No. 1426 Flight RAF

{{Short description|British air force unit dealing with captured enemy aircraft}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}{{Use British English|date=June 2017}} {{Infobox military unit |unit_name = No. 1426 Flight RAF No. 1426 (Photographic Reconnaissance) Flight |dates = 21 November 1941 – 17 January 1945 1 January 1956 – 31 December 1956{{sfnp|Lake|1999|p=88}} |image = File:A Focke Wulf Fw 190 and Junkers Ju 88S of No. 1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight RAF at Collyweston, Northamptonshire, 22 February 1945. CH15610.jpg |image_size = 300 |caption = A [[Focke-Wulf Fw 190]] and a [[Junkers Ju 88]] of 1426 Flight undergoing maintenance by RAF ground crew at RAF Collyweston (February 1945) |alt = A photograph of a single–engined and a larger, twin-engined aircraft on the ground. Two men are working on the wing of the larger aircraft. The engine–covers have been removed from the smaller aircraft and four men are working on its engine |role = Enemy aircraft evaluation and demonstration |equipment = [[Messerschmitt Bf 109]] [[Messerschmitt Bf 110]] [[Focke-Wulf Fw 190]] [[Heinkel He 111]] [[Junkers Ju 88]] [[Henschel Hs 129]] [[Avro Anson]] [[Airspeed Oxford]] [[General Aircraft Monospar ST-25]] [[Avro Lincoln]]{{sfnp|Lake|1999|p=88}} |garrison = [[RAF Duxford]] [[RAF Collyweston]] [[RAF Khormaksar]] |garrison_label= Based |motto = |identification_symbol= |battle_honours= }} '''No. 1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight RAF''', nicknamed the '''Rafwaffe''', was a [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF) independent aircraft flight formed during the [[World War II|Second World War]] to evaluate captured enemy aircraft and demonstrate their characteristics to other allied units.<ref name=BBC-peopleswar>{{Cite web|last=Bennett|first=Sally|date=10 January 2006|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/82/a8404382.shtml|title=WW2 Peoples' War – brief history of The Rafwaffe (Flight 1426)|website=BBC.co.uk|publisher=[[British Broadcasting Corporation]]|access-date=7 August 2024|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120122120341/http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/stories/82/a8404382.shtml|archive-date=22 January 2012}}</ref> Several aircraft on charge with the [[Royal Aircraft Establishment]] (RAE) at [[Farnborough Airport|Farnborough]] were also used by this unit. The RAE facilities at Farnborough were used for the flight testing of German and Italian aircraft during the war.

Many crash-landed aircraft were brought to Farnborough for examination, testing, and cannibalisation of spare parts to keep other aircraft in serviceable condition. The main flight testing work was carried out by the Aerodynamics Flight of the Experimental Flying Department and the Wireless & Electrical Flight (W&EF), the latter responsible for evaluation and examination of radar-equipped aircraft later in the war.

==History== ===No. 1426 (Enemy Aircraft) Flight=== [[File:Heinkel 111 AW177 MH 31314.jpg|thumb|right|Heinkel He 111H, 'AW177' at [[RAF Duxford]], prior to the establishment of 1426 Flight (Sept-Oct 1941).|alt=]] The Royal Air Force unit was established on 21 November 1941 at [[RAF Duxford]], made up of a small group of pilots who had previously been maintenance test pilots with [[No. 41 Group RAF]].<ref name=BBC-peopleswar/><ref name="Christopher, p.173">{{Cite book|last=Christopher|first=John|date=2013|title=The Race for Hitler's X-Planes|publisher=The History Press|page=173|isbn=978-0752464572}}</ref> Attached at first to [[No. 12 Group RAF|12 Group]], its mission was to demonstrate captured types to allied personnel and expose them to "the appearance, performance, and even the sound" of hostile types. Initially, it operated a [[Heinkel He 111]]H ([[United Kingdom military aircraft registration number|RAF aircraft registration]] AW177) shot down in Scotland in February 1940, a [[Messerschmitt Bf 109]] captured during the [[Battle of France]] (AE479) (handed over from the [[Air Fighting Development Unit]], AFDU), and a [[Junkers Ju 88]]A-5 (HM509).<ref name="Christopher, p.173"/> The Ju 88 was a more recent British acquisition, after the pilot landed at night at [[RAF Chivenor]] in the belief it was an airfield in France; the crew had made a navigational error after being deceived by a [[Meaconing|Meacon]].{{sfnp|Weal|2000|p=70}} A [[General Aircraft Monospar]] was also assigned to the unit for general communication tasks and collecting spare parts.

