418 Squadron
15th November 1941 Squadron Formed at RAF Debden.
Nov 1941 Issued with Boston lll which it flew until March 1943
15th April 1942 Moved to RAF Bradwell Bay
15th March 1943 Moved to RAF Ford
March 1943 issued with Mosquito ll which it flew until Nov 1944
8th April 1944 Moved to RAF Holmsley South
19th July 1944 Moved to RAF Middle Wallop
28th August 1944 moved to RAF Hundsden
Nov 1944 issued with Mosquito Vl which it flew until Sept 1945
21 Nov 1944 Moved to RAF Blackbushe
15th March 1945 moved to B 71/Coxyde
26th April 1945 Moved to B 80 Volkel
7th September 1945 Disbanded
418 Squadron Havocs Taxying at Bradwell © IWM CH
23 Squadron
23 Squadron has along history being formed in 1915 and serving throughout the first World War and disbanded in 1919. It was reformed in 1925 at RAF Henlow. For the sake of brevity, we will start in December 1938 when the squadron was based at RAF Wittering and were issued with Blenheim 1F which they were to fly before converting to the Havoc 1 in 1941.
Mar 1941 Detachments of squadron based at RAF Bradwell Bay, RAF Tangmere, RAF Manston, and RAF Middle Wallop
Feb 1942 Issued with Boston lll aircraft
Jun 1942 Converted to Mosquito ll Aircraft
6 Aug 1942 Whole squadron moved to RAF Manston
14 Aug 1942 Moved to RAF Bradwell Bay
21 Aug 1942 Moved back to RAF Manston with a detachment at RAF Bradwell Bay
13 Oct 1942 Moved to RAF Bradwell Bay
27 Dec 1942 Moved to Luqa in Malta
May 1943 Converted to Mosquito V1
May 1943 Detachments sent to Sigonella, Gerbini, Pomigliano
7 Dec 1943 Moved to Alghero detachment at Blida
2 June 1944 Moved to RAF Little Snoring
Aug 1945 Converted to Mosquito XXX
25 Sept 1945 Squadron Disbanded
© IWM CH 4045 23 Squadron planning a sortie
29 Squadron
Another First World War Squadron formed in 1915 and disbanded in 1919. To be reformed on 1st April 1923 at Duxford with Snipe aircraft. This short history will start in Drem in 1940 when they were flying Blenheim lF aircraft.
10th May 1940 Moved to RAF Debden with a detachment to Martlesham Heath.
27th June 1940 To RAF Digby
27th July 1940 To RAF Wellingore
Sep 1940 Equipped with Beaufighter lF
27th April 1941 To RAF West Malling, detachment to RAF Coltishall
March 1943 Equipped with Beaufighter VlF
13th May 1943 To RAF Bradwell Bay
May 1943 Equipped with Mosquito Xll
July 1943 Equipped with Mosquito Vl
3rd Sep 1943 To RAF Ford
Oct 1943 Equipped with Mosquito X111
1st March 1944 To Drem
1st May 1944 To RAF West Malling
19th June 1944 To RAF Hunsdon
22nd Feb 1945 To RAF Colerne
Feb 1945 Equipped with Mosquito XXX
11th May 1945 To RAF Manston
Squadron continued service into 1970’s.
157 Squadron
Formed at the end of the First World War 157 Squadron was disbanded in February 1919.
15th Dec 1941 Reformed at RAF Debden
18th Dec 1941 Moved to RAF Castle Camps
Jan 1942 Equipped with Mosquito ll aircraft
15th March 1943 Moved to RAF Bradwell Bay
13th May 1943 Moved to RAF Hunsdon
Jul 1943 Equipped with Mosquito Vl
9th Nov 1943 Moved to RAF Predannack
26th Mar 1944 Moved to RAF Valley
7th May 1944 Moved to RAF Swannington
May 1944 Equipped with Mosquito XlX
21st May 1944 Moved to RAF Swannington
Feb 45 Equipped with Mosquito XXX
16th Aug 1945 Disbanded
Refuelling 157 Mosquito at RAF Hunsdon © IWM CH 10313
247 Squadron
A seemingly restless squadron that didn’t stay anywhere for long, was at Bradwell Bay for about a month.
