No. 242 Squadron RAF
No. 242 (Canadian) Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
Active | 15 Aug 1918 – 15 May 1919 30 Oct 1939 – 10 Mar 1942 10 Apr 1942 – 4 Nov 1944 15 Nov 1944 – 1 May 1950 1 Oct 1959 – 30 Sep 1964 |
Country | Berlin Airlift |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Douglas Bader Alan Eckford |
Insignia | |
Squadron Badge heraldry | A moose's head erased At the time that the badge was awarded, many of the air crew serving with the squadron were Canadian.[2] |
Squadron Codes | LE (Feb 1940 – Dec 1941, Apr 1942 – Nov 1944) KY (Nov 1944 – 1948) |
No. 242 Squadron RAF was a
During the Second World War, the squadron was notable for (firstly) having many pilots who were either
History
In World War I
No. 242 Squadron was formed on 15 August 1918
In World War II
The squadron was reformed at RAF Church Fenton on 30 October 1939[5] with Canadian personnel. At first using the Bristol Blenheim and Fairey Battle light bombers, it converted to the Hawker Hurricane fighter in February 1940.[3]
Battle for France
In May 1940 the squadron moved to RAF Coltishall[6] Douglas Bader was posted to command the Squadron, as a squadron leader, at the end of June 1940, when the unit was mainly made up of Canadian pilots that had suffered high losses in the Battle of France and had low morale. Despite initial resistance to their new commanding officer, the pilots (including such aces as Willie McKnight) were soon won over by Bader's strong personality and perseverance, especially in cutting through red tape to make the squadron operational again.[7] Upon the formation of No. 12 Group RAF, No. 242 Squadron was assigned to the Group while based at RAF Duxford.
Battle of Britain
In June 1940 it moved to
Dispersed at Java
In December 1941 the squadron moved to the
Reformed on Spitfires
On 10 April 1942 the squadron re-formed at
In Transport Command
The squadron reformed again on 15 November 1944 at
On missiles
On 1 October 1959 it was reformed at
Aircraft operated
From | To | Aircraft | Version |
---|---|---|---|
Aug 1918 | May 1919 | Short 184
|
|
Aug 1918 | Jan 1919 | Airco DH.6 | |
Oct 1918 | Nov 1918 | Fairey Campania | |
Dec 1939 | Dec 1939 | Bristol Blenheim | Mk.If |
Dec 1939 | Feb 1940 | Fairey Battle | Mk.I |
Jan 1940 | Feb 1941 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.I |
Feb 1941 | Feb 1942 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIb |
Apr 1942 | Dec 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.Vb |
Jul 1943 | Feb 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.Vc |
Jun 1943 | Oct 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.IX |
Jan 1945 | Feb 1945 | Vickers Wellington | Mk.XVI |
Feb 1945 | Jan 1946 | Short Stirling | Mk.V |
Apr 1945 | Sep 1945 | Avro York | C.1 |
Sep 1945 | Dec 1945 | Short Stirling | Mk.IV |
Dec 1945 | Sep 1949 | Avro York | C.1 |
Sep 1949 | May 1950 | Handley Page Hastings | C.1 |
Oct 1959 | Sep 1964 | Bristol Bloodhound
|
Mk.I |
References
Notes
- ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
- ^ "The Battle of Britain - Home Page". www.raf.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 6 March 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g Jefford 2001, p. 79.
- ^ a b c d e f Halley 1988, p. 311.
- ^ Halliday 1981, p. 13.
- ^ Fisher, p. 191.
- ^ Paul Brickhill, Reach for the Sky: The Story of Douglas Bader DSO, DFC, London: Collins, 1954.
- ^ 1946 Confidential Air Force List via rafcommands.com
Bibliography
- Brickhill, Paul. Reach for the Sky. London: Collins, 1954.(Bader biography)
- Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
- Halliday, Hugh. 242 Squadron: The Canadian Years – Being the Story of the RAF's 'All-Canadian' Fighter Squadron. Stittsville, Ontario, Canada: Canada's Wings, Inc., 1981. ISBN 0-920002-09-9.
- Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1998 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
- Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1964 (new edition 1976). ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
- Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
- Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (new edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
- Robinson, Anthony. RAF Fighter Squadrons in the Battle of Britain. London: Arms and Armour Press Ltd., 1987 (republished 1999 by Brockhampton Press, ISBN 1-86019-907-0).
- David E. Fisher, A Race On The Edge Of Time. New York, Athena Books 1989 ISBN 1-55778-139-7.
External links
- No. 242's actions between 10/05/1940 and 30/06/1940 on epibreren.com
- World War II bases of No. 242 Squadron
- History of No.'s 241–245 Squadrons at RAF Web
- No. 242 Squadron and the Battle of Britain
- Travels with a Spitfire or No. 242 (Fighter) Squadron - 1942 to 1944 Archived 10 June 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- No. 242 Squadron, 25 May 1944