No. 312 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 312 Squadron RAF was a Czechoslovakian-manned
fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force
during the Second World War.
It was first formed at Duxford
in July 1940, equipped with Hurricane
I fighters and crewed mostly by escaped Czechslovakian pilots. Its first victory was a Junkers Ju 88
above Liverpool
by Alois Vašátko
, Denys Gillam and Josef Stehlík on 8 October 1940. It transitioned to Hurricane IIs in May 1941, and to Spitfires
in October. It operated the Spitfires from the west of England during 1942 mainly operating coastal patrols and shipping reconnaissance flights. In September 1943 it joined the 2nd Tactical Air Force as a fighter-bomber unit with the Spitfire IX. The squadron operated over France softening up targets in preparation for the invasion and then supporting the landings. In July 1944 the squadron moved to RAF Coltishall
and operated daytime bomber escort flight over continental Europe. Following the end of the war the squadron moved to Prague in August 1945 before being disbanded on transfer to the Czechoslovakian air force in February 1946.
Among other major operations, it flew in cover of the Operation Jubilee raid on Dieppe
in 1942, losing one aircraft.
Seven Spitfire FMk.IXs survive today that flew with the squadron in 1944-45. This is by far the largest number of surviving aircraft associated with a single squadron.
Aircraft of this squadron used a unit code letters DU.
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
fighter squadron 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...
during the Second World War.
It was first formed at Duxford
Duxford
Duxford is a village in Cambridgeshire, England, some ten miles south of Cambridge.-History:The village formed on the banks of the River Cam, a little below its emergence from the hills of north Essex...
in July 1940, equipped with Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
I fighters and crewed mostly by escaped Czechslovakian pilots. Its first victory was a Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
above Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
by Alois Vašátko
Alois Vašátko
Alois Vašátko DSO DFC was a Czech fighter pilot.After graduating from a teacher's institute, he became a teacher in Litoměřice. A couple of months later he was drafted into the army. He finished his military service in 1929 and started studies at several army institutes...
, Denys Gillam and Josef Stehlík on 8 October 1940. It transitioned to Hurricane IIs in May 1941, and to Spitfires
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...
in October. It operated the Spitfires from the west of England during 1942 mainly operating coastal patrols and shipping reconnaissance flights. In September 1943 it joined the 2nd Tactical Air Force as a fighter-bomber unit with the Spitfire IX. The squadron operated over France softening up targets in preparation for the invasion and then supporting the landings. In July 1944 the squadron moved to RAF Coltishall
RAF Coltishall
The former Royal Air Force Station Coltishall, more commonly known as RAF Coltishall , was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, North-North-East of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia, from 1938 to 2006....
and operated daytime bomber escort flight over continental Europe. Following the end of the war the squadron moved to Prague in August 1945 before being disbanded on transfer to the Czechoslovakian air force in February 1946.
Among other major operations, it flew in cover of the Operation Jubilee raid on Dieppe
Dieppe, Seine-Maritime
Dieppe is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in France. In 1999, the population of the whole Dieppe urban area was 81,419.A port on the English Channel, famous for its scallops, and with a regular ferry service from the Gare Maritime to Newhaven in England, Dieppe also has a popular pebbled...
in 1942, losing one aircraft.
Seven Spitfire FMk.IXs survive today that flew with the squadron in 1944-45. This is by far the largest number of surviving aircraft associated with a single squadron.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 1940 May 1941 |
May 1941 December 1941 |
Hawker Hurricane Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force... |
I IIb |
single-engined monoplane piston-engined fighter |
| October 1941 November 1941 December 1941 August 1942 September 1943 January 1944 June 1944 |
December 1941 January 1942 February 1944 June 1943 February 1944 June 1944 February 1946 |
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... |
IIa IIb Vb Vc Vc LF.IXb HF.IX |
single-engine monoplane piston-engined fighter |
Aircraft of this squadron used a unit code letters DU.