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Associated people and organisations Royal Air Force, 59 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Component Field Force; Associated places Poix, France; Associated themes
The Bristol Blenheim was a twin-engine high performance all-metal medium bomber aircraft, powered by a pair of Bristol Mercury VIII air-cooled radial engines, each capable of 860 hp (640 kW). [18] Each engine drove a three-bladed controllable-pitch propeller , and were equipped with both hand-based and electric engine starters. [ 18 ]
On 3 September 1939 a Blenheim IV of the squadron piloted by Andrew McPherson was the first British aircraft to cross the German coast after Britain had declared war on Germany. On 4 September 1939, Nos. 110 , 107 and 139 Squadrons led the first RAF air raid of the war against German shipping near Wilhelmshaven .
The squadron was re-established in December 1941 at RAF Helwan, [5] equipped with 24 Blenheim IVs with around 90 aircrew and over 400 ground staff. [6] In January 1942, it was sent to the Far East to operate from Sumatra and Java in a short-lived campaign against the Japanese . [ 5 ]
English: Royal Air Force- France, 1939-1940. Bristol Blenheim Mark IV, N6227 'XD-M', of No. 139 Squadron RAF, undergoes an engine overhaul at Plivot. Note the armourer (foreground) who has just removed the forward-firing .303 machine gun from its mounting in the port wing for examination.
No. 62 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was originally established as a Royal Flying Corps squadron in 1916 and operated the Bristol F2B fighter in France during the last year of the First World War. After the war the squadron was disbanded and it was re-established in 1937 as part of the buildup of the RAF in the late 1930s.
The unit was initially equipped with Bristol Blenheim, a British light bomber aircraft and Avro Anson a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft, before these were eventually replaced by Bristol Beaufighter a British multi-role aircraft, in 1942. [2]