No. 269 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 269 Squadron RAF was a maritime patrol
unit of the Royal Air Force
that saw service in World War I
, World War II
, and the Cold War
.
which had been established there since January 1916, under the command of Major P.L Holmes, RAF. No. 269 was part 64th Wing, and it operated seaplanes from the harbor, plus land-based flight of B.E.2e and Airco DH.9
aircraft. The squadron conducted maritime patrols until the Armistice
, and on 15 September 1919, its seaplanes were moved to Alexandria
and merged with No. 270 Squadron as its landplane flight had been disbanded in March 1919. The squadron continued as No. 269 until it was disbanded on 15 November 1919.
at RAF Bircham Newton
was redesignated 269 Squadron. The squadron was moved to RAF Abbotsinch
, near Glasgow
, later that month, and its Avro Anson
aircraft undertook coastal reconnaissance patrols. On 9 March 1939, the squadron moved to RAF Montrose
and began flying maritime patrols off the east coast of Scotland
.
on 10 October 1939, and executed aerial attacks against surfaced German U-boats on 15 September, 18 October, 28 October, 3 November, 19 November, and 3 December. Postwar examination of German Navy
records showed that these attacks either did little damage or a U-boat was not on patrol in the area of attack.
The squadron also began receiving new Lockheed Hudson
patrol bombers starting in March 1940, completing the transition on 15 April, while it ceased operating Avro Anson
aircraft as of 1 June. By 15 July, No, 269 Squadron was fully operational with 18 Hudson Mk1 aircraft.
, No. 269 Squadron began transferring to Iceland
starting on 12 April 1941, with the last Hudson aircraft arriving on 30 May. The squadron completed its re-deployment to Iceand on 10 July. A detachment of No. 269 Squadron deployed to RAF Reykjavik on 12 December.
On 9 April, six aircraft from RAF Wick bombed the aluminium factory at Hoyanger, Norway
. Also during late May, the squadron participated in the pursuit of the German battleship Bismarck. Aircraft from No. 269 Squadron also made four separate attacks on surfaced U-boats during June. On 6 August, Hudson patrol bombers from No. 269 Squadron escorted USAF
fighter aircraft of the 33rd Pursuit Squadron to the Reykjavik airfield
after being catapulted off the aircraft carrier USS Wasp
. On 16 August, No. 269 Squadron flew twelve sorties escorting the battleship HMS Prince of Wales, with British Prime Minister
Winston Churchill
aboard for the upcoming, top-secret conference
with U.S. President
Franklin D. Roosevelt
. Aircraft from No. 269 Squadron made four separate attacks on surfaced U-boats during June. Aircraft of the No. 269 Squadron also attacked U-432 on 29 August, U-85 on 2 September, and U-439 and U-552 on 14 September, and they were also present during the Greer Incident.
On 27 August 1941, Squadron Leader
J.H. Thompson of the No. 269 Squadron made RAF history by becoming the only aircraft captain to have a U-boat (U-570) surrender to him. Thompson and his navigator/bomb-aimer—Flying Officer
John Coleman—were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
on 23 September 1941.
on 14 July, U-609 on 23 July, U-164 and U-210
on 26 July, and U-595 on 30 July and 31 July. No. 269 ircraft made eight separate U-boat attacks during August. Six U-boats were attacked during September. U-183 was attacked on 3 October. No. 269 Squadron scored its first confirmed U-boat kill by sinking U-619 on 5 October.
on 29 January. No. 269 Squadron attacked three U-boats in April and eight in May, as well as sinking U-646 and U-273 on 17 May and 19 May, respectively. Six U-boats were attacked in June, and No. 269 aircraft sank U-535 on 5 July. Three U-boat were attacked in August. U-336 was sunk on 27 September, and U-539 was attacked. U-275 was attacked on 3 October, U-641 was severely damaged, and sank U-336 on 5 October.