1st August 1940 Reformed at Roborough – Sumburg Fighter Flt redesignated
Aug 1940 Gladiator ll Det to RAF St Eval
Jan 41 Re equipped with Hurricane l
10th Feb 1941 Moved to RAF St Eval
17th Feb 1941 Moved to RAF Roborough Det RAF St Eval
10th May 1941 Moved to RAF Portreath
June 1941 Re equipped with Hurricane llA
18th June 1941 Moved to RAF Predannack
Aug 1941 Re equipped with Hurricane llB
Aug 1941 Re equipped with Hurricane llC Det RAF Exeter, RAF Middle Wallop, RAF Charmy Down
Apr 1942 Re equipped with Hurricane l
17th May 1942 Moved to RAF Exeter Det RAF Predannack, RAF Middle Wallop, RAF Charmy Down
Aug 1942 Re equipped with Hurricane llB
21st Sept 1942 Moved to RAF High Ercall Det RAF Valley
Jan 1943 Re Equipped with Typhoon 1B
28th Feb 1943 To RAF Middle Wallop
5th April1943 Moved to RAF Fairlop
29th May 1943 Moved to RAF Gravesend
4th June 1943 Moved to RAF Bradwell Bay
10th July 1943 Moved to RAF New Romney
The squadron moved 35 more times before being disbanded on 31st December 1957.It spent some time on the continent following D Day. It was briefly formed in 1960 operating Bloodhound Missiles at RAF Carnaby and disbanded on 31st December 1963.
© IWM CL 157
Ground crews loading 3-inch rocket projectiles onto Hawker Typhoon Mark IB, MN317 ‘ZY-B’, of No. 247 Squadron RAF at B2/Bazenville, Normandy.
56 Squadron
Originally formed in Gosport eventually serving at various aerodromes in France and disbanded on 22nd January 1920. Reformed 2 years later on 1st November 1922 at Hawkinge. Flying a variety of aircraft until April 1938 when it was equipped with Hurricane 1’s. We will take up the squadrons story at the start of World War 2.
22nd October 1939 To RAF Martlesham Heath, Det North Weald
28th February 1940 To North Weald. Det Manston, Vitry-en-Artois, Norrent-Fontes, Boulogne, Biggin Hill
31st May 1940 To Digby
5th June 1940 To North Weald
1st September 1940 To Boscombe Down
29th November 1940 To Middle Wallop
17th December 1940 To North Weald
Feb 1941 Re equipped with Hurricane llB
23rd June 1941 Moved to Martlesham Heath
26th June 1941 Moved to Duxford
September 1941 Re-equipped with Typhoon lA
30th March 1942 Moved to Snailwell
Mar 1942 Re-equipped with Typhoon lB
29th May 1942 Moved to Manston Det Tangmere
1st June 1942 Moved to Snailwell
24th Aug 1942 Moved to Matlask
22nd July 1943 Moved to Manston
6th August 1943 Moved to Martlesham Heath
15th August 1943 Moved to Manston
23rd August 1943 Moved to Bradwell Bay
4th October 1943 Moved to Martlesham Heath
15th Feb 1944 Moved to Scorton
23rd Feb 1944 Moved to Acklington
7 March 1944 Moved to Scorton
30th March 1944 Moved to Ayr
7 April 1944 Moved to Scorton
April 1944 Re Equipped with Spitfire lX
28th April 1944 Moved to New Church
June 1944 Re-equipped with Tempest V
23rd September 1944 Moved to Matlask
28th September 1944 Squadron moved to continent.
