350th Squadron (Belgium)

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No. 350 (Belgian) Squadron RAF
350th Squadron
Royal Air Force Fighter Command, 1939-1945. CH6345.jpg
Spitfires of No. 350 (Belgian) Squadron at RAF Kenley, 1942.
Active12 November 1941
CountryFlag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium
BranchAir Force Ensign of Belgium.svg  Belgian Air Component
Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force (1941–1946)
RoleFighter
Part of 2nd Tactical Wing
Garrison/HQ Florennes Air Base
Motto(s)Belgae gallorum fortissimi [note 1]
(Latin, "Of all the Gauls, the Belgians are the bravest")
Fighter F-16 Fighting Falcon
Supermarine Spitfire (historic)
Insignia
Squadron BadgeAn ancient Belgian warrior's head with helmet [1]
Squadron CodesMN (Nov 1941 – Oct 1946)

The 350th Squadron (French : 350e escadrille, Dutch : 350ste Squadron) is a fighter squadron in the Air Component of the Belgian Armed Forces. It was originally formed in 1941 as No. 350 (Belgian) Smaldeel of the Royal Air Force during World War II. The unit was transferred to the Belgian Air Force, together with 349th Squadron, in 1946. Based at Florennes air base, the unit is now part of the 2nd Tactical Wing and operates F-16 Fighting Falcons.

Contents

History

With the Royal Air Force

No. 350 Squadron, the first Royal Air Force squadron to be formed by Belgian personnel, was formed during World War II at RAF Valley in the United Kingdom in November 1941. The squadron operated the Supermarine Spitfire at first on convoy protection duties over the Irish Sea, relocating to RAF Atcham in early 1942. In April 1942 the squadron moved to RAF Debden and carried out offensive operations over France. The squadron moved several times around southern England.

During Operation Overlord (the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944) it was equipped with the Spitfire V LF operating from RAF Friston in Air Defence of Great Britain, though under the operational control of RAF Second Tactical Air Force. [2] It provided beach-head patrols during the invasion. During Operation Diver in August 1944 the Squadron operated the Spitfire XIV against V-1 flying bombs attacking England. The squadron moved to Belgium in December 1944 to provide offensive patrols over the battlefield including patrols in the Berlin area. The squadron was disbanded on 15 October 1946 on transfer to the Belgian air force.

Aircraft operated during RAF service

Belgian pilot lieutenant Henri A. Picard of No. 350 Squadron on the wing of his Spitfire at RAF Kenley, July 1942. Luvungi was a town in the Belgian Congo. Pilot Officer H. A. Picard of No. 350 (Belgian) Squadron, on the wing of his Spitfire at Kenley, July 1942. CH6356.jpg
Belgian pilot lieutenant Henri A. Picard of No. 350 Squadron on the wing of his Spitfire at RAF Kenley, July 1942. Luvungi was a town in the Belgian Congo.
 [1] [3]
FromToAircraftVariantNotes
Nov 1941Apr 1942 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.II
Feb 1942Dec 1943Supermarine SpitfireMk.Vb
Dec 1943Mar 1944Supermarine SpitfireMk.IX
Mar 1944Jul 1944Supermarine SpitfireMk.Vb, Vc
Jul 1944Aug 1944Supermarine SpitfireMk.IX
Aug 1944Oct 1946Supermarine SpitfireMk.XIV
Apr 1946Oct 1946Supermarine SpitfireLF.XVIe

Commanding officers

Spitfires of No. 350 Squadron being refueled at RAF Lympne. Royal Air Force- Air Defence of Great Britain (adgb), 1943-1944. CL1360.jpg
Spitfires of No. 350 Squadron being refueled at RAF Lympne.
 [4]
FromToName
Nov 1941Mar 1942 S/Ldr. J.M. Thompson, DFC
Mar 1942Dec 1942S/Ldr. D.A. Guillaume, DFC
Dec 1942Jan 1944S/Ldr. A.L.T.J. Boussa
Jan 1944Mar 1944S/Ldr. L.O. Prevot
Mar 1944Oct 1944 S/Ldr. M.G.L. Donnet, DFC
Oct 1944Jan 1945S/Ldr. L. Collignon
Jan 1945Feb 1945 S/Ldr. T. Spencer, DFC
Mar 1945Apr 1945S/Ldr. F. Wooley, DFC
Apr 1945Apr 1945 S/Ldr. T. Spencer, DFC
Apr 1945Aug 1945S/Ldr. H. Walmsley
Aug 1945Oct 1946 S/Ldr. R. Van Lierde, DFC & 2 Bars

Under Belgian command

F-16AM of 350th Squadron at Florennes, 2009. F-16AM of the Belgian Air Component of the Belgian Armed Forces based at Florennes with 2 Wing. (3601390310).jpg
F-16AM of 350th Squadron at Florennes, 2009.

In 1946, the squadron was integrated into the Belgian Air Force.

In July 1949, the squadron received its first jet aircraft, the Gloster Meteor mk. 4 and 8. In 1954, they were replaced by Hawker Hunter mk 4s. In 1958, they received the Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck. In August 1964, the unit was given F-104G Starfighters, taking on the role of Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) with 349th Squadron.

In 1975, the Starfighters were finally replaced with F-16s, becoming operational with the type in January 1982.

In 1993, 1st Fighter Wing was dissolved and in 1996, the squadron left Beauvechain to join 2nd Tactical Wing in Florennes.

In 1999, the unit participated in Operation Allied Force: the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia.

Notes

  1. ↑ The motto is an adaptation of a quote from Julius Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico 1.1 where the Belgae are described as the bravest of all the Gauls which the Roman army faced during the Gallic War.

References

  1. 1 2 Halley 1988, p. 382.
  2. ↑ Delve, p. 137.
  3. ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 90.
  4. ↑ Rawlings 1978, p. 418.

Bibliography

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