{"product_id":"97-straits-settlements-squadron","title":"97 (Straits Settlements) Squadron","description":"\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0in; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: \" times new roman serif align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;\"\u003e97 (Straits Settlements) Squadron was reformed in February 1941 as the second unit in 5 Group to receive the new Avro Manchester, a type already displaying serviceability issues during its brief spell with 207 Squadron. The aircraft’s Achilles Heel was the engine, the Rolls Royce Vulture, which was subject to overheating and bearing failures resulting in lengthy periods of grounding. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0in; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: \" times new roman serif align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0in; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: \" times new roman serif align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;\"\u003eThe squadron managed to participate in only thirty-three bombing and three mining operations, before, in January 1942, it became the second in Bomber Command to receive the Avro Lancaster, the type born out of the failure of the Manchester. Lancaster operations began in March, and on the 17\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of April, six crews joined six others from 44 (Rhodesia) Squadron to carry out Operation Margin, the audacious daylight attack on the M.A.N diesel engine factory at Augsburg, deep inside southern Germany. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0in; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: \" times new roman serif align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;\"\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\" style=\"margin: 0in; line-height: normal; font-size: 11pt; font-family: \" times new roman serif align=\"left\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;\"\u003eThereafter, the squadron continued to conduct operations under the banner of 5 Group until being transferred to the Path Finder Force in April 1943. Its year-long successful service with 8 Group saw the squadron participate in the Ruhr offensive, the series against Hamburg under Operation Gomorrah, the attack on the secret weapons establishment at Peenemunde and nineteen major raids on Berlin during the winter offensive of 1943\/44. In April 1944,  97 and 83 Squadrons were lent back to 5 Group for the remainder of the war to act as the group's heavy target marking force, a role it performed with great skill. 97 Squadron took part in the final operation of the bombing war, on the 25\u003csup\u003eth\u003c\/sup\u003e of April 1945.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bomber Command Books","offers":[{"title":"Perfect Bound","offer_id":66769720049968,"sku":"9781915335869","price":23.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.thegreatbritishbookshop.co.uk\/products\/97-straits-settlements-squadron","provider":"The Great British Bookshop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}