No. 74 Squadron RAF
No. 74 Squadron, also known as 'Tiger Squadron' from its tiger-head motif, was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It operated fighter aircraft from 1917 to the 1990s, and then trainer aircraft until its disbandment in 2000. It was the Royal Air Force's member of the NATO Tiger Association from 1961 until the squadron's disbandment, it has since been replaced by No. 230 Squadron.
Forming in 1917 as No. 74 Squadron, the unit began life as a training squadron. Sent to the Western Front in 1918 as No. 74 Squadron, the unit quickly developed a fierce reputation during the First World War due to its pilots having an aggressive 'Tiger'-like spirit. With many aces amongst its ranks, No. 74 Squadron managed 225 victories in only seven months at the front. 'The Tigers' went on to serve during the Second World War, fighting in the Battle of Britain. After the war, it formed the first all-jet fighter wing with No. 616 and No. 504 Squadrons, flying the Gloster Meteor F.3. In 1960, they became the first unit in the RAF to operate the English Electric Lightning F.1. Between 1962 and 1963, No. 74 Squadron operated an aerobatic display team called 'The Tigers' made up of nine Lightnings; it was the first display team in the world to fly aircraft capable of Mach 2.
From October 1984 onwards, 'The Tigers' operated from RAF Wattisham, Suffolk, flying the unique McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom. These were kept up until January 1991, when they were exchanged for the Spey–powered Phantom FGR.2s. Under the Options for Change defence review in 1990, it was decided to retire the remaining Phantom squadrons Squadron and No. 56, with this coming to fruition by October 1992. 'The Tigers' spent their last eight years as No. 74 Squadron, operating the BAe Hawk T.1/T.1A from RAF Valley training future fighter pilots. No. 74 Squadron disbanded for the last time on 22 September 2000.
History
First World War
No. 74 Squadron was first formed at Northolt on, as No. 74 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps, before relocating to the aerodrome at London Colney nine days later. Beginning life as a training unit, the squadron initially flew the Avro 504Ks, among other types, before working-up to a fighter squadron. In February 1918, Mick Mannock became the senior flight commander of the squadron as it reached front-line status, becoming No. 74 Squadron.On 20 March 1918, the squadron received its first operational fighters, the Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a. On 30 March, the squadron was sent over to the RFC headquarters in Saint-Omer, France. No. 74 Squadron saw its first action on 12 April when it engaged in a dogfight near Merville against the German Luftstreitkräfte, with Mannock scoring 'the Tigers' first kill: an Albatros Scout. Within 70 days of being on the continent, No. 74 Squadron had notched 100 enemy kills to just one loss. The squadron served in France from April until February 1919, when it returned home to RAF Lopcombe Corner, Hampshire, where it was disbanded on 3 July 1919.
During its 7-month-long wartime service, it was credited with 140 enemy planes destroyed and 85 driven down out of control, for 225 victories. Seventeen aces had served in the squadron, including Victoria Cross winner Major Edward 'Mick' Mannock, Ira 'Taffy' Jones, Benjamin Roxburgh-Smith, future Air Commodore Keith Caldwell, Andrew Kiddie, Frederick Stanley Gordon, Sydney Carlin, Frederick Hunt, Clive Glynn, George Hicks, Wilfred Ernest Young, Henry Dolan, Harris Clements, George Gauld, and
Frederick Luff.
Interwar years
In response to the ongoing Abyssinia Crisis of 1935, the squadron was reformed in unusual circumstances on 3 September. The squadron was reborn out of the combination of detachments of Nos. 3, 23, 32, 56, 65, and 601 Squadrons, who were on board the troopship ship Neutralia, which was en-route to Malta. After arrival, No. 74 Squadron operated Hawker Demon two-seater fighters. While it had been officially re-established, the squadron was prohibited from identifying its aircraft by squadron number until 14 November 1935 due to security reasons; until then, it was referred to as 'Demon Flights'.In the following July, the squadron and its Demons, were shipped back to England, with the squadron arriving at RAF Hornchurch in September 1936. On 20 December 1936, Adolph Gysbert 'Sailor' Malan was posted to 'the Tigers'. In February 1937, after years of unofficial use, No. 74 Squadron had its squadron badge design; a tiger's face, officially approved by King George VI. 'The Tigers' re-equipped with Gloster Gauntlets in April 1937, forming part of the newly created Fighter Command. The Gauntlets were kept up until February 1939, when the squadron began converting to the Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I.
