valtrex
02-01-2007, 08:34 AM
The Greek Air Force 1911-1940http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/8483/copyofaetosts3xk5.gif
In 1911 the Greek Government appointed French specialists to form the Hellenic Aviation Service.
On February 8, 1912 , Emmanuel Argyropoulos is the first ever Greek pilot
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/1940/argyropoulosep3.jpg
On a Nieuport plane, on the same day, he invited PM Eleutherios Venizelos for a flight with him. After the short flight Venizelos was very impressed & stated that "....the airplane is the weapon suitable for the weaker countries. The venturesome nature of the Greek will make it a brilliant weapon and in the future will do yeoman service to the Greek Armed Forces..." .
On May 13, 1912 , Army Lieutenant Demetrios Kamberos on a Henry Farman plane is the first Greek military man who departed from a specified airport towards a specified destination airport. In June 1912 , while Navy was about to form its own Naval Air Agency, Kamberos converted his Henry Farman to hydroplane, under the name "Daedalus" & reached the speed of 110 kph/68 mph setting a new air speed world record
http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/7867/kamberosaf7.jpg
Demetrios Kamberos
In September 1912 , the Greek Army fielded its first squadron, the Aviators Company (the official Birthday of the Greek Army Aviation Corps), with 4 Greek Army Officers. In October 1912 , with the 1st Balkan War having just started, the first ever Greek air reckon operation took place, at the Thessaly front. Some bombing operations followed & on January 24, 1913 , the first ever worldwide joint air/naval operation took place, in the Dardanells. On April 4, 1913 , Emmanuel Argyropoulos was killed in an accident. He is the first KIA member of the Greek Air Force.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3874/bleriotet9.jpg
Bleriot 1913. Argyropoulos was flying a plane of the same type
The history of the Royal Hellenic Air Force as an independent corps (from the Army or the Navy), starts officialy on December 5, 1929 , when Venizelos proposed to the parliament the forming of the Ministry of the Air Force . The Royal Hellenic Air Force is born & the first students were accepted for attending the Air Force Academy (literaly School of Ikarians, named after the ancient Greek myth of Ikarus), on December 2, 1931
WWII
In November 1940, the overall force of the Royal Hellenic Air Force , was composed of
36 PZL-P 24FG
http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/1999/pzl24g2bfw2.jpg
10 Potez 633 B2 Grec
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/9640/3846ajq0.jpg
10 Blenheim
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/4116/blenheimfo6.jpg
10 Fairey Battle
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/7067/faireybattlevz8.jpg
10 Bregeut Bre.19A2
http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/4906/breguetbre19a2xw0.jpg
14 Henschel HS 126A1
http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/8820/hs126a1byh0.jpg
12 Dornier Do 22
http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/3121/xzolddo22buh8.jpg
12 Gloster SS37 Gladiator
http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/2966/aircraftgladiatorrhaf1nj1.jpg
Known Gloster Gladiator claims made by the Greek Air Force:
http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/9537/kellas1lt5.jpg
Squadron Leader Ioannes Kellas.
Kellas was credited with 2 biplane victories and a total of 3. He survived the War & retired in 1948
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/406/bardivilias1xw8.jpg
Pilot Officer Anastasios Bardivilias.
Bardivilias was credited with one victory, this one claimed while flying Gloster Gladiator. Bardivilias did not survive the War.