[[File:Me 110C-5 RAF NAN15Jun43.jpg|thumb|Messerschmitt Bf 110C-5 'AX772'.|alt=]] The aircraft in the unit changed as later marques came into the RAF's hands in various ways; including capture by allied troops, forced or mistaken landings by German pilots, and [[defection]]s. The flight cooperated with the [[Royal Air Force Film Production Unit|RAF Film Unit]], for which the usual British markings were removed and original German restored.<ref name="Christopher, p.173"/> Aircraft were then assigned to the AFDU at (RAF Duxford 1940-1943), where they were extensively tested before passing them on to the flight. Several aircraft were lost to crashes or damaged, and then cannibalised for spare parts. Others were shipped to America for further evaluation. In March 1943, the unit moved to [[RAF Collyweston]] in Northamptonshire. Beginning in early 1944, the flight made a round of [[U.S. Army Air Forces]] bases in Britain. After [[Normandy landings|the invasion of Normandy]], the perceived need for the flight declined.<ref name="Christopher, p.173"/>

The flight ceased operations at Collyweston on 17 January 1945, reforming at [[RAF Tangmere]] on the same date, with [[List of RAF squadron codes|unit codes EA]], as the 'Enemy Aircraft Flight' (EAF) of the [[Central Fighter Establishment]] (CFE), which finally disbanded 31 December 1945.<ref name=BBC-peopleswar/><ref>{{Cite web|last=Gosling|first=Peter|date=February 2003|url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3897/is_200302/ai_n9204393|title=The Rafwaffe|work=Flight Journal|via=FindArticles.com|archive-date=2006-03-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060322222730/http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3897/is_200302/ai_n9204393}}</ref>{{sfnp|Lake|1999|p=88}}<ref>Christopher, p.174.</ref>

===No. 1426 (Photographic Reconnaissance) Flight=== Following disbandment of [[No. 7 Squadron RAF]] in December 1955, four crews and their aircraft were detached and sent to the [[Colony of Aden#Labour movements, trade unions and internal dissent|Aden]] during the 'troubles', to carry out patrols as '''No. 1426 (Photographic Reconnaissance) Flight''' (1426 (PR) Flt) at [[RAF Khormaksar]] in [[Aden]] on 1 January 1956, and disbanded at Khormaksar on 31 December 1956, being the last time the [[Avro Lincoln]] flew operationally as a bomber.{{sfnp|Lake|1999|p=88}}

==Aircraft operated, 1941–1945== ===Axis aircraft=== This list may be incomplete, and not all axis aircraft captured and allocated [[United Kingdom military aircraft registration number|RAF aircraft registrations]] were flown by 1426 Flight. Others were flown by the Air Fighting Development Unit (AFDU) and the [[Royal Aircraft Establishment]] (RAE).

