No. 209 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 209 Squadron of the British Royal Air Force
was originally formed from a nucleus of "Naval Eight" on 1 February 1917 at Saint-Pol-sur-Mer
, France
, as No. 9 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service
(RNAS) and saw active service in both World Wars, the Korean War
and in Malaya
. The use of the squadron number ceased in 1968 and has not been reused since by an RAF squadron.
. (All former RNAS squadrons were renumbered by the addition of 200 to their RNAS number.) During the remainder of World War I
, 209 Squadron flew Sopwith Camels over the Western Front
on fighter and ground support missions. The Squadron badge, the falling eagle, symbolizes the destruction of Baron Manfred von Richthofen who, in the 1914-1918 War, fell to the guns of a pilot, Roy Brown from No. 209 Squadron. On 21 January 1919, the squadron was reduced to a skeleton organization and disbanded in the UK on 24 June 1919 at RAF Scopwick
, Lincolnshire
.
base at RAF Mount Batten
, Plymouth
on 15 January 1930. It was first equipped with Blackburn Iris
flying boats and then from January 1934 by Blackburn Perth
but neither of these types were built in sufficient quantities to equip the squadron fully. In July 1936, however, the squadron was fully equipped with Short Singapore Mk.IIIs and it was transferred to RAF Kalafrana, Malta
in September 1937 for three months. In December 1938, No 209 began to convert to yet another flying boat type, the Supermarine Stranraer
.
to patrol the North Sea
between Scotland
and Norway
. From October 1939 it patrolled the Atlantic from Oban
. Two further re-equipments occurred, in December 1939 (Saro Lerwick
s) and then in April 1941 (Consolidated Catalinas). Familiarisation with the U.S. supplied Catalinas was aided by the secondment of U.S. military personnel who also flew on active service patrols, despite the U.S. being a neutral
power at the time. Anti-submarine patrols were flown over the Atlantic from RAF Castle Archdale
on Loch Erne, in Northern Ireland
, using the Donegal Corridor
over neutral Ireland. During this time, in May 1941, a patrol by No.209 (with an American crewman) located the German battleship Bismarck
.
In August 1941, the squadron moved to Iceland
for two months. From March 1942 until July 1945, No.209 was stationed in East Africa
. It flew patrols over the Indian Ocean
with detached bases in South Africa
, Madagascar
, Oman
and the Seychelles
to extend its cover. In July 1945 the squadron moved to Ceylon
(now Sri Lanka), with recently acquired Short Sunderland
MkVs, with a detachment at Rangoon
(now Yangon), to harass Japanese shipping along the coast from Burma (now Myanmar) to Malaya
.
in September, followed by the rest of the squadron in October. In April 1946 the squadron moved to Singapore
. A detachment remained at RAF Kai Tak
and became No.1430 flight and then No.88 Squadron
. The squadron headquarters was established at RAF Seletar
(sometimes referred to as "Seltar"), on Singapore
Island on 18 May 1946 and No.209 and was named "City of Hong Kong" Squadron on 23 January 1947.
began on 7 July 1948. In September 1950, during the Korean War
, the aircraft were moved to Iwakuni, Yamaguchi
, Japan
to patrol off the Korea
n coast from 15 September. On 1 January 1955 the squadron merged with No. 205 Squadron
.
at RAF Kuala Lumpur
was renumbered 209 Squadron and flew Scottish Aviation Pioneer
s and Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer
s on liaison and transport duties in Malaysia. No.209 Squadron was finally disbanded on 31 December 1968 at RAF Seletar, although the name has been continued as the 209 (West Bridgford) Squadron of the Air Training Corps
.
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...
was originally formed from a nucleus of "Naval Eight" on 1 February 1917 at Saint-Pol-sur-Mer
Saint-Pol-sur-Mer
Saint-Pol-sur-Mer is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is the second-largest suburb of the city of Dunkerque, and is almost encircled by it.-Heraldry:-References:* -External links:*...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, as No. 9 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service
Royal Naval Air Service
The Royal Naval Air Service or RNAS was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps to form a new service , the Royal Air Force...
(RNAS) and saw active service in both World Wars, the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
and in Malaya
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
. The use of the squadron number ceased in 1968 and has not been reused since by an RAF squadron.
