No. 263 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No 263 Squadron was an Royal Air Force
fighter
squadron
formed in Italy
towards the end of World War I
. After being disbanded in 1919 it reformed in 1939 flying mainly strike
and heavy
fighter aircraft
until becoming No 1 Squadron
in 1958.
on 27 September 1918 from flights of the Royal Naval Air Service
after that service's amalgamation with the Royal Flying Corps
to form the RAF. It flew Sopwith Baby
s and Felixstowe F3s from Otranto
reconnoitring for submarines escaping from the Adriatic Sea
into the Mediterranean Sea
. The squadron was disbanded on 16 May 1919.
near Bristol
on 20 October 1939 taking over some of 605 Squadron
's biplane
Gloster Gladiator Mk.Is
. It became operational towards the end of the year and scrambled for the first time on 12 January 1940. Around this time the squadron received 22 Gloster Gladiator Mk.IIs to replace the Mk.Is
The Gladiator may look like a World War I aircraft, but with twice the speed of most World War I fighters
it had considerably better performance. However, as a fighter, it did not compare well with the type of enemy aircraft it might expect to meet in World War II, it was only slightly faster than the bomber
it would soon meet in Norway – the Heinkel 111
.
Germany invaded Norway on 9 April 1940 and 263 Squadron was soon instructed to prepare for a move. On 20 April the aircraft were flown, via RAF Sealand
, to Scapa Flow
, Scotland
where Fleet Air Arm
pilots landed them on the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and 18 Gladiators sailed for Norway. On 24 April after two days sailing the Squadron flew their aircraft off the carrier to a landing strip on the frozen lake Lesjaskogsvatnet
in Oppland
in central southern Norway.
Unfortunately the squadron was extremely short of ground staff and equipment, few of their Gladiators had been prepared for combat when the Luftwaffe
struck with Heinkel 111s shortly after daybreak on 25 April. By the end of 26 April, although 263 Squadron had managed to destroy two Heinkels all their aircraft had been destroyed or rendered unservicable and by the end of the month the squadron was ordered home.
The re-equipped squadron returned to the far north of Norway on 21 May flying from Bardufoss airfield
, near Narvik
and being reinforced by No 46 Squadron
whose Hurricanes arrived a few days later, using an airstrip at Skånland
. Due to unsuitable ground at Skånland 46 Squadron moved so that both were operating from Bardufoss by 27 May.
The squadrons had been ordered to defend the fleet anchorage at Skånland and the military base at Harstad
on the island of Hinnøya
. Action was short but intense before the squadrons were instructed on 2 June to prepare for evacuation; 263 Squadron had flown 249 sorties and claimed 26 enemy aircraft destroyed. 263's ten surviving Gladiators were landed on HMS Glorious on 7 June. Glorious sailed but was unfortunate to encounter German battleship
s Gneisenau
and Scharnhorst
. She was sunk and along with the aircraft from four squadrons 263 Squadron lost its CO, S/Ldr John W Donaldson, F/Lt Alvin T Williams and P.O. Sidney Robert McNamara along with seven other pilots.
The Westland Whirlwind was the first cannon-armed fighter for the RAF, first flown in October 1938 and at the production stage by 1940. It was a twin engined heavy fighter
(also able to function as a fighter bomber with 500 lb bombload. With 4 20mm Hispano cannon in the nose, it was more powerful than an 8-gunned fighter like the Spitfire or Hurricane. It was fast, matching the current Spitfire's maximum speed, but performed best at low altitude and was used for convoy escort and against small targets in the channel and northern France
. Only 114 were produced (compared with over 20,000 Spitfires)
No. 263 Squadron was to spend the next six months with 13 Group
near Edinburgh
, they reassembled on 10 June 1940 at RAF Drem
and after two weeks moved to RAF Grangemouth
where they spent three months before returning to Drem until November when they moved south to be nearer their intended targets in north France and the English Channel
.
