No. 279 Squadron RAF
No. 279 Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
Active | 16 Nov 1941 – 10 Mar 1946 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force |
Role | Air-sea rescue |
Motto(s) | To See and be Seen[1] |
Insignia | |
Squadron Badge heraldry | Above waves of the sea, nine flashes of lightning[1] |
Squadron codes | OS (Nov 1941 - Nov 1944)[2][3] RL (Nov 1944 - Mar 1946)[4][5] |
No 279 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force air-sea rescue squadron of World War II. The squadron was formed on 16 November 1941 and disbanded on 10 March 1946.
History
No 279 Squadron was formed at
Mark I airborne lifeboats.[6] Detachments of the squadron were stationed at several RAF stations in the south-west of England between April 1942 and December 1943 to provide an air-sea rescue capability over the Bay of Biscay and Western Approaches.[7]
In October 1944 No 279 Squadron was transferred to
Aircraft operated
From | To | Aircraft | Version |
---|---|---|---|
November 1941 | November 1944 | Lockheed Hudson | Mks. III, V, VI |
November 1944 | September 1945 | Vickers Warwick | ASR Mks.I, VI |
April 1945 | June 1945 | Hawker Hurricane | Mks.IIc, IV |
July 1945 | September 1945 | Supermarine Sea Otter | Mk.II |
September 1945 | March 1946 | Avro Lancaster | ASR.3 |
Squadron locations
From | To | Airfield | Remark |
---|---|---|---|
16 November 1941 | 14 October 1944 | RAF Bircham Newton | Posted |
28 April 1942 | 29 May 1942 | RAF Sumburgh | Detachment |
29 June 1942 | 1942 | RAF Benbecula |
Detachment |
15 July 1942 | 1942 | RAF Leuchars | Detachment |
26 July 1942 | 15 August 1942 | RAF Reykjavik, Iceland | Detachment |
14 August 1942 | 15 August 1942 | RAF Thorney Island | Detachment |
15 August 1942 | 19 August 1942 | RAF Chivenor | Detachment |
23 August 1942 | 5 February 1943 | RAF St Eval | Detachment |
25 September 1942 | 1942 | RAF Beaulieu | Detachment |
5 February 1943 | 9 June 1943 | RAF Davidstow Moor | Detachment |
9 June 1943 | 14 December 1943 | RAF Harrowbeer | Detachment |
28 September 1943 | 1945 | RAF Wick |
Detachment |
1 January 1944 | 1 August 1944 | RAF Reykjavik, Iceland | Detachment |
1 October 1944 | September 1945 | RAF Tain |
Detachment |
1 October 1944 | September 1945 | RAF Wick | Detachment |
14 October 1944 | 3 September 1945 | RAF Thornaby | Posted |
31 October 1944 | 27 December 1944 | RAF Banff | Detachment |
27 December 1944 | September 1945 | RAF Fraserburgh | Detachment |
26 May 1945 | September 1945 | RAF Reykjavik, Iceland | Detachment |
July 1945 | September 1945 | RAF Banff | Detachment |
3 September 1945 | 10 March 1946 | RAF Beccles |
Posted |
References
- Notes
- ^ a b c d Halley 1988, p. 345.
- ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 80.
- ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 96.
- ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 90.
- ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 104.
- ^ "BN Memorial Project". www.rafbnmp.org.uk. Archived from the original on 20 November 2008.
- ^ a b "History of No. 279 Squadron". Royal Air Force History. Royal Air Force. Retrieved 7 November 2010.
- ^ Docherty 2007, p. 207.
- ^ a b Rawlings 1982, p. 251.
- ^ Docherty 2007, pp. 210–217.
- ^ Docherty 2007, p. 209.
- Bibliography
- Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
- Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1994. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
- Docherty, Tom (2007). Dinghy Drop : 279 Squadron at War 1941–1946. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England: Pen & Sword Aviation. ISBN 978-1-84415-482-1.
- 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, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
- Lake, Alan. Flying Units of the RAF: The ancestry, formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
- 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.
External links
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