On 13 December, No. 269 Squadron began its temporary transfer from RAF Reykjavik to RAF Davidstow Moor
prior to its 1944 deployment to the Azores
. The squadron was re-equipped with Supermarine Walrus I
and Vickers Warwick I
ASRI aircraft, as well as retaining its extant Hudson Mk III patrol aircraft. The squadron also received Miles Martinet I
aircraft for target-towing purposes. This transfer was completed on 8 January 1944,
with its Hudson Mk IIIA, Martinet, Walrus and Spitfire MkV aircraft. The short-range aircraft were launched off the escort aircraft carrier HMS Premier
. Later in October, some Warwick aircraft were added to the squadron. For the rest of the war it flew air-sea rescue
missions, as well as meteorlogical and target towing sorties. Following the end of World War II, No. 269 Squadron was disbanded on 10 March 1946.
on 1 January 1952 from part of No. 224 Squadron
and moved on 24 March to moved to RAF Ballykelly, Ulster
, as a maritime reconnaissance unit equipped with Avro Shackleton
patrol bombers. No. 269 Squadron participated in a number of military exercises, including Exercise Encompass in January 1956 and Operation Mosaic
in February 1956, as well as NATO's Operation Strikeback
in September 1957. On 1 December 1958 the squadron was re-numbered as No. 210 Squadron
. On 22 July 1959, No 269 Squadron reformed at RAF Caistor
as a Thor
Missile Squadron in Bomber Command
as part of the Thor Missile Force based at RAF Hemswell
. No. 269 Squadron was disbanded on 24 May 1963.
Maritime patrol
Maritime patrol is the task of monitoring areas of water. Generally conducted by military and law enforcement agencies, maritime patrol is usually aimed at identifying human activities....
unit of the 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...
that saw service in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, and the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
.
World War I
On 6 October 1918, No. 269 Squadron was formed from Nos. 431 and 432 Flights at the seaplane station based at Port SaidPort Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
which had been established there since January 1916, under the command of Major P.L Holmes, RAF. No. 269 was part 64th Wing, and it operated seaplanes from the harbor, plus land-based flight of B.E.2e and Airco DH.9
Airco DH.9
The Airco DH.9 - also known after 1920 as the de Havilland DH.9 - was a British bomber used in the First World War...
aircraft. The squadron conducted maritime patrols until the Armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
, and on 15 September 1919, its seaplanes were moved to Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and merged with No. 270 Squadron as its landplane flight had been disbanded in March 1919. The squadron continued as No. 269 until it was disbanded on 15 November 1919.
Inter-war Period
On 7 December 1936, C Flight of No. 206 SquadronNo. 206 Squadron RAF
No. 206 Squadron was a Royal Air Force unit employed, until 2005, in the maritime patrol role with the Nimrod MR.2 at RAF Kinloss, Moray. It was announced in December 2004 that 206 Squadron would disband on 1 April 2005, with half of its crews being redistributed to Nos. 120 and 201 Squadrons, also...
at RAF Bircham Newton
RAF Bircham Newton
RAF Bircham Newton was a Royal Air Force airfield in the west of the county of Norfolk in the United Kingdom, eight miles west of Fakenham.-History:...
was redesignated 269 Squadron. The squadron was moved to RAF Abbotsinch
Glasgow International Airport
Glasgow International Airport is an international airport in Scotland, located west of Glasgow city centre, near the towns of Paisley and Renfrew in Renfrewshire...
, near Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, later that month, and its Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
aircraft undertook coastal reconnaissance patrols. On 9 March 1939, the squadron moved to RAF Montrose
RAF Montrose
RAF Montrose was a Royal Air Force station in Forfarshire in Scotland.In 1912, the British government planned twelve "Air Stations" operated by the Royal Flying Corps...
and began flying maritime patrols off the east coast of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
1939
No. 269 Squadron was transferred to RAF WickWick Airport
Wick Airport is located north of the town of Wick in Caithness at the north-eastern extremity of the mainland of Scotland. It is owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited....
on 10 October 1939, and executed aerial attacks against surfaced German U-boats on 15 September, 18 October, 28 October, 3 November, 19 November, and 3 December. Postwar examination of German Navy
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
records showed that these attacks either did little damage or a U-boat was not on patrol in the area of attack.
1940
Aircraft from No. 269 Squadron made six separate attacks on German U-boats during February 1940, plus attacks on 8 August. No. 269 Squadron also carried out a number of missions in addition to is maritime patrol duties:- 1 March — The Stavanger airfieldStavanger Airport, SolaStavanger Airport, Sola is an international airport located in Sola, Norway, southwest of Stavanger. It is Norway's third-busiest airport, with both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter traffic for the offshore North Sea oil installations...
was attacked. - 11 June — The German battleships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Admiral HipperGerman cruiser Admiral HipperAdmiral Hipper, the first of five ships of her class, was the lead ship of the Admiral Hipper–class of heavy cruisers which served with the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1935 and launched February 1937; Admiral Hipper...
were attacked while at anchor in TrondheimTrondheimTrondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
harbor. - 22 June — Aircraft from the No. 269 Squadron and No. 442 Squadron RAF attacked the German battleshipBattleshipA battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
Scharnhorst while at sea north of BergenBergenBergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, but inflicted little damage on the German warship. - 27 June — No. 269 Squadron executed a special mission reconnaissance of Norwegian coast.