During their time in Scotland
they were to sort out the final problems with the Rolls-Royce Peregrine
engines and Hispano cannon, to fill the gap they were provided with Hawker Hurricane
s which were flown in action a few times. Production of the Peregrine by Rolls-Royce was slow and it was November before they were fully equipped and the Hurricanes had disappeared. The squadron then transferred to RAF Exeter, commencing Chameleon patrols against enemy E-boats stationed in the English Channel and Western Approaches
who would rescue bomber crews who had "ditched" in the sea. Here on the 12 January 1941 a section patrolling near the Isles of Scilly
located a Junkers Ju 88
and Pilot Officer
(PO) Stein was credited with a probable.
No. 263 Squadron flew Whirlwinds until the end of 1943 these three years being spent in the west :– two years in airfields around Wiltshire
, Dorset
and Gloucestershire
; six months in south Wales
and six months in Devon
and Cornwall
. Apart from periods of training and "rest & recuperation" the squadrons operations involved:– Air-ground attacks on airfields, railways and roads in north France; air-sea attacks on enemy shipping (E-boats and armed trawlers
), sea convoy escort and bomber escort.
Like the Whirlwind, the Hawker Typhoon 1B
was a fighter bomber or strike fighter
. Although only powered by a single engine, the Napier Sabre
, it was more powerful (2,260 hp
) than the two Peregrine
(885 hp each) Whirlwind engines. As well as four cannon it could be armed with two (later four) 500 lb (227 kg) bombs or eight "60lb" rockets
. Like the Whirlwind it performed at its best at lower altitudes.
In December 1943, 263 Squadron became non-operational while aircrew and ground staff became familiar with the new plane. By the end of the month flying on the Whirlwind had shrunk to 22 hours and over 309 hours had been flown on the Typhoon. After two weeks Armament Practice Camp at RAF Fairwood Common
, the squadron became operational again on 1 February 1944 and attacked for the first time on 3 February when three divebombing operations took place.
In 1944, the squadron along with another Typhoon squadron and a Spitfire escort was mistakenly ordered to attack a Royal Navy minesweeping flotilla with the result that HMS Britomart
and HMS Hussar
were sunk, 117 sailors killed and another 153 wounded.
and the Deutschland, were sunk as a result of four separate attacks by Hawker Typhoon
s of No. 83 Group RAF
. After No. 184 Squadron RAF
and No. 198 Squadron RAF
it was 263 Squadron's, by then based in RAF Ahlhorn
(Großenkneten
) who were led by Squadron Leader
Martin T. S. Rumbold.
with the Gloster Meteor
jet fighters was renumbered as 263 squadron at RAF Acklington
. After Meteors, 263 Squadron moved onto Hawker Hunter
s in 1955. The unit arrived at Wattisham
in October 1950, and transferred to Stradishall
in August 1957. It was disbanded there on 1 July 1958 and renumbered to become No. 1 Squadron RAF
. It was reformed for the last time on 1 June 1959 to operate the Bristol Bloodhound surface-to-air missile at RAF Watton
until disbanding on 30 June 1963.
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...
fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
squadron
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...
formed in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
towards the end 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...
. After being disbanded in 1919 it reformed in 1939 flying mainly strike
Strike fighter
In a current military parlance, a strike fighter is a multi-role combat aircraft designed to operate primarily in the air-to-surface attack role while also incorporating certain performance characteristics of a fighter aircraft. As a category, it is distinct from fighter-bombers...
and heavy
Heavy fighter
A heavy fighter is a fighter aircraft designed to carry heavier weapons or operate at longer ranges. To achieve acceptable performance, most heavy fighters were twin-engined, and many had multi-place crews....
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
until becoming No 1 Squadron
No. 1 Squadron RAF
No. 1 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It operated the Harrier GR9 from RAF Cottesmore until 28 January 2011.The squadron motto is In omnibus princeps , appropriate for the RAF's oldest squadron and one that has been involved in almost every major British military operation since...
in 1958.