Formation and World War I
The Squadron was formed as a Royal Air Force Squadron on 1 April 1918, from No.9 Squadron, RNAS at ClairmaraisClairmarais
Clairmarais is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village situated in reclaimed marshland, 2 miles northeast of Saint-Omer, on the D209 road...
. (All former RNAS squadrons were renumbered by the addition of 200 to their RNAS number.) During the remainder of 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...
, 209 Squadron flew Sopwith Camels over the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
on fighter and ground support missions. The Squadron badge, the falling eagle, symbolizes the destruction of Baron Manfred von Richthofen who, in the 1914-1918 War, fell to the guns of a pilot, Roy Brown from No. 209 Squadron. On 21 January 1919, the squadron was reduced to a skeleton organization and disbanded in the UK on 24 June 1919 at RAF Scopwick
RAF Digby
RAF Digby is a Royal Air Force station which, since March 2005, has been operated by the Ministry of Defence's Joint Service Signals Organisation, part of the Intelligence Collection Group. Formerly a training and fighter airfield, it is currently a tri-service military signals installation located...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
.
The interbellum
No. 209 reformed at the flying boatFlying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
base at RAF Mount Batten
RAF Mount Batten
RAF Mount Batten was a Royal Air Force station and flying boat base at Mount Batten, a peninsula in Plymouth Sound, Devon. England. Originally a seaplane station opened in 1917 as a Royal Navy Air Service Station Cattewater it became RAF Cattewater in 1918 and in 1928 was re-named RAF Mount Batten...
, Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
on 15 January 1930. It was first equipped with Blackburn Iris
Blackburn Iris
The Blackburn Iris was a British three-engined biplane flying boat of the 1920s. Although only five Irises were built, it was used as a long-ranged maritime reconnaissance aircraft by the Royal Air Force, where it equipped a squadron for 4 years, being used to carry out a number of notable...
flying boats and then from January 1934 by Blackburn Perth
Blackburn Perth
-External links:** Popular Science, January 1934* Popular Mechanics, March 1931...
but neither of these types were built in sufficient quantities to equip the squadron fully. In July 1936, however, the squadron was fully equipped with Short Singapore Mk.IIIs and it was transferred to RAF Kalafrana, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
in September 1937 for three months. In December 1938, No 209 began to convert to yet another flying boat type, the Supermarine Stranraer
Supermarine Stranraer
|-Surviving aircraft:A single intact Stranraer, 920/CF-BXO, survives in the collection of the Royal Air Force Museum London. This aircraft was built in 1940, one of 40 built by Canadian Vickers. In service with the Royal Canadian Air Force, it flew with several squadrons, on anti-submarine patrols,...
.
World War II
When World War II was declared, No.209 moved to InvergordonInvergordon
Invergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated...
to patrol the North Sea
North Sea
In the southwest, beyond the Straits of Dover, the North Sea becomes the English Channel connecting to the Atlantic Ocean. In the east, it connects to the Baltic Sea via the Skagerrak and Kattegat, narrow straits that separate Denmark from Norway and Sweden respectively...
between 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...
and 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...
. From October 1939 it patrolled the Atlantic from Oban
Oban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
. Two further re-equipments occurred, in December 1939 (Saro Lerwick
Saro Lerwick
The Saunders-Roe A.36 Lerwick was a British flying boat built by the Saunders Roe Limited . It was intended to serve alongside the Short Sunderland in the Royal Air Force's Coastal Command, but it was a flawed design and only a small number were built...
s) and then in April 1941 (Consolidated Catalinas). Familiarisation with the U.S. supplied Catalinas was aided by the secondment of U.S. military personnel who also flew on active service patrols, despite the U.S. being a neutral
Neutral country
A neutral power in a particular war is a sovereign state which declares itself to be neutral towards the belligerents. A non-belligerent state does not need to be neutral. The rights and duties of a neutral power are defined in Sections 5 and 13 of the Hague Convention of 1907...
power at the time. Anti-submarine patrols were flown over the Atlantic from RAF Castle Archdale
RAF Castle Archdale
RAF Castle Archdale, also known for a while as RAF Lough Erne was a Royal Air Force station used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force station in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.-WWII History:...
on Loch Erne, in 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...
