| No. 176 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 15 Jan 1943 – 1 Jun 1946 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Motto(s) | Latin: Nocte custodimus (We keep the night watch) |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge | A dagger in front of a crescent moon |
No. 176 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a night defence unit based in India in World War II.
The squadron was formed at RAF Dum Dum, India on 15 January 1943 from a detachment of No. 89 Squadron RAF, flying radar-equipped Bristol Beaufighter night fighters in defence of Calcutta. [1] That night, it flew its first operational sorties, with Flight Sergeant Arthur Pring shooting down three Japanese Mitsubishi Ki-21 bombers in four minutes, becoming an air ace. [2] [lower-alpha 1] On the night of 19/20 January, another of 176's aircraft intercepted three more Ki-21s, claiming two destroyed and one damaged, but itself being shot down by return fire from the bombers. In fact, only one of the Ki-21s was shot down. The losses of four bombers in a few days caused Japanese night attacks on Calcutta to be suspended. [4] Detachments of the squadron were then based at Chittagong Burma, Ratmalana Ceylon, Baigachi and Mingaladon where the Beaufighters were replaced with Mosquitos in June 1945. The squadron disbanded on 1 June 1946.
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1943 | Aug 1943 | Bristol Beaufighter | IF |
| Jan 1943 | Aug 1945 | Bristol Beaufighter | VIF |
| May 1943 | Jan 1944 | Hawker Hurricane | IIC |
| Jun 1945 | Jul 1945 | de Havilland Mosquito | XVI |
| Jul 1945 | Jun 1946 | de Havilland Mosquito | XIX |
The Bristol Type 156 Beaufighter is a British multi-role aircraft developed during the Second World War by the Bristol Aeroplane Company. It was originally conceived as a heavy fighter variant of the Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber. The Beaufighter proved to be an effective night fighter, which came into service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Battle of Britain, its large size allowing it to carry heavy armament and early aircraft interception radar without major performance penalties.
The Bristol Blenheim is a British light bomber designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company, which was used extensively in the first two years of the Second World War, with examples still being used as trainers until the end of the war. Development began with the Type 142, a civil airliner, after a challenge from the newspaper proprietor Lord Rothermere to produce the fastest commercial aircraft in Europe. The Type 142 first flew in April 1935, and the Air Ministry, ordered a modified design as the Type 142M for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a bomber.
A night fighter is a largely historical term for a fighter or interceptor aircraft adapted or designed for effective use at night, during periods of adverse meteorological conditions, or in otherwise poor visibility. Such designs were in direct contrast to day fighters: fighters and interceptors designed primarily for use during the day or during good weather. The concept of the night fighter was developed and experimented with during the First World War but would not see widespread use until WWII. The term would be supplanted by “all-weather fighter/interceptor” post-WWII, with advancements in various technologies permitting the use of such aircraft in virtually all conditions.
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