Supermarine Stranraer

Source: Harold A Skaarup Web Page (DND Photo, PL-1176, via Mike Kaehler)
Canadian Vickers Stranraer, RCAF (Serial No. 913), CV190, coded QN-B, No. 5 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron, RCAF Station Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, sometime between 1938 and 1941.

The Supermarine Stranraer was a flying boat designed and built by the British Supermarine Aviation Works company. It was developed during the 1930s on behalf of its principal operator, the Royal Air Force (RAF). Derived from the Supermarine Scapa, the aircraft's design was heavily shaped by Specification R.24/31. While initially rejected by the Air Ministry, Supermarine persisted with development as a private venture under the designation Southampton V. During 1933, a contract was placed for a single prototype; it was around this time that the type received the name Stranraer. First flown on 24 July 1934, the Stranraer entered frontline service with the RAF during 1937; most examples of the type were in service by the outbreak of the Second World War.

The Stranraer's typically undertook anti-submarine and convoy escort patrols during the early years of the conflict. During March 1941, it was withdrawn from frontline service, but continued to be operated in a training capacity up until October 1942. In addition to the British-built aeroplanes, the Canadian Vickers company in Montreal, Quebec, also manufactured 40 Stranraers under licence for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). These Canadian Stranraers served in anti-submarine and coastal defence capacities on both Canada's Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and were in regular service until 1946. Following their withdrawal from military service, many ex-RCAF Stranraers were sold off to fledgeling regional airlines, with whom they served in various commercial passenger and freighter operations into the 1950s.

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Stranraers were exact equivalents of their RAF counterparts. In Canadian service, they were usually employed in coastal patrol against submarine threats in a similar role to the British Stranraers. The Canadian Vickers-built Stranraers served with the RCAF throughout the war, the last example being withdrawn on 20 January 1946. Wikipedia

Wikipedia Supermarine Stanraer

Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Stranraer 946

5 Sqn Frangas Non Flectas ( x)

History of the Squadron during WWII (Aircraft: Audax, Mohawk IV, Hurricane IIc, IId, Thunderbolt I & II)

The Maple leaf in the badge reflects the squadron's close association with the Canadian Corps during WWI.

At the outbreak of war in September 1939, No. 5 Squadron were based in the North-West Frontier of India at Fort Sandeman (now Zhob, Pakistan), equipped with the Westland Wapiti biplane. The squadron became a light bomber unit when it converted to the Hawker Hart in June 1940. It became a fighter unit, equipped with obsolete Hawker Audaxes, in February 1941. In December 1941, the squadron relocated to RAF Dum Dum, Calcutta, and began to receive their first monoplane – the American-built Curtiss Mohawk Mk.IV. After the outbreak of hostilities with Japan, the squadron moved to RAF Dinjan, Assam, in May 1942, and was tasked with escorting Bristol Blenheim bombers over north west Burma (now Myanmar). Its first operational fighter sortie was flown in July 1942. In January 1943, the squadron began flying RHUBARB operations, on targets on the Imphal and Chindwin rivers, and these became an important part of the squadron’s activities. In June 1943 while the squadron was based at RAF Kharagpur, the Mohawks were replaced by Hawker Hurricane Mk.IId’s for ground attack missions, although they did not use them on vehicles until the following January. Later the squadron converted to Hurricane IIc’s and returned to more normal bomber escort and interdiction duties. In June of 1944, the squadron re-equipped with North American Thunderbolts, returning to operations in December. Duties were a mixture of escorts to Dakotas dropping supplies, RHUBARBS and dive bombing with wing-mounted 500 lb (227 kg) bombs. The last operations were bombing in support of the invasion of Rangoon. At the end of the hostilities, the squadron returned to India where it converted to Tempests and was disbanded in August 1947.

Maps for Movements of No. 5 Squadron 1941-45

MAP 1 Bases used by 5 Sqn RAF 1941-45 (right-click on image to display enlarged in new tab)