four hostile aircraft, bringing his total victories to at least eighteen.^[13]

In March 1941, he was awarded a second Bar to his DFC,^[14] the citation published in the London Gazette reading:

Acting Squadron Leader Roland Robert Stanford TUCK, D.S.O., D.F.C. (37306), No. 257 Squadron.
This officer has displayed conspicuous gallantry and initiative in searching for and attacking enemy raiders, often in adverse weather conditions. Since December, 1940, he has destroyed three enemy bombers and one fighter, thus bringing his total victories to twenty-two.^[14]

In June 1941 he survived being shot down over the English Channel, being rescued by a Gravesend coal barge. Tuck claimed a total of seven destroyed, four probables and two damaged on the Hawker Hurricane.^[15]

He had an extraordinary piece of ill-fortune when he intercepted a German bomber heading towards Cardiff. He fired at extreme range in poor light, causing it to jettison its bombs in open countryside instead of on the city. The last of its stick of bombs caught one corner of an army training camp and killed one soldier. The soldier was the husband of Tuck's sister.^[16]

Having already been the subject of one of Cuthbert Orde's iconic charcoal drawing portraits in September 1940, he sat for a second picture by Orde - this time a full colour oil painting - in 1941.

In July, 1941, Tuck was promoted to acting Wing Commander and appointed Wing Leader at RAF Duxford where he led fighter sweeps into northern France. After a brief trip to America with several other RAF Fighter Command pilots to raise awareness of Britain's war effort, he returned to a posting at RAF Biggin Hill as Wing Leader. It was while flying from Biggin Hill that Tuck’s last mission of the war occurred. On 28 January 1942, while on a low-level fighter sweep "Rhubarb" mission^[17] over northern France, his Spitfire was hit by enemy ground-based flak near Boulogne and he was forced to crash land.

Prisoner of War[link]

Captured by the very German troops he had been firing upon as his aircraft was hit, Tuck later recorded that their mood was understandably hostile, and his own survival was certainly in question. However, his noted "Tuck's luck" came to his rescue when his captors spotted that, by a remarkable chance, one of his 20mm cannon shells had passed precisely down the barrel of an exactly similar sized ground weapon and had exploded therein, peeling open the barrel "like a banana". The German troops thought this hilarious and such "Good shooting Tommy!" that, in their enthusiasm to slap his back in congratulation, they were actually trampling on the dead bodies of their ex-comrades. Saved for the moment, Tuck then spent the next couple of years in Stalag Luft III at Żagań (Sagan), before making a number of unsuccessful escape attempts from several other prisoner of war camps across Germany and Poland. In company with the Polish pilot Zbigniew Kustrzyński, he finally escaped successfully on 1 February 1945 as his camp was being evacuated westwards from Russian forces advancing into Germany. Tuck's Russian, learned from his childhood nanny, was now crucial as he spent some time fighting alongside the Russian troops until he managed eventually to find his way to the British Embassy in Moscow. He eventually boarded a ship from Russia to Southampton, England.^[18]

Post-War RAF Career[link]

His squadron leader rank was made permanent in September 1945^[19] and he became a temporary Wing Commander in April 1946.^[20] He received his final decoration, the Distinguished Flying Cross from the United States Air Force on 14 June 1946,^[21] before he retired from the RAF and active service on 13 May 1949^[22] having had his permanent rank promoted to Wing Commander in July 1947.^[23] His final accredited aerial kills numbered 27 and two shared destroyed, one and one shared unconfirmed destroyed, six probables and six and one shared damaged.^[24]

Later life[link]

Following retirement Tuck continued flying as a test pilot, including working on the RAF's long-serving English Electric Canberra, before he found peace and contentment on his mushroom farm in Kent, choosing to shun the publicity enjoyed by some of his better known Battle of Britain comrades.

Tuck also worked as a technical adviser to the film Battle of Britain (1969) and eventually developed a close friendship with the German fighter pilot Adolf Galland.^[25] Testimony of this friendship is the fact that Tuck was the godfather of Galland's son Andreas Hubertus, born 7 November 1966.^[26]

Robert Stanford Tuck died on 5 May 1987 at the age of 70.

Memorials[link]

On 9 May 2008, a plaque was unveiled in Tuck's memory at the Parish Church of St Clement^{[disambiguation needed ]}, Sandwich, Kent.^[27]

References[link]

Notes

Bibliography

External links[link]

• Official homepage of Robert Stanford Tuck
• Robert Stanford Tuck article
• Battle of Britain History site
• Robert Stanford Tuck interview
• Very short appearance in Battle of Britain memorial film (around 04:20)

Thomas Clifford Iveson
Nickname	Tony
Born	11 September 1919 York
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Air Force
Years of service	1939 – 1949
Rank	Squadron Leader
Unit	No. 616 Squadron RAF No. 92 Squadron RAF
Battles/wars	Second World War Battle of Britain
Awards	Distinguished Flying Cross Air Efficiency Award Battle of Britain clasp
Other work	Granada Television

Thomas Clifford "Tony" Iveson DFC AE is a Royal Air Force pilot and veteran of World War II, and one of The Few.

Iveson was born and raised in Yorkshire.^[1]

RAF career[link]

Iveson joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in September 1938 as an Airman u/t pilot and learned to fly prior to the outbreak of war. Iveson was trained at No. 5 Flying Training School, Sealand and then converted to Spitfires at No. 57 Operational Training Unit, Hawarden before serving as a Sergeant Pilot on Spitfire fighters with No. 616 Squadron RAF during the Battle of Britain joining the Squadron at Kenley on 2 September 1940. He survived ditching his Spitfire I (L1036) into the sea on 16 September 1940 after he ran out of fuel chasing a Junkers Ju 88 off Cromer. He was picked up by an Motor Boat and landed at Great Yarmouth. He was posted to No. 92 Squadron RAF on 11 October 1940.

After a spell on training duties in Rhodesia he was commissioned in May 1942.

After a course at No. 5 Lancaster Finishing School, RAF Syerston he went to join No. 617 Squadron RAF the Dam Busters in July 1944 as a Flight Lieutenant. Promoted to Squadron Leader in October 1944, he took part in some 27 operations, including the sinking of the German battleship Tirpitz^[2] and was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross in March 1945 for keeping his bomber airborne in January 1945 and landing it in Shetland after half the crew had bailed out over Bergen.^[3]

Iveson was posted 'tour-expired' from 617 Squadron on 16 February 1945.

Post RAF Career[link]

He retired from the RAF on 12 July 1949, and became the Chairman of the Bomber Command Association. He was employed with Granada Television, and worked in corporate and public relations. He was involved in a number of privatizations and the launch of EuroDisney.

Iveson is co-author of a book about the Lancaster bomber. At the age of 89, he became the oldest man to fly one of the historic planes.^[4]

See also[link]

• List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain
• Photograph of Tony Iverson

References[link]

• Iveson, Tony, DFC and Brian Milton. Lancaster - the Biography. Andre Deutsch, 2009. ISBN 978-0-233-00270-5.