Hornet Squadron - a Piece Of Cake Wiki
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Hornet Squadron is the main focus of the Derek Robinson novels War Story (1987 - set in 1916), Hornet's Sting (1999 - set in 1917), Piece of Cake (1983 - set during the first 12 months of WW2) - which was adapted into the LWT miniseries of the same name - and A Good Clean Fight (1993 - set in 1942) The Squadron motto is 'Beware our Sting'. [N 1]

History[]

1916[]

  • Hornet Squadron, based in France, are flying the F.E.2b and F.E.2d which they prefer to the B.E.2 Quirks.[1]

1917[]

  • Hornet Squadron are now flying the Sopwith Pup, Nieuport, and the Bristol F.2B Fighter.[2]

1938[]

Autumn[]

  • Hector G. Ramsay takes command of Hornet Squadron, operating under the codename Jester, and is quickly dubbed The 'Ram' after informing his pilots that, because their Hawker Fury aircraft are too slow to catch the enemy to shoot them down, the squadron would have to use ramming attacks.[3]

1939[]

July[]

  • Hornet Squadron re-equips with Hawker Hurricanes. Five days into the intensive training programme that follows, Squadron Leader Ramsay contracts shingles and is hospitalised, not recovering enough to return to duty until the third week of August.[4]

August[]

  • 31st: Due to cancellation of flying because of dense fog, The Ram sends all the pilots on a cross country run, consisting of two circuits of RAF Kingsmere.[5][N 2] After the run, some of the pilots look through aircraft recognition cards, while The Ram and 'Uncle' Kellaway go to London to attend a meeting at the Air Ministry.[6]

September[]

  • 3rd: Squadron Leader Ramsay taxis into a slit trench which had been dug while he was airborne, and breaks his neck when he slips while climbing out of the cockpit. Flight Lieutenant Barton takes over as temporary CO.[N 3]
  • 4th: Hornet Squadron go into action. Unfortunately, a fault in the tracking systems results in Hornet squadron firing on a formation of British aircraft.
  • 5th: Squadron Leader Rex assumes command of Hornet Squadron. His first action is to send Barton to deliver a personal apology to the CO to the Blenheim squadron Hornet attacked in error. He then leads a raid on a nearby stores depot, which had inadvertently received supplies intended for Hornet Squadron.[N 4]
  • 6th: Hornet Squadron departs for France.[N 5]

October[]

  • Late: Pilot Officer 'Dicky' Starr is killed when his aircraft crashes into the river, while attempting to emulate Cattermole by flying under a local bridge.

November[]

  • Early: American-born RAF pilot Christopher Hart III is assigned to Hornet Squadron as a replacement for Starr, whose funeral has to be repeated when the local priest demands the remains of Starr - a Methodist - are removed from a Catholic burial ground.

1940[]

  • Early: The squadron codename is changed to Hilltop, which it uses until it is virtually wiped out during the withdrawal from France.
  • Spring/Summer: Following the withdrawal from France, the squadron is reformed with Fanny Barton in command. The new Hornet squadron is allocated the codename Mango

August[]

  • Squadron codename is changed to Popcorn

September[]

  • Squadron codename is changed to Bearskin

1942[]

  • Hornet Squadron, now equipped with P-40s, are operating in North Africa. A Good Clean Fight

Codenames[]

  • Jester - 1938 to early 1940
  • Hilltop - early 1940 to Withdrawal from France
  • Mango - Reformation to Late August 1940
  • Popcorn - Late August/Early September 1940
  • Bearskin - Early September 1940 onwards

Flying Personnel[]

Commanding Officers[]

Other pilots[]

WW1[]

WW2[]

Ground Staff[]

Admin[]

Adjutant[]

Intelligence officer[]

Maintenance[]

WW1[]

WW2[]

Other Ground Staff[]

Others[]

Aircraft Used by Hornet Squadron[]

WW1[]

  • F.E.2b
  • F.E.2d
  • Sopwith Pup
  • Nieuport
  • Bristol F.2B Fighter

Inter War[]

WW2[]

Real Squadron[]

The real RAF squadron that come closest to matching Hornet Squadron - in terms of World War 2 equipment and operating locations - is 73 Squadron: both had Hawker Fury aircraft pre-war, both used Hurricanes in the early months of the war, and both switched to Tomahawks for service in Africa. However, 73 used Gloster Gladiators between the Fury and the Hurricane, and only operated Tomahawks for a couple of months in late 1941 before reverting to Hurricanes.

Notes[]

  1. This translates into Latin as 'Cave nostrum aculeum'.
  2. In the TV version, the cross country run takes place on September 3rd.
  3. In the TV version, The Ram's accident took place shortly before Neville Chamberlain's broadcast announcing the declaration of war.
  4. Rex assumed command on Barton's third day as temporary CO.
  5. The flight to France occured the day after Rex's arrival.
  6. Briefly held command between Ramsey's death and Rex's arrival.
  7. Presumably held command during Barton's six month absence, due to the latter's four months in hospital and 2 months on OTU duty.
  8. He had previously served as a pilot with Hornet Squadron in 1916.

Sources[]

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