, using the Donegal Corridor
Donegal Corridor
The Donegal Corridor was a narrow strip of Irish airspace linking Lough Erne to the international waters of the Atlantic Ocean through which the Irish Government permitted flights by British military aircraft during World War II...
over neutral Ireland. During this time, in May 1941, a patrol by No.209 (with an American crewman) located the German battleship Bismarck
German battleship Bismarck
Bismarck was the first of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind the German unification in 1871, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched nearly three years later...
.
In August 1941, the squadron moved 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...
for two months. From March 1942 until July 1945, No.209 was stationed in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
. It flew patrols over the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
with detached bases in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
and the Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
to extend its cover. In July 1945 the squadron moved to Ceylon
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
(now Sri Lanka), with recently acquired 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....
MkVs, with a detachment at Rangoon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
(now Yangon), to harass Japanese shipping along the coast from Burma (now Myanmar) to Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
.
Hong Kong and Seletar
After the Japanese surrender in August 1945, a detachment was sent to Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in September, followed by the rest of the squadron in October. In April 1946 the squadron moved to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. A detachment remained at RAF Kai Tak
RAF Kai Tak
RAF Kai Tak was a Royal Air Force station in Hong Kong. It was opened in 1927 and used for seaplanes. The RAF flight operated a few land based aircraft as well as having spare aircraft for naval units.-History:...
and became No.1430 flight and then No.88 Squadron
No. 88 Squadron RAF
No 88 Squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force formed at Gosport, Hampshire in July 1917.-Involvement in World War I:The squadron was moved to France in April 1918 where it undertook fighter-reconnaissance duties...
. The squadron headquarters was established at RAF Seletar
Seletar Airport
"RAF Seletar" & "Seletar Airbase/Airfield" redirects here.Seletar Airport is a civilian airport located at Seletar, in the northeastern region of Singapore, and is managed by the Changi Airport Group...
(sometimes referred to as "Seltar"), on Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
Island on 18 May 1946 and No.209 and was named "City of Hong Kong" Squadron on 23 January 1947.
To Korea
Operation Firedog missions during the Malayan EmergencyMalayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
began on 7 July 1948. In September 1950, during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, the aircraft were moved to Iwakuni, Yamaguchi
Iwakuni, Yamaguchi
is a city located in Yamaguchi, Japan.On March 20, 2006, the old city of Iwakuni absorbed the towns of Kuga, Mikawa, Miwa, Nishiki, Shūtō and Yū, and the village of Hongō, all from Kuga District, to form the new, expanded city of Iwakuni.- History :...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to patrol off the Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n coast from 15 September. On 1 January 1955 the squadron merged with No. 205 Squadron
No. 205 Squadron RAF
No. 205 Squadron was a Royal Air Force unit formed on 1 April 1918. Prior to this it had existed as No. 5 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service. In 1929, it became the first RAF squadron to be permanently based in Singapore, taking as its motto Pertama di Malaya . No...
.
With Pioneers in the transport role
On 1 November 1958 No. 267 SquadronNo. 267 Squadron RAF
No. 267 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force that served during World War I & World War II. The squadron has been formed a total of four times.The squadron was formed at RAF Kalafrana, Malta on 27 September 1918 from Nos...
at RAF Kuala Lumpur
RAF Kuala Lumpur
RAF Kuala Lumpur was an RAF station in the Federation of Malaya and saw extensive use during the Malayan Emergency.-Military:The airfield was home to:* No 155 Squadron operating Whirlwind Mk4 helicopters....
was renumbered 209 Squadron and flew Scottish Aviation Pioneer
Scottish Aviation Pioneer
-External links:* *...
s and Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer
Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer
|-See also:-Bibliography:*Green, William. Macdonald Aircraft Handbook. London. Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1964.*Donald, David, ed. The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X....
s on liaison and transport duties in Malaysia. No.209 Squadron was finally disbanded on 31 December 1968 at RAF Seletar, although the name has been continued as the 209 (West Bridgford) Squadron of the Air Training Corps
Air Training Corps
The Air Training Corps , commonly known as the Air Cadets, is a cadet organisation based in the United Kingdom. It is a voluntary youth group which is part of the Air Cadet Organisation and the Royal Air Force . It is supported by the Ministry of Defence, with a regular RAF Officer, currently Air...