The squadron also began receiving new Lockheed Hudson
Lockheed Hudson
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
patrol bombers starting in March 1940, completing the transition on 15 April, while it ceased operating Avro Anson
Avro Anson
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
aircraft as of 1 June. By 15 July, No, 269 Squadron was fully operational with 18 Hudson Mk1 aircraft.
1941
After a year of operations against enemy shipping from RAF WickWick Airport
Wick Airport is located north of the town of Wick in Caithness at the north-eastern extremity of the mainland of Scotland. It is owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited....
, No. 269 Squadron began transferring to Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
starting on 12 April 1941, with the last Hudson aircraft arriving on 30 May. The squadron completed its re-deployment to Iceand on 10 July. A detachment of No. 269 Squadron deployed to RAF Reykjavik on 12 December.
On 9 April, six aircraft from RAF Wick bombed the aluminium factory at Hoyanger, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. Also during late May, the squadron participated in the pursuit of the German battleship Bismarck. Aircraft from No. 269 Squadron also made four separate attacks on surfaced U-boats during June. On 6 August, Hudson patrol bombers from No. 269 Squadron escorted USAF
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
fighter aircraft of the 33rd Pursuit Squadron to the Reykjavik airfield
Reykjavík Airport
Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík Airport (Icelandic: Reykjavíkurflugvöllur, is the chiefly domestic airport serving Reykjavík, Iceland. The airport lies two kilometres from Reykjavík's city centre. Possessing rather short runways, it normally only serves flights within Iceland and to...
after being catapulted off the aircraft carrier USS Wasp
USS Wasp (CV-7)
USS Wasp was a United States Navy aircraft carrier. The eighth Navy ship of that name, she was the sole ship of her class. Built to use up the remaining tonnage allowed to the U.S. for aircraft carriers under the treaties of the time, she was built on a reduced-size version of the Yorktown-class...
. On 16 August, No. 269 Squadron flew twelve sorties escorting the battleship HMS Prince of Wales, with British Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
aboard for the upcoming, top-secret conference
Atlantic Charter
The Atlantic Charter was a pivotal policy statement first issued in August 1941 that early in World War II defined the Allied goals for the post-war world. It was drafted by Britain and the United States, and later agreed to by all the Allies...
with U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
. Aircraft from No. 269 Squadron made four separate attacks on surfaced U-boats during June. Aircraft of the No. 269 Squadron also attacked U-432 on 29 August, U-85 on 2 September, and U-439 and U-552 on 14 September, and they were also present during the Greer Incident.
On 27 August 1941, Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
J.H. Thompson of the No. 269 Squadron made RAF history by becoming the only aircraft captain to have a U-boat (U-570) surrender to him. Thompson and his navigator/bomb-aimer—Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
John Coleman—were awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross
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...
on 23 September 1941.
1942
Aircraft of the No. 269 Squadron attacked U-510German submarine U-510
German submarine U-510 was a Type IXC U-boat of the German Kriegsmarine during World War II, which later served in the French Navy. The submarine was laid down on 1 November 1940 at the Deutsche Werft yard at Hamburg, launched on 4 September 1941, and commissioned on 25 November 1941 under the...
on 14 July, U-609 on 23 July, U-164 and U-210
German submarine U-210
The German submarine U-210 was a Type VIIC U-boat that served with the Kriegsmarine during World War II. Laid down on 15 March 1941 as 'werk 639' at F...
on 26 July, and U-595 on 30 July and 31 July. No. 269 ircraft made eight separate U-boat attacks during August. Six U-boats were attacked during September. U-183 was attacked on 3 October. No. 269 Squadron scored its first confirmed U-boat kill by sinking U-619 on 5 October.