Second World War
Battle of France and Britain
At the outbreak of war, No. 74 Squadron was operating from RAF Rochford, a satellite aerodrome of RAF Hornchurch. On 6 September 1939, after an early morning air raid alert, a flight of No. 56 Squadron Hawker Hurricanes took off from North Weald. These were followed by two reserve Hurricanes. The two reserves were identified as enemy aircraft, and Spitfires from RAF Hornchurch, among them No. 74 Squadron, were ordered to attack them. Both were shot down. One pilot, P/O Montague Hulton-Harrop was killed; the other pilot, Frank Rose, survived. The pilot who fired the fatal shots was No. 74 Squadron's John Freeborn. The exact story of what happened in this incident, which came to be known as the Battle of Barking Creek, may never be known. Even the origin of the name is obscure, as it did not take place above Barking Creek but near Ipswich, in Suffolk. At the subsequent court martial, it was accepted that the entire incident was an unfortunate error.The squadron, as part of No. 12 Group, first saw combat in May 1940 during the evacuation from Dunkirk, in battles which exacted a heavy toll on both pilots and aircraft. Thereafter No. 74 Squadron served successfully through the Battle of Britain, being heavily involved throughout June and July. On 11 August, the squadron flew four sorties, and by the end of the day, had claimed 24 victories and 14 damaged. On 14 August, No. 74 Squadron was posted to RAF Wittering for rest, and shortly after moved onto RAF Kirton in Lindsey and then onto RAF Coltishall, Norfolk. It was here at Coltishall in September 1940 that the squadron replaced their Spitfire Mk.Is with the Mk.IIa. The squadron moved back south to RAF Biggin Hill in October for the end of the Battle. Between November and December 1940, No. 74 Squadron destroyed 38 enemy aircraft.
With the Battle of Britain won, the squadron were posted to RAF Manston, Kent, in February 1941. The squadron then went to the north of England to RAF Acklington in July 1941 to regroup, from there moving around to stations in Wales and Northern Ireland. During this time, the Governor of Trinidad and Tobago, Sir Hubert Winthrop Young, made a presentation of Spitfires to No. 74 Squadron. This subsequently led to 'the Tigers' being named the 'Trinidad Squadron', a name that lasted until the 1950s.
