The RAF Third Tactical Air Force (Third TAF), which was formed in South Asia

South Asia

South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...

 in December 1943, was one of three tactical air force

Tactical Air Force

The term Tactical Air Force was used by the air forces of the British Commonwealth during the later stages of World War II, for formations of more than one fighter group. A tactical air force was intended to achieve air supremacy and perform ground attack missions...

s formed by the Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

 during the Second World War. It was made up of squadrons

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...

 and personnel from the RAF and the air forces of the British Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

. Third TAF was formed shortly after the establishment of South East Asia Command

South East Asia Command

South East Asia Command was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allied operations in the South-East Asian Theatre during World War II.-Background:...

 to provide close air support

Close air support

In military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...

 to the Fourteenth Army

British Fourteenth Army

The British Fourteenth Army was a multinational force comprising units from Commonwealth countries during World War II. Many of its units were from the Indian Army as well as British units and there were also significant contributions from West and East African divisions within the British Army.It...

.

It was first formed on 19 December 1943 designated the Tactical Air Force (Burma) and renamed as the Third TAF on 28 December 1943. Along with parts of the USAAF

United States Army Air Forces

The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....

 Tenth Air Force

Tenth Air Force

The Tenth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Reserve Command . It is headquartered at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas....

, it was subordinate to Joint Allied Eastern Air Command which was also formed in December 1943.

As the Air Force was formed, it was felt that at last British forces could go over to the offensive against the Japanese in the Burma Campaign

Burma Campaign

The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...

. A start was made towards establishing a general offensive in Arakan

Rakhine State

Rakhine State is a Burmese state. Situated on the western coast, it is bordered by Chin State in the north, Magway Region, Bago Region and Ayeyarwady Region in the east, the Bay of Bengal to the west, and the Chittagong Division of Bangladesh to the northwest. It is located approximately between...

 in early 1943, but this was forestalled by a Japanese offensive. The Japanese were decisively beaten, but they shifted the focus of their attack to central Burma. Third TAF gave sterling service to Fourteenth Army during the Battle of Kohima

Battle of Kohima

The Battle of Kohima was the turning point of the Japanese U Go offensive into India in 1944 in the Second World War. The battle was fought from 4 April to 22 June 1944 around the town of Kohima in northeast India. It is often referred to as the "Stalingrad of the East".The battle took place in...

 and the Battle of Imphal

Battle of Imphal

The Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in North-East India from March until July 1944. Japanese armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and invade India, but were driven back into Burma with heavy losses...

, strafing and bombing the besieging Japanese troops, often at very low level.

After the defeat of the Japanese by IV Corps and XXXIII Corps

Indian XXXIII Corps

XXXIII Corps is a corps of the Indian Army. It draws sort of its heritage from the British Indian XXXIII Corps which was formed in 1942, but disbanded in 1945.-Reformation 1962:...

 in Assam

Assam

Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...

, the monsoon intervened before many counterattacks could take place. After the enforced period of reduced operations, the Third TAF supported the advance of Fourteenth Army against the Japanese forces. However, command arrangement changes at the end of 1944 cutting short the life of the Third TAF. It was redesignated HQ RAF Bengal and Burma on 4 December 1944.

The Third TAF had two commanders, Air Marshal John Baldwin up until 15 August 1944, and then Air Marshal Sir Alec Coryton

Alec Coryton

Air Chief Marshal Sir William Alec Coryton KCB, KBE, MVO, DFC, RAF , commonly known as Alec Coryton, was a senior RAF commander in World War II.-Life:...

.

Composition

The Third TAF comprised the following Groups:

1. No. 221 Group RAF supporting the IV Corps.
   • During the battle of Imphal there were seldom more than seven squadrons engaged at one time but over the three months' of the siege altogether 21 squadrons took part: including three from the Indian Air Force (Nos. 1, 7 and 9). The RAF squadrons were Nos. 5, 11, 20, 28, 34, 42, 60, 81, 82, 84, 110, 113, 123, 136, 152, 176, 607 and 615.
2. No. 222 Group RAF
   No. 222 Group RAF
   No. 222 Group was a group of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Formed on 1 September 1941, based at Ceylon, however squadrons were based around the Indian Ocean. The group undertook long-range bombing and mine-laying operations that took them as far afield as Sumatra and Singapore...
   
