No. 627 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 627 Squadron was a Royal Air Force
Mosquito
aircraft pathfinder bomber squadron that operated during the Second World War.
from part of 139 Squadron
. It was equipped with the de Havilland Mosquito
twin-engined fighter-bomber it flew operations as part of No. 8 Groups
light bomber force. As well as normal bombing missions it also carried out Pathfinder
duties and was involved in attacks on Berlin
in early 1944. In April 1944 it was transferred to No. 5 Group
as a specialised target marking squadron, although it also carried out amend reconnaissance and normal bombing duties.
It was disbanded on the 1 October 1945 at RAF Woodhall Spa
when it was re-numbered 109 Squadron
.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
aircraft pathfinder bomber squadron that operated during the Second World War.
History
The squadron was formed on 12 November 1943 at RAF OakingtonRAF Oakington
RAF Oakington was an RAF base situated in Cambridgeshire, England.Construction was started in 1939, but was affected by the outbreak of war, the original plan called for Type C hangars two type J were erected instead. It was used by No. 2 Group in July 1940 for No. 218 Squadron which had recently...
from part of 139 Squadron
No. 139 Squadron RAF
No. 139 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was fighter unit in World War I and a bomber unit from World War II until the 1960s.-Formation and World War I:...
. It was equipped with the de Havilland Mosquito
De Havilland Mosquito
The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"...
twin-engined fighter-bomber it flew operations as part of No. 8 Groups
No. 8 Group RAF
No. 8 Group RAF was a Royal Air Force group which existed during the final year of World War I and during World War II.-Formation in World War II:...
light bomber force. As well as normal bombing missions it also carried out Pathfinder
Pathfinder (RAF)
The Pathfinders were elite squadrons in RAF Bomber Command during World War II. They located and marked targets with flares, which a main bomber force could aim at, increasing the accuracy of their bombing...
duties and was involved in attacks on Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
in early 1944. In April 1944 it was transferred to No. 5 Group
No. 5 Group RAF
No. 5 Group was a Royal Air Force bomber group of the Second World War, led during the latter part by AVM Sir Ralph Cochrane.-History:The Group was formed on 1 September 1937 with headquarters at RAF Mildenhall....
as a specialised target marking squadron, although it also carried out amend reconnaissance and normal bombing duties.
It was disbanded on the 1 October 1945 at RAF Woodhall Spa
RAF Woodhall Spa
-History:Constructed on farmland 1 km south of Woodhall Spa, the station opened in February 1942 as a satellite station to RAF Coningsby. In August 1943 it became No 54 Base Substation. After victory in Europe the airfield was used as an assembly and kitting out point for Tiger Force...
when it was re-numbered 109 Squadron
No. 109 Squadron RAF
No. 109 Squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II. It operated Wellington VIs.-History:The squadron first formed on 1 November 1917 as 109 Squadron Royal Flying Corps at South Carlton in 1917 operating the de Havilland DH.9 until it was disbanded on 19 August...
.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 1943 | September 1945 | De Havilland Mosquito De Havilland Mosquito The de Havilland DH.98 Mosquito was a British multi-role combat aircraft that served during the Second World War and the postwar era. It was known affectionately as the "Mossie" to its crews and was also nicknamed "The Wooden Wonder"... |
Mk.IV |
| July 1944 | September 1945 | De Havilland Mosquito | Mk.XX |
| October 1944 | September 1945 | De Havilland Mosquito | Mk.XXV |
| March 1945 | September 1945 | De Havilland Mosquito | Mk.XVI |
Squadron bases
| From | To | Base |
|---|---|---|
| November 1944 | April 1944 | RAF Oakington RAF Oakington RAF Oakington was an RAF base situated in Cambridgeshire, England.Construction was started in 1939, but was affected by the outbreak of war, the original plan called for Type C hangars two type J were erected instead. It was used by No. 2 Group in July 1940 for No. 218 Squadron which had recently... , Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west... |
| April 1944 | September 1945 | RAF Woodhall Spa RAF Woodhall Spa -History:Constructed on farmland 1 km south of Woodhall Spa, the station opened in February 1942 as a satellite station to RAF Coningsby. In August 1943 it became No 54 Base Substation. After victory in Europe the airfield was used as an assembly and kitting out point for Tiger Force... , 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... |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| November 1942 | June 1944 | W/Cdr. Wing Commander (rank) Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries... R.P. Elliott, DSO Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September... , DFC Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against... |
| June 1944 | January 1945 | W/Cdr. G.W. Curry, DFC |
| January 1945 | April 1945 | W/Cdr. B.R.W. Hallows, DFC |
| April 1945 | October 1945 | W/Cdr. R. Kingsford-Smith, DSO, DFC |