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No. 44 Squadron received its first Avro Lancaster, in late 1941 and became the first squadron to convert completely to Lancasters, flying their first operational missions in the aircraft on 3 March 1942. [6] Total sorties and losses for the war were: Handley Page Hampden – 2,043 sorties (43 lost)
Soviets were able to repair two of six Avro Lancasters which made forced landings near Yagodnik airfield, near Arkhangelsk during attacks on the German battleship Tirpitz. Both ex-617 Squadron Avro Lancasters were operated briefly as transports and long range reconnaissance aircraft before being retired due to lack of spare parts. [5]
PA474 was stored first at Wroughton and then at Henlow then, after a request in 1965 from 44 Squadron, the Lancaster moved to RAF Waddington for restoration back to wartime standard including refitting the front and rear turrets. [2] [3] PA474 was transferred to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight in 1973. [2]
First came the Augsburg raid of 17 April 1942, when six Lancasters of No. 44 Squadron and another six of No.97 Squadron – at that time the only two operational Lancaster squadrons – were dispatched in daylight to bomb the MAN factory producing diesel engines for U-boats, with the loss of seven aircraft from the dozen-strong force. [25]
It was carried out by No. 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron and No. 97 Squadron, both of which were equipped with the new Avro Lancaster. The speed of the Lancaster and its large bombload capacity gave reason for optimism that the raid might succeed. It was the first of the attacks upon German industry in Augsburg.
File:Avro Lancaster Mk Is of No. 44 Squadron RAF, 29 September 1942. TR198.jpg. Add languages. Page contents not supported in other languages. File; Talk; English.
The Group was led by Wing Commander L.C. Slee, the CO of 49 Squadron. Slee had been in command of 49 Squadron since 14 May 1942. [9] Following his squadron out over the Atlantic was 9 Squadron, 44 Squadron, 50 Squadron, 57 Squadron, 61 Squadron, 97 Squadron, 106 Squadron and 207 Squadron.
The main occupier of the station was 44 Squadron, with the Avro Lancaster four-engined heavy bomber, which moved in from RAF Waddington in May 1943 and stayed until it moved to RAF Spilsby in September 1944. In November 1944 flying operations ceased due to the proximity of other stations which did not allow night flying.