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Thread: RFC 56th Squadron Logo

  1. #1

    Default RFC 56th Squadron Logo

    Cheers!

    for a presonal project I'm looking for a good image of Royal Flying Corp's 56th Squadron (you know, McCudden et all)
    All I've found browsing the web was this:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    but it seems to me is was a WW2 era logo -- or at least a post-WW1 war one

    Does anyone knows if the 56th had a logo during the Great War, and in so, which was was it?

    thanks you all!

  2. #2

    Smile

    Pretty sure none of the RFC Squadrons had "Crests" back in WW1.

  3. #3

    Dom S's Avatar
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    Yep, squadron crests weren't introduced until 1936. Prior to that, and even going back to the RFC, some squadrons did run up plaques with "home-made" logos, sometimes based on their aircraft markings, but there was nothing either systematic or official. I can't recall seeing one for 56 though, so suspect there wasn't one - if there had been, I'm certain Alex Revell would've included a reproduction in High In The Empty Blue.

  4. #4

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    The modern day 56(R) Squadron RAF is located at RAF Coningsby and their other motif which they use occasionally is a horizontal yellow and red arrowhead ... > but longer in shape with red on the bottom / yellow on top.

    56 became an R Squadron (non-front line / training) upon merging with 233 OCU (Operational Conversion Unit) when the Panavia Tornado F.3 was still in service. These days 56(R) Squadron handles Eurofighter Typhoon type training as it's main function.

  5. #5

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    Have just double-checked HITEB, and the WWI 56 squadron honours board is photographed in it, but it was simply topped with a set of RFC wings rather than any squadron-specific insignia, so I'd take that as a pretty likely "no" to them having any form of squadron crest or shield in WWI I'm afraid.

  6. #6

    Default

    Like Dom said.


    I'm learning to fly, but I ain't got wings
    Coming down is the hardest thing

  7. #7

    Default

    Thanks guys!

  8. #8

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    Many pictures show 56 Squadron aircraft having a broad white band around the fuselage just in front of the tail. Here is a photographs of James McCudden's S.E.5a. Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	197948, Franklin's S.E.5a Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	197949, and Milner's Click image for larger version. 

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    They come from this webpage http://aviage.ru/monografii/smert-ne...rebitel-s-e-5a

    Later the marking appears to have been changed to two white strips converging at the top. Junor's S.E.5a Spring 1918 Click image for larger version. 

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ID:	197952Captain Grinnell-Milne 1919Click image for larger version. 

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  9. #9

    Exclamation

    Like other RFC squadrons 56 had their ID symbols changed regularly by GHQ. Presumably to confuse the Germans as to which squadron they were facing.
    At one stage before the white band & the twin thin white bands they used small dumbells in Red, White or Blue for the 3 Flights.

  10. #10

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    The RAF crests are something that has been approved/authorised by the monarch. eg 2 Sqn's crest was approved by King Edward VIII in May 1936 as was 56 sqn's crest
    . Maybe it was a thing of that period ?

    "He is wise who watches"

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by gully_raker View Post
    Like other RFC squadrons 56 had their ID symbols changed regularly by GHQ. Presumably to confuse the Germans as to which squadron they were facing.
    At one stage before the white band & the twin thin white bands they used small dumbells in Red, White or Blue for the 3 Flights.
    Cheers Barry!
    Do you know which color was used by each Flight? I want to re-paint some SE5a after the 56th Sqd ones that fought Werner Voss in his last battle. As far as I know those had the small dumbbell at the time

  12. #12

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    Colours are unconfirmed, but C flight was definitely a dark colour, so A flight red, B flight white and C flight blue (the most common pattern for RFC "flight" colours) is extremely likely. (And yes, the Voss fight *just* falls into the "dumbbell" marking period - the order scrapping them and introducing a broad white band around the tail on 56 squadron machines was 2 days later.)

  13. #13

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    Thanks ��

  14. #14

    Exclamation

    Further info to the above.

    Attached is a colour profile from Alex Revell's Osprey book on 56 Sqd.

    In the notes on the colour profiles he notes ""At the time the flights marked the dumbells in their colours, with A Flight in White, B Flight in Blue & C Flight in Red".

    As Dom indicated this was against the normal practice of Red, White & Blue for A.B & C Flights.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  15. #15

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    Here is even more info on 56 Sqds ID's from Alex Revell himself from a Forum thread on 56's ID's.

    Click image for larger version. 

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