   
   • No 222 (General Reconnaissance) Group was based in Ceylon. The Group role was, amongst others, reconnaissance over the Bay of Bengal. The RAF squadrons were at one time Nos. 8, 17, 22, 81, 89, 132, 135, 160, 191, 203, 205, 212, 217, 230, 240, 273, 292, 321 and 413.
3. No. 223 Group RAF 151 Squadron (formerly 151 OTU)
4. No. 224 Group RAF (commanding officer Air Commodore Alexander Gray
   Alexander Gray
   Air Vice Marshal Alexander Gray CB, MC, RAF was a senior Royal Air Force leader during World War II.-RAF career:...
   
   ) supporting the Indian XV Corps
   XV Corps (British India)
   The XV Corps was a formation of the British Indian Army, which was formed in India during World War II. It took part in the Burma Campaign and was disbanded after the end of the war.-World War II:...
   
   . In the 1943–44 campaigning season, this Group comprised:
   • Three RAF fighter squadrons equipped with 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...
     
      (this campaign marked the first time Spitfires were being used in South-East Asia)
   • Six fighter-bomber squadrons 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...
     
      (mainly Mk.IIc variants)
   • A single tactical reconnaissance squadron No. 6 Squadron IAF equipped with the Hurricane Mk.IIb
   • Two light bomber squadrons (one of which was No. 8 Squadron IAF commanded by Squadron-Leader Niranjan Prasa), equipped with Vultee Vengeances.
5. No. 226 Group RAF
   • 226 group was one of the fighter groups based in Singapore. After the fall of Singapore the number of the group was transferred to the maintenance unit (No. 1301 MU RAF) of the tactical air force.
6. No. 227 Group RAF
   • 227 group, based in Bombay, was the RAF training group based in India for the training of Indian pilots.
7. No. 229 Group RAF
   • 229 Group was the transport part of the Tactical air force. The RAF squadrons were at one time Nos. 31, 52, 62, 96, 117, 194, 216, 232, 238, 267, 353, 435, 436, 668, 669, 670, 671 and 673.
8. No. 231 Group RAF
   • The role of the group was to provide heavy bombers for the campaign in Burma. The RAF bomber squadrons were at one time Nos. 99, 159, 200, 215, 355, 356, 357 and 358.

