No. 261 Squadron RAF

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No. 261 Squadron RAF
Active20 August 1918 – 13 September 1919
2 August 1940 – 21 May 1941
12 July 1941 – 26 September 1945
Country
Maltese Cross[1][2]
Squadron CodesFJ (Jun 1944 – Sep 1945)[3][4]

No. 261 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the

campaign in Burma
.

History

First World War

The squadron first formed on 20 August 1918 at Felixstowe from Nos. 339, 340 and 341 flights of the former Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and continued to operate their Felixstowe F.3 flying-boats on anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols. After the armistice it was disbanded on 13 September 1919.[1][2][5]

Second World War

The squadron was reformed on 2 August 1940 to combine the two flights operating in the defence of

Malta Fighter Flight operating the Gloster Sea Gladiator and 418 Flight operating Hawker Hurricanes. Among the inherited aircraft were the two survivors of the three Gladiators supposedly named Faith, Hope and Charity, Charity had been shot down the week before the squadron formed.[6][7][8][9] The squadron suffered badly from attacks by German and Italian aircraft and when 185 Squadron arrived in Malta, the squadron was disbanded and the remnants were absorbed into 185 Squadron between 12 and 21 May 1941.[2][5]

Reformed again

The squadron was reformed at

war ended. The squadron was disbanded on 26 September 1945 at RAF Tanjore, India.[2][5]

Aircraft operated

A 261 Squadron Hurricane II at RAF Ta Kali, Malta, in September 1941.
From To Aircraft Variant
Aug 1918 Sep 1919 Felixstowe F.3
Aug 1940 Jan 1941 Gloster Sea Gladiator Mk.I
Aug 1940 May 1941 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I
Jul 1941 Sep 1941 Gloster Gladiator Mk.I
Jul 1941 Apr 1942 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I
Mar 1942 Nov 1943 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIb
Oct 1943 Jun 1944 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc
Jun 1944 Oct 1944
Republic Thunderbolt
 Mk.I (P-47D "Razor back")
Aug 1944 Sep 1945
Republic Thunderbolt
 Mk.II (P-47D "Bubble top")

[1][2][5]

Surviving aircraft

The fuselage of Gladiator Faith is on display at the Malta War Museum,

Fort St Elmo, Valletta.[10]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Rawlings 1982, p. 185.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Halley 1988, pp. 327–328.
  3. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 41.
  4. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 72.
  5. ^ a b c d Jefford 2001, p. 82.
  6. ^ Crawford 2002, pp. 120–121.
  7. ^ Hayles, John. "Gladiator." aeroflight.co, 17 April 2004. Retrieved: 12 April 2009.
  8. ^ "The fate of Gloster Gladiator 'Faith'." Archived 27 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine Malta Aviation Museum, 2009. Retrieved: 12 April 2009.
  9. ^ Sanderson, Michael. "Faith, Hope and Charity." Archived 11 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine killifish.f9.co. Retrieved: 12 April 2009.
  10. ^ http://www.killifish.f9.co.uk/Malta%20WWII/Faith%20Hope%20&%20Charity.htm Archived 11 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine Faith in the Malta War Museum

Bibliography

External links

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