AV600-56 No 56 Squadron English Electric Lightning F1A cover signed Wing Commander Martin Bee AFC QCVSA, OC 56 Squadron 1972-74No 56 Squadron also know as 'Firebirds' were famous for their Lightning display team, which during the mid-1960s was Fighter Command's official demonstration team, and their nine aircraft were often seen around the country performing at airshows and deafening the crowd! In 1961, the unit converted to Lightnings starting the F1A, followed by the F3 and F6.
We have selected to show English Electric Lightning F1A 'J' of No 56 Squadron having landed at RAF Wattisham with parachute deployed, naturally we have chosen the red fin paint scheme with Phoenix in view. The painting was especially commission from Ross Wardle, who was one of the Matchbox Kits artists before the company dropped out of kit market.
This cover has been handsigned by Wing Commander M E Bee AFC QCVSA, who was Officer Commanding No 56 Squadron from 1972-1974 flying Lightning F6s. Prior to that he was a Flight Commander of No 111 Squadron 1969-72 and with No 74 Squadron 1960-64 with Lightning F1/F3s.
The cover bears first class Lightning stamp cancelled with RAF Centenary on the first day of issue 20 March 2018.
(106 Signed, Numbered and Certified)
No 56 Squadron Royal Air Force
One of the most famous fighter squadrons of the Royal Flying Corps, No 56 Squadron was formed at Fort Rowner, Gosport on 9 June 1916 and introduced the new Sopwith SE5 fighter/scout into service and in April 1917, the unit moved to France. Several famous Royal Flying Corps pilots served with the Squadron, including Captain Albert Ball who was a founder member and posthumously awarded the VC; Lieutenant APF Rhys David and Captain James McCudden who scored 57 victories. By the end of the war No 56 Squadron had scored 427 victories.
The post-war cutbacks saw the Squadron disband in January 1920, but eight days later it was reformed at Aboukir, Egypt this time equipped with Sopwith Snipes. The unit was disbanded on 23 September 1922, but elements were hastily formed in a Flight and moved to Turkey during the Chanak crisis, remaining in-theatre until August 1923 under the control of No 208 Squadron at Constantinople. Meanwhile No 56 Squadron had reformed at Hawkinge in November 1922.
Between the Wars, the Squadron flew a succession of bi-plane fighters until, in May 1938, the Hurricane arrived. It was with this aircraft that the Squadron provided air cover for the Dunkirk evacuation and flew for the entire period of the Battle of Britain in the south of England before replacing them with Typhoon ground-attack aircraft in September 1941. The full potential of the aircraft was not realised until fighter-bomber operations started in November 1943. Summer 1944 saw the Squadron convert to Tempests and the unit concentrated on anti-V1 ('flying bomb') patrols before moving to France in September. No 56 Squadron remained in Germany until it was renumbered No 16 Squadron in March 1946, reforming the next day at Bentwaters with the renumbering of No 124 Squadron.
The following eight years were spent flying a variety of Meteor jet fighters until, in 1954 the Supermarine Swift replaced them. Hunters arrived in May 1955, and these served until 1961 when the first Lightning F1A twin-engined interceptors began to arrive. During the mid-1960s, the Squadron was chosen as Fighter Command's official demonstration team with nine aircraft called the ‘Firebirds’. In 1967 the Squadron moved to Akrotiri, Cyprus returning to the UK in 1975. The Squadron disbanded and reformed with Phantoms in 1976 finally retiring the last of these in 1992 when the Squadron number was assigned as the Reserve Squadron identity for the Tornado F3 Operational Conversion Unit at Coningsby. At the end of March 2003, No 56 Squadron moved to Leuchars to allow the airfield to be readied for the Eurofighter Typhoon.
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