1st April 1946 Squadron Disbanded
© IWM CH 158
Journalists watch a flight of Hurricanes of No. 56 Squadron RAF taking off for a sortie over France from North Weald, Essex, May 1940. In the foreground Hurricane Mk I P2764 ‘US-P’ stands at its dispersal point near the perimeter track on the south-western edge of the airfield.
198 Squadron
A very short-lived squadron formed in Dec 1942 and disbanded in September 1945. Its stay at Bradwell Bay was only 4 days, so more of a visitor, than a based squadron. 198 was equipped with Typhoon lA and lB.
7th December 1942 Formed at Digby
23rd January 1943 Moved to Ouston
9th February 1943 Moved to Acklington
24th March 1943 Moved to Manston
15th May 1942 Moved to Woodvale
5th June 1943 Moved to Martlesham Heath
19th August 1943 Moved to Bradwell Bay
22nd August 1943 Moved to Manston
16th March 1944 Moved to Tangmere
30th March 1944 Moved to Llanbedr
6th April1944 Moved to Thorney Island
18th June 1944 Moved to Funtington
22nd June 1944 Moved to Hurn
1st July 1944 following D Day moved to continent.
15th September 1945 Disbanded
© IWM C 4102A
Three stills from camera gun footage shot from a Hawker Typhoon of No. 198 Squadron RAF during a low-level attack on shipping in Boulogne harbour, showing a Typhoon attacking a vessel with bombs and cannon fire.
488 Squadron
Originally based in the Far East, with the Fall of Singapore. Survivors were evacuated on 23rd February 1942. The squadron was disbanded on 2nd March 1942.
The squadron was reformed at Church Fenton on 25th June 1942 and equipped with Beaufighter llF aircraft.
1st September 1942 Moved to Ayr, dets Drem and Coltishall
March 1943 Re-equipped with Beaufighter VlF
3rd August 1943 Moved to Drem
August 1943 Re-equipped with Mosquito Xll
3rd September 1943 Moved to Bradwell Bay
October 1943 Re-equipped with Mosquito Xlll
3rd May 1944 Moved to Colerne
12th May 1944 Moved to Zeals
29th July 1944 Moved to Colerne
9th October 1944 Moved to Hunsdon
October 1944 Re-equipped with Mosquito XXX
15th November 1944 Moved to Continent
26th April 1945 Squadron disbanded
Air Marshal Sir Roderick Hill, Air Officer Commanding ADGB, is shown the wreckage of one of three enemy aircraft shot down by aircrews of No. 488 Squadron RAF, flying from Bradwell Bay, Essex, on the night of 21 March 1944. In the photograph are, (left to right) Flight Lieutenant C P Reed (navigator), Squadron Leader E N Bunting (pilot, pointing toward the wreckage), AM Sir Roderick Hill, Wing Commander R C Haine (Commanding Officer of No. 488 Squadron) and Flight-Sergeant J L Wood (navigator). This particular aircraft, a Junkers Ju 188E-1 of 2/KG6, came down at Butler’s Farm, Shopland, Essex, and was Bunting and Reed’s second ‘kill’ of the evening.
Broody’s War contains additional information about 488 squadron
605 Squadron
Formed in 1926 at Castle Bromwich. Re-equipped with Hurricane llA in June 1939
27th August 1940 Moved to Tangmere
11 February 1940 Moved to Leuchars
28th February 1940 Moved to Wick
21st March 1940 Moved to Hawkinge
28th May 1940 Moved to Drem
7th September 1940 Moved to Croydon
November 1940 Re-equipped with Hurricane llA
25th February 1941 Moved to Martlesham Heath
31st March 1941 Moved to Ternhill
30th May 1941 Moved to Baginton
August 1941 Re-equipped with Hurricane llB
4 September 1941 Moved to Honiley
12th November 1941 Most pilots re directed to Mata on HMS Argus and HMS Ark Royal. Other pilots absorbed into 232 and 242 Sqdns.
