"RAF Hurricanes in Russia" Topic
5 Posts
All members in good standing are free to post here. Opinions expressed here are solely those of the posters, and have not been cleared with nor are they endorsed by The Miniatures Page.
Please don't make fun of others' membernames.
For more information, see the TMP FAQ.
Back to the WWII Aviation Discussion Message Board
Areas of InterestWorld War Two in the Air
Featured Link
Featured Ruleset
Featured Showcase Article
Featured Profile ArticleThe Editor is invited to tour the factory of Simtac, a U.S. manufacturer of figures in nearly all periods, scales, and genres.
|
Robert Kennedy | 10 Feb 2014 3:46 a.m. PST |
RAF Hurricanes in Russia "Preparation for Force 'Benedict'
Sixty two years ago the might of Hitler's Army's invaded Russia and took on the might of Stalin's army. Within a matter of hours hundreds of Russian aircraft were destroyed on the ground, and the Wehrmacht were heading East in another phase of their Blitzkrieg. By the first of September, the front was 400 miles East, and the Wehrmacht were already at the doors of Leningrad. Within days of Operation 'Barbarossa' on 22nd June 1941, Stalin was already asking for assistance in fighting the 'fascist aggressors'. His first request for 30 divisions to fight on the Russian Front was totally out of the question considering Britain's own state of affairs after being routed from France a year earlier and having other commitments around the world. What Churchill did decide to do was to provide a supply of war materials to help Russia. This was not an easy solution to the problem of helping an ally, albeit quite a new and unusual one. The Armed Forces of Britain still required equipment, the same as that being requested by the Russians. The Russians were asking for Spitfires, to the consternation of the RAF who were still building up their squadrons and phasing out the Hurricanes. It was decided at the Moscow Conference – First Protocol to send 200 aircraft a month between October 1941 and June 1942. These consisted mainly of Hurricanes, but also Tomahawk IIB's and P39 Airacobra. (Later the Russians were to receive over 1000 Spitfires but did not actually like them in the end). The Russians also received supplies of guns, tanks, clothing, rubber, engines, trains – anything used in wartime. Hurricanes were to be the largest aircraft consignment of aircraft from the UK, put at around 3,000 Hurricanes of different marks. At this point, it was noted that there was no point sending hundreds of aircraft, Hurricanes especially, without showing the Russians how to unpack, assemble, operate and maintain Hurricanes with their relatively sensitive Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. During July 1941 it was decided to send a party to Russia to help with these problems, and Force 'Benedict' was established. On 29th July 1941, the 81st Squadron. was reactivated at Leconfield under S/Leader Tony Rook. Likewise on 31st July 1941, the 134 Squadron under S/Leader Tony Miller did the same to become the two fighter squadrons of 151 Wing. The 81st Squadron itself was formed from the splitting of 504 Squadron currently on convoy duties in the South West of England and Wales. The 'A' Flight pilots and ground crew were transferred to form the core of the 81st Squadron. The same happened to 134 Squadron, which was formed from the nucleus of 17 Squadron. The new squadrons then formed up at Leconfield in Yorkshire where other pilots were posted to the new squadrons and all the other associated personnel were assembled. Some pilots 'volunteered' to the new squadrons after being asked if they would like to take a tour overseas, probably thinking it would be in the sun!! W/Cdr H N. G. Ramsbottom-Isherwood, in charge of 151 Wing was given the following communication, which stated that he was to 'exercise full operational control', but would be under the general command of the 'Commander of the Air Force of the Northern Fleet who was Major General A A Kuznetsov. The communication further stated 'The primary role assigned to your Force is the defense of the naval base of Murmansk and co-operation with the Soviet Forces in the Murmansk areas'. To keep up secrecy, the units were issued mosquito nets and tropical clothing. It became clear that the Far and Middle East was not their planned destination when two interpreters turned up who spoke Russian. It was not long before Russian dances were being performed in the Officers Mess!! On 12th August, the troops and pilots who were to fly up later from Archangel in the assembled aircraft were on the move to the Liverpool docks to embark aboard the SS Llanstephen Castle. This 11,000 ton ship was built in 1913, and, before becoming a troopship, was a Union Castle Luxury liner. At 1500 hours, they set anchor and headed for Scapa Flow. On 16th August, the SS Llanstephen Castle set sail for Hvalsfiord, Iceland, arriving on 20th August and heading off again on 21st August for the Arctic Circle as a part of a convoy. This PQ convoy had the code name 'Dervish' and was the first trial convoy to Russia. Meanwhile, on 18th August the 24 pilots (12 from each squadron, of which there were 6 from each flight) were asked to proceed to Abbotsinch airfield on the outskirts of Glasgow. A number flew from Leconfield by Harrow, before being taken by road to Greenock, Glasgow. Here they embarked on board the small escort carrier HMS Argus. Originally HMS Argus had been an Italian Merchantmen that had gone to the Royal Navy at the end of WWI. Its superstructure had been taken off between the wars and replaced with a flight deck and basically no superstructure. Loaded aboard were 24 new Hurricanes IIB's with tropical filters! Due to the lack of space the outer wing main planes were removed and stored at the side of the hanger. On board also were six Grumman Martlets (Wildcats) for the carriers own defense. They sailed on 19th August and arrived at Scapa Flow the following day. They stayed at Scapa flow for 10 days and sailed, rowed, swam, fished as well as holding Russian parties with the British Royal Navy. On 30th August, they set sail for Greenland in a convoy of ships including the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious. A stop was planned, but due to fog they carried on and met up with the rest of the convoy in the Arctic Circle." link |
Pete Melvin | 10 Feb 2014 4:59 a.m. PST |
Having recently read an autobiography by a Hurrie pilot who was based in Malta, where they were crying out for IIbs with filters, the stupidity of sending tropical Hurries to the Soviets instead of Malta is just astounding (but not unexpected given the huge number of other ridiculous things we did during the war) |
20thmaine | 10 Feb 2014 5:26 a.m. PST |
There was an article on gaming this in Miniature Wargames, some, err
.15 years ago (Issue Number 193 June 1999 ) ! Nice to see some additional info on it ! |
Barin1 | 10 Feb 2014 9:33 a.m. PST |
one of my grandfathers was flying a Hurricane in the North, think he changed it for Yak -3 in 1943. Don't recall anything good or bad about the plane from him
|
Fatman | 10 Feb 2014 7:00 p.m. PST |
Pete Melvin Given that just after these Hurricanes were sent to the USSR we launched Operation Status, using Ark Royal and (I think) Furious to send 50ish Hurricanes to Malta I don't think the Murmansk Hurricanes were really the problem. Status, actually two operations brought the number of Hurricanes on the island over 70, 73 maybe, a total which actually rose to nearly 90 by the beginning of 1942 when the siege really kicked in. Not that things hadn't been bad before that but from then on they became desperate. By that time it was the problems of getting the planes to Malta not what was available which was the problem. On the other hand the Murmansk Wing while militarily insignificant were massively important politically. They were tangible evidence that the UK was willing to aid the Soviet Union not just with supplies but with people laying their life on the line. Don't forget until Barbarossa the British government, especially Churchill, considered the Soviets as much an enemy as the Germans. Fatman |
|