1943
No. 269 Squadron attacked four U-boats A during January, and Four Hudson aircraft were deployed to the Bluie West One airfield in GreenlandGreenland
Greenland is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark, located between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans, east of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. Though physiographically a part of the continent of North America, Greenland has been politically and culturally associated with Europe for...
on 29 January. No. 269 Squadron attacked three U-boats in April and eight in May, as well as sinking U-646 and U-273 on 17 May and 19 May, respectively. Six U-boats were attacked in June, and No. 269 aircraft sank U-535 on 5 July. Three U-boat were attacked in August. U-336 was sunk on 27 September, and U-539 was attacked. U-275 was attacked on 3 October, U-641 was severely damaged, and sank U-336 on 5 October.
On 13 December, No. 269 Squadron began its temporary transfer from RAF Reykjavik to RAF Davidstow Moor
RAF Davidstow Moor
RAF Davidstow Moor was an airbase at Davidstow near Camelford in Cornwall, United Kingdom from late 1942 until 1945. Despite a few periods of intense activity it was one of Coastal Command's less-used airfields.-History:...
prior to its 1944 deployment to the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
. The squadron was re-equipped with Supermarine Walrus I
Supermarine Walrus
The Supermarine Walrus was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and operated by the Fleet Air Arm . It also served with the Royal Air Force , Royal Australian Air Force , Royal Canadian Air Force , Royal New Zealand Navy and Royal New...
and Vickers Warwick I
Vickers Warwick
The Vickers Warwick was a multi-purpose British aircraft used during the Second World War. Built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Brooklands, Surrey, the Warwick was used by the Royal Air Force as a transport, air-sea rescue and maritime reconnaissance platform, and by the civilian British Overseas...
ASRI aircraft, as well as retaining its extant Hudson Mk III patrol aircraft. The squadron also received Miles Martinet I
Miles Martinet
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. ISBN 0-85177-787-0....
aircraft for target-towing purposes. This transfer was completed on 8 January 1944,
1944 - 1946
No. 269 Squadron completed its deployment to RAF Lagens in the AzoresAzores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
with its Hudson Mk IIIA, Martinet, Walrus and Spitfire MkV aircraft. The short-range aircraft were launched off the escort aircraft carrier HMS Premier
HMS Premier (D23)
The first USS Estero was an escort aircraft carrier launched 22 March 1943 by the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation, Seattle, Washington, and sponsored by Mrs. C. N. Ingraham. She was reclassified CVE-42 on 15 July 1943...
. Later in October, some Warwick aircraft were added to the squadron. For the rest of the war it flew air-sea rescue
Air-sea rescue
Air-sea rescue is the coordinated search and rescue of the survivors of emergency water landings as well as people who have survived the loss of their sea-going vessel. ASR can involve a wide variety of resources including seaplanes, helicopters, submarines, rescue boats and ships...
missions, as well as meteorlogical and target towing sorties. Following the end of World War II, No. 269 Squadron was disbanded on 10 March 1946.
Cold War
No. 269 Squadron was reformed at North Front, GibraltarGibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
on 1 January 1952 from part of No. 224 Squadron
No. 224 Squadron RAF
No. 224 Squadron RAF was formed on 1 April 1918, at Alimini, Italy from part of No. 6 Wing RNAS, equipped with the De Havilland DH.4. In June 1918 it re-equipped with the De Havilland DH.9. The squadron moved to Taranto in December 1918, disbanding their in May 1919.On 1 February 1937, the squadron...
and moved on 24 March to moved to RAF Ballykelly, Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
, as a maritime reconnaissance unit equipped with Avro Shackleton
Avro Shackleton
The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force. It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage...
patrol bombers. No. 269 Squadron participated in a number of military exercises, including Exercise Encompass in January 1956 and Operation Mosaic
Operation Mosaic
Operation Mosaic was a series of two atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by Britain in the Montebello Islands off the north-west coast of Australia in 1956...
in February 1956, as well as NATO's Operation Strikeback
Operation Strikeback
Operation Strikeback was a major naval exercise of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization that took place over a ten-day period in September 1957....
in September 1957. On 1 December 1958 the squadron was re-numbered as No. 210 Squadron
No. 210 Squadron RAF
No. 210 Squadron was a Royal Air Force unit established in World War I. Disbanded and reformed a number of times in the ensuing years, it operated as a fighter squadron during World War I and as a maritime patrol squadron during the Spanish Civil War, World War II and the Cold War before it was...