Greek Air Force use of the Gloster Gladiator during the Second World War (http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/gladiator_greece.htm)
Greek Aces in WWII (http://math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/aces1/greece-ww2-eva.html)
Airmen of Greek Origin Who flew during WWII with the RAF (http://math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/aces1/greece-ww2-raf.html)
Airmen of Greek Origin who flew during WWII with the USAF, US Navy (http://math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/aces1/greece-ww2-usa.html)
Airmen of Greek Origin Who flew in WWII with the Luftwaffe (http://math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/aces1/greece-ww2-luft.html)
The 335 Squadron
http://img494.imageshack.us/img494/1313/335sq3dz.jpg
http://img494.imageshack.us/img494/664/pilots14ia.jpg
No.335 Squadron was formed on 10 October 1941 at Aqir, Palestine , under the RAF (named 335 Hellenic Squadron ). Equipped with Hawker Hurricanes MKI (1941). It was manned by Greek personnel and was engaged in defensive duties from October 1941 until January 1942 , when it moved to the Western Desert to fly fighter patrols. In June 1942 it was withdrawn to Egypt, and returned in September 1942 with Hawker Hurricane MkIIb- MkIIc for ground attack and escort missions. After the battle of El Alamein , the squadron was engaged in shipping protection duties along the Libyan coast until September 1944 , when it moved to Italy with Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb/Vc . After six weeks of sweeps over Albania and Yugoslavia, No.335 moved to Greece in November for sweeps over German-occupied islands in the Aegean and Crete until the end of the war. In September 1945 , the squadron moved to Thessaloniki/Salonika . In June 1947 is equipped with Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXe/s LF/HF & takes part in combat operations during the civil war. Two years later, it appears equipped with Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVI
The 336 Squadron
http://img494.imageshack.us/img494/7138/pilots29lg.jpg
No.336 Squadron was formed on 25 February 1943 at Landing Ground 219 in the Western Desert , as the second Greek fighter squadron in the RAF Desert Air Force (336 Hellenic Squadron) , equipped with Hawker Hurricane MkIIc . It was employed on shipping protection and air defence duties off the Libyan coast until September 1944 , when the squadron moved to Italy with 335 Squadron. After flying sweeps over the Balkans, both squadrons moved to Greece for attacks on German-held islands in the Aegean ( Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb/Vc ). In May 1945 , No.336 moved to Salonika. It amassed 3,250 combat operations in WWII & lost 12 pilots.
Operation "And the four never returned" (April 1943)
On April 4, 1943 , 336 Hellenic Squadron moved to Sidi Barani, Egypt (L.G 121 Western Desert Airport). It was engaged in ground attacks & combat operations, over Crete. But such operations were not without their costs. In mid-April 1943, four Greek Hawker Hurricane MkIIc, piloted by Karydes, Mademles, Psilolignos & Sarsones , attacked on the German artillery batteries, and communications, on the Southern Cretan coast. They were all shot down (two killed, two captured). This operation was called by the members of the RHAF, operation "and the four never returned" . In a similar mission, Pilot Officer Soterios Skantzikas , was shot down, captured by the Germans & moved to the infamous Stalag Luft III (a P.O.W. camp for pilots), at Żagań, Poland . He was among those who escaped during the Great Escape (24 March 1944). He was captured though & putbefore the firing squad.
The 13th Hellenic Squadron
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/7771/badge13sqwb1.gif
13th Light Bombing Squadron was the first Squadron established in exile by the RHAF (Royal Hellenic Air Force) after the German occupation of Greece. The first combat mission of the Squadron took place in July 14, 1941 and was an anti-submarine patrol. This was flown in Anson N56 with the crew of: Sqn.Ldr S.Dakopoulos, F.Sgt S.Papadopoulos and Sgt P.Makris .
Training and anti-submarine patrols continued until November 1941 , when the Squadron was ordered to move to Mariyut near Alexandria, where in December of the same year received its first Blenheim IV aircraft. On July 28 flying a Blenheim IV with crew Plt Off I.Papoutsis, Lt Papadiamantopoulos and Sgt F.Saridis , while on convoy escort duty, hit a large enemy submarine forcing it to crash-dive North of Port Said. During Greek Civil War, based in Hassani from November 1944 through October 1946, 13th LBS operated the Baltimore and Wellington aircrafts on general support and reconnaissance duties. In 1947, 13th LBS was dismantled.
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/6324/bisleyfrontxj3.jpg
http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/9562/baltbrn2.jpg
The Korean War
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/1317/badg13koreakm8.gif
On October 13, 1950 13 Transport Flight was established operating the C-47D Dakota aircraft.