First World War
The squadron was formed in ItalyItaly
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
on 27 September 1918 from flights of the 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...
after that service's amalgamation with the Royal Flying Corps
Royal 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...
to form the RAF. It flew Sopwith Baby
Sopwith Baby
-See also:...
s and Felixstowe F3s from Otranto
Otranto
Otranto is a town and comune in the province of Lecce , in a fertile region once famous for its breed of horses.It is located on the east coast of the Salento peninsula. The Strait of Otranto, to which the city gives its name, connects the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea and Italy with Albania...
reconnoitring for submarines escaping from the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
into the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. The squadron was disbanded on 16 May 1919.
Second World War
The squadron reformed as a fighter squadron at RAF FiltonRAF Filton
RAF Filton was a World War II, Royal Air Force Sector Airfield situated at Filton Aerodrome about 5 miles north of the city centre of Bristol, England....
near Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
on 20 October 1939 taking over some of 605 Squadron
No. 605 Squadron RAF
No 605 Squadron was formed as an Auxiliary Air Force Squadron. Initially formed as a bomber unit, it was one of the most successful participants of the Battle of Britain. It also had the distinction of being active during World War II at two fronts at a time, when the squadron was split up between...
's biplane
Biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two superimposed main wings. The Wright brothers' Wright Flyer used a biplane design, as did most aircraft in the early years of aviation. While a biplane wing structure has a structural advantage, it produces more drag than a similar monoplane wing...
Gloster Gladiator Mk.Is
Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
. It became operational towards the end of the year and scrambled for the first time on 12 January 1940. Around this time the squadron received 22 Gloster Gladiator Mk.IIs to replace the Mk.Is
Gloster Gladiator and Norway
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
it had considerably better performance. However, as a fighter, it did not compare well with the type of enemy aircraft it might expect to meet in World War II, it was only slightly faster than the bomber
Bomber
A bomber is a military aircraft designed to attack ground and sea targets, by dropping bombs on them, or – in recent years – by launching cruise missiles at them.-Classifications of bombers:...
it would soon meet in Norway – the Heinkel 111
Heinkel He 111
The Heinkel He 111 was a German aircraft designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Often described as a "Wolf in sheep's clothing", it masqueraded as a transport aircraft, but its purpose was to provide the Luftwaffe with a fast medium...
.
Germany invaded Norway on 9 April 1940 and 263 Squadron was soon instructed to prepare for a move. On 20 April the aircraft were flown, via RAF Sealand
RAF Sealand
RAF Sealand was a former Royal Air Force station in Flintshire, north Wales and operated between 1916 and 2006.Under defence cuts announced in 2004 RAF Sealand was completely closed in April 2006. All remaining RAF units were moved to RAF Leeming...
, to Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
, 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...
where Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
pilots landed them on the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and 18 Gladiators sailed for Norway. On 24 April after two days sailing the Squadron flew their aircraft off the carrier to a landing strip on the frozen lake Lesjaskogsvatnet
Lesjaskogsvatnet
Lesjaskogsvatnet is a lake which serves as the headwaters for Gudbrandsdalslågen . Gudbrandsdalslågen flows through the Gudbrandsdal valley bottom, ending in lake Mjøsa....
in Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
in central southern Norway.
Unfortunately the squadron was extremely short of ground staff and equipment, few of their Gladiators had been prepared for combat when the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
struck with Heinkel 111s shortly after daybreak on 25 April. By the end of 26 April, although 263 Squadron had managed to destroy two Heinkels all their aircraft had been destroyed or rendered unservicable and by the end of the month the squadron was ordered home.
The re-equipped squadron returned to the far north of Norway on 21 May flying from Bardufoss airfield
Bardufoss Air Station
Bardufoss Air Station is located in the municipality of Målselv in Troms county in Northern Norway. It is the location for the 139th Air Wing and two helicopter squadrons; the 337 Squadron operating Lynx MK 86 for the Norwegian Coast Guard and the 339 Squadron equipped with Bell 412SPs...
, near Narvik
Narvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
and being reinforced by No 46 Squadron
No. 46 Squadron RAF
No. 46 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force, formed in 1916, was disbanded and re-formed three times before its last disbandment in 1975. It served in both World War I and World War II.- World War I :...
whose Hurricanes arrived a few days later, using an airstrip at Skånland
Skånland
Skånland is a municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Evenskjer.- General information :...