Squadrons

Squadrons of the 3rd Tactical Air Force, data from

Squadron	Group	Date joined	Date left	Notes
No. 1 Squadron IAF No. 1 Squadron, Indian Air Force No. 1 Squadron is the oldest squadron of the Indian Air Force. It operates as an multirole unit. Based at Gwalior AFB, No. 1 Squadron falls under the Central Air Command, and along with No. 7 Squadron , No...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 6 Squadron IAF	224
No. 7 Squadron IAF No. 7 Squadron, Indian Air Force No. 7 Squadron, Indian Air Force operates as a CAS and air superiority unit. Based at Gwalior AFB, No.7 Squadron along with No. 1 Squadron IAF , and No. 9 Squadron IAF , forms a part of No. 40 Wing IAF, Central Air Command.-Crest:No...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 8 Squadron IAF No. 8 Squadron, Indian Air Force No. 8 Squadron, Indian Air Force were formed in 1943 at Trichinopoly and were trained at Peshawar and Bhopal. On 2 December 1943, they were moved to Doublemooring in Chittagong to work closely together with No. 82 Squadron RAF in the Burma Campaign...	224
No. 9 Squadron IAF	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 5 Squadron RAF No. 5 Squadron RAF No. 5 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is the operator of the new Sentinel R1 Airborne STand-Off Radar aircraft and is based at RAF Waddington.-History:As No...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 11 Squadron RAF	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 20 Squadron RAF No. 20 Squadron RAF No. 20 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was until March 2010, the OCU for the BAE Harrier GR9, and T12, operating from RAF Wittering...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 22 Squadron RAF No. 22 Squadron RAF No. 22 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Sea King HAR.3 and HAR.3A at three stations in the southern United Kingdom. The squadron was originally formed in 1915 as an aerial reconnaissance unit of the Royal Flying Corps serving on the Western Front during First World War...	222			Equipped with Beaufighters Bristol Beaufighter The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter, often referred to as simply the Beau, was a British long-range heavy fighter modification of the Bristol Aeroplane Company's earlier Beaufort torpedo bomber design... , undertook anti-shipping rocket attacks. A month after the Japanese surrender, No. 22 Squadron disbanded.
No. 28 Squadron RAF No. 28 Squadron RAF No. 28 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Merlin HC3/HC3A from RAF Benson.-World War I:No. 28 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed on 7 November 1915. Initially a training squadron it became a fighter squadron equipped with the Sopwith Camel.After the end of World War I No. 28...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 34 Squadron RAF No. 34 Squadron RAF No. 34 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. During the First World War it operated as a reconnaissance and bomber squadron, and in the 1930s operated light bombers...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 42 Squadron RAF No. 42 Squadron RAF No. 42 Squadron of the Royal Air Force has served during World War I as an army co-operation squadron and during World War II in various roles. In recent years, it was the Operational Conversion Unit for the Nimrod MR.2, based at RAF Kinloss, Moray, until the Nimrod MR2's retirement in 2010.-First...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 60 Squadron RAF No. 60 Squadron RAF No. 60 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was formed in 1916 at Gosport. It is currently part of the Defence Helicopter Flying School based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire....	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 81 Squadron RAF No. 81 Squadron RAF No 81 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It flew Fighter aircraft during the Second World War, and reconnaissance aircraft in the Far East after the war, but was disbanded in 1970.-First World War:No...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 82 Squadron RAF No. 82 Squadron RAF No. 82 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron that was first formed in 1917 and last disbanded in 1963. It served at times as a bomber unit, a reconnaissance unit and lastly as a Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile unit...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 84 Squadron RAF No. 84 Squadron RAF No. 84 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is at present a Search and Rescue Squadron based at RAF Akrotiri, it uses the Bell Griffin HAR.2 helicopter. It is currently part of the RAF's Search and Rescue Force-History:...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 110 Squadron RAF No. 110 Squadron RAF -Formation and World War I:No. 110 Squadron RFC was formed on 1 November 1917, at Rendcomb, Gloucestershire and was equipped with B.E.2c aircraft. The squadron moved to Kenley the following year and re-equipped with the DH.9A - the first squadron to employ this aircraft. Its original complement of...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 113 Squadron RAF No. 113 Squadron RAF No. 113 Squadron was a unit of the Royal Air Force that served as a reconnaissance, army cooperation, bomber, fighter, transport and missile operation squadron during its existence.-Formation in World War I as reconnaissance unit:...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 123 Squadron RAF	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 136 Squadron RAF No. 136 Squadron RAF No. 136 Squadron RAF was a short-lived RAF unit that saw no action in World War I, but upon reformation became the highest scoring unit in South East Asia Command during World War II. Shortly after the war the squadron was disbanded.-Formation in World War I:...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 152 Squadron RAF No. 152 Squadron RAF No. 152 Squadron of the Royal Air Force .-History:No 152 Squadron was formed on 1 October 1918 at Rochford as a Camel night fighter unit. 30 June 1919, the squadron disbanded....	221	19 December 1943	Duration	Fought in the battle of Imphal, operated from front-line strips and supported the Fourteenth Army during its final conquest of Burma.
No. 176 Squadron RAF No. 176 Squadron RAF No. 176 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a night defence unit based in India in World War II.-Formation in World War II:The squadron was formed at Dum Dum, India on 15 January 1943 from a detachment of No. 89 Squadron RAF...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 177 Squadron RAF No. 177 Squadron RAF No. 177 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a light bomber unit based in India in World War II.-Formation in World War II:The squadron was formed at Amarda Road and Allahabad India on 14 January 1943. It was equipped with Beaufighters and began operations against the Japanese in...	224			Equipped with Beaufighters, twin-engined, long range, ground attack fighters, Canadians formed a significant percentage of the pilots. During its two year of operations in Burma, it destroyed or damaged 266 locomotives and trains, 673 vehicles, a score of river and ocean-going vessels and nine aircraft on the ground.
No. 211 Squadron RAF No. 211 Squadron RAF Active in the Royal Air Force from 1918 to 1919 and from 1937 to 1946, in World War II No 211 Squadron RAF operated as a medium bomber unit in the Middle East and Far East and later as a strike fighter unit in the Far East...		8 January 1944	Duration
No. 607 Squadron RAF No. 607 Squadron RAF No. 607 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1930 as a bomber unit in the Auxiliary Air Force and changed in 1936 to the fighter role. It fought in that role during World War II on the European front and in Asia...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal
No. 615 Squadron RAF No. 615 Squadron RAF No. 615 Squadron was a unit of the British Auxiliary Air Force and later the Royal Auxiliary Air Force between 1937 and 1957.-Formation and early years:...	221			Fought in the battle of Imphal

External links

• No. 211 Squadron RAF
• No. 6 Squadron, Indian Air Force - The First Five Years
• RAF at the Battle of Imphal
• Battle of Britain, 152 (Hyderabad) Fighter Squadron website