The 350th Squadron is a fighter

Fighter aircraft

A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...

 squadron

Squadron (aviation)

A squadron in air force, army aviation or naval aviation is mainly a unit comprising a number of military aircraft, usually of the same type, typically with 12 to 24 aircraft, sometimes divided into three or four flights, depending on aircraft type and air force...

 in the Air Component

Belgian Air Force

The Air Component, formerly the Belgian Air Force, is the air arm of the Belgian Armed Forces. Originally founded in 1909, it is one of the world's first air forces, and was a pioneer in aerial combat during the First World War...

 of the Belgian Armed Forces

Military of Belgium

The Belgian Army is the national military of Belgium. The Belgian Army was established after Belgium became independent in October 1830...

. It is part of the 2nd Tactical Wing

2nd Tactical Wing

The 2nd Tactical Wing is a wing in the Air Component of the Belgian Armed Forces. It comprises the 1st Squadron and the 350th Squadron of the Air Component.-External links:*...

 and operates F-16 Fighting Falcon

F-16 Fighting Falcon

The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...

s.

It was formed during the Second World War as No. 350 (Belgian) Squadron, passing to Belgium in 1946.

With the Royal Air Force

No. 350 Squadron, the first Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

 squadron to be formed by Belgian personnel, was brought into existence in the United Kingdom at RAF Valley

RAF Valley

RAF Valley is a Royal Air Force station on the island of Anglesey, Wales, and which is also used as Anglesey Airport. It provides fast-jet training using the BAE Hawk and provides training for aircrew working with Search and Rescue. Unofficially the motto for RAF Valley is 'One Valley, Training...

 in November 1941. The squadron operated the Supermarine Spitfire

Supermarine Spitfire

The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...

 at first on convoy protection duties over the Irish sea, relocating to RAF Atcham

RAF Atcham

RAF Atcham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 5 miles E of Shrewsbury in Shropshire on the north eastern boundary of Attingham Park...

 in early 1942. In April 1942 the squadron moved to RAF Debden

RAF Debden

RAF Debden is a former RAF airfield in England. The field is located 3 miles SE of Saffron Walden and approximately 1 mile north of the village of Debden in North Essex.-RAF Fighter Command:...

 and carried out offensive operations over France. The squadron moved several times around southern England, in 1944 it provided beach-head patrols during the invasion. In August 1944 the Squadron operated against the V-1 rockets attacking England using the Spitfire XIV. The squadron moved to Belgium in December 1944 to provide offensive patrols over the battlefield including patrols in the Berlin area. The squadron was disbanded on 15 October 1946 on transfer to the Belgian air force.

Aircraft operated during RAF service

From	To	Aircraft	Variant	Notes
Nov 1941	Apr 1942	Supermarine Spitfire Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...	Mk.II
Feb 1942	Dec 1943	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.Vb
Dec 1943	Mar 1944	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.IX
Mar 1944	Jul 1944	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.Vb, Vc
Jul 1944	Aug 1944	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.IX
Aug 1944	Oct 1946	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.XIV
Apr 1946	Oct 1946	Supermarine Spitfire	LF.XVIe

Commanding officers

From	To	Name
Nov 1941	Mar 1942	S/Ldr. J.M. Thompson John Marlow Thompson Air Commodore John Marlow Thompson CBE DSO DFC & Bar AFC was a Second World War Royal Air Force ace and Battle of Britain pilot.... , DFC Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
Mar 1942	Dec 1942	S/Ldr. D.A. Guillaume, DFC
Dec 1942	Jan 1944	S/Ldr. A.L.T.J. Boussa
Jan 1944	Mar 1944	S/Ldr. L.O. Prevot
Mar 1944	Oct 1944	S/Ldr. M.G.L. Donnet, DFC
Oct 1944	Jan 1945	S/Ldr. L. Collignon
Jan 1945	Feb 1945	S/Ldr. T. Spencer
Mar 1945	Apr 1945	S/Ldr. F. Wooley, DFC
Apr 1945	Apr 1945	S/Ldr. T. Spencer
Apr 1945	Aug 1945	S/Ldr. H. Walmsley
Aug 1945	Oct 1946	S/Ldr. R. Van Lierde Remy Van Lierde Colonel Remy Van Lierde, DFC & two bars, was a Belgian pilot who served during World War II in the Belgian and British Air Forces, shooting down six enemy aircraft and 44 V-1 flying bombs, and achieving the RAF rank of Squadron Leader... , DFC & 2 Bars

External links

• Unofficial 350 site
• Official 350 Sqn website