No. 287 Squadron RAF

Last updated

No. 287 Squadron RAF
Active19 November 1941 – 15 June 1946
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Air Force
Roleanti-aircraft co-operation
Part of No. 11 Group RAF, Fighter Command [1]
No. 70 Group RAF, Fighter Command [2]
Motto(s) French: C'est en forgeant
(Translation: "Practice makes perfect") [3]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryA popinjay displayed perched [3]
Squadron CodesKZ (Nov 1941 – Jun 1946) [4] [5]

No. 287 Squadron was an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1941 to 1946.

Contents

History

The squadron was formed at RAF Croydon on 19 November 1941 from No. 11 Group RAFs Anti-Aircraft Co-Operation Flight. The squadron flew various aircraft, including Westland Lysanders and Bristol Blenheims. The role of No. 287 Squadron was to provide target towing and to carry out attack simulations during World War II. This was to enable continuation training for anti-aircraft units in the South of England. After spending a large period of time in Croydon, No. 287 Squadron moved to RAF North Weald in 1944, RAF Bradwell Bay in 1945 and RAF West Malling in September 1945. After Lysanders and Blenheims, No. 287 Squadron began to develop its aircraft strength, taking on board Miles Masters, Boulton Paul Defiants and Airspeed Oxfords in 1942, Miles Martinets and Spitfire VB's in 1943, Bristol Beaufighters, Spitfire IX's and Tempest V's in 1944 and Spitfire XVI's in 1945. The squadron was disbanded on 15 June 1946.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by No. 287 Squadron RAF [6] [7] [8]
FromToAircraftVersion
November 1941January 1942 Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV
November 1941March 1942 Lockheed Hudson Mk.III
November 1941April 1942 Westland Lysander Mk.III
November 1941March 1945 Hawker Hurricane Mks. I, IIb, IV
February 1942August 1942 Miles Master Mk.III
March 1942October 1943 Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.I
March 1942June 1946 Airspeed Oxford
January 1943October 1943Boulton Paul DefiantMk.III
July 1943June 1946 Miles Martinet
November 1943March 1944 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb
September 1944July 1945 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.VI
November 1944September 1945Supermarine SpitfireMk.IX
November 1944June 1946 Hawker Tempest Mk.V
August 1945June 1946Supermarine SpitfireMk.XVI

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by No. 287 Squadron RAF [6] [7] [8]
FromToBaseRemarks
19 November 19414 July 1944 RAF Croydon Detachments at RAF Debden, RAF Hornchurch, RAF Merston,
RAF Martlesham Heath, RAF Fairlop, RAF Biggin Hill,
RAF Northolt, RAF Ipswich, RAF Ford,
RAF Honiley, RAF Hunsdon, RAF Southend
and RAF Farnborough
4 July 194427 August 1944 RAF North Weald Detachments at RAF Farnborough and RAF Gatwick
27 August 194420 January 1945RAF GatwickDetachment at RAF North Weald
20 January 19453 May 1945 RAF Redhill Detachment at RAF North Weald
3 May 194515 June 1945RAF HornchurchDetachments at RAF Hunsdon and RAF North Weald
15 June 194510 September 1945 RAF Bradwell Bay
10 September 194515 June 1946 RAF West Malling

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 683 Squadron RAF</span> WW2 British RAF photo-recon unit

No. 683 Squadron RAF was a photo-reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and from August 1950 to November 1953.

No. 695 Squadron RAF was an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1949.

No. 691 Squadron RAF was an Anti-aircraft cooperation squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1949.

No. 679 Squadron RAF was an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 667 Squadron AAC</span> Military unit

667 Squadron AAC is a former squadron of the British Army's Army Air Corps (AAC).

No. 684 Squadron RAF was a photo-reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1946.

No. 631 Squadron RAF was an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1949.

No. 682 Squadron RAF was a photo reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

No. 681 Squadron RAF was a photo-reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

No. 519 Squadron RAF was a meteorological squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

No. 520 Squadron RAF was a meteorological squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

No. 521 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a Second World War meteorological observation unit operating from Norfolk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 549 Squadron RAF</span> 1943–1945 British fighter squadron

No. 549 Squadron RAF was a fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) operating in Australia from 1943 to 1945.

No. 293 Squadron was a Royal Air Force air-sea rescue squadron. During the Second World War the unit operated search and rescue missions for Allied aircraft operating over Italy.

No. 680 Squadron RAF was a photo-reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Air Force, active during the Second World War.

No. 510 Squadron was a Royal Air Force transport and liaison aircraft squadron that disbanded during April 1944. It operated during the Second World War having formed during October 1942.

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. 526 Squadron of the Royal Air Force was a British Second World War calibration and communications squadron.

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

No. 567 Squadron was an anti-aircraft co-operation squadron of the Royal Air Force, formed during World War II and active between December 1943 and June 1946 in the defence of south-east England.

References

Notes

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN   0-85059-364-6.
  • Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN   1-85310-451-5.
  • Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003). Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN   1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN   0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN   1-85310-053-6.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. ISBN   0-7106-0187-5.
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.