No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
![]() Badge of № 313 Squadron RAF | |
Active | 10 May 1941 – 15 February 1946 |
Country | ![]() |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Nickname(s) | Czechoslovak |
Motto(s) | (Czech): Jeden jestřáb mnoho vran rozhání ("One hawk chases away many crows") |
Insignia | |
Squadron Badge | A hawk volant, wings elevated and addorsed |
Squadron Codes | RY (May 1941 – February 1946) |
No. 313 Squadron RAF was a Czechoslovak-manned fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force in the Second World War.
The squadron was formed at RAF Catterick [1] on 10 May 1941. [2] It was the last RAF squadron to be formed mostly of escaped Czechoslovak pilots. Its first commander was the British Squadron Leader Gordon Sinclair. [3] On 29 July, Czechoslovak fighter pilot Josef Jaške was appointed as joint commander of the squadron. [4] The plan was for responsibility to be transferred gradually from Sinclair to Jaške.
The squadron was equipped initially with Supermarine Spitfire I fighters. On 30 June 1941 it moved to RAF Leconfield [1] in the East Riding of Yorkshire. In August the squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire IIA, [5] and on 25 August it moved to RAF Portreath [1] in Cornwall. In October the squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire VB/C. [5]
On 15 December 1941 Sqn Ldr Karel Mrázek succeeded Jaške as commanding officer [4] and the squadron moved to RAF Hornchurch [6] in Essex. On 8 June 1942 the squadron moved to RAF Church Stanton [6] in Somerset and on 26 June Sqn Ldr Jaroslav Himr succeeded Mrázek as commanding officer. [4]
In 1943 the squadron moved to Scotland, firstly on 28 June to RAF Sumburgh "A" in Shetland, and shortly thereafter to RAF Peterhead "B" [6] in Aberdeenshire. The squadron briefly flew the Spitfire VI in June and July 1943. [5] On 20 July it moved to RAF Hawkinge [6] in Kent. On 18 September it moved to RAF Ibsley [7] in Hampshire and on 24 September Sqn Ldr František Fajtl succeeded Himr as commanding officer. [4]
On 1 February 1944 Sqn Ldr Václav Bergman succeeded Fajtl as commanding officer. [4] Also in February the squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire IX. [5] This model was fitted with 190-gallon "slipper" tanks to extend its range, enabling the squadron to escort bombers on raids deep into Germany. [8] On 20 February the squadron moved to RAF Mendlesham [7] in Suffolk. On 14 March it moved again, to RAF Rochford [7] in Essex.
On 3 April 1944 the squadron moved to RAF Appledram [9] in West Sussex. On 22 May Sqn Ldr Alois Hochmál succeeded Bergman as commanding officer. [4] From 29 June the squadron spent a few days at RAF Tangmere, [9] also in West Sussex. On 4 July it spent a week at RAF Lympne [9] in Kent.
On 11 July 1944 the squadron moved to RAF Skeabrae [9] on Orkney in Scotland. The squadron briefly flew the Spitfire VII in July and August 1944. [5]
On 3 October 1944 the squadron moved to RAF North Weald [9] in Essex. Also in October it reverted to the Spitfire IX, which it continued to operate until the end of its history as an RAF unit. [5] On 1 September 1944 Sqn Ldr Karel Kasal succeeded Hochmál as commanding officer, and on 15 November Sqn Ldr Otmar Kučera succeeded Kasal. [1] On 29 December the squadron moved to RAF Bradwell Bay, [9] also in Essex.
From 27 February to 8 May 1945 the squadron was based at RAF Manston [9] in Kent. On 3 August members of all of the RAF's Czechoslovak squadrons held a farewell parade at RAF Manston. Air Marshal John Slessor inspected the parade, accompanied by A/M Karel Janoušek. On 24 August 313 Squadron moved to Ruzyně Airport in Prague. It became a squadron of the new Czechoslovak Air Force, and on 15 February 1946 was officially disbanded as an RAF squadron. [2] [5]
From | To | Aircraft | Variant | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
May 1941 | August 1941 | Supermarine Spitfire | I | |
August 1941 | November 1941 | Supermarine Spitfire | IIa | |
October 1941 | February 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | Vb/c | |
June 1943 | July 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | VI | |
February 1944 | July 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | LF.IX | |
July 1944 | August 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | VII | |
July 1944 | October 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | Vb/c | |
October 1944 | February 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | LF.IX | |
No. 303 Squadron RAF, also known as the 303rd "Tadeusz Kościuszko Warsaw" Fighter Squadron, was one of two Polish squadrons that fought during the Battle of Britain along with No. 302 Squadron, of 16 total Polish squadrons during the Second World War. Flying Hawker Hurricanes, the squadron claimed the largest number of aircraft shot down of the 66 Allied fighter squadrons engaged in the Battle of Britain, even though it joined the fray two months after the battle had begun.
