No. 347 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
The No. 347 Squadron RAF was a Free French bomber squadron
given a Royal Air Force
squadron number during World War II
.
on 20 June 1944 from GB I/25 ‘Tunisie’ airmen who had been based in the Middle East. It was equipped with British Halifax
heavy bomber
aircraft and then took part in night bombing raids over Germany
.
The squadron moved to Bordeaux
in October 1945 after hostilities had ceased and transferred from RAF to French control on 15 November 1945.
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...
given a 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 number during 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...
.
History
The squadron was formed at RAF ElvingtonRAF Elvington
RAF Elvington, located at Elvington, south east of York in Yorkshire was a Royal Air Force bomber base which operated from the beginning of World War II until 1992.-History:...
on 20 June 1944 from GB I/25 ‘Tunisie’ airmen who had been based in the Middle East. It was equipped with British Halifax
Handley Page Halifax
The Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing...
heavy bomber
Heavy bomber
A heavy bomber is a bomber aircraft of the largest size and load carrying capacity, and usually the longest range.In New START, the term "heavy bomber" is used for two types of bombers:*one with a range greater than 8,000 kilometers...
aircraft and then took part in night bombing raids over Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The squadron moved to Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
in October 1945 after hostilities had ceased and transferred from RAF to French control on 15 November 1945.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1944 | Jul 1944 | Handley Page Halifax Handley Page Halifax The Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing... |
V |
| Jul 1944 | Apr 1945 | Handley Page Halifax | III |
| Mar 1945 | Nov 1945 | Handley Page Halifax | VI |