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/7465/c475pf.jpg
On 26 November 1950 RHAF 13th SM began serving in the Korean theater operating nine Douglas C-47 Dakota transport aircraft (following the path Greece-Cyprus-SaudiArabia-Pakistan-India-Thailand-Indochina-Philippines-Okinawa, its planes landed on the Hungram (K-27) Air Force base in Korea, on December 4, 1950). This Flight was attached to the US Air Force’s 21st Troop Carrier Squadron (known as Kyushu Gypsy Squadron because it was moving constantly).
Its mission was to carry out supply operations and mostly to evacuate the wounded personnel (21st US Marine Division) stationed at the Koto-Ri area. Some time later, due to the occupation of Hungram by the forces of the North, 13 TF was moved to Pusan (K-9 airfield). On January 4, 1951 a C-47 under serial number 92617 was crashed during landing & its crew was forced to set it on fire to avoid its capturing by enemy forces. In late January 1951 , 13 TF was moved to Tachikawa, Japan . On May 26, 1951 a C-47 under serial number 92612 crashed due to bad weather conditions & lost its crew. On December 27, 1952 , another C-47, under serial number 92632 while on a night mission, was crashed killing its crew. On June 11, 1954 , 13 TF was ordered to move to Κ-14 (Κimpo air base) air field. It remained there until May 1955 . On May 8, 1955 the long journey to return home began & on May 23, 1955 the remaing 5 C-47 aircrafts landed on Greek soil. Statistically speaking, 13 TF carried out 2,916 combat missions , marked 13,777 flight hours , carried 70,568 passengers ( 9,243 of which was wounded personnel), carried 11,104,550 lbs of ordnance . The 5 remaing aircrafts of 13 TF were: ZEUS 92620, HERA 92637, ARIS 92630, HERMES 92618, POSEIDON 92622 . 13 TF lost 12 men in Korea.
The Cyprus Crisis
In 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus. HAF carried out the Suicide Mission to Cyprus Operation Niki/Victory (http://koti.welho.com/msolanak/kyprosengl.html)
In 1911 the Greek Government appointed French specialists to form the Hellenic Aviation Service.
On February 8, 1912 , Emmanuel Argyropoulos is the first ever Greek pilot
http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/1940/argyropoulosep3.jpg
On a Nieuport plane, on the same day, he invited PM Eleutherios Venizelos for a flight with him. After the short flight Venizelos was very impressed & stated that "....the airplane is the weapon suitable for the weaker countries. The venturesome nature of the Greek will make it a brilliant weapon and in the future will do yeoman service to the Greek Armed Forces..." .
On May 13, 1912 , Army Lieutenant Demetrios Kamberos on a Henry Farman plane is the first Greek military man who departed from a specified airport towards a specified destination airport. In June 1912 , while Navy was about to form its own Naval Air Agency, Kamberos converted his Henry Farman to hydroplane, under the name "Daedalus" & reached the speed of 110 kph/68 mph setting a new air speed world record
http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/7867/kamberosaf7.jpg
Demetrios Kamberos
In September 1912 , the Greek Army fielded its first squadron, the Aviators Company (the official Birthday of the Greek Army Aviation Corps), with 4 Greek Army Officers. In October 1912 , with the 1st Balkan War having just started, the first ever Greek air reckon operation took place, at the Thessaly front. Some bombing operations followed & on January 24, 1913 , the first ever worldwide joint air/naval operation took place, in the Dardanells. On April 4, 1913 , Emmanuel Argyropoulos was killed in an accident. He is the first KIA member of the Greek Air Force.