28th February Disbanded
7th June 1942 Reformed at Ford
July 1942 Re-equipped with:
Havoc 1, Havoc ll, Boston lll
Det at Hunsdon
February 1943 Re-Equipped with Mosquito ll
15th March 1943 Moved to Castle Camps
July 1943 Re-Equipped with Mosquito ll
6th October 1943 Moved to Bradwell Bay
7th April 1944 Moved to Manston
21st Nov 1944 Moved to Blackbushe
15th March 1945 Sent to Continent and disbanded 31st August 1945
219 Squadron
Originally formed at the end of The First World War at Westgate and Manston flying seaplanes and landplanes. The squadron disbanded in 1920.
4th October 1939 Reformed at Catterick
October 1939 Equipped with Blenheim lF. Dets Scorton, Leeming and Redhill
September 1940 Re-Equipped with Beaufighter lF
12th October 1940 Moved to Redhill Dets Tangmere and Debden
10th December 1940 Moved to Tangmere Det Valley
23rd June 1942 Moved to Acklington Det Drem
21st October 1942 Moved to Scorton Det Ayr
25th April 1943 Moved to Catterick
May 1943 Re-Equipped with Beaufighter VlF
14th May 1943 En route to North Africa
29th January 1944 Returned to UK
27th February 1944 Moved to Woodvale
February 1944 Re-Equipped with Mosquito XVll
15th March 1944 Moved to Honiley
26th March 1944 Moved to Colerne
1st April 1944 Moved to Bradwell Bay
June 1944 Re-Equipped with Mosquito XXX
29th August 1944 Moved to Hunsdon
10th October 1944 Moved to Europe
1st September 1946 Squadron Disbanded
© IWM CL 2029
A successful night-fighter crew, Wing Commander W P Green (pilot, right Commanding Officer of No. 219 Squadron RAF, and his radar-operator, Flight Lieutenant D A Oxby, head towards their De Havilland Mosquito NF Mark XXX for a sortie at B48/Amiens-Glisy, France. On their previous night sortie, they shot down a Junkers Ju 87, constituting Green’s 14th victory, and the 22nd enemy aircraft which Oxby had helped to destroy, – more than any other operator during the war. On 1 March 1945, Green took off from Amiens-Glisy to air-test a Mosquito but crashed and was killed.
278 Squadron
Being an island nation at war, it was essential to have air sea rescue facilities. Both patrol boats and aircraft were used. Amphibious aircraft like the Walrus enabled aircrew to be rescued and flown to safety. Other aircraft like the spitfire were used for their speed and were used as spotter aircraft to direct boats to the rescue. 278 squadron were formed at Matlask, in Norfolk, as an Air Sea Rescue Squadron.
1st October 1941 Formed at Matlask from3 ASR Flight
October 1941 Equipped with Lysander lllA and Walrus.
Det North Coates
21st April 1942 Moved to Coltishall. Dets to North Coates, Woolsington, Acklington, Hutton Cranswick, Ayr, Drem, Castletown, Peterhead, Sumburgh.
Feb 1943 Equipped with Anson l
21st April 1944 Moved to Bradwell Bay
Apr 1944 Re-equipped with Spitfire llA and Warwick l
May 1944 Re-equipped with Spitfire VB Det Martlesham Heath
27th September 1944 Moved to Martlesham Heath Det Hornchurch
15th February 1945 Moved to Thorney Island Det Hawkinge, Beccles, Exeter
May 1945 Re-equipped with Sea Otter
15th October 1945 Squadron disbanded
© IWM CH 6152 © IWM CH 6153
© IWM CH 6152
Original wartime caption: The dinghy is seen in the distance. Owing to the swell it is a difficult job to paddle close.