{|class=wikitable |+Messerschmitt Bf 109 !model!!''[[Werke nummer|Werk Nr.]]''!!German call-sign!![[United Kingdom military aircraft registration number|RAF reg]]!!circumstances of acquisition!!fate |-style=vertical-align:top |E-3||1304||White 1<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bf-109.com/display.php?lang=en&auth=e&name=version_display&fotonummer=123|title=Bf 109 E-3|publisher=www.Bf-109.com|access-date=12 December 2010}}</ref>||AE479||Aircraft of 1./JG 76 flown by [[Feldwebel|Fw.]] Karl Hier, captured by the French near [[Wœrth]], 22 November 1939; handed over to the RAF 2 May 1940.||Sent to the US in April 1942; crashed at [[Wright Field]] 3 November 42. |-style=vertical-align:top |E-4/B||4101<ref name=RAFMus109E4/>||Black 12<ref name=RAFMus109E4/>||DG200||Damaged by a Spitfire of [[No. 66 Squadron RAF|66 Sqn]], flown by Canadian ace George Christie; belly–landed at [[RAF Manston]], pilot Wolfgang Teumer (of [[JG 51]]) taken prisoner, 27 November 1940.<ref name=RAFMus109E4/>||Repaired using parts of other aircraft and tested by [[Rolls-Royce Limited|Rolls-Royce]]. In February 1942, passed to Research and Development at [[Hatfield Aerodrome|Hatfield]] for propeller tests, then to the [[Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment]] (A&AEE) at [[Boscombe Down]], before in March 1942 to No. 1426 Flight. In 1943, retired from RAF use as more recent Bf 109 models had been acquired and selected for long term preservation as a museum aircraft. It was eventually moved to the [[Royal Air Force Museum London|Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon]] in 1978, where it is currently on display in the Battle of Britain Hall.<ref name=RAFMus109E4>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/collections/aircraft/aircraft-history/78-AF-624%20%20Bf109E%204101.pdf|title=Individual history Messerschmitt Bf109E-4/B W/NR.4101/DG200/8477M|publisher=[[RAF Museum]]|access-date=4 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605081710/http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/collections/aircraft/aircraft-history/78-AF-624%20%20Bf109E%204101.pdf|archive-date=5 June 2011}}</ref> |-style=vertical-align:top |F–2||12764||<< +||ES906||Originally of I./[[JG 26]], flown by ''Gruppenkommandeur'' Hpt. [[Rolf Pingel]], it was damaged by return fire while attacking [[Short Stirling]] bombers and belly–landed near [[Dover]], 10 July 1941.||Repaired by the RAE and evaluated by the AFDU in October 1941. Crashed near [[Fowlmere]] 20 October 1941 during test flight, killing Polish Air Force pilot F/O Marian J. Skalski. |-style=vertical-align:top |F–4/B||7232||White 11{{sfnp|Weal|1999|p=31}}||NN644{{sfnp|Weal|1999|p=31}}||Originally flown by ''Uffz.'' Oswald Fischer of 10.(Jabo)/[[JG 26]], was damaged by anti-aircraft fire during an attack on a Royal Navy [[corvette]] and belly–landed at [[Beachy Head]], 20 May 1942{{sfnp|Weal|1999|p=31}}||Flown until the end of the war.{{sfnp|Weal|1999|p=31}} |-style=vertical-align:top |G-2/Trop||10639<ref name=RAFMus109G2/>||Black 6<ref name=RAFMus109G2/>||RN228<ref name=RAFMus109G2/>||Formerly of 8./[[JG 27]]; found abandoned and in damaged condition by [[No. 3 Squadron RAAF]], at an airfield near [[Tobruk]], Libya in November 1942.||Repaired by 3 Sqn using parts from other aircraft. Repainted in a [[Desert Air Force]] scheme, given the squadron code 'CV-V' and evaluated in [[North Africa]]. Transferred to 1426 Flight in late 1943.<ref name=RAFMus109G2>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/collections/aircraft/aircraft-history/X001-2501%20BF109G%20%27Black%206%27.pdf|title=Individual history Messerschmitt Bf109G-2/TROP W/NR.10639|publisher=[[RAF Museum]]|access-date=4 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223040353/http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/collections/aircraft/aircraft-history/X001-2501%20BF109G%20%27Black%206%27.pdf|archive-date=23 December 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> Preserved in the RAF Museum.<ref name=RAFMus109G2/> |-style=vertical-align:top |G-6/U2||412951||White 16{{sfnp|Weal|1999|p=75}}||TP814||Lt. Horst Prenzel, Staffelkapitan 1./[[JG 301]], landed at [[RAF Manston]] by mistake after a [[Wilde Sau]] sortie over the invasion area against night-bombers on 21 July 1944. Another Bf 109 also attempted to land but crashed.{{sfnp|Weal|1999|p=75}}||Written–off in a take-off accident at [[RAF Wittering]], 23 November 1944/{{sfnp|Weal|1999|p=75}} |-style=vertical-align:top |G-6(trop.)||????|| ||VX101||Captured in the Middle East in 1943.||Written–off in a forced landing at Thorney Island 19 May 1944.{{sfnp|Weal|1999|p=75}} |}