Number 54 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire. On 1 September 2005, it took on the role of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) Operational Conversion Unit, and is now the Advanced Air ISTAR Academy, responsible for training all RAF crews assigned to the MQ-9A Reaper, Protector RG1 (MQ-9B), Shadow R1/R2, RC-135W Rivet Joint and Poseidon MRA1. It also controls the RAF ISR Warfare School (ISRWS) who run the Qualified Weapons Instructor Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance and QWI Reaper Courses.
No. 249 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron, active in the sea-patrol, fighter and bomber roles during its existence. It was one of the top scoring fighter squadrons of the RAF in World War II.
No. 603 Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. On reforming on 1 October 1999, the primary role of 603 Squadron was as a Survive to Operate squadron, as well as providing force protection.
No. 310 Squadron RAF was a Czechoslovak-manned fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force in the Second World War.
No. 312 Squadron RAF was a Czechoslovak-manned fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force in the Second World War.
Alois Vašátko DFC was a Czechoslovak artillery officer who became an air force pilot. In the Second World War he was a fighter ace, first in the French Air Force in the Battle of France and then in the Royal Air Force.
No. 453 Squadron is an air traffic control unit of the Royal Australian Air Force. It was established at Bankstown, New South Wales, in 1941 as a fighter squadron, in accordance with Article XV of the Empire Air Training Scheme for overseas service with the Royal Air Force during World War II. No. 453 Squadron saw combat first in the Malayan and Singapore campaigns of 1941–42. Severe aircraft losses effectively destroyed the squadron and it was disbanded in March 1942. A successor unit by the same name was raised in Britain from mid-1942, to take part in fighting against Nazi Germany in Europe until 1945. The squadron was disbanded in 1946. It was re-formed in its current role in 2011.
The No. 341 Squadron also known in French as Groupe de Chasse n° 3/2 "Alsace", was a Free French squadron in the RAF during World War II.
No. 609 Squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, originally formed as a bomber squadron and in the Second World War active as fighter squadron, nowadays provides personnel to augment and support the operations of the Royal Air Force. The squadron is no longer a flying squadron, but instead has the role of Force Protection. It is currently based at RAF Leeming, North Yorkshire.
The No.3 Squadron (Cobras) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) operates as a Close Air Support (CAS) and reconnaissance unit. Currently based at NAL Air Force Station, No. 3 Sqn falls under the Western Air Command, forms the 46 wing of the IAF.
No. 607 Squadron is an auxiliary squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1930 as a bomber unit in the Auxiliary Air Force and changed in 1936 to the fighter role. It fought in that role during the Second World War in Europe and Asia. After the war, in 1946, the squadron reformed as a fighter unit. Awarded the title Royal Auxiliary Air Force by King George in 1947, 607 Sqn was disbanded with all the other flying units of the RAuxAF on 10 March 1957. It reformed on 5 January 2015, as a General Service Support Squadron (GSS).
Lieutenant General František Fajtl was a Czech fighter pilot of World War II. He was a British Royal Air Force (RAF) squadron and wing commander and led a group of Czechoslovak fighter pilots who formed an air regiment under Soviet Air Force command, supporting the Slovak National Uprising in 1944. He was dismissed from the Czechoslovak Air Force and was held in prison for a year and a half without a trial after the Communists came to power in 1948, and was only fully rehabilitated after the Velvet Revolution in 1989. He wrote many autobiographical books about his wartime experiences, and was an inspiration for the 2001 film Tmavomodrý svět.
No. 122 (Bombay) Squadron was a Royal Air Force fighter squadron during the First and Second World Wars.
Royal Air Force Fairlop or more simply RAF Fairlop is a former Royal Air Force satellite station situated near Ilford in Essex. Fairlop is now a district in the London Borough of Redbridge, England.
Royal Air Force Angle or more commonly RAF Angle, is a former Royal Air Force station located on the Angle Peninsula Coast, 8 miles (13 km) west of Pembroke, Pembrokeshire, Wales. It was operational from 1 June 1941 to 11 July 1946, having been used by both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.
No. 87 Squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force during the First World War and Second World War.
Number 601 Squadron is a squadron of the RAF Reserves, based in London. The squadron took part in the Battle of Britain, during which the first Americans to fly in World War II were members of the squadron.
No. 229 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force, and is an officially accredited Battle of Britain Squadron. It became No. 603 Squadron RAF in January 1945.
No. 132 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed to be a bomber unit in World War I and reformed as a fighter unit in World War II.