http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/3874/bleriotet9.jpg
Bleriot 1913. Argyropoulos was flying a plane of the same type
The history of the Royal Hellenic Air Force as an independent corps (from the Army or the Navy), starts officialy on December 5, 1929 , when Venizelos proposed to the parliament the forming of the Ministry of the Air Force . The Royal Hellenic Air Force is born & the first students were accepted for attending the Air Force Academy (literaly School of Ikarians, named after the ancient Greek myth of Ikarus), on December 2, 1931
WWII
In November 1940, the overall force of the Royal Hellenic Air Force , was composed of
36 PZL-P 24FG
http://img397.imageshack.us/img397/1999/pzl24g2bfw2.jpg
10 Potez 633 B2 Grec
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/9640/3846ajq0.jpg
10 Blenheim
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/4116/blenheimfo6.jpg
10 Fairey Battle
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/7067/faireybattlevz8.jpg
10 Bregeut Bre.19A2
http://img479.imageshack.us/img479/4906/breguetbre19a2xw0.jpg
14 Henschel HS 126A1
http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/8820/hs126a1byh0.jpg
12 Dornier Do 22
http://img74.imageshack.us/img74/3121/xzolddo22buh8.jpg
12 Gloster SS37 Gladiator
http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/2966/aircraftgladiatorrhaf1nj1.jpg
Known Gloster Gladiator claims made by the Greek Air Force:
http://img487.imageshack.us/img487/9537/kellas1lt5.jpg
Squadron Leader Ioannes Kellas.
Kellas was credited with 2 biplane victories and a total of 3. He survived the War & retired in 1948
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/406/bardivilias1xw8.jpg
Pilot Officer Anastasios Bardivilias.
Bardivilias was credited with one victory, this one claimed while flying Gloster Gladiator. Bardivilias did not survive the War.
Greek Air Force use of the Gloster Gladiator during the Second World War (http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/gladiator_greece.htm)
Greek Aces in WWII (http://math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/aces1/greece-ww2-eva.html)
Airmen of Greek Origin Who flew during WWII with the RAF (http://math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/aces1/greece-ww2-raf.html)
Airmen of Greek Origin who flew during WWII with the USAF, US Navy (http://math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/aces1/greece-ww2-usa.html)
Airmen of Greek Origin Who flew in WWII with the Luftwaffe (http://math.fce.vutbr.cz/safarik/ACES/aces1/greece-ww2-luft.html)
The 335 Squadron
http://img494.imageshack.us/img494/1313/335sq3dz.jpg
http://img494.imageshack.us/img494/664/pilots14ia.jpg
No.335 Squadron was formed on 10 October 1941 at Aqir, Palestine , under the RAF (named 335 Hellenic Squadron ). Equipped with Hawker Hurricanes MKI (1941). It was manned by Greek personnel and was engaged in defensive duties from October 1941 until January 1942 , when it moved to the Western Desert to fly fighter patrols. In June 1942 it was withdrawn to Egypt, and returned in September 1942 with Hawker Hurricane MkIIb- MkIIc for ground attack and escort missions. After the battle of El Alamein , the squadron was engaged in shipping protection duties along the Libyan coast until September 1944 , when it moved to Italy with Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb/Vc . After six weeks of sweeps over Albania and Yugoslavia, No.335 moved to Greece in November for sweeps over German-occupied islands in the Aegean and Crete until the end of the war. In September 1945 , the squadron moved to Thessaloniki/Salonika . In June 1947 is equipped with Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXe/s LF/HF & takes part in combat operations during the civil war. Two years later, it appears equipped with Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVI
The 336 Squadron
http://img494.imageshack.us/img494/7138/pilots29lg.jpg
No.336 Squadron was formed on 25 February 1943 at Landing Ground 219 in the Western Desert , as the second Greek fighter squadron in the RAF Desert Air Force (336 Hellenic Squadron) , equipped with Hawker Hurricane MkIIc . It was employed on shipping protection and air defence duties off the Libyan coast until September 1944 , when the squadron moved to Italy with 335 Squadron. After flying sweeps over the Balkans, both squadrons moved to Greece for attacks on German-held islands in the Aegean ( Supermarine Spitfire Mk Vb/Vc ). In May 1945 , No.336 moved to Salonika. It amassed 3,250 combat operations in WWII & lost 12 pilots.