{|class=wikitable |+Focke-Wulf Fw 190 !model!!''[[Werke nummer|Werk Nr.]]''!!German call-sign!![[United Kingdom military aircraft registration number|RAF reg]]!!circumstances of acquisition!!fate |-style=vertical-align:top |A–3||135313|| ||MP499{{sfnp|Weal|1996|p=25}}||''Oblt''. [[Armin Faber]], Gruppe Adjutant of III./[[JG 2]] 'Richthofen' became disorientated after shooting down an RAF Spitfire over [[Start Point, Devon]]. Attempting to return home, he accidentally flew north instead of south and landed at [[RAF Pembrey]] on 23 June 1942.{{sfnp|Weal|1996|p=24}}||Struck off charge, 18 September 1943.{{sfnp|Weal|1996|p=25}} |-style=vertical-align:top |A-5/U8||2596||White 6<ref name=IWM-CH15610/>||PN999||Originally of [[Schnellkampfgeschwader 10|I./SKG 10]], flown by Uffz. Werner Ohne; landed in error at RAF Manston, 20 June 1943.||Despatched to store at 47 MU Sealand in July 1946. |-style=vertical-align:top |A-4/U8||7155|| ||PE882||Originally H+ of II./SKG 10, flown by Uffz. Otto Bechtolder. Disorientated en-route and running short of fuel, he force-landed at [[RAF West Malling]] on 16 April 1943.||Crashed 13 October 1944, killing F/L E.R. Lewendon. |-style=vertical-align:top |A-4/U8||5843||Red 9||PM679||Originally of 2./SKG 10, flown by Uffz. Heinz Ehrhardt, accidentally landed at RAF Manston, Kent on 20 May 1943.<ref name=IWM-CH15610>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210730|title=CH 15610 (photograph)|work=Imperial War Museum collection search|publisher=[[Imperial War Museum]]|access-date=29 June 2012}}</ref>||Last flight was June 1944 when, shortly after takeoff, the aircraft suffered a major engine failure and force landed; was used for spares for PE882 and PN999. |}

{|class=wikitable |+Junkers Ju 88 !model!!''[[Werke nummer|Werk Nr.]]''!!German call-sign!![[United Kingdom military aircraft registration number|RAF reg]]!!circumstances of acquisition!!fate |-style=vertical-align:top |A-4|| ||4D+DL||EE205||Formerly of 3./[[KG 30]], landed by mistake at [[Bristol Airport#RAF Lulsgate Bottom|RAF Lulsgate Bottom]], after a night raid on [[Birkenhead]] on 23/24 July 1941.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210729|title=CH 15606 (photograph)|work=Imperial War Museum collection search|publisher=[[Imperial War Museum]]|access-date=29 June 2012}}</ref>||Appeared in the 1943 film ''[[The Adventures of Tartu]]''. |-style=vertical-align:top |A-5||6073||M2+MK||HM509||Originally of ''KuFlGr''.106, accidentally landed at [[RAF Chivenor]], 26 November 1941.{{sfnp|Weal|2000|p=70}}||Damaged by a [[Ground loop (aviation)|ground loop]] on landing on 19 May 1944; although repairable, it was cannibalised for spare parts.{{sfnp|Weal|2000|p=70}} |-style=vertical-align:top |G-1||712273<ref name=RAFreport/>||4R+UR<ref name=RAFreport/>||TP190<ref name=1000aircraft/>||Night-fighter of III./[[NJG 2]] flown by ''Obgfr''. Maekle and equipped with [[Lichtenstein radar|''FuG'' 220 'Lichtenstein' SN-2 radar]] and homing devices [[Flensburg radar detector|''FuG'' 227 'Flensburg]]' and [[Naxos radar detector|''FuG'' 350 'Naxos']]. Landed in error at [[RAF Woodbridge]], Suffolk on 13 July 1944.<ref name=RAFreport>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ww2.dk/misc/captured.pdf|series=Air Intelligence 2 (g) Inspection of Crashed or Captured Enemy Aircraft|id=Report Serial No. 242|date=16 July 1944|title=Report No. 8 / 151: Junkers Ju 88 G-1 Night Fighter}}</ref>||Scrapped, October 1945.<ref name=1000aircraft>{{Cite web|url=http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/HornDavid/9335.htm|title=No. 9335. Junkers Ju 88 G-1 (TP190 c/n 712273) Royal Air Force|publisher=1000Aircraftphotos.com|date=31 October 2009|access-date=3 December 2010}}</ref> |-style=vertical-align:top |R-1||360043<ref name=RAFMusJu88/>||D5+EV||PJ876<ref name=RAFMusJu88/>||Lichtenstein BC radar-equipped night-fighter Junkers Ju 88 of 10./[[NJG 3]] flown to [[RAF Dyce]], Scotland by defecting crew, 9 May 1943.<ref name=RAFMusJu88/>||Preserved in the RAF Museum.<ref name=RAFMusJu88>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/documents/collections/78-AF-953-Junkers-Ju88-R1.pdf|title=Individual history Ju 88 R-1, Werk Nr. ''360043''|publisher=[[RAF Museum]]|access-date=3 December 2010}}</ref> |-style=vertical-align:top |S-1||140604||RF+MT||TS472||Captured at [[Vélizy – Villacoublay Air Base|Villacoublay]], near Paris, September 1944.<ref name=IWM-CH15610/>|| |}