© IWM CH 6153
At last the dinghy is close alongside
126 Squadron
28th June 1941 Formed at RAF Ta Kali Malta. Nucleus from 46 Squadron
June 1941 Equipped with Hurricane llA and Hurricane llB
March 1942 Equipped with Spitfire VB and Spitfire VC
6th April 1942 Moved to Luqua
Mar 43 Equipped with Spitfire lX
1st April 1944 Left Malta for UK
30th April 1944 Moved to Sawbridgeworth
April 1944 Equipped with Spitfire 1XB
22nd May 1944 Moved to Culmhead
3rd July 1944 Moved to Harrowbeer
30th August 1944 Moved to Bradwell Bay
Dec 1944 Equipped with Mustang lll
30 December 1944 Moved to Bentwaters
August 1945 Equipped with Mustang lV
5th September 1945 Moved to Hethel
15th September 1945 Moved to Bradwell Bay
5th October 1945 Moved to Hethel
February 1946 Equipped with Spitfire LF XVlE
10th March 1946 Squadron Disbanded
© IWM A 9589
Operation PICKET I: Supermarine Spitfire Mark VB(T), BP850, equipped with a 90-gallon ferry fuel tank, taxies along the deck of HMS EAGLE before taking off to reinforce the RAF on Malta, watched by some of the crew. Nine Spitfires, intended for the re-equipment of No. 126 Squadron RAF, were successfully flown to Ta Kali during this operation. BP850 however, flew with No. 249 Squadron RAF before crash-landing after a glycol leak at Siggiewi on 24 April 1942
124 Squadron
10th May 1941 Squadron re-formed at Castletown
May 1941 Equipped with Spitfire l
October 1941 Equipped with Spitfire llB
November 1941 Equipped with Spitfire VA and Spitfire VB
17th November 1941 Moved to Biggin Hill
3rd May 1942 Moved to Gravesend
30th June 1942 Moved to Eastchurch
5 July 1942 Moved to Martlesham Heath
13 July 1942 Moved to Gravesend
July 1942 Equipped with Spitfire Vl
29th July 1942 Moved to Debden
25th September 1942 Moved to Tangmere
29th October 1942 Moved to Westhampnett
7th November 1942 Moved to North Weald
January 1943 Equipped with Spifire lX
1st March 1943 Moved to Croughton
5th March 1943 Moved to Duxford
12th March 1943 Moved to North Weald
March 1943 Equipped with Spitfire VB and Spitfire Vll
Dets to Colerne, Exeter, Ibsley, and Fairwood Common.
26th July 1943 Moved to Northolt
20th September 1943 Moved to West Malling
5th January 1944 Moved to Southend
18th January 1944 Moved to West Malling
18th March 1944 Moved to Church Fenton
23rd April 1944 Moved to Bradwell Bay
26th July 1944 Moved to Detling
July 1944 Equipped with Spitfire HF lXE
9th August 1944 Moved to Westhampnett
25th September 1944 Moved to Manston
10th February 1945 Moved to Coltishall
7th April 1945 Moved to Hawkinge
10th April 1945 Moved to Hutton Cranswick
15th July 1945 Moved to Bradwell Bay
10th August 1945 Moved to Hutton Cranswick
20th August 1945 Moved to Molesworth
August 1945 Equipped with Meteor F.3
5th October 1946 Moved to Bentwaters
18th February 1946 Moved to Fairwood Common
20th March 1946 Moved to Bentwaters
1st April 1946 Squadron Disbanded
© IWM ATP 10976C
Spitfire Mark VII, BS142 on the ground at Eastleigh, Hampshire, after modification by Cunliffe Owen Aircraft Ltd., and shortly before joining the High-Altitude Flight (renamed the Sub Stratosphere Flight) at Northolt, Middlesex. In January 1943, BS142 went to No. 124 Squadron RAF with whom it claimed the units first high-altitude victory, a Focke Wulf Fw 190, on 15 May. It later also served with No. 331 Squadron RAF.
501 Squadron
14th June 1929 Formed at Filton as a special reserve Squadron. In May 1936 transferred to Auxiliary Air Force. We will take up their movements from March 1939 when they were re-equipped with Hurricane 1 aircraft. 501 squadron was heavily involved in the evacuation from France and the Battle of Britain.