.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 1917 | June 1917 | Nieuport 17 Nieuport 17 |-Specifications :-See also:-Bibliography:* Bruce, Jack. "Those Classic Nieuports". Air Enthusiast Quarterly. Number Two, 1976. Bromley, UK:Pilot Press. pp. 137–153.... |
|
| February 1917 | July 1917 | Sopwith Pup Sopwith Pup The Sopwith Pup was a British single seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristics and good maneuverability, the aircraft proved very... |
|
| February 1917 | July 1917 | Sopwith Triplane Sopwith Triplane The Sopwith Triplane was a British single seat fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War. Pilots nicknamed it the Tripehound or simply the Tripe. The Triplane became operational with the Royal Naval Air Service in early 1917 and was... |
|
| July 1917 | February 1919 | Sopwith Camel Sopwith Camel The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult... |
|
| January 1930 | December 1932 | Blackburn Iris Blackburn Iris The Blackburn Iris was a British three-engined biplane flying boat of the 1920s. Although only five Irises were built, it was used as a long-ranged maritime reconnaissance aircraft by the Royal Air Force, where it equipped a squadron for 4 years, being used to carry out a number of notable... |
Mk. III |
| February 1932 | July 1932 | Saro A.7 Saunders Severn |-See also:... |
|
| June 1932 | JUne 1934 | Blackburn Iris Blackburn Iris The Blackburn Iris was a British three-engined biplane flying boat of the 1920s. Although only five Irises were built, it was used as a long-ranged maritime reconnaissance aircraft by the Royal Air Force, where it equipped a squadron for 4 years, being used to carry out a number of notable... |
Mk. V |
| August 1932 | November 1932 | Short Singapore | Mk.II |
| February 1933 | June 1934 | Supermarine Southampton Supermarine Southampton -See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 . London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.... |
Mk.II |
| January 1934 | December 1934 | Blackburn Perth Blackburn Perth -External links:** Popular Science, January 1934* Popular Mechanics, March 1931... |
|
| October 1934 | November 1934 | Supermarine Southampton Supermarine Southampton -See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 . London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.... |
Mk.II |
| October 1934 | November 1934 | Saro London Saro London |-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Five: Flying Boats. London: Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1962 . ISBN 0-356-01449-5.... |
Mk.I |
| December 1934 | August 1935 | Supermarine Scapa Supermarine Scapa -See also:... |
|
| January 1935 | February 1935 | Supermarine Southampton Supermarine Southampton -See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 . London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.... |
Mk.II |
| January 1935 | February 1936 | Saro London Saro London |-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Five: Flying Boats. London: Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1962 . ISBN 0-356-01449-5.... |
Mk.I |
| February 1935 | September 1935 | Supermarine Stranraer Supermarine Stranraer |-Surviving aircraft:A single intact Stranraer, 920/CF-BXO, survives in the collection of the Royal Air Force Museum London. This aircraft was built in 1940, one of 40 built by Canadian Vickers. In service with the Royal Canadian Air Force, it flew with several squadrons, on anti-submarine patrols,... |
Mk.I |
| April 1935 | September 1935 | Short Knuckleduster Short Knuckleduster -See also:-Bibliography:* ap Rees, Elfan. "Prototypes And Experimentals No 1: Short R.24/31". Air Pictorial, May 1971, p. 176.* Barnes, Christopher H. and Derek N. James. Shorts Aircraft since 1900. London: Putnam, 1989. ISBN 0-85177-819-4.... |
|
| July 1935 | May 1936 | Blackburn Perth Blackburn Perth -External links:** Popular Science, January 1934* Popular Mechanics, March 1931... |
|
| January 1936 | July 1936 | Supermarine Southampton Supermarine Southampton -See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. and E.B. Morgan. Supermarine Aircraft since 1914 . London: Putnam, 1987. ISBN 0-85177-800-3.... |
Mk.II |
| February 1936 | April 1939 | Short Singapore | Mk.III |
| November 1938 | April 1940 | Supermarine Stranraer Supermarine Stranraer |-Surviving aircraft:A single intact Stranraer, 920/CF-BXO, survives in the collection of the Royal Air Force Museum London. This aircraft was built in 1940, one of 40 built by Canadian Vickers. In service with the Royal Canadian Air Force, it flew with several squadrons, on anti-submarine patrols,... |
Mk.I |
| December 1939 | April 1941 | Saro Lerwick Saro Lerwick The Saunders-Roe A.36 Lerwick was a British flying boat built by the Saunders Roe Limited . It was intended to serve alongside the Short Sunderland in the Royal Air Force's Coastal Command, but it was a flawed design and only a small number were built... |
Mk.I |
| April 1941 | April 1945 | Consolidated Catalina | Mks.I |