{|class=wikitable |+other types |-style=vertical-align:top !type and model!!''[[Werke Nummer|Werk Nr.]]''!!axis call-sign!![[United Kingdom military aircraft registration number|RAF reg]]!!circumstances of acquisition!!fate |-style=vertical-align:top |Messerschmitt Bf 110C–4||2177||5F-CM||AX772||Originally of 4.(F)/14 intercepted by RAF fighters while on a reconnaissance mission on 21 July 1940. Forced down near [[Goodwood Racecourse]], Sussex.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205211475|title=HU 93008 (photograph)|work=Imperial War Museum collection search|publisher=[[Imperial War Museum]]|access-date=29 June 2012}}</ref>||Royal Aircraft Establishment repaired this aircraft. After handling trials, was flown to the Air Fighting Development Unit at Duxford in Oct 1941. Transferred to No. 1426 Flight in Mar 1942,<ref name=BBC-peopleswar/> until moving to the Enemy Aircraft Flight of the [[Central Flying School]] at [[Tangmere]] in January 1945. Stored at No. 47 Maintenance Unit (MU) Sealand in November 1945. Scrapped in 1947. |-style=vertical-align:top |[[Fiat CR.42 Falco]]||MM5701||13-95||BT474||Made a forced–landing on the beach at [[Orford Ness]] due to engine failure, 11 November 1940.<ref name=Falco/>||Preserved in the RAF Museum.<ref name=Falco>{{Cite web|url=http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/collections/aircraft/aircraft-history/78-AF-952%20%20%20Fiat%20CR42%20Falco.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101223033747/http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/collections/aircraft/aircraft-history/78-AF-952%20%20%20Fiat%20CR42%20Falco.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=2010-12-23|title=Individual history FIAT CR42 'FALCO' MM5701/8468M|publisher=[[RAF Museum]]|access-date=4 December 2010}}</ref> |-style=vertical-align:top |[[Heinkel He 111]] H-1||6853||1H+EN||AW177||Originally of II./[[KG 26]]. Landed in a field near [[North Berwick]] on 9 February 1940 after being damaged by a Spitfire.<ref name=NE-Diary>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bpears.org.uk/NE-Diary/Inc/ISeq_02.html|title=North East Diary 1939-45|website=bpears.org.uk|access-date=7 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120003653/http://www.bpears.org.uk/NE-Diary/Inc/ISeq_02.html|archive-date=20 November 2012}}</ref>||Crashed at [[RAF Polebrook]] on 10 November 1943 while carrying a number of 1426 Flight ground crew as passengers. The pilot, F/O Barr, and six others were killed, four were injured.<ref name=BBC-peopleswar/> |-style=vertical-align:top |[[Henschel Hs 129]] B-1||0297|| ||NF756||Of I./[[SG 2]]. Captured in North Africa.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Powell|first=Hickman|date=July 1944|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3CEDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA48-IA1|title=The 'Rafwaffe' Flies for Us|journal=[[Popular Science]]|volume=145|issue=1|pages=46A|via=Google Books}}</ref>||Received by 1426 Flight in a dismantled state 7 July 1943.<ref name=BBC-peopleswar/> Struck off charge, August 1947. |- |[[Messerschmitt Me 410]] A–3||10259<ref name=Gr122Nov43>{{Cite web|url=http://www.luftwaffedata.co.uk/wiki/index.php?title=Aufkl._Gr._122_Nov_1943#_note-ftn276|title=Aufkl. Gr. 122 Nov 1943|publisher=LuftwaffeData.co.uk|access-date=10 December 2010}}</ref>||F6+OK<ref name=CH15616/>||TF209||This aircraft was formerly of 2(F)/122, which landed intact and was captured at [[Monte Corvino]], Italy;<ref name=CH15616>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205210731|title=CH 15616 (photograph)|work=Imperial War Museum collection search|publisher=[[Imperial War Museum]]|access-date=3 December 2010}}</ref> crew had become lost during a photo–reconnaissance mission in the Naples area.<ref name=Gr122Nov43/>||Flown until 1946.<ref name=CH15616/> |}