. Due to unsuitable ground at Skånland 46 Squadron moved so that both were operating from Bardufoss by 27 May.
The squadrons had been ordered to defend the fleet anchorage at Skånland and the military base at Harstad
Harstad
is the second largest city and municipality by population, in Troms county, Norway – the city is also the third largest in North Norway. Thus Harstad is the natural centre for its district. Situated approximately north of the Arctic Circle, the city celebrated its 100th anniversary in...
on the island of Hinnøya
Hinnøya
-Geography and environment:Covering an area of , it is the fourth-largest island in the country, and the largest off the mainland. The western part of the island is in the Vesterålen district, while the southwestern part is in Lofoten. As of 2006, it had a population of 31,851, of which the only...
. Action was short but intense before the squadrons were instructed on 2 June to prepare for evacuation; 263 Squadron had flown 249 sorties and claimed 26 enemy aircraft destroyed. 263's ten surviving Gladiators were landed on HMS Glorious on 7 June. Glorious sailed but was unfortunate to encounter German battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s Gneisenau
German battleship Gneisenau
Gneisenau was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the second vessel of her class, which included one other ship, Scharnhorst. The ship was built at the Deutsche Werke dockyard in Kiel; she was laid down on 6 May 1935...
and Scharnhorst
German battleship Scharnhorst
Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. The ship was built at the Kriegsmarinewerft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven; she was laid down on 15...
. She was sunk and along with the aircraft from four squadrons 263 Squadron lost its CO, S/Ldr John W Donaldson, F/Lt Alvin T Williams and P.O. Sidney Robert McNamara along with seven other pilots.
Westland Whirlwind
Heavy fighter
A heavy fighter is a fighter aircraft designed to carry heavier weapons or operate at longer ranges. To achieve acceptable performance, most heavy fighters were twin-engined, and many had multi-place crews....
(also able to function as a fighter bomber with 500 lb bombload. With 4 20mm Hispano cannon in the nose, it was more powerful than an 8-gunned fighter like the Spitfire or Hurricane. It was fast, matching the current Spitfire's maximum speed, but performed best at low altitude and was used for convoy escort and against small targets in the channel and northern 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...
. Only 114 were produced (compared with over 20,000 Spitfires)
No. 263 Squadron was to spend the next six months with 13 Group
No. 13 Group RAF
No. 13 Group was a group in the Royal Air Force for various periods in the 20th century. It is most famous for having the responsibility for defending the North of Great Britain during the Battle of Britain-World War I:...
near Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, they reassembled on 10 June 1940 at RAF Drem
RAF Drem
RAF Drem is a former RAF station, just north of the village of Drem in East Lothian, Scotland. The motto of the station was Exiit Hinc Lumen which means "Ascend from this Light"....
and after two weeks moved to RAF Grangemouth
RAF Grangemouth
- Pre-war :RAF Grangemouth was a RAF base north east of Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland. It was opened as the Central Scotland Airport in May 1939 and operated as a civilian air navigation school until September 1939.-World War II :...
where they spent three months before returning to Drem until November when they moved south to be nearer their intended targets in north France and the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
.
During their time in 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...
they were to sort out the final problems with the Rolls-Royce Peregrine
Rolls-Royce Peregrine
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Bowyer, Michael J.F. Interceptor Fighters for the Royal Air Force, 1935-45. Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1984. ISBN 0-85059-726-9....
engines and Hispano cannon, to fill the gap they were provided with 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...
s which were flown in action a few times. Production of the Peregrine by Rolls-Royce was slow and it was November before they were fully equipped and the Hurricanes had disappeared. The squadron then transferred to RAF Exeter, commencing Chameleon patrols against enemy E-boats stationed in the English Channel and Western Approaches
Western Approaches
The Western Approaches is a rectangular area of the Atlantic ocean lying on the western coast of Great Britain. The rectangle is higher than it is wide, the north and south boundaries defined by the north and south ends of the British Isles, the eastern boundary lying on the western coast, and the...
who would rescue bomber crews who had "ditched" in the sea. Here on the 12 January 1941 a section patrolling near the Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
located 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...
and Pilot Officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
(PO) Stein was credited with a probable.