| July 1942 | April 1945 | Consolidated Catalina | Mk.IIa |
| February 1945 | December 1954 | 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.... |
GR.5 |
| November 1958 | March 1959 | Auster AOP Auster AOP.6 -Bibliography:*Halley, J.J., The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988, Air-Britain, Tonbridge, ISBN 0-85130-164-9.... |
6 |
| November 1958 | November 1959 | Douglas Dakota C-47 Skytrain The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.-Design and... |
C.4 |
| November 1958 | February 1960 | Percival Pembroke Percival Pembroke -See also:-Bibliography:* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft London: Orbis Publishing, 1985.* Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919 . London: Putnam, 1974. ISBN 0-370-10014-X.... |
C.1 |
| November 1958 | December 1968 | Scottish Aviation Pioneer Scottish Aviation Pioneer -External links:* *... |
CC.1 |
| March 1959 | December 1968 | Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer |-See also:-Bibliography:*Green, William. Macdonald Aircraft Handbook. London. Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1964.*Donald, David, ed. The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.... |
CC.1 |
| October 1960 | December 1968 | Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer |-See also:-Bibliography:*Green, William. Macdonald Aircraft Handbook. London. Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1964.*Donald, David, ed. The Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1997. ISBN 1-85605-375-X.... |
CC.2 |
Squadron bases
| From | To | Base | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 february 1917 | 15 May 1917 | Saint-Pol-sur-Mer Saint-Pol-sur-Mer Saint-Pol-sur-Mer is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is the second-largest suburb of the city of Dunkerque, and is almost encircled by it.-Heraldry:-References:* -External links:*... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
|
| 15 May 1917 | 15 June 1917 | Veurne (Furnes) Veurne Veurne is a city and municipality in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Veurne proper and the settlements of Avekapelle, Booitshoeke, Bulskamp, De Moeren, Eggewaartskapelle, Houtem, Steenkerke, Vinkem, Wulveringem, and Zoutenaaie.-Origins in the 15th... , Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
|
| 15 June 1917 | 5 July 1917 | Flez-Cuzy Flez-Cuzy Flez-Cuzy is a commune in the Nièvre department in central France.-Demographics:At the 1999 census, the population was 131. On 1 January 2005, the estimate was 134.-References:*... , France |
|
| 5 July 1917 | 10 July 1917 | Izel-lès-Hameau, France | |
| 10 July 1917 | 25 July 1917 | Bray-Dunes Bray-Dunes -References:* -External links:* * *... , France |
Frontier Aerodrome |
| 25 July 1917 | 28 September 1917 | Leffrinckoucke Leffrinckoucke -Twin towns:Leffrinckoucke is twinned with: Węgorzewo in Poland-References:* Notes... , France |
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| 28 September 1917 | 10 October 1917 | Bray-Dunes, France | Frontier Aerodrome |
| 10 October 1917 | 16 February 1918 | Bray-Dunes, France | Middle Aerodrome |
| 16 February 1918 | 20 March 1918 | RNAS Dover Dover Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings... , Kent Kent Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of... |
Guston Road |
| 20 March 1918 | 23 March 1918 | Bray-Dunes, France | Middle Aerodrome |
| 23 March 1918 | 27 March 1918 | Cappelle-la-Grande Cappelle-la-Grande Cappelle-la-Grande is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is very close to Dunkirk.-Heraldry:-References:*... , France |
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| 27 March 1918 | 29 March 1918 | Bailleul Bailleul, Nord Bailleul is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is located in French Flanders near Lille.-Heraldry:-Media:... , France |
Asylum Ground |
| 29 March 1918 | 7 April 1918 | Clairmarais-North Clairmarais Clairmarais is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village situated in reclaimed marshland, 2 miles northeast of Saint-Omer, on the D209 road... , France |
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| 7 April 1918 | 20 July 1918 | Bertangles Bertangles Bertangles is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Bertangles is situated on the D97 road, just off the N25, north of Amiens... , France |
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| 20 July 1918 | 6 August 1918 | Quelmes Quelmes Quelmes is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:Quelmes lies about 5 miles west of Saint-Omer, at the junction of the D208 and D207 roads and bordered by the A26 motorway.-Population:... , France |
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| 6 August 1918 | 14 August 1918 | Bertangles, France | |
| 14 August 1918 | 24 October 1918 | Izel-lès-Hameau, France | |
| 24 October 1918 | 22 November 1918 | Bruille-lez-Marchiennes Bruille-lez-Marchiennes -References:*... , France |