. On 22 July 1959, No 269 Squadron reformed at RAF Caistor
Caistor
See Caistor St Edmund for the Roman settlement in Norfolk or Caister-on-Sea for the town in NorfolkCaistor is a town and civil parish situated in the West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. As its name implies, it was originally a Roman castrum or fortress...
as a Thor
PGM-17 Thor
Thor was the first operational ballistic missile of the U.S. Air Force . Named after the Norse god of thunder, it was deployed in the United Kingdom between 1959 and September 1963 as an intermediate range ballistic missile with thermonuclear warheads. Thor was in height and in diameter. It was...
Missile Squadron in Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command
RAF Bomber Command controlled the RAF's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. During World War II the command destroyed a significant proportion of Nazi Germany's industries and many German cities, and in the 1960s stood at the peak of its postwar military power with the V bombers and a supplemental...
as part of the Thor Missile Force based at RAF Hemswell
RAF Hemswell
RAF Hemswell was an airfield used by RAF Bomber Command for 20 years between 1937 and 1957 and saw most of its operational life during World War II. Later used by RAF Fighter Command as a nuclear ballistic missile base during the Cold War it closed to military use in 1967...
. No. 269 Squadron was disbanded on 24 May 1963.
Aircraft
The following aircraft were assigned to No. 269 Squadron during its operation service arranged in chronological order:- World War I:
- Royal Aircraft Factory BE2e
Oct. 1918 to Mar. 1919 - Short Type 184Short Type 184|-Manufacturers:Source: Barnes and James#Brush Electrical Engineering Co. Ltd. #Frederick Sage & Co. Ltd. #J. Samuel White #Mann, Egerton & Co. Ltd. #Phoenix Dynamo Manufacturing Company #Robey & Co. Ltd. #S E Saunders Limited...
Oct. 1918 to Nov. 1919 - Airco DH.9Airco DH.9The Airco DH.9 - also known after 1920 as the de Havilland DH.9 - was a British bomber used in the First World War...
Dec. 1918 to Mar. 1919
- Royal Aircraft Factory BE2e
- World War II:
- Avro Anson IAvro AnsonThe Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
Dec. 1936 to Jun. 1940 - Locheed Hudson ILockheed HudsonThe Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
Apr. 1940 to May 1941 - Lockheed Hudson II
Oct. 1940 to May 1941 - Locheed Hudson III
May 1941 to Dec. 1943 - Lockheed Hudson IIIA
Feb. 1944 to Aug. 1945 - Spitfire VBSupermarine SpitfireThe 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...
Feb. 1944 to Mar. 1946 - Miles Martinet IMiles Martinet|-See also:-Bibliography:* Amos, Peter. and Brown, Don Lambert. Miles Aircraft Since 1925, Volume 1. London: Putnam Aeronautical, 2000. ISBN 0-85177-787-0....
Feb. 1944 to Jul. 1944 - Supermarine Walrus ISupermarine WalrusThe Supermarine Walrus was a British single-engine amphibious biplane reconnaissance aircraft designed by R. J. Mitchell and operated by the Fleet Air Arm . It also served with the Royal Air Force , Royal Australian Air Force , Royal Canadian Air Force , Royal New Zealand Navy and Royal New...
Feb. 1944 to Mar 1946 - Vickers Warwick IVickers WarwickThe Vickers Warwick was a multi-purpose British aircraft used during the Second World War. Built by Vickers-Armstrongs at Brooklands, Surrey, the Warwick was used by the Royal Air Force as a transport, air-sea rescue and maritime reconnaissance platform, and by the civilian British Overseas...
Sept. 1944 to Mar. 1946
- Avro Anson I
- Cold War:
- Shackleton MR Mk 1Avro ShackletonThe Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force. It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage...
Jan. 1952 to Nov. 1958 - Shackleton MR Mk 2
Mar. 1952 to Aug. 1954
Oct. 1958 to Nov. 1958 - PGM-17 ThorPGM-17 ThorThor was the first operational ballistic missile of the U.S. Air Force . Named after the Norse god of thunder, it was deployed in the United Kingdom between 1959 and September 1963 as an intermediate range ballistic missile with thermonuclear warheads. Thor was in height and in diameter. It was...
Jul. 1959 to May 1963
- Shackleton MR Mk 1
External links
- Royal Air ForceRoyal Air ForceThe 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...
- Air of Authority: A History of RAF Organisation
- RAF Command
- No. 269 Squadron RAF – Old Comrades' Association