KITS 09/2022
PR736, S/Ldr Dennis C. Usher, CO of No. 16 Squadron, BAFO, Fassberg, Germany,
1946–1948
No. 16 Squadron was established on February 10,
1915 at Saint Omer base in France and afterwards it
was disbanded and re-activated several times. After
WWII on October 20, 1945 it was disbanded as a part
of the RAF downsizing so as to be re-established on
September 19, 1945 as a new No. 16 Squadron based
on No. 268 Squadron. The unit operated at Celle base
in Germany as a tactical reconnaissance unit until
another disbandement on March 31, 1946. However
on the next day, as a part of the reorganization, it
was re-stablished again by re-numbering No. 56
Squadron at Fassberg base in Germany. It was newly
equipped with Tempests Mk.V which on June 7, 1946
replaced Tempests Mk.II. Sixteenth Squadron opera-
ted at Fassberg base as a part of No. 135 Wing BAFO
in the fighter-bomber role until it was disbanded one
more time on June 1, 1957. Tempest PR736 was flown
by the unit’s commander, S/Ldr. Dennis Charles Usher
and his aircraft carried the squadron commander
pennant under the windshield. No. 16 Squadron insignia was painted on the engine cowling.
PR788, S/Ldr R. N. G. Allen, No. 33 Squadron, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, February 1948
After WWII No. 33 Squadron first operated in Germany from where it was in the beginning of June 1949
dispatched on board of HMS Ocean to the Far East
where it operated until 1970. Until 1960 it flew combat
sorties against the communist guerilla forces in Malaysia. It was also the last RAF operational unit flying
Tempests Mk.II. The last missions were flown on June
6, 1951, after that the unit started to re-equip with
De Havilland Hornet F.3. In the end of February 1948,
S/Ldr R. N. G. Allen led the formation of four Tempests
from No.33 Squadron to the RAF base Thorney Island
where they stayed a week to perform demonstrations for the School of Ground and Air Warfare in Old
Sarum. For that occasion S/Ldr Allen’s aircraft PR788
coded 5R-A received a shading to it’s coding. The letter A was repeated under the nose on black outlined
white circle. Under the standard conditions the letter
would be black but on this commander’s aircraft the
upper half of the letter A was painted red, same as
the propeller spinner of the A flight, while the bottom
half was blue, same as the flight B propeller spinner.
PR674, W/Cdr Frank R. Carrey, No. 135 Wing, BAFO, RAF Fassberg,
Německo, srpen 1948 – únor 1949
Tempest Mk. II PR674 with black codes FR-C was
a personal aircraft of the No. 135 Wing commander,
W/Cdr Frank Reginald Carrey. Before that it was flown
by W/Cdr J. W. E. Holmes. Frank Carrey enlisted in the
RAF in September 1927 and in 1935 he was accepted
into pilot training. In September 1936 he was ordered
to No. 43 Squadron flying the Fury biplanes. Carrey
was selected for the flight’s aerobatic team and performed at many air shows. In the beginning of 1939
No. 43 Squadron was re-equipped with Hurricanes
and after the outbreak of war Carrey scored his first
38
INFO Eduard
three shared kills. On May 10 he was ordered to No.
3 Squadron with which he took part in the Battle of
France and Battle of Britain. In the end of 1941, as
a No. 135 Sqaudron commander, he was dispatched
to Rangoon in the Far East and in February 1942 he
assumed command of the No. 267 Wing. In the end of
1943 he stopped flying combat and worked in India at
the Air Fighting Training Unit. In November 1944 he
was promoted and left for Egypt to No. 73 OTU. In June
1945 he returned to Europe and was put in command
of the No. 135 Wing in Germany. He held this position
until the beginning of 1949. In 1958 he relocated to
Australia where he worked as an aviation advisor.
On June 2, 1960 he retired and returned to Great Britain. On December 6, 2004 he passed away at the age
of 92. During WWII Frank Carrey shot down 25 enemy
aircraft individually and another three in cooperation. He also recoreded four unconfirmed kills, three
probables and eight aircraft damaged. He became
one of the most successful Hurricane pilots.
September 2022