Hornet Squadron
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Hornet Squadron is the name of a fictional Royal Flying Corps, and later Royal Air Force, fighter squadron featured in a number of novels by British author Derek Robinson.
Hornet Squadron first appeared in Robinson's 1983 novel Piece of Cake, which spans the period from the start of the Second World War through the Battle of Britain. In 1988 Piece of Cake became a 6-part television mini-series. In the book the squadron flies the Hawker Hurricane while in the television series, the Supermarine Spitfire is flown.
The next Hornet Squadron book was War Story (1987) set in 1916 during the First World War. It was followed by Hornet's Sting (1991) set in 1917. These Hornet Squadron novels became prequels to Robinson's first book, Goshawk Squadron (1971) which was set in 1918. Despite the different squadron names, there are common characters linking the books. The World War I books sees the squadron operating F.E.2 fighters.
The final Hornet Squadron book was A Good Clean Fight (1993) which picks up the story of the squadron post-Piece of Cake when it was fighting with the Desert Air Force in 1942.
Throughout the squadron's history, there had been 6 leaders. Rufus Milne was the first to helm the squadron in 1915, followed by Hector G. Ramsay in 1938, known widely as "The Ram". Flight Lieutenant Barton took over in a temporary capacity after Ramsay broke his neck dismounting his plane due to him slipping on the way out. He then appoints Squadron Leader Rex to take over in a permanent capacity just a day later.