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11th May 1967
- After upgrading to Lightning F3s in 1965, 56 Squadron departed Wattisham again on 11th May 1967, this time to be stationed at Akrotiri in Cyprus.
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56 Squadron returned to Wattisham on 21st January 1975, equipped with the latest version of the Lightning, the F6. In 1976 56 Squadron converted to the Phantom FGR2, which they flew from Wattisham until July 1992 when they handed over the Squadron Standard to the Tornado F3 OCU at Coningsby.
No. 56 (F) Squadron left RAF Wattisham on 11 May 1967, deploying to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. [7] [29] Between 11 and 20 July 1968, the Firebirds deployed from Akrotiri to Luqa for Exercise Island Litex. [33] In August 1971, the squadron acquired Lightning F.6s after No. 74 (F) Squadron flew them over from RAF Tengah, Singapore before they ...
On 18 April 2008 No 56(R) Squadron disbanded as the F3 Operational Conversion Unit,and the number plate was passed to the Air Command and Control, Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C2ISR) Test and Evaluation Squadron, part of the Air Warfare Centre based at RAF Waddington.
In January 1975, 56 Squadron moved back to Wattisham from Cyprus re-equipped with the last Lightning version the F6. In May 1975 23 Squadron joined 56 Squadron at Wattisham, the last two front line Squadrons to fly Lightnings from Wattisham.
On 1 June 1979, Wattisham-based Phantom FGR.2 XV424 from No. 56(F) Squadron was used to re-enact the transatlantic flight of Alcock and Brown, crewed by pilot Squadron Leader A. J. N. "Tony" Alcock and navigator Flight Lieutenant W. N. "Norman" Browne.
SquadronPresentAircraftNotesJuly 1941 – 1 August 1942Detachment from RAF Odiham9 September 1939 – 16 December 1939Detachment from RAF Debden9 December 1941 – 24 August 1942Bristol Blenheim IVRelocated to RAF West Raynham25 February 1976 – 30 March 1983Relocated to Port Stanley, Falkland ...56 Squadron, otherwise known as the 'Firebirds' due to the Phoenix rising in the squadron badge, were residents of Wattisham for quite a while. For some thirty years the squadron graced the Suffolk skies, only disappearing occasionally for defence duties at Akrotiri in Cyprus.
On 10 July 1959, the Squadron moved to RAF Wattisham, a station that was to feature prominently in the Squadron's jet fighter years. Whilst there, in 1961, No 56 converted from the Hunter Mk.6 to the English Electric Lightning Mk.1A.