27th November 1939 Moved to Tangmere
10th May 1940 Moved to Bétheniville France
16th May 1940 Moved to Anglure France
2nd June 1940 Moved to Le Mans France
16th June 1940 Moved to Dinard France
19th June 1940 Moved to St Helier Channel Islands
21st June 1940 Moved to Croydon
4th July 1940 Moved to Middle Wallop
25th July 1940 Moved to Gravesend
10th September 1940 Moved to Kenley
17th December 1940 Moved to Filton
9th April 1941 Moved to Colerne
April 1941 Equipped with Spitfire l
June 1941 Equipped with Spitfire llA
25th June 1941 Moved to Chilbolton
5th August 1941 Moved to Ibsley
September 1941 Equipped with Spitfire VB
25th January1942 Moved to Warmwell
7th February 1942 Moved to Ibsley
May 1942 Equipped with Spitfire VC
3rd July 1942 Moved to Tangmere
7th July 1942 Moved to Ibsley
24th August 1942 Moved to Middle Wallop
8th October 1942 Moved to Hawkinge
10th October 1942 Moved to Middle Wallop
19th October 1942 Moved to Ballyhalbert det Eglington
30th April 1943 Moved to Westhampnett
17th May 1943 Moved to Martlesham Heath
5th June 1943 Moved to Woodvale
12th June 1943 Moved to Westhampnett
21st June 1943 Moved to Hawkinge
June 1943 Equipped with Spitfire lX
21st January 1944 Moved to Southend
4th February 1944 Moved to Hawkinge
30th April 1944 Moved to Friston
2nd July 1944 Moved to Westhampnett
July 1944 Equipped with Tempest V
2nd August 1944 Moved to Manston
22nd September 1944 Moved to Bradwell Bay
3rd March 1945 Moved to Hunsdon
20th April 1945 Squadron Disbanded
© IWM CH 2825
Spitfire F Mk.2. Six aircraft of 501 Squadron in flight above the cloud layer.
151 Squadron
4th August 1936 Reformed at North Weald, From B Flight 46 Squadron
Dec 1939 Equipped with Hurricane l Det Martlesham Heath
13th May 1940 Moved to Martlesham Heath
17th May 1940 Moved to Abbeville
18th May 1940 Moved to Vitry-en-Artois
18th May 1940 Moved to Manston
20th May 1940 Moved to North Weald Dets Manston, Rochford
29th August 1940 Moved to Stapleford
1st September 1940 Moved to Digby Det Wittering
28th November 1940 Moved to Bramcote Det Wittering
Dec 1940 Equipped with Defiant 1
22nd Dec 1940 Moved to Wittering Det Coltishall
June 1941 Equipped with Hurricane llC
September 1941 Equipped with Defiant ll
April 1942 Equipped with Mosquito ll Det Coltishallééé
17th November 1943 Moved to Colerne Det Coltishall
Dec 1943 Equipped with Mosquito Xlll
25th March 1944 Moved to Predannack
July 1944 Equipped with Mosquito Vl
August 1944 Equipped with Mosquito XXX
8th October 1944 Moved to Castle Camps
19th November 1944 Moved to Hunsdon
1st March 1945 Moved to Bradwell Bay
17th May 1945 Moved to Predannack
Post war the Squadron moved between Predannack, Lübeck, Exeter and Weston Zoyland. The Squadron was disbanded 10th October 1946.
© IWM ATP 13735B
Mosquito NF Mark 30, RK953, equipped with SCR.720/729 (AI Mark X) radar in a universal radome, at Boscombe Down, Wiltshire. This version is fitted with 1.690hp Rolls Royce Merlin 113 engines. RK953 subsequently served with No. 151 Squadron RAF.
287 Squadron
Formed on 19th November 1941, at Croydon, as an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron from 11 Group AAC Flt. Detachments were sent to Debden, Hornchurch, Merston, Martlesham Heath, Fairlop, Biggin Hill, Northolt, Ipswich, Ford, Honiley, Hunsdon, Southend, and Farnborough. Some of their work entailed imitating V1 and V2 rockets to guide the ground artillery where to fire!
