No. 119 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 119 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force
, flying with RAF Coastal Command
during the Second World War
. It was the only RAF
unit flying the Short G class
and Short C class
flying boats.
to become a day bomber unit. It flew various aircraft, including Airco DH.4s and Airco DH.9
s in the working up period spent at RAF Duxford and later RAF Thetford, but failed to become operational and was disbanded at RAF Wyton
on 6 December of the same year.
on 13 March 1941, as part of No. 15 Group of Coastal Command
. The unit was equipped with the three Short G class and two Short C class
(Clio and Cordelia) flying boats, re-equipping with the Catalina Mk.Ib
in June 1941. The squadron deployed to RAF Pembroke Dock on 4 August, becoming non-operational there for lack of servicable aircraft until they moved to RAF Lough Erne on 19 April 1942, where they re-equipped with the Catalina Mk.IIIa the next month. In August they returned to Pembroke Dock, changing to Sunderland
Mks.II and IIIs in September. The squadron was disbanded on 17 April 1943 at Pembroke Dock.
at RAF Manston
, equipped with Albacore Mk.I
s, taking over the aircraft as well as the squadron code, 'NH' (till this moment the aircraft of no. 119 sqn had only carried single-letter individual aircraft codes). They deployed to RAF Swingfield
and (very briefly) RAF Beccles before being based at RAF Bircham Newton
in September, flying anti-shipping patrols and hunting for German E-boats and R-boats. In October 1944 detachments of the squadron were sent to B.65/Maldeghem
, B.63/St. Croix
and B.83/Knocke-Le Zoute
in Belgium and added German midget-submarines to its prey. In January 1945 they re-equipped with the ASV-equipped Swordfish Mk.III
which aided in the hunt on midget-submarines, destroying three before their final mission was flown on 8 May 1945. The squadron disbanded at Bircham Newton on 25 May 1945.
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...
, flying with RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive...
during the Second World War
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...
. It was the only RAF
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...
unit flying the Short G class
Short S.26
|-See also:-External link:* after conversion for RAF use...
and Short C class
Short Empire
The Short Empire was a passenger and mail carrying flying boat, of the 1930s and 1940s, that flew between Britain and British colonies in Africa, Asia and Australia...
flying boats.
Formation in World War I
No. 119 Squadron was originally formed on 1 January 1918 at RAF AndoverRAF Andover
Andover Airfield is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station. The ICAO code for the airfield is EGWA and the IATA code is ADV...
to become a day bomber unit. It flew various aircraft, including Airco DH.4s 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...
s in the working up period spent at RAF Duxford and later RAF Thetford, but failed to become operational and was disbanded at RAF Wyton
RAF Wyton
RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St. Ives, Cambridgeshire, England.In terms of organisation RAF Wyton is now part of the combined station RAF Brampton Wyton Henlow, a merger of Wyton with two previously separate bases, RAF Brampton and RAF Henlow. Wyton is the largest of the three. It...
on 6 December of the same year.
On Flying boats
The squadron was reformed form 'G' flight at RAF Bowmore, StrathclydeStrathclyde
right|thumb|the former Strathclyde regionStrathclyde was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created by the Local Government Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government etc Act 1994...
on 13 March 1941, as part of No. 15 Group of Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive...
. The unit was equipped with the three Short G class and two Short C class
Short Empire
The Short Empire was a passenger and mail carrying flying boat, of the 1930s and 1940s, that flew between Britain and British colonies in Africa, Asia and Australia...
(Clio and Cordelia) flying boats, re-equipping with the Catalina Mk.Ib
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
in June 1941. The squadron deployed to RAF Pembroke Dock on 4 August, becoming non-operational there for lack of servicable aircraft until they moved to RAF Lough Erne on 19 April 1942, where they re-equipped with the Catalina Mk.IIIa the next month. In August they returned to Pembroke Dock, changing to Sunderland
Short Sunderland
The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
Mks.II and IIIs in September. The squadron was disbanded on 17 April 1943 at Pembroke Dock.
On biplanes
On 19 July 1944 however, 119 Squadron was reformed by redesignation of a flight of No. 415 Squadron RCAFNo. 415 Squadron RCAF
No. 415 Squadron RCAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force that first saw service during the Second World War. After unification of Canada's armed forces in 1968, the squadron continued to provide service within the Canadian Forces....
at RAF Manston
RAF Manston
RAF Manston was an RAF station in the north-east of Kent, at on the Isle of Thanet from 1916 until 1996. The site is now split between a commercial airport Kent International Airport and a continuing military use by the Defence Fire Training and Development Centre , following on from a long...
, equipped with Albacore Mk.I
Fairey Albacore
The Fairey Albacore was a British single-engine carrier-borne biplane torpedo bomber built by Fairey Aviation between 1939 and 1943 for the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and used during the Second World War. It had a three-man crew and was designed for spotting and reconnaissance as well as delivering...
s, taking over the aircraft as well as the squadron code, 'NH' (till this moment the aircraft of no. 119 sqn had only carried single-letter individual aircraft codes). They deployed to RAF Swingfield
RAF Swingfield
RAF Swingfield is a former RAF airfield in Kent. It was used from February 1917 to 28 April 1945....
and (very briefly) RAF Beccles before being based 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:...
in September, flying anti-shipping patrols and hunting for German E-boats and R-boats. In October 1944 detachments of the squadron were sent to B.65/Maldeghem
Maldegem
Maldegem is a municipality located in the Belgian province of East Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Maldegem, Adegem and Middelburg. Kleit and Donk have always been separate hamlets of Maldegem. On January 1, 2006 Maldegem had a total population of 22,289. The total area is...
, B.63/St. Croix
Sint-Kruis
-External links:*...
and B.83/Knocke-Le Zoute
Knokke-Heist
Knokke-Heist is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the towns of Heist-aan-Zee, Knokke, Duinbergen, Ramskapelle and Westkapelle. On January 1, 2006 Knokke-Heist had a total population of 34,063. The total area is 56.44 km² which gives a...
in Belgium and added German midget-submarines to its prey. In January 1945 they re-equipped with the ASV-equipped Swordfish Mk.III
Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War...
which aided in the hunt on midget-submarines, destroying three before their final mission was flown on 8 May 1945. The squadron disbanded at Bircham Newton on 25 May 1945.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1918 | Nov 1918 | Various | |
| Sep 1918 | Dec 1918 | 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... |
|
| Mar 1941 | Oct 1941 | Short G class Short S.26 |-See also:-External link:* after conversion for RAF use... |
S.26/M |
| Apr 1941 | Aug 1941 | Short C class Short Empire The Short Empire was a passenger and mail carrying flying boat, of the 1930s and 1940s, that flew between Britain and British colonies in Africa, Asia and Australia... |
S.23/M |
| Jun 1941 | Jul 1941 | Consolidated Catalina PBY Catalina The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other... |
Mk.Ib |
| May 1942 | Oct 1942 | Consolidated Catalina | Mk.IIIa |
| Sep 1942 | Apr 1943 | Short Sunderland Short Sunderland The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England.... |
Mk.III |
| Jul 1944 | Feb 1945 | Fairey Albacore Fairey Albacore The Fairey Albacore was a British single-engine carrier-borne biplane torpedo bomber built by Fairey Aviation between 1939 and 1943 for the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and used during the Second World War. It had a three-man crew and was designed for spotting and reconnaissance as well as delivering... |
Mk.I |
| Jan 1945 | May 1945 | Fairey Swordfish Fairey Swordfish The Fairey Swordfish was a torpedo bomber built by the Fairey Aviation Company and used by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy during the Second World War... |
Mk.III |