===Support aircraft=== Support aircraft operated by no. 1426 Flight RAF, data from{{sfnp|Lake|1999|p=88}}

{|class=wikitable |+ !aircraft!![[United Kingdom military aircraft registration number|RAF reg]] |- |[[Avro Anson]] Mk.I||N9882 |- |[[Airspeed Oxford]] Mk.II||V3781 |- |[[General Aircraft Monospar ST-25]]||K8308 |}

==Aircraft operated, 1956== [[Avro Lincoln]] B.1

==Survivors== [[File:Bf 109 G-2 trop RAF Museum London.jpg|thumb|Former 1426 Flight aircraft, Bf 109 G2 ''RN228'' at the RAF Museum, 2007.|alt=]] Four of the aircraft operated by the flight still survive: Bf 109 E-3 'DG200', Bf 109 G2 'RN228' (known as 'Black 6'), Fiat CR42 'BT474', and Ju 88R-1 'PJ876'. All are currently displayed at the [[Royal Air Force Museum London]].

==See also== *[[Kampfgeschwader 200]] *[[Zirkus Rosarius]], the Luftwaffe unit that test-flew captured Allied aircraft. *[[Allied Technical Air Intelligence Unit]], the Allied unit that evaluated Japanese aircraft{{sfnp|Lake|1999|p=175}} *[[Eric Brown (pilot)|Eric "Winkle" Brown]], from the [[Fleet Air Arm]] of the [[Royal Navy]], the Commander of No. 1426 Flight, who flew most of the aircraft captured, and who holds the world record for having flown the greatest number of distinct aircraft types. *[[Roland Falk]] *[[List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons]] *[[List of RAF Regiment units]] *[[List of Fleet Air Arm aircraft squadrons]] *[[List of Army Air Corps aircraft units (United Kingdom)|List of Army Air Corps aircraft units]] *[[List of Royal Air Force aircraft independent flights]] *[[List of RAF Squadron Codes]]

==References== ;Citations {{Reflist}} ;Bibliography {{Refbegin}} *{{Cite book|last=Lake|first=Alan|date=1 February 1999|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5P5oAAAACAAJ|title=Flying Units of the RAF: The Ancestry, Formation and Disbandment of All Flying Units from 1912|publisher=[[Airlife Publishing]]|isbn=978-1-84037-086-7}} *{{Cite book|last=Weal|first=John|date=1 December 1999|title=Bf 109 F/G/K Aces of the Western Front|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]|isbn=978-1-85532-905-8}} *{{Cite book|last=Weal|first=John|date=15 May 1996|title=Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Western Front|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]|isbn=978-1-85532-595-1}} *{{Cite book|last=Weal|first=John|date=25 June 2000|title=Ju 88 Kampfgeschwader on the Western Front|publisher=[[Osprey Publishing]]|isbn=978-1-84176-020-9}} {{Refend}}

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|No. 1426 Flight RAF}}

[[Category:Royal Air Force independent flights|1426 Flight]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1941]]