No. 273 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 273 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force
Squadron formed as reconnaissance
unit in World War I
and a torpedo bomber and reconnaissance unit in World War II
.
was formed on 30 July 1918 and operated DH.4s , DH.9s
and Sopwith Camel
s from Burgh Castle
on reconnaissance missions and disbanded on 5 July 1919 at Great Yarmouth
.
. In March 1942 it equipped with the Fairey Fulmar
s and lost an aircraft during the Japanese attack on Ceylon. It re-equipped with Hurricanes
in August 1942 and then Spitfires
.
The squadron then moved to Chittagong
, Burma supporting the 14th Army. It finally disbanded at Tan Son Nhut in French Indo China
on 31 January 1946.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Squadron formed as reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
unit in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and a torpedo bomber and reconnaissance unit in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Formation and World War I
No. 273 Squadron Royal Flying CorpsRoyal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
was formed on 30 July 1918 and operated DH.4s , DH.9s
Airco DH.9
The Airco DH.9 - also known after 1920 as the de Havilland DH.9 - was a British bomber used in the First World War...
and 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...
s from Burgh Castle
Burgh Castle
Burgh Castle is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated on the east bank of the River Waveney, near Great Yarmouth, some 6 km west of Great Yarmouth and within the Broads National Park.-Roman Fort:...
on reconnaissance missions and disbanded on 5 July 1919 at Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
.
Reformation in World War II
The squadron reformed on 1 August 1939 at China Bay in Ceylon as a torpedo bomber squadron operating the Vickers VildebeestVickers Vildebeest
The Vickers Vildebeest and the similar Vickers Vincent were two very large two- to three-seat single-engined British biplanes designed and built by Vickers and used as a light bomber, torpedo bomber and in the army cooperation roles...
. In March 1942 it equipped with the Fairey Fulmar
Fairey Fulmar
The Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne fighter aircraft that served with the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. A total of 600 were built by Fairey Aviation at its Stockport factory between January 1940 and December 1942...
s and lost an aircraft during the Japanese attack on Ceylon. It re-equipped with Hurricanes
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...
in August 1942 and then Spitfires
Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
.
The squadron then moved to Chittagong
Chittagong
Chittagong ) is a city in southeastern Bangladesh and the capital of an eponymous district and division. Built on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, the city is home to Bangladesh's busiest seaport and has a population of over 4.5 million, making it the second largest city in the country.A trading...
, Burma supporting the 14th Army. It finally disbanded at Tan Son Nhut in French Indo China
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
on 31 January 1946.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1918 | Mar 1919 | Airco DH.4 | |
| Aug 1918 | Mar 1919 | Airco DH.9 Airco DH.9 The Airco DH.9 - also known after 1920 as the de Havilland DH.9 - was a British bomber used in the First World War... |
|
| Aug 1918 | Mar 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... |
|
| Aug 1939 | Mar 1942 | Vickers Vildebeest Vickers Vildebeest The Vickers Vildebeest and the similar Vickers Vincent were two very large two- to three-seat single-engined British biplanes designed and built by Vickers and used as a light bomber, torpedo bomber and in the army cooperation roles... |
III |
| Mar 1942 | Sep 1942 | Fairey Fulmar Fairey Fulmar The Fairey Fulmar was a British carrier-borne fighter aircraft that served with the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War. A total of 600 were built by Fairey Aviation at its Stockport factory between January 1940 and December 1942... |
II |
| Aug 1942 | Nov 1942 | Hawker Hurricane Hawker Hurricane The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force... |
I |
| Aug 1942 | Dec 1943 | Hawker Hurricane | IIB |
| Dec 1943 | May 1944 | Hawker Hurricane | IIC |
| Mar 1944 | Dec 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire Supermarine Spitfire The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s... |
VIII |
| Nov 1945 | Jan 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | XIV |