No. 134 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 134 Squadron RAF was a part of the Royal Air Force
which was formed as a light bomber unit in World War I
and reformed as a fighter squadron in World War II
.
was formed on 1 March 1918 and became a unit of the Royal Air Force
, but it disbanded on 17 August 1918.
s and was stationed at Leconfield
. It was then based near Murmansk
to train Russia
n pilots who were then given the Hurricanes.
Back in the UK the Squadron was based at Catterick
, Northern Ireland
and Baginton
(in Warwickshire). It then operated in Egypt
until November 1943 when it moved to India
and Burma. The squadron converted to the P-47 Thunderbolt
; upon disbandment it was renumbered No 131 Squadron.
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...
which was formed as a light bomber unit 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...
and reformed as a fighter squadron in 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...
.
Formation and World War I
No. 134 Squadron Royal Flying CorpsRoyal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
was formed on 1 March 1918 and became a 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...
, but it disbanded on 17 August 1918.
Reformation in World War II
The squadron reformed in July 1941 as a fighter unit equipped with Hawker HurricaneHawker 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...
s and was stationed at Leconfield
Leconfield
Leconfield is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately north west of Beverley town centre and lies on the A614 road....
. It was then based near Murmansk
Murmansk
Murmansk is a city and the administrative center of Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It serves as a seaport and is located in the extreme northwest part of Russia, on the Kola Bay, from the Barents Sea on the northern shore of the Kola Peninsula, not far from Russia's borders with Norway and Finland...
to train Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n pilots who were then given the Hurricanes.
Back in the UK the Squadron was based at Catterick
RAF Catterick
RAF Catterick is a former Royal Air Force airfield located near Catterick, North Yorkshire in England.-History:Catterick airfield first opened in 1914 as a Royal Flying Corps aerodrome with the role of training pilots and to assist in the defence of the North East of England...
, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and Baginton
Baginton
Baginton is a village and civil parish in the Warwick district of Warwickshire, England, and has a common border with the City of Coventry of the West Midlands county. With a population of 801 , Baginton village is four miles south of Coventry city centre and seven miles north of...
(in Warwickshire). It then operated in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
until November 1943 when it moved to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Burma. The squadron converted to the P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
; upon disbandment it was renumbered No 131 Squadron.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1941 | Mar 1942 | 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... |
IIB |
| Dec 1941 | Feb 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... |
VA |
| Dec 1941 | Feb 1942 | Supermarine Spitfire | IIA |
| Jan 1942 | Feb 1942 | Hawker Hurricane | IIB |
| Jan 1942 | Mar 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | VB |
| Jan 1943 | Oct 1943 | Hawker Hurricane | IIB |
| Mar 1943 | Apr 1943 | Hawker Hurricane | IIC |
| Jun 1943 | Aug 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | VB & VC |
| Sep 1944 | Jan 1945 | Republic P-47 Thunderbolt | I |
| Sep 1944 | Jan 1945 | Republic P-47 Thunderbolt | II |