Middle East and the liberation of Europe
The squadron finally made a move from RAF Long Kesh in April 1942, when it was sent the Middle East, arriving in Egypt in June. The ship carrying their aircraft they had been due to fly had been sunk leaving 'the Tigers' without anything to fly. No. 74 Squadron was then moved to Palestine in July, where a decision was made for the squadron to operate as a maintenance unit for USAAF B-24 Liberators. The squadron finally recovered its air capability in December 1942, when they received Hurricane Mk.IIBs, forming part of No. 219 Group. During this time, they operated from RAF Habbaniya in Iraq, and were also based in Iran. The squadron, now commanded by Squadron Leader James Hayter, moved back to Egypt in May 1943, arriving at Landing Ground 106 near El Dabaa, in order to carry out shipping patrols. On 23 July, 'the Tigers' took part in a large offensive over Axis-occupied Crete, in which they attacked radio direction finder stations and barracks, among other targets, severely damaging them. The squadron converted back to Spitfires in September 1943, this time to Mk.Vbs and Mk.Vcs, as they were transferred over to Cyprus to participate in the failed Dodecanese campaign. 'The Tigers' withdrew back to Egypt, and in late October 1943, the squadron got Mk.IX Spitfires, which were swapped for Mk.XVIes in March 1944.No. 74 Squadron returned home in April 1944 to RAF North Weald, before moving onto RAF Lympne. They had arrived back just in time to participate in the buildup for Operation Overlord. It was equipped with the Spitfire Mk.IX HF operating while from RAF Lympne in Air Defence of Great Britain, though under the operational control of RAF Second Tactical Air Force. During this time, they attacked Axis railway yards and escorted Allied bombing raids on V-1 flying bomb launch sites in occupied France as part of D-Day preparations. On 3 July, the squadron left RAF Lympe for RAF Tangmere, as part of No. 134 Wing, before leaving for Sommervieu, Normandy in August 1944 and joining No. 145 Wing. From here, they supported the Allied advance through France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, in a fighter-bomber role. No. 74 Squadron operated from aerodromes in Lille, Courtrai, Duerne, and Schijndel during this time. In March 1945, the squadron received Spitfire Mk.XVIs, which they operated alongside their Mk.IXs. On 16 April, 'the Tigers' were based at Drope in Germany, from here they were used to carry out reconnaissance missions over Wilhelmshaven. It was while based here that No. 74 Squadron received news of Germany's surrender. The squadron finally left Germany on 11 May 1945, returning to Britain.
Post-War
Meteors, Hunters, and Lightnings
Upon arrival back to England, No. 74 Squadron converted to their first jet aircraft; the Gloster Meteor F.3, being based at RAF Colerne, Wiltshire. The squadron soon moved to RAF Bentwaters, before finally settling at RAF Horsham St Faith, Norfolk in August 1946. While here, as one of the first adopters of the Meteor F.3, the squadron formed the first all jet fighter wing with No. 616 Squadron and No. 504 Squadron. 'The Tigers' had a brief stay at RAF Lübeck between July and August 1947. From December 1947, onward, the squadron began to re-equip with Meteor F.4s, completing conversion by March 1948. In October 1950, the squadron received the much improved Meteor F.8. From 1954 onward, the squadron's Meteors began to be camouflaged in dark green and dark sea grey, this coincidentally marked the return of 'tiger stripe' markings on the squadron's aircraft; something not seen since the Gloster Gauntlets. After 12 years of flying Meteors, No. 74 Squadron converted to the Hawker Hunter F.4 in March 1957. The Hunter F.4s wouldn't be operated for long, as the squadron started to re-equip with Hunter F.6s in November 1957, with the Hunter F.4s being phased out by January 1958.On 8 June 1959, 'the Tigers', under the command of Squadron Leader John 'Johnny' Howe, moved to RAF Coltishall for re-equipment with the English Electric Lightning F.1 in June 1960; this was the first squadron in the RAF to receive the Lightning. In 1962, No. 74 Squadron formed an aerobatic display team; The Tigers, replacing No. 92 Squadron's Blue Diamonds as the RAF's official display team. On 2 March 1964, the squadron moved up to RAF Leuchars in Scotland, before getting the Lightning F.3 in April. While based at RAF Leuchars, No. 74 Squadron held their first Tiger Meet between 5 and 9 July 1966, having joined the NATO Tiger Association at its inception in 1961. 'The Tigers' upgraded to Lightning F.6s in November 1966, with the last Lightning F.3s remaining up until January 1967.
The squadron moved to RAF Tengah in Singapore in June 1967, where it operated alongside No. 20 Squadron, which flew Hunters, and No. 81 Squadron, which flew Canberra PR.9s. In June 1969, while based in Singapore, four Lightning F.6s flew a distance of 2,000 miles from RAF Tengah to Darwin, Northern Territory in Australia, setting the longest non-stop flight made by a Lightning. In 1971, the squadron flew its Lightning F.6s to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, to hand them over to No. 56 Squadron, who were flying Lightning F.3s, and then disbanded on 25 August 1971.