No. 263 Squadron flew Whirlwinds until the end of 1943 these three years being spent in the west :– two years in airfields around Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
and Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
; six months in south 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...
and six months in 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...
and Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. Apart from periods of training and "rest & recuperation" the squadrons operations involved:– Air-ground attacks on airfields, railways and roads in north France; air-sea attacks on enemy shipping (E-boats and armed trawlers
Naval trawler
A naval trawler is a vessel built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes. Naval trawlers were widely used during the First and Second world wars. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust boats designed to work...
), sea convoy escort and bomber escort.
Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
was a fighter bomber or strike fighter
Strike fighter
In a current military parlance, a strike fighter is a multi-role combat aircraft designed to operate primarily in the air-to-surface attack role while also incorporating certain performance characteristics of a fighter aircraft. As a category, it is distinct from fighter-bombers...
. Although only powered by a single engine, the Napier Sabre
Napier Sabre
The Napier Sabre was a British H-24-cylinder, liquid cooled, sleeve valve, piston aero engine, designed by Major Frank Halford and built by Napier & Son during WWII...
, it was more powerful (2,260 hp
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
) than the two Peregrine
Rolls-Royce Peregrine
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Bowyer, Michael J.F. Interceptor Fighters for the Royal Air Force, 1935-45. Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1984. ISBN 0-85059-726-9....
(885 hp each) Whirlwind engines. As well as four cannon it could be armed with two (later four) 500 lb (227 kg) bombs or eight "60lb" rockets
RP-3
The RP-3 , was a British rocket used in the Second World War. Though primarily an air-to-ground weapon, it saw limited use in other roles. Its 60 lb warhead gave rise to the alternative name of the "60 lb rocket"; the 25 lb solid-shot armour piercing variant was referred to as the "25 lb rocket"...
. Like the Whirlwind it performed at its best at lower altitudes.
In December 1943, 263 Squadron became non-operational while aircrew and ground staff became familiar with the new plane. By the end of the month flying on the Whirlwind had shrunk to 22 hours and over 309 hours had been flown on the Typhoon. After two weeks Armament Practice Camp at RAF Fairwood Common
RAF Fairwood Common
RAF Fairwood Common was a World War II aerodrome located at Fairwood Common on the Gower Peninsula to the west of Swansea. It is now the location of Swansea Airport.-History:...
, the squadron became operational again on 1 February 1944 and attacked for the first time on 3 February when three divebombing operations took place.
In 1944, the squadron along with another Typhoon squadron and a Spitfire escort was mistakenly ordered to attack a Royal Navy minesweeping flotilla with the result that HMS Britomart
HMS Britomart
Seven ships of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Britomart, after the Britomartis of Greek mythology:*HMS Britomart was a 16-gun brig-sloop captured from the Danes in 1807 and commissioned as HMS Glommen...
and HMS Hussar
HMS Hussar
Ten ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Hussar, after the hussar.*The first Hussar was a 28-gun sixth-rate launched in 1757 and captured by the French in 1762 after running aground off Cuba....
were sunk, 117 sailors killed and another 153 wounded.
Cap Arcona
On 3 May 1945, three ships, the Cap Arcona, the ThielbekThielbek
The Thielbek was a 2,815 GRT freighter that was sunk along with the SS Cap Arcona and the Deutschland during British air raids on May 3, 1945 while anchored in the Bay of Lübeck with the loss of 2,750 lives...
and the Deutschland, were sunk as a result of four separate attacks by Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
s of No. 83 Group RAF
No. 83 Group RAF
No. 83 Group was a group within the Royal Air Force's 2nd Tactical Air Force during the Second World War and the post-war era. In 2006, the group was re-established as No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group.-History:...