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| 22 November 1918 | 11 December 1918 | Saultain Saultain Saultain is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-Heraldry:-References:*... , France |
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| 11 December 1918 | 14 February 1919 | Froidmont Tournai Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut.... , Belgium |
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| 14 February 1919 | 24 June 1919 | RAF Scopwick RAF Digby RAF Digby is a Royal Air Force station which, since March 2005, has been operated by the Ministry of Defence's Joint Service Signals Organisation, part of the Intelligence Collection Group. Formerly a training and fighter airfield, it is currently a tri-service military signals installation located... , Lincolnshire Lincolnshire Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders... |
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| 15 January 1930 | 1 May 1935 | RAF Mount Batten RAF Mount Batten RAF Mount Batten was a Royal Air Force station and flying boat base at Mount Batten, a peninsula in Plymouth Sound, Devon. England. Originally a seaplane station opened in 1917 as a Royal Navy Air Service Station Cattewater it became RAF Cattewater in 1918 and in 1928 was re-named RAF Mount Batten... , Devon Devon Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with... |
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| 1 May 1935 | 22 September 1937 | RAF Felixtowe, Suffolk Suffolk Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east... |
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| 22 September 1937 | 31 September 1937 | RAF Kalafrana, Malta Malta Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in... |
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| 31 September 1937 | 17 December 1937 | Arzew Arzew Arzew or Arzeu is a port city in Algeria, from Oran. It is the capital of Arzew District, Oran Province.-Antiquity:Like the rest of North Africa, the site of modern-day Arzew was originally inhabited by the Berbers... , Algeria Algeria Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab... |
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| 17 December 1937 | 27 September 1938 | RAF Felixtowe, Suffolk | |
| 27 September 1938 | 8 October 1938 | RAF Invergordon Invergordon Invergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated... , Ross and Cromarty Ross and Cromarty Ross and Cromarty is a variously defined area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is a registration county and a lieutenancy area in current use... , 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... |
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| 8 October 1938 | 22 May 1939 | RAF Felixtowe, Suffolk | |
| 22 May 1939 | 17 June 1939 | RAF Stranraer Stranraer Stranraer is a town in the southwest of Scotland. It lies in the west of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire.Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland... , Wigtownshire Wigtownshire Wigtownshire or the County of Wigtown is a registration county in the Southern Uplands of south west Scotland. Until 1975, the county was one of the administrative counties used for local government purposes, and is now administered as part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway... |
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| 17 June 1939 | 12 August 1939 | RAF Felixtowe, Suffolk | |
| 12 August 1939 | 22 August 1939 | RAF Invergordon, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland | Dets. at Sullom Voe Sullom Voe Sullom Voe is an inlet between North Mainland and Northmavine on Shetland in Scotland. It is a location of the Sullom Voe oil terminal. The word Voe is from the Old Norse vagr and denotes a small bay or narrow creek... , Shetland, Scotland and Falmouth, Cornwall Falmouth, Cornwall Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset.... |
| 22 August 1939 | 30 August 1939 | RAF Felixtowe, Suffolk | |
| 30 August 1939 | 7 October 1939 | RAF Invergordon, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland | |
| 7 October 1939 | 12 July 1940 | RAF Oban RAF Oban RAF Oban was a Royal Air Force flying boat base located at the northern end of the island of Kerrera, in Ardantrive Bay west of Oban, Argyll and Bute, Scotland during World War II.-History:... , Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council... , Scotland |
Det. at Falmouth, Cornwall |
| 12 July 1940 | 3 January 1941 | RAF Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered.... , Wales Wales Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²... |
Det. at RAF Stranraer, Wigtownshire |
| 3 January 1941 | 23 March 1941 | RAF Stranraer, Wigtownshire | |
| 23 March 1941 | 26 July 1941 | RAF Castle Archdale RAF Castle Archdale RAF Castle Archdale, also known for a while as RAF Lough Erne was a Royal Air Force station used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force station in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.-WWII History:... |
