Handley Page Halifax
Photographs courtesy of 202 Squadron: Crown Copywrite
Halifax: On Patrol
Photographs courtesy of 202 Squadron: Crown Copywrite
Handley Page Hastings: On the pan
Photographs courtesy of 202 Squadron: Crown Copywrite
Loading the lunches and other bits
Photograph courtesy of Peter Wyatt:Copywrite
527 On Display:Photograph courtesy of John Smith: Copywrite.
See link page for more aircraft pictures
Preparing forthe days mission
Photographs courtesy of Peter Wyatt:Copywrite
511 Fly Past
Photographs courtesy of Peter Wyatt: Copywrite
511 On Show at Cosford
Photographs courtesy of Peter Wyatt:Copywrite
English Electric Canberra: WK111
Acknowledgements to the authors and publishers of 'The English Electric Canberra' by Ken Delve, Peter Green and John Clemmons
Following the cessation of hostilities, the Squadron was once more mothballed. But, on 1st October 1946 the standard was again raised, a few miles south of thier wartime base in Northern Ireland. The new home was at RAF Aldergrove where the squadron flew converted Handley Page Halifax bombers in a meteorological reconnaissance role.
Four years later the Squadron was equipped with the Handley Page Hastings, the RAF's first post war transport aircraft. The Squadron was to fly these aircraft for the next 14 years.
In the mid 1950's the Air Ministry decided that they would like to take weather readings at altitudes in excess of those achievable by the venerable Hastings. A trial was arranged with 'borrowed aircraft', namely, an English Electric B2 Canberra bomber. Unfortunately, the first loan aircraft, (WK111) was not considered suitable, lacking the navigation and meteorological fit neccessary for the role. The aircraft was returned to it's parent unit and a replacement obtained. The trials proved successful, but the Air Ministry decided not to pursue the task.
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