ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH ALBEMARLE 100 YEARS OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE
PATROLLERS AND AIRLIFTERS RAF CENTENARY CELEBRATION 41not take to the skies until March
20, 1940. Further delays, resulting
from the decision to farm out the
construction of small sub-assemblies
to non-aviation manufacturers,
meant the first aircraft was not
ready to join 511 Squadron at RAF
Lyneham until November 1942.
The unit was assigned to 38
Wing, and those first Albemarles
were used for both special transport
duties and as glider tugs. Their first
operational flight was a night service
to Gibraltar.
Other than transport, the
Albemarle entered active service
as a reconnaissance bomber in
January 1943, with 296 Squadron
at Hurn. The following month they
joined Whitleys on night raids over
Northern France, dropping bombs
and propaganda leaflets.
However, the slow and under-
armed aircraft soon proved less than
ideal in the bomber role and was
re-allocated to support the armed
airborne forces.
In North Africa, Albemarles towed
Hadrian and Horsa gliders, and
dropped paratroopers during the
July 1943 invasion of Sicily.D-DAY
From August 1943 examples
were allocated to 297 Squadron,
which performed various Special
Operations Executive (SOE) drops
over France in the run-up to D-Day.“On D-Day itself (June 6, 1944),
Albemarles acted as pathfi nders for the
6th Airborne Division...”
Type: Four-crew bomber, glider tug and special transport aircraft
First fl ight: March 20, 1940; entered service January 1943
Powerplant: Two 1,590hp (1,186kW) Bristol Hercules XI radials
Dimensions: Span 77ft (23.47m), length 59ft 11in (18.26m)
Weights: Empty 25,347lb (11,497kg), all-up 36,500lb (16,556kg)
Max speed: 265mph (426km/h) at 10,500ft (3,200m)
Range: 1,300 miles (2,092km)
Armament: Four-gun Boulton Paul dorsal turret and twin Vickers hand-
operated guns amidships. Bomb load: 4,500lb (2,041kg)
Replaced: Hawker Hart
Taken on charge: 602
Replaced by: Handley Page HalifaxARMSTRONG WHITWORTH ALBEMARLE
Aircraft from 295, 296 and 570
Squadrons also performed
regular supply drops to French
Resistance forces.
On D-Day itself (June 6, 1944),
Albemarles acted as pathfinders for
the 6th Airborne Division, dropping
troops from the 22nd Independent
Parachute Company. Other
examples towed gliders during the
peak of the operation.
On September 17, 1944, during
Operation Market Garden at
Arnhem, 54 Horsas and two Waco
Hadrian gliders were towed to the
Netherlands by 28 Albemarles
of 296 and 297 Squadrons. The
following day 45 Albemarles towed
even more gliders into the battle.
Of the 602 airframes built, 190
were Mk.Is, including ST (special
transport) versions with a loading
door fitted on the starboard side. The
Mk.II could carry ten paratroopers
and the Mk.V was essentially
the same but with a fuel jettison
capability. All production Albemarles
were powered by a pair of 1,590hp
(1,186kW) Bristol Hercules XI radial
engines, although some were trialled
with the Rolls-Royce Merlin and
Wright Double Cyclone.
Seventeen aircraft were lost
during operations and 81 crashed
in training. The last Albemarles to
fly operational missions were those
of 296 Squadron, which made
their last trip (a leaflet-dropping
flight) on September 24, 1944.
Other examples remained in service
as trainers with 21 Heavy Glider
Conversion Unit until February
1946, when they were replaced by
the Halifax.Above left
Albemarle ST.V V1823
wearing hastily
applied D-Day stripes
in 1944. The aircraft
was written off on
December 22 that
year, after it stalled
and crashed following
the release of the
glider being towed.Below
An Armstrong
Whitworth Albemarle
takes off with an
Airspeed Horsa glider
in tow.Opposite
bottom left
Members of the
Airborne Forces
wait to board an
Albemarle ahead
of their fl ight to
Normandy.