By Gordon Thorburn
Within the earliest days of global battle One, whilst IX Squadron used to be shaped, we went to the struggle in little 50mph machines that have been slightly able to taking pilot and observer, a gun and some small, handheld bombs into the sky, specifically on a windy day. once we took a instant set, to identify for the artillery and document on troop activities, the additional load pressured the defenseless pilot to depart his observer behind.
A century later, IX (B) Squadron flies jets that may exceed the rate of sound, position laser-guided missiles inside of a couple of centimeters of the objective, and transmit the main complicated info in actual time around the globe.
In among, the story is of ponderous beasts of biplanes, of Wellingtons and Lancasters within the bloody battles of global struggle , of Canberras and Vulcans within the nuclear age of the chilly War.
Above all, it's the tale of the boys and girls of the RAF's senior bomber squadron throughout 100 years of struggle and peace, and their phrases fill this publication. We move from these beginnings in wooden, cord and upholstery kites over France and a pilot armed with a carrier revolver, to the world's first twister squadron within the Gulf wars, over Kosovo and Afghanistan, and to be able to the current, a century on.
It relatively is one hell of a narrative.
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Additional info for A Century of Air Warfare With Nine (IX) Squadron, RAF: Still Going Strong
Sample text
A fine view of the ditch, glacis and the ramparts of the fort. Note the shape of the fort. It was constructed in such a way as to cover the approaches, and is a fine example of the way in which engineers turned away from the elaborate star-shaped forts of the previous century. The ditches and interior walls have been somewhat artificially preserved with concrete. It serves as a focal point for commemoration of the Lines of Torres Vedras. qxd These two bomb-proof traverses ran parallel to each other and allowed guns, men and ammunition to move freely along the fort at San Vicente with a relatively large degree of protection.
This was found some months later, washed up on the river bed. After Foz d’Arouce, the French made for the bridge over the Mondego at Coimbra, but found it blocked by some Portuguese militia. Here, the Portuguese bluffed the French into thinking they were far more superior in number than they actually were after being summoned by the French to clear the way. The delay was long enough to allow British cavalry to come up and, fearing the rest of the Allied army might be close behind – they were not that far off, in fact – the French abandoned their plan to cross the Mondego and were forced to march along the south bank of the river instead.
But although Wellington had driven the French from Portugal, there remained in the country one last enemy garrison which held on at Almeida, and it was the attempt to relieve the town that led to the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro, on 3–5 May 1811. In the event, Masséna was unsuccessful in his attempt to break through to the beleaguered garrison and a few days later, Brennier, commanding them, and his men were forced to abandon the place and make good their escape through Allied lines. Masséna, on the other hand, could look forward to nothing more than a return to France, for he was relieved shortly afterwards by Napoleon and replaced by Marshal Auguste Marmont.