The Flying Camels

Ref: 5393

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{detailed description}First formed in 1916, No. 45 Sqn has had as colourful and varied a career as any squadron in the RAF. Operating over France and Italy, 45 Sqn claimed 316 victories, making it one of the most successful RFC/RAF fighter squadrons of the First World War, although this success had been dearly bought; seventy-four of the squadron's men lost their lives in combat.
No. 45 was one of the mere handful of squadrons which constituted the RAF of the 1920s. While operating the Cairo-Baghdad Air Mail in 1922-26 its CO, Arthur Harris, converted the squadron's Vernon transports into extremely potent bombers.
Based in Egypt throughout the 1930s, the squadron undertook several notable long range flights which took its aircraft as far afield as South and West Africa and India.
In June 1940 45 squadron flew the first offensive mission of the North African campaign. Its Blenheims subsequently operated over Cyrenaica, Eritrea, Crete, Syria and Iran, sometimes sustaining heavy losses, before moving to Burma in early 1942 in a hopeless attempt to block the Japanese advance.
During 1943 No. 45 became one of only four RAF squadrons to fly the Vengeance dive bomber on operations.
In 1944 it was selected to introduce the Mosquito fighter- bomber Into service In the tropics and, after suffering some early losses due to a previously undetected structural weakness, it hit its wartime peak in March 1945 when it flew a remarkable 350 sorties.
During the Second World War 45 Sqn was one of the few units which could claim to have confronted the Germans, the Italians, the Japanese and, for good measure, the Vichy French. In the course of these operations 109 of the squadron's men lost their lives.
After a period in Ceylon No 45 Sqn became Involved in the Malayan Emergency In 1948 and over the next twelve years its Beaufighters, Brigands, Hornets, Vampires, Venoms and Canberras flew well over 4,000 operational sorties against the Communist Terrorists. In the 1960s the squadron was heavily involved in Confrontation, the undeclared war with Indonesia.

{Author / Publisher / Date}by Wg. Cdr. C. G. Jefford
published by Author published 1995 1st edn. 536pp profusely illustrated, appendices, bibliography. 22x30
{condition}previous owner's name and address blind stamped to front free end-paper, otherwise near fine in very good d/j
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