November 1941 Equipped with Blenheim lV, Hudson lll, Lysander lll, Hurricane l, llB, lV
February 1942 Equipped with Blenheim lV
March 1942 Equipped with Defiant l and Oxford
January 1943 Equipped with Defiant lll
July 1943 Equipped with Martinet
November 1943 Equipped with Spitfire VB
3rd July 1944 Moved to North Weald dets Farnborough and Gatwick
27th August 1944 Moved to Gatwick Det North Weald
September 1944 Equipped with Beaufighter Vl
November 1944 Equipped with Spitfire lX and Tempest V
20th January 1945 Moved to Redhill Det North Weald
3rd May 1945 Moved to Hornchurch dets Hunsdon, North Weald
15th June 1945 Moved to Bradwell Bay
August 1945 Equipped with Spitfire XVl
10th Sept 1945 Moved to West Malling
15th June 1946 Squadron Disbanded
The V1 flying bomb was powered by an Argus 109-014 pulse-jet engine, carried a warhead of approximately 850kg, and was guided to its target by an autopilot. The maximum range was typically 149 miles (240km), with a maximum speed of 400mph (645kph), and this particular version has a span of 5.3m. Although some V1s were air-launched, most were catapulted from specially constructed ramps.
3 Squadron
This was a pre-war squadron, that is pre The Great War. In fact, squadrons 1, 2 and 3 were formed from the Royal Engineers Air Battalions on 13th May 1912 to become squadrons of the Military Wing of the Royal Flying Corps. 3 Squadron was formed at Larkhill. 3 Squadron were immediately sent to France on the outbreak of The Great War, taking off to cross the Channel from a field close to Dover Castle. The squadron was in the thick of the fighting in France for the whole duration of the war. Moving on to The Second World War from May 1939, when tensions were high with the rise of The Nazi party in Germany. Flying Ace James McCudden was originally in 3 Squadron as a mechanic and observer.
1st May 1939 Moved to Biggin Hill
May 1939 Equipped with Hurricane l
2nd September 1939 Moved to Croydon
10th September 1939 Moved to Manston
17th September 1939 Moved to Croydon
12th October 1939 Moved to Manston
13th October 1939 Moved to Croydon Det Hawkinge
28th January 1940 Moved to Kenley
10th May 1940 Moved to Merville
20th May 1940 Moved to Kenley
30th May 1940 Moved to Wick
3rd September 1940 Moved to Castletown
14th September 1940 Moved to Turnhouse Dets Montrose, Dyce
13th October 1940 Moved to Castletown
7th January 1941 Moved to Skaebrae Dets Sumburgh
3rd April 1941 Moved to Martlesham Heath
April 1941 Equipped with Hurricane llB and Hurricane llC
23rd June 1941 Moved to Stapleford Tawney
9th August 1941 Moved to Hunsdon dets Manston and Shoreham
February 1943 Equipped with Typhoon lB
6th March 1944 Moved to Bradwell Bay
6th April 1944 Moved to Ayr
14th April 1944 Moved to Bradwell Bay
28th April 1944 Moved to Newchurch
21st September 1944 Moved to Matlask
28th September 1944 Moved to Continental Europe.
2020 Squadron Still operational flying Typhoon FGR4 Aircraft
© IWM H(am) 1111
Captain J B T McCudden sitting in the cockpit of Royal Aircraft Factory SE.5a, B4863 ‘G’, while serving as a flight commander with No. 56 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, at Estree-Blanche, France. Note the four-bladed propeller which McCudden fitted to this aircraft, and in which he scored nine victories over the Western Front between 19 September and 21 October 1917.
Hurricanes of 3 Squadron
Page content researched and written by Eric Simonelli. Page content converted and added to website by Paul Webb