Operation "And the four never returned" (April 1943)
On April 4, 1943 , 336 Hellenic Squadron moved to Sidi Barani, Egypt (L.G 121 Western Desert Airport). It was engaged in ground attacks & combat operations, over Crete. But such operations were not without their costs. In mid-April 1943, four Greek Hawker Hurricane MkIIc, piloted by Karydes, Mademles, Psilolignos & Sarsones , attacked on the German artillery batteries, and communications, on the Southern Cretan coast. They were all shot down (two killed, two captured). This operation was called by the members of the RHAF, operation "and the four never returned" . In a similar mission, Pilot Officer Soterios Skantzikas , was shot down, captured by the Germans & moved to the infamous Stalag Luft III (a P.O.W. camp for pilots), at Żagań, Poland . He was among those who escaped during the Great Escape (24 March 1944). He was captured though & putbefore the firing squad.
The 13th Hellenic Squadron
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/7771/badge13sqwb1.gif
13th Light Bombing Squadron was the first Squadron established in exile by the RHAF (Royal Hellenic Air Force) after the German occupation of Greece. The first combat mission of the Squadron took place in July 14, 1941 and was an anti-submarine patrol. This was flown in Anson N56 with the crew of: Sqn.Ldr S.Dakopoulos, F.Sgt S.Papadopoulos and Sgt P.Makris .
Training and anti-submarine patrols continued until November 1941 , when the Squadron was ordered to move to Mariyut near Alexandria, where in December of the same year received its first Blenheim IV aircraft. On July 28 flying a Blenheim IV with crew Plt Off I.Papoutsis, Lt Papadiamantopoulos and Sgt F.Saridis , while on convoy escort duty, hit a large enemy submarine forcing it to crash-dive North of Port Said. During Greek Civil War, based in Hassani from November 1944 through October 1946, 13th LBS operated the Baltimore and Wellington aircrafts on general support and reconnaissance duties. In 1947, 13th LBS was dismantled.
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/6324/bisleyfrontxj3.jpg
http://img224.imageshack.us/img224/9562/baltbrn2.jpg
The Korean War
http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/1317/badg13koreakm8.gif
On October 13, 1950 13 Transport Flight was established operating the C-47D Dakota aircraft.
http://img83.imageshack.us/img83/7465/c475pf.jpg
On 26 November 1950 RHAF 13th SM began serving in the Korean theater operating nine Douglas C-47 Dakota transport aircraft (following the path Greece-Cyprus-SaudiArabia-Pakistan-India-Thailand-Indochina-Philippines-Okinawa, its planes landed on the Hungram (K-27) Air Force base in Korea, on December 4, 1950). This Flight was attached to the US Air Force’s 21st Troop Carrier Squadron (known as Kyushu Gypsy Squadron because it was moving constantly).
Its mission was to carry out supply operations and mostly to evacuate the wounded personnel (21st US Marine Division) stationed at the Koto-Ri area. Some time later, due to the occupation of Hungram by the forces of the North, 13 TF was moved to Pusan (K-9 airfield). On January 4, 1951 a C-47 under serial number 92617 was crashed during landing & its crew was forced to set it on fire to avoid its capturing by enemy forces. In late January 1951 , 13 TF was moved to Tachikawa, Japan . On May 26, 1951 a C-47 under serial number 92612 crashed due to bad weather conditions & lost its crew. On December 27, 1952 , another C-47, under serial number 92632 while on a night mission, was crashed killing its crew. On June 11, 1954 , 13 TF was ordered to move to Κ-14 (Κimpo air base) air field. It remained there until May 1955 . On May 8, 1955 the long journey to return home began & on May 23, 1955 the remaing 5 C-47 aircrafts landed on Greek soil. Statistically speaking, 13 TF carried out 2,916 combat missions , marked 13,777 flight hours , carried 70,568 passengers ( 9,243 of which was wounded personnel), carried 11,104,550 lbs of ordnance . The 5 remaing aircrafts of 13 TF were: ZEUS 92620, HERA 92637, ARIS 92630, HERMES 92618, POSEIDON 92622 . 13 TF lost 12 men in Korea.
The Cyprus Crisis
In 1974, Turkey invaded Cyprus. HAF carried out the Suicide Mission to Cyprus Operation Niki/Victory (http://koti.welho.com/msolanak/kyprosengl.html)