222 (Broadlands) Squadron

Formation of the squadron
No 222 Squadron was formed at Thasos in Greece on the 1st April 1918, from A and Z Squadrons of the former No 2 Wing, RNAS when the Royal Air Force was formed. The squadron was armed with both DH4 and Sopwith Camels aircraft.  In June 1918 DH9s were added to its strength and when it adopted the number 222, it was sub-divided into Nos 478, 479 and 480 Flights.  The squadron continued to carry out raids on Turkish targets in the Balkans until the end of the war, eventually disbanding on 27 February 1919.

Reformation of 1939
The squadron reformed at Duxford on 5 October 1939 with Blenheim IFs in the shipping protection role.  However, this was soon changed and in March 1940, the squadron re-equipped with Spitfire Mk 1s.  Two moths later it was covering the Dunkirk evacuation with Douglas Bader as a squadron Flight Commander, operating from Hornchurch and Duxford before moving to Kirton-in-Lindsey in June. 
In August the squadron returned to Hornchurch  to participate in the final stages of the Battle of Britain.  Notably in November of 1940 the squadron was based at RAF Coltishall and the satellite airfield of Ludham (situated only five miles from 222 (Broadlands) ATC HQ), flying Spitfire Mk 2s. The squadron then followed the usual pattern for fighter squadrons, offensive sweeps from bases in the south interspersed with defensive duties in the North of England, and Scotland.

1943–45
In mid 1943, it was transferred to the 2nd Tactical Air Force, joining No 135 Airfield (later No 135 Wing).  It now began carrying out offensive sweeps in preparation for the forthcoming invasion and during the invasion itself, provided air cover to the invasion convoys. The squadron moved onto the continent in late August to support the advancing armies through France and Belgium. However, in December 1944, the squadron was withdrawn from Belgium back to the UK, where it re-equipped with Tempests dealing with the threat from from V1 flying bombs.

The jet age
In June of 1945 the squadron returned to the UK again to re-equip, this time with Gloster Meteor jets fighters, which began to arrive in October. It moved around a number of bases including, Exeter, Weston Zoyland, Tangmere and Waterbeach until arriving at Leuchars in May 1950, where it remained until disbanding on 1 November 1957.  Before disbanding it operated three versions of the Meteor, converted to the Hunter F Mk 1 in December 1954 and the Hunter F Mk 4 in August 1956.

It had one final incarnation, which lasted from 1 May 1960 until 30 June 1964, as a Bloodhound Mk 1 surface-to-air missile unit at Woodhall Spa.

MH434 and The Old Flying Machine Company
(Source: www.ofmc.co.uk/aircraft/spitfire)

Perhaps the most famous of all Spitfires still flying today, MH434 was built in 1943 at Vickers, Castle Bromwich. This Spitfire is completely original, and has never been fully rebuilt. A delight to fly, the aircraft is beautifully responsive and extremely manoeuvrable.

At the beginning of August 1943, MH434 was air tested by Alex Henshaw - a record breaking pilot from pre-war days (we highly recommend Alex Henshaw’s book “Sigh for a Merlin” Click here for more details). Within the month MH434 was scoring with 222 Squadron. It was flown in combat by South African pilot Flt Lt Henry Lardner-Burke, DFC (1916-1970), seven and a half kills, three damaged, retiring as a Wing Commander. On the 27 August in the St Omar area over France, Lardner-Burke shot down a Focke-Wulf FW-190 and damaged a second during a mission to escort USAAF B-17 bombers. On the 5 September 1943 Lardner-Burke and MH434 shot down another FW-190 in the Nieuport area, and on the 8 September 1943 claimed a half share in the downing of a Messerschmitt Bf-109G in Northern France.

In 1944 MH434 was transferred to 350 Sqn. Hornchurch, before being returned to 222 Sqn. After 79 operational sorties, MH434 was retired in March 1945. MH434’s guns were loaded again when bought by the Royal Netherlands Air Force in 1947. The Spitfire served with 322 Sqn. As H-105 - mainly ground strafing and light bombing missions - before crash-landing in Semarang, Java. After spending some time in storage, MH434 was repaired and flew again in Holland on the 10 March 1953.

The Belgian Air Force became the next owner of this Spitfire, and as SM-41 she served at the Advanced Pilot School at Koksijde and with 13 Wing at Brustem. On the 26 March 1956 MH434 was put up for sale and bought and brought back to Britain by airline pilot Tim Davies. As G-ASJV the Spitfire was moved to Stansted then Elstree for a full overhaul. The aircraft was flown purely for pleasure and took part in it's first movie role, Operation Crossbow.

November 1967 saw MH434 join the motion picture airforce of Spitfire Productions Ltd. Set up by Group Captain Hamish Mahaddie for the film “Battle of Britain”. At the end of the movie in 1968 MH434 was sold again. The new owner, Sir Adrian Swire, Chairman of Cathay Pacific Airways, had the Spitfire painted in 1944 camouflage colour scheme with his initials AC-S, as squadron codes. There were several film and television appearances during this period, including “A Bridge Too Far”.

In April 1983 MH434 was sold at auction to the present and illustrious owner, Ray Hanna (Nalfire Aviation Ltd) and became one of OFMC’s founding aircraft. The first major rebuild took place in the winter of 1994-95. MH434 has become a regular movie co-star and airshow performer and when not in make up for a role is flown in the authentic 222 Sqn. Codes ZD-B.
In 1991 222 Squadron Air Training Corps were invited to have their photo taken with MH434 by the OFC at Duxford as part of the cadet unit’s celebrations of the Air Training Corps’ 50 year anniversary.