. After No. 184 Squadron RAF
No. 184 Squadron RAF
-History:No.184 Squadron was formed at RAF Colerne on 1 December 1942, as a fighter bomber unit equipped with the Hawker Hurricane. Initially, Mark IIDs with 40 mm anti-tank cannon were received and the squadron trained with the Army in ground attack practice guns, bombs and rockets, replaced...
and No. 198 Squadron RAF
No. 198 Squadron RAF
No. 198 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron that operated during the Second World War particularly in the ground attack role as the allies advanced through continental Europe.-History:...
it was 263 Squadron's, by then based in RAF Ahlhorn
RAF Ahlhorn
The former Royal Air Force Station Ahlhorn, commonly known as RAF Ahlhorn, was a Royal Air Force airbase in Germany situated in the southern suburbs of Ahlhorn, Lower Saxony....
(Großenkneten
Großenkneten
Großenkneten is a municipality in the district of Oldenburg, in Lower Saxony, Germany.-Geography:Großenkneten is one of the largest municipalities in Germany, in terms of its area, and is situated between the rivers Hunte and Lethe, in the landscape called Wildeshauser Geest...
) who were led by Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
Martin T. S. Rumbold.
Post war
After disbandment on 28 August 1945, No. 616 Squadron RAFNo. 616 Squadron RAF
No. 616 Squadron was a unit of the British Auxiliary Air Force and later the Royal Auxiliary Air Force between 1938 and 1957.-Formation:...
with the Gloster Meteor
Gloster Meteor
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. It first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
jet fighters was renumbered as 263 squadron at RAF Acklington
RAF Acklington
The former Royal Air Force Station Acklington, commonly known as RAF Acklington, was a Royal Air Force airfield airbase situated near Acklington, in Northumberland, England....
. After Meteors, 263 Squadron moved onto Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
s in 1955. The unit arrived at Wattisham
Wattisham
Wattisham is a civil parish near to the town of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England.-Wattisham Airfield:The village houses an airbase. Formerly known as RAF Wattisham, it was one of the front-line airbases in the Cold War. The RAF moved out in March 1993 and it is now the largest Army Air Corps airfield...
in October 1950, and transferred to Stradishall
Stradishall
Stradishall is a village and civil parish in the Borough of St Edmundsbury in the English county of Suffolk.The Royal Air Force operated an airfield near Stradishall, RAF Stradishall, which was operational between 1938 and 1970. The former airfield is now the site of two category C prisons: HMP...
in August 1957. It was disbanded there on 1 July 1958 and renumbered to become No. 1 Squadron RAF
No. 1 Squadron RAF
No. 1 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It operated the Harrier GR9 from RAF Cottesmore until 28 January 2011.The squadron motto is In omnibus princeps , appropriate for the RAF's oldest squadron and one that has been involved in almost every major British military operation since...
. It was reformed for the last time on 1 June 1959 to operate the Bristol Bloodhound surface-to-air missile at RAF Watton
RAF Watton
Royal Air Force Station Watton is a former military airfield in Norfolk, England. The airfield is located approximately south-southwest of East Dereham....
until disbanding on 30 June 1963.
