Fairey Battle, part two

The Fairey Battle was a British light-bomber which was designed and manufactured by Fairey Aviation Company. Though not as successful as expected, it served as a trainer and target tow during the whole World War 2. It was exported to many countries:

• Belgium: An order of 16 Battles were ordered to Fairey by the Belgian Military Aviation. The Battles, contrary to popular belief, were built at Fairey's plant in Stockport, United Kingdom. They were delivered in March 1938 and were differentiated from the British ones in having a longer radiator cowling and a smoother camouflage finish.
  They were assigned to the 5e Escadron, 3éme Regiment d'Aeronautique, (5th Squadron, 3rd Aeronautical Regiment) based at Evere airfield, near Brussels. Initially conceived as a reconnaissance unit, this squadron was quickly reformed into a bomber unit. During the period known as the "Phoney War", the British and Belgian authorities realised that the Battle was very vulnerable to German fighters due to its slowness, poor manoeuvrability and poor defensive armament and was, therefore, becoming obsolete. That's why Belgian authorities cancelled the initial supplementary order for additional machines. They instead tried to obtain, too late Bréguets, Douglas and Caproni bombers.
  The Belgian Battles became famous on 11th May 1940 when they took off on a suicidal mission to destroy three bridges (Veldwezelt, Vroenhoven and Briegden) on the Albert Canal. From the nine Battles that took off, six of them were destroyed (some other sources claim that all nine were destroyed) and, due to the light bomb load they were carrying, not a single bridge was destroyed.
• Greece: Back in 1939 nine Battle were ordered by the Royal Hellenic Air Force (RHAF), but because of the war, the order was cancelled and the production was reinstated for the RAF. However, British authorities changed their mind later and eleven Battles were delivered to the Royal Hellenic Air Force (RHAF) in late February 1940 as part of an order to twelve (the last one was sunk by a torpedo when it was aboard the merchant ship). They were given by the RAF to the Greek authorities as a compensation for 12 Bristol Blenheim IV that were sold in poor conditions due to war shortages. The Battles were assigned to the 33rd Bomber Squadron and they saw extensive action during the Greco-Italian War. On 28th October 1940 the 33rd Squadron, based at Koúklaina, was already in action. Battles bombed the Italian airfield in Koritza, in Italian Albania, destroying a Caproni Ca.133 and damaging four fighters for no Greek losses. Two Battles and two Blenheims were later engaged in another raid against Koritza airfield but they were intercepted by Italian Fiat Cr.42 and were shot down killing their crews and badly wounding another one.
  During the Greek counter-offensive in late November, three Greek Battles attacked a retreating Italian column between Koritza and Pogradets on the 22nd. Later, on 11th March 1941 the CO of 33rd Squadron was intercepted and shot down between Nivitsa and Slatinia.
  The remnants of the squadron were rebased to Menidi, due to the German advance in April 1941 and, as they couldn't hold off Luftwaffe's attacks, they were moved on to Tanagra, South of Athens, where the remaining machines were destroyed on the ground by the Luftwaffe.
• British Raj: The Indian Air Force received four Fairey Battles in 1942. A single Mk.I one and three target tows. They were sent to the Anti-Aircraft School in Karachi.
• Ireland: The Irish Army Air Corps approached the British authorities for a number of aircraft to meet their needs during the World War 2. In 1941 they asked for 13 Hawker Hurricanes, 10 North American Harvard and three Fairey Battle Target Tugs. The resulting offer was amounted later to 10 Hawker Hector biplanes, offer that the Irish authorities accepted. However, in an unexpected way a Battle TT registered as V1222 arrived on 24th April 1941 when it flew, at the hands of a Polish pilot from No.4 Observer School based RAF West Freugh, Scotland, and had to force-land at Corbally Strand, Tramore, in Ireland. The aircraft wasn't damaged and was flown to Baldonnel where it was officially interned. In June 1944 it was decided to put the Battle into use so target-towing equipment was fitted and received a new code, 92. It carried out camera gun exercises with Hurricanes and joined No.1 Squadron in September 1944 (note: our source claims it was in 1940, it must be a mistake) for air-to-air firing duties. It was withdrawn and flown to a maintenance unit in May 1946.
• South Africa: Thanks to the Joint Air Training Scheme, around 190 Battle were allocated for South Africa. But eleven were lost at sea, during delivery, other eleven were sent to Southern Rhodesia, four to India and four to Australia, so a total of 123 were destined to serve with the South African Air Force (SAAF), of which 51 were target tugs and 5 trainers. During the East African Campaign the SAAF used the Battles in their intended role, as light bombers. On 19th May 1940 R. Peller, CO of No.11 Squadron led the squadron to Nairobi, in Kenya, equipped with 24 Hawker Hartebeests and just a single Battle. The Battle was used for a reconnaissance flight over Mogadishu, over Italian Somaliland on 17th June. When it was leaving the area, they saw a Caproni Ca.133 parked near Afmadow, southern Italian Somaliland, and made a strafing run, only to be hit in the radiator by a stray bullet. Because of that, the Battle had to crash land, and the surviving crew set the machine on fire. The crew was eventually rescued.
  During mid-June the No.11 squadron was called back to South Africa to be re-equipped with 15 Battles, allowing them to strike hard on the enemy. They did that on many occasions, targeting Italian airfields, positions and vehicles with some successes but at the cost of sever losses. By June 1941, when No.11 Squadron SAAF was disbanded and their aircraft transferred to the No.15 Squadron, only four Battles were left active and one of them was soon lost on an accident. The remainder carried on until 19th August when the final example flew its last mission. The unit then withdrew to Kenya to be re-equipped.
• Turkey: The Turkish Government ordered some Battles before the World War 2. Four of them were being manufactured at Fairey's plant in Stockport (they had even been painted in Turkish Markings) but with the war in Europe, the deal was cancelled before they were delivered. After protracted negotiations, the British Government agreed to deliver 30 Battles which were initially destined for Poland and diverted them to Turkey instead.
  It was agreed that Flt. Lt. Sam Moseley would oversee and test-fly the Battles as they were assembled in Turkey, but when he arrived in Turkey, the enthusiastic Turks had already offloaded them from the ship, assembled the aircraft without any manuals, instructions or drawings and ferried them to Eskisehir, with the undercarriages deployed and flaps locked up because the hydraulics didn't work.
  Moseley's logbook confirms that 28 Battles were flight-tested with another two used for spares. A single Battle Target Tug arrived in May 1940 but plans for three more were called off. According to a memo from Turkish authorities, on 22nd January 1943 there still 25 Battles active, even though, Moseley said that Turkish pilots had a strong penchant for very low and fast flying.

Sources:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairey_Battle

2. http://www.belgian-wings.be/Webpages/Navigator/Photos/MilltaryPics/interbellum/Fairey%20Battle%20I/Fairey%20Battle%20I%20frontpage.html

3. https://www.haf.gr/en/history/historical-aircraft/fairey-battle-b-1/

4. http://www.letletlet-warplanes.com/2018/02/17/the-lost-battle/

5. Aeroplane Database June 2016 - Fairey Battle