(Lough Erne) |
| 26 July 1941 | 10 October 1941 | RAF Reykjavik 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... , 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... |
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| 10 October 1941 | 30 March 1942 | RAF Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales | |
| 30 March 1942 | 15 June 1942 | En route to East Africa | |
| 15 June 1942 | 21 July 1945 | Kipevu Kipevu Kipevu is a suburb of Mombasa, Kenya. Located in the Changamwe Constituency, it had a population of 44,720 in 1999.... , Kenya Kenya Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east... |
Dets. at Kisumu Kisumu Kisumu is a port city in western Kenya at , with a population of 355,024 . It is the third largest city in Kenya, the principal city of western Kenya, the immediate former capital of Nyanza Province and the headquarters of Kisumu County. It has a municipal charter but no city charter... , Kenya; Kilindini Moi International Airport Moi International Airport , also Mombasa International Airport, or Mombasa Airport, is an airport in Kenya.-Location:Mombasa Airport, , is located in Mombasa District, Coast Province, in the city of Mombasa, in a township called Port Reitz, in southeastern Kenya, along the Indian Ocean coast.Its... , Kenya; RAF Khormaksar RAF Khormaksar RAF Khormaksar was a Royal Air Force station in Aden. Its motto was "Into the Remote Places". During the 1960s, it was the base for nine squadrons and became the RAF's busiest-ever station. It later became Aden International Airport.-History:... , Aden Aden Aden is a seaport city in Yemen, located by the eastern approach to the Red Sea , some 170 kilometres east of Bab-el-Mandeb. Its population is approximately 800,000. Aden's ancient, natural harbour lies in the crater of an extinct volcano which now forms a peninsula, joined to the mainland by a... ; Masirah Masirah Air Base Masirah Air Base is a military airport located on the island of Masirah in Oman.-Facilities:The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level. It has two asphalt paved runways: 07/25 measuring and 17/35 measuring .-External links:... , Oman Oman Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the... ; Congella, South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... ; Seychelles Seychelles International Airport Seychelles International Airport or Aéroport de La Pointe la Rue as it is known locally is located on the island of Mahé, Seychelles near the capital city of Victoria... and Diego Suarez Antsiranana Antsiranana , named Diego-Suarez prior to 1975, is a city at the northern tip of Madagascar.Antsiranana is the capital of Diana Region.-Transports:... , Madagascar Madagascar The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa... |
| 21 July 1945 | 17 September 1945 | RAF Koggala, Ceylon Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the... |
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| 17 September 1945 | 28 April 1946 | RAF Kai Tak RAF Kai Tak RAF Kai Tak was a Royal Air Force station in Hong Kong. It was opened in 1927 and used for seaplanes. The RAF flight operated a few land based aircraft as well as having spare aircraft for naval units.-History:... , Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour... |
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| 28 April 1946 | 1 January 1955 | RAF Seletar, Singapore Singapore Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the... |
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| 18 May 1946 | 5 August 1946 | RAF Kai Tak, Hong Kong | Detachment |
| 11 September 1950 | 18 December 1950 | Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Iwakuni, Yamaguchi is a city located in Yamaguchi, Japan.On March 20, 2006, the old city of Iwakuni absorbed the towns of Kuga, Mikawa, Miwa, Nishiki, Shūtō and Yū, and the village of Hongō, all from Kuga District, to form the new, expanded city of Iwakuni.- History :... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Detachment |
| 1 November 1958 | 1 October 1959 | RAF Kuala Lumpur RAF Kuala Lumpur RAF Kuala Lumpur was an RAF station in the Federation of Malaya and saw extensive use during the Malayan Emergency.-Military:The airfield was home to:* No 155 Squadron operating Whirlwind Mk4 helicopters.... , Singapore |
Det. at Penang, Malaysia |
| 1 October 1959 | 31 December 1968 | RAF Seletar, Singapore | Dets. at Kuching Kuching International Airport "RAF Kuching/RMAF Kuching" & "Kuching Airbase/Airfield" redirects here.Kuching International Airport is an international airport serving the entire southwestern region of Sarawak, Malaysia. It is located 11 km south of Kuching city centre. The airport also shares its runway with the RMAF... , Labuan Labuan Airport "RAF Labuan/RMAF Labuan" & "Labuan Airbase/Airfield" redirects here.Labuan Airport is an airport that serves the federal territory of Labuan in Malaysia. The airport is 8 km from Victoria... and Bayan Lepas in Malaysia |