Organisation
| Served from | Name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| October 1939 | Sqn/Ldr John W Donaldson, DSO, AFC | Missing/KIA 9 June 1940 aged 29 |
| 10 June 1940 | Sqn/Ldr H Eeles | |
| December 1940 | Sqn/Ldr Munro | |
| February 1941 | Sqn/Ldr Arthur Hay Donaldson, DFC, AFC | |
| August 1941 | Sqn/Ldr Thomas P Pugh, DFC | later W/Cmdr with 182 Squadron No. 182 Squadron RAF No. 182 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as a fighter-bomber unit in World War II.-Formation in World War II:The squadron formed on 25 August 1942 at RAF Martlesham Heath and was supplied with Hurricanes and Typhoons. It then operated the Typhoons from several locations in the... MIA/KIA 2 August 1943 aged 23 |
| February 1942 | Sqn/Ldr Robert S Woodward, DFC | MIA/KIA 7 December 1942 aged 23 |
| 11 December 1942 | Sqn/Ldr Geoffrey Berrington Warnes, DSO, DFC | |
| June 1943 | Sqn/Ldr Ernest R Baker, DSO, DFC Bar | later W/Cmdr, MIA/KIA 16 June 1944 aged 30 |
| December 1943 | Sqn/Ldr Geoffrey Berrington Warnes, DSO, DFC | MIA/KIA 22 February 1944 aged 29 |
| 25 February 1944 | Sqn/Ldr Henri A C Gonay | formerly of Belgian Air Force, MIA/KIA 14 June 1944 aged 30 |
| June 1944 | Sqn/Ldr R D Rutter, DFC | |
| January 1945 – August 1945 | Sqn/Ldr Martin T S Rumbold, DFC Bar | 263 Squadron disbanded |
| Arrival | Base |
|---|---|
| 10 June 1940 | RAF Drem RAF Drem RAF Drem is a former RAF station, just north of the village of Drem in East Lothian, Scotland. The motto of the station was Exiit Hinc Lumen which means "Ascend from this Light".... |
| 28 June 1940 | RAF Grangemouth RAF Grangemouth - Pre-war :RAF Grangemouth was a RAF base north east of Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland. It was opened as the Central Scotland Airport in May 1939 and operated as a civilian air navigation school until September 1939.-World War II :... with detachment at RAF Turnhouse |
| 2 September 1940 | RAF Drem RAF Drem RAF Drem is a former RAF station, just north of the village of Drem in East Lothian, Scotland. The motto of the station was Exiit Hinc Lumen which means "Ascend from this Light".... with detachments at RAF Macmerry and RAF Prestwick RAF Prestwick RAF Prestwick is the home of the "Scottish Air Traffic Control Centre ", and is located within the NATS air traffic control facility at Prestwick, in Ayrshire, Scotland.... |
| 28 November 1940 | RAF Exeter with detachment at RAF St Eval RAF St Eval RAF St Eval was a strategic airbase for the RAF Coastal Command in the Second World War . St Eval's primary role was to provided anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south west coast of England... |
| 24 February 1941 | RAF St Eval RAF St Eval RAF St Eval was a strategic airbase for the RAF Coastal Command in the Second World War . St Eval's primary role was to provided anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south west coast of England... |
| 18 March 1941 | RAF Portreath |
| 10 April 1941 | RAF Filton RAF Filton RAF Filton was a World War II, Royal Air Force Sector Airfield situated at Filton Aerodrome about 5 miles north of the city centre of Bristol, England.... |
| 7 August 1941 | RAF Charmy Down RAF Charmy Down RAF Station Charmy Down is a former World War II airfield in Somerset, England. The airfield is located approximately north-northeast of Bath; about west of London... |
| 19 December 1941 | RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell was a Royal Air Force station near Warmwell in Dorset, England from 1937 to 1946, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Dorchester; 100 miles southwest of London.... |
| 23 December 1941 | RAF Charmy Down RAF Charmy Down RAF Station Charmy Down is a former World War II airfield in Somerset, England. The airfield is located approximately north-northeast of Bath; about west of London... |
| 28 January 1942 | RAF Colerne RAF Colerne RAF Colerne now known as Colerne Airfield or AEF Colerne is a former World War II RAF Fighter Command and Bomber Command airfield located on the outskirts of the village of Colerne, Wiltshire... |
| 10 February 1942 | RAF Fairwood Common RAF Fairwood Common RAF Fairwood Common was a World War II aerodrome located at Fairwood Common on the Gower Peninsula to the west of Swansea. It is now the location of Swansea Airport.-History:... |
| 18 April 1942 | RAF Angle RAF Angle RAF Angle was a World War II RAF station in South West Wales, near the village of Angle, Pembrokeshire. It was opened in December 1941 and closed in early 1945.... with detachment at RAF Portreath |
| 15 August 1942 | RAF Colerne RAF Colerne RAF Colerne now known as Colerne Airfield or AEF Colerne is a former World War II RAF Fighter Command and Bomber Command airfield located on the outskirts of the village of Colerne, Wiltshire... , Northern Ireland |
