No. 246 Squadron RAF

Last updated

No. 246 Squadron RAF
Active18 August 1918 – 24 March 1919
1 September 1942 – 30 April 1943
11 October 1944 – 15 October 1946
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Air Force
Insignia
Squadron CodesVU (Dec 1944 – Oct 1946)

No. 246 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.

Contents

History

First World War

The squadron was formed at the former Royal Naval Air Station Seaton Carew, England on 18 August 1918 to provide coastal patrols. It was the only RAF squadron to operate the Blackburn Kangaroo. The base closed and the squadron was disbanded, in May 1919 as some sources claim, [1] while others have 15 March 1919 [2] or 24 March 1919. [3]

Second World War

The squadron reformed on 1 September 1942 at Bowmore on Islay to operate Short Sunderland flying boats. It began patrols in December 1942 but was disbanded on 30 April 1943. [3]

Post-war

On 11 October 1944 it reformed at RAF Lyneham as a transport squadron flying the Consolidated Liberator, moving to RAF Holmsley South in December. The Handley Page Halifax was also used for experimental and conversion duties. In December 1944 the squadron began to convert to the Avro York. In February 1945 the squadron absorbed the VVIP Flight and the Metropolitan Communications Squadron RAF at RAF Northolt. In November 1945 the Halifax aircraft were retired and the Douglas Skymaster introduced. In 1945 the squadron standardised on the Avro York and operated scheduled services to India and the Middle East until it merged with 511 Squadron on 15 October 1946. [3]

Aircraft operated

FromToAircraftVersion
Aug 1918Mar 1919 Short 184
Aug 1918Oct 1918 Sopwith Baby
Aug 1918Oct 1918 Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 F.E.2b
Aug 1918Nov 1918 Short 320
Aug 1918Nov 1918 Blackburn Kangaroo
Oct 1942Apr 1943 Short Sunderland Mks.II, III
Oct 1944Nov 1945 Consolidated Liberator Mks.III, VI
Nov 1944Feb 1945 Handley Page Halifax Mk.III
Dec 1944Oct 1946 Avro York C.1
Apr 1945Jul 1945 Douglas Skymaster Mk.I

[1] [4] [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 206 Squadron RAF</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

No. 206 Squadron is a Test and Evaluation Squadron of the Royal Air Force. Until 2005 it was employed in the maritime patrol role with the Nimrod MR.2 at RAF Kinloss, Moray. It was announced in December 2004 that 206 Squadron would disband on 1 April 2005, with half of its crews being redistributed to Nos. 120 and 201 Squadrons, also stationed at Kinloss. This was a part of the UK Defence Review called Delivering Security in a Changing World; the Nimrod MR.2 fleet was reduced in number from 21 to 16 as a consequence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 201 Squadron RAF</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

Number 201 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It currently operates the Boeing Poseidon MRA1 from RAF Lossiemouth, Moray.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 257 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

No. 257 Squadron RAF was a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force active during the First World War, the Second World War and also the Cold War. It was finally disbanded in December 1963.

No. 666 Squadron was a Royal Air Force Air Observation Post (AOP) squadron associated with the Canadian 1st Army and later part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Numbers 651 to 663 Squadron of the RAF were Air Observation Post units working closely with British Army units in artillery spotting and liaison. A further three of these squadrons, 664–666, were manned with Canadian personnel. Their duties and squadron numbers were transferred to the Army with the formation of the Army Air Corps on 1 September 1957

No. 282 Squadron was a Royal Air Force air-sea rescue squadron during the Second World War.

No. 191 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron. During World War I it was a non-operational night training unit, while during World War II it was engaged in maritime reconnaissance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 190 Squadron RAF</span> Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

No. 190 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron with a relatively short existence, but a very broad career. It served as a trainer squadron during the first World War and as convoy escort, airborne support and transport squadron during World War II.

No. 265 Squadron RAF was an anti-submarine squadron of the Royal Air Force during two world wars. It was based at Gibraltar in World War One and Madagascar in World War Two.

No. 353 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron, active during World War II carrying out maritime patrol and transport tasks.

No. 262 Squadron RAF was an anti-submarine patrol squadron of the Royal Air Force between 1942 and 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 210 Squadron RAF</span> Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

No. 210 Squadron was a Royal Air Force unit established in World War I. Disbanded and reformed a number of times in the ensuing years, it operated as a fighter squadron during World War I and as a maritime patrol squadron during the Spanish Civil War, World War II and the Cold War before it was last deactivated in 1971.

No. 228 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force active at various times between 1918 and 1964. It spent the greatest part of its existence flying over water, doing so in First, and Second World Wars and beyond, performing anti-submarine, reconnaissance and air-sea rescue tasks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 235 Squadron RAF</span> Military unit

No. 235 Squadron RAF was an anti-submarine squadron of the Royal Air Force in World War I and in World War II served as a squadron in RAF Coastal Command.

No. 511 Squadron was a Royal Air Force transport squadron, active during World War II, the Berlin Airlift and during the sixties and early seventies. It operated, during its three periods of existence, aircraft such as the Douglas Dakota, the Avro York, the Handley Page Hastings and the Bristol Britannia.

No. 204 Squadron was a Royal Air Force unit first formed in March 1915 as No.4 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service.

No. 608 Squadron was an Auxiliary Air Force squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. It flew during its existence as a bomber, fighter and reconnaissance unit and was the only RAF squadron to be equipped with the unsuccessful Blackburn Botha torpedo bomber.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 321 (Dutch) Squadron RAF</span> Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

No. 321 (Dutch) Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War formed from the personnel of the Marineluchtvaartdienst (MLD), the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service.

No. 292 Squadron RAF was an air-sea rescue (ASR) squadron of the Royal Air Force operating in the Bay of Bengal during the Second World War.

No. 527 Squadron RAF was a radar calibration unit of the Royal Air Force between 1943 and 1958.

No. 240 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force flying boat and seaplane squadron during World War I, World War II and up to 1959. It was then reformed as a strategic missile squadron, serving thus till 1963.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Rawlings 1982, p. 178.
  2. ↑ Halley 1988, p. 314.
  3. 1 2 3 Jefford 2001, p. 80.
  4. ↑ Halley 1988, p. 315.
  5. ↑ Jefford 2001, pp. 79–80.

Bibliography

  • Halley, J. J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force and Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, UK: Air Britain (Historians)., 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, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988. ISBN   1853100536. (second revised edition 2001. ISBN   1-84037-141-2.)
  • Rawlings, J. D. R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London, UK: Jane's Publishing Company., 1982. ISBN   0-7106-0187-5.
  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). Orbis Publishing.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.