No. 247 Squadron RAF
No. 247 (China-British) Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
Active | 20 August 1918 – 22 January 1919 1 August 1940 – 3 December 1957 1 July 1960 – 31 December 1963 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force |
Role | Flying boat recce, fighter, close air support |
Nickname(s) | China-British |
Motto(s) | Rise from the East[1] |
Post 1951 Squadron insignia[2] | |
Insignia | |
Squadron Badge heraldry | In front of a bezant, a demi-lion erased and crowned holding in the paws a scroll inscribed in Chinese characters "Chu Feng"[3] |
Squadron Codes | HP August 1940 – 1942[4][5] ZY (1942 – December 1949)[6][7] |
No. 247 Squadron was formerly a
History
Formation and early history (1918–1919)
No. 247 Squadron was first formed in the
The Second World War
Formed from the Shetland Fighter Flight No. 247 Squadron was reformed at Roborough (Plymouth) on 1 August 1940, flying Gloster Gladiator biplanes. Tasked with the defence of the south west of England including the ports of Plymouth and Falmouth, the squadron's first action came on 25 September 1940, when a force of 24 Dornier Do 17s escorted by 12 Messerschmitt Bf 110s flew over the English Channel from France and crossed the coast at Start Point, heading towards Plymouth. Four of the squadron's Gladiators attempted an attack, but the formation was eventually broken up by Hurricanes from Exeter. Two Dorniers managed to reach the target, and bombs fell into the harbour. Too fast for the Gladiators to get into position, the raiders made their escape. The Luftwaffe's tactics changed to night bombing of Britain during the autumn of 1940, and the Gladiators adopted a night defence role. Although several visual night interceptions were made (aided by ground control radar), the obsolete Gladiator had no success against the heavy bombing of the city of Plymouth.
No. 247 Squadron was re-equipped with the
As well as continuing its night defence role the squadron was involved in early offensive "intruder" attacks against Luftwaffe aerodromes in northern France. When the
Post war
After the war, the squadron was re-equipped briefly with the Typhoon's successor, the Hawker Tempest. However the radical change of equipment came in March 1946 when the squadron became the first unit to operate the de Havilland Vampire jet fighter. No.247 Squadron formed part of the UK's air defence during the early Cold War years. The Vampire was replaced by the improved version of the Gloster Meteor, and then the successful Hawker Hunter fighter.
Missile defence
Defence cuts and a change of strategy for the RAF in the late 1950s led to the squadron's second disbandment in 1957. In 1960, the squadron reformed as a
Post RAF
The squadron number since it final disbandment from the RAF was adopted by the Air Training Corps and is currently based in Ashton-under-Lyne.
Squadron association
An association of former serving members of the squadron was formed in 1987 and continues to the present day. An annual reunion is held, normally in September.
Aircraft operated
From | To | Aircraft | Version |
---|---|---|---|
Aug 1918 | Jan 1919 | Felixstowe F.2 | a |
Jan 1940 | Feb 1941 | Gloster Gladiator | Mk.II |
Dec 1940 | Jun 1941 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.I |
Jun 1941 | Jan 1942 | Hawker Hurricane | Mks.IIa & IIb |
Jan 1942 | Feb 1943 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIc |
Jan 1943 | Aug 1945 | Hawker Typhoon | Mk.Ib |
Aug 1945 | May 1946 | Hawker Tempest | Mk.II |
Mar 1946 | Feb 1949 | de Havilland Vampire | F.1 |
Oct 1948 | Dec 1949 | de Havilland Vampire | F.3 |
Nov 1949 | May 1952 | de Havilland Vampire | FB.5 |
Apr 1952 | Jun 1955 | Gloster Meteor | F.8 |
Jun 1955 | Jul 1955 | Hawker Hunter | F.1 |
May 1955 | Mar 1957 | Hawker Hunter | F.4 |
Mar 1957 | Dec 1957 | Hawker Hunter | F.6 |
Jul 1960 | Dec 1963 | Bristol Bloodhound SAM |
See also
References
- ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
- ^ Aircraft and markings of no. 247 sqn on rafweb
- ^ Halley 1988, p. 315.
- ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 52.
- ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 78.
- ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 122.
- ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 126.
- ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
- ISBN 978-1-909644-11-3.
- ^ The Royal Air Force – History Section
- ^ Marchant 1996, pp. 151–159.
- Jefford 2001, p. 80.
- Rawlings 1978, pp. 351–352.
- Halley 1988, p. 316.
Bibliography
- Bowyer, Michael J.F and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
- Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes Since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
- 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.
- 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 Ltd., 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
- Marchant, David John. Rise from the East: The Story of No.247 (China British) Squadron Royal Air Force, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1996. ISBN 0-85130-244-0.
- Nash, John C., Across an Ocean and Time: The World as Seen by Harry Nash, Ottawa, Canada: Nash Information Services Inc., 2010. ISBN 0-88769-013-0. Available freely at https://archive.org/details/AcrossAnOceanAndTime_201411}
- 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.