| 13 September 1942 | RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell was a Royal Air Force station near Warmwell in Dorset, England from 1937 to 1946, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Dorchester; 100 miles southwest of London.... with detachments at RAF Predannack and RAF Fairwood Common RAF Fairwood Common RAF Fairwood Common was a World War II aerodrome located at Fairwood Common on the Gower Peninsula to the west of Swansea. It is now the location of Swansea Airport.-History:... |
| 20 February 1943 | RAF Harrowbeer RAF Harrowbeer RAF Harrowbeer was a World War II Royal Air Force airfield situated in the parish of Buckland Monachorum, Devon in the UK.-Location:RAF Harrowbeer was located approximately nine miles NNE of the city of Plymouth and approximately six miles south of Tavistock, and also sits within the boundary of... |
| 15 March 1943 | RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell was a Royal Air Force station near Warmwell in Dorset, England from 1937 to 1946, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Dorchester; 100 miles southwest of London.... |
| March 1943 | RAF Predannack |
| 15 April 1943 | RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell was a Royal Air Force station near Warmwell in Dorset, England from 1937 to 1946, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Dorchester; 100 miles southwest of London.... |
| 19 June 1943 | RAF Zeals RAF Zeals RAF Zeals was a wartime Royal Air Force station in Wiltshire.The station was sited to the north of the village of Zeals, next to the village of Stourton and the Stourhead estate.The station was only in operation from 1942 to 1946... |
| 12 July 1943 | RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell was a Royal Air Force station near Warmwell in Dorset, England from 1937 to 1946, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Dorchester; 100 miles southwest of London.... |
| 7 September 1943 | 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... |
| 10 September 1943 | RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell was a Royal Air Force station near Warmwell in Dorset, England from 1937 to 1946, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Dorchester; 100 miles southwest of London.... |
| 5 December 1943 | RAF Ibsley RAF Ibsley RAF Station Ibsley is a former World War II airfield in Hampshire, England. The airfield is located near the village of Ibsley, approximately north of Ringwood; about southwest of London... |
| 5 January 1944 | RAF Fairwood Common RAF Fairwood Common RAF Fairwood Common was a World War II aerodrome located at Fairwood Common on the Gower Peninsula to the west of Swansea. It is now the location of Swansea Airport.-History:... Armament Practice Camp |
| 23 January 1944 | RAF Beaulieu RAF Beaulieu RAF Station Beaulieu was a World War II airfield in the New Forest, Hampshire, England. It was also known as Beaulieu airfield, Beaulieu aerodrome and USAAF Station AAF 408... |
| 6 March 1944 | RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell RAF Warmwell was a Royal Air Force station near Warmwell in Dorset, England from 1937 to 1946, located about 5 miles east-southeast of Dorchester; 100 miles southwest of London.... |
| 19 March 1944 | RAF Harrowbeer RAF Harrowbeer RAF Harrowbeer was a World War II Royal Air Force airfield situated in the parish of Buckland Monachorum, Devon in the UK.-Location:RAF Harrowbeer was located approximately nine miles NNE of the city of Plymouth and approximately six miles south of Tavistock, and also sits within the boundary of... |
| 19 June 1944 | RAF Bolt Head RAF Bolt Head RAF Bolt Head was a Royal Air Force grass airfield 1 mile south west of Salcombe on the south Devon coast, England from 1941 to 1945. During World War II it was used as a satellite for RAF Exeter.The Ground Control Interceptor Station, RAF Hope Cove... |
| 10 July 1944 | RAF Hurn RAF Hurn RAF Station Hurn is a former World War II airfield in Dorset, England. The airfield is located approximately north east of Christchurch; about southwest of LondonOpened in 1941, it was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force... |
| 23 July 1944 | RAF Eastchurch RAF Eastchurch RAF Eastchurch was a Royal Air Force station near Eastchurch village in the English County of Kent. The history of aviation at Eastchurch stretches back to the first decade of the 20th century when it was used as an airfield by members of the Royal Aero Club... |
External links
- Lookup for history of RAF squadrons at raf.mod.uk
- Squadron history at rafweb.org
- No. 263 Squadron in art - painting of a No. 263 Squadron Westland Whirlwind
