No. 680 Squadron RAF

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No. 680 Squadron RAF
Active1 February 1943 – 1 September 1946
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Air Force
Role Photo-reconnaissance
Part of No. 206 Group RAF, Middle East Command [1]
AHQ Egypt, Middle East Command [2]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryNo badge known to have been authorised [3]
Squadron MarkingsNo code(s) are known to have been carried by this squadron [3] [4] [5]
Towards the end of the war Mosquitoes of 680 squadron carried red/white diagonal stripes on their rudders [3]

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

Contents

History

No. 680 Squadron RAF was formed in February 1943 from 'A' Flight of No. 2 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit RAF (PRU) , [6] equipped with a variety of aircraft including Supermarine Spitfires, Hawker Hurricanes, Bristol Beaufighters and Lockheed Electras. It continued in the photographic reconnaissance role, operating in North Africa and the Mediterranean. In early 1944, the unit converted to Martin Baltimores and de Havilland Mosquitoes, deploying to Sicily and Sardinia later in the year. [7] After the end of the war, 680 Squadron flew surveying missions in the Middle East, before being disbanded by renumbering it to No. 13 Squadron RAF on 1 September 1946. [3] [6]

Noted squadron members

A well-known Australian actor, Charles "Bud" Tingwell, piloted Spitfires and Mosquitoes with the squadron.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 680 Squadron [3] [6] [7]
FromToAircraftVariant
February 1943February 1944 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I
February 1943March 1943 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.Ic
February 1943June 1944 Supermarine Spitfire PR.Mks.IV, V
February 1943September 1944 Lockheed Electra
February 1943January 1945Supermarine SpitfirePR.Mk.IX
March 1943June 1943Supermarine SpitfirePR.Mk.VI
March 1943December 1944 Hawker Hurricane PR.Mk.IIb
August 1943July 1946Supermarine SpitfirePR.XI
February 1944May 1944 Martin Baltimore Mks.IIIa, V
February 1944July 1944 Bristol Blenheim Mk.IV
February 1944September 1946 de Havilland Mosquito Mks.IX & XVI
March 1946September 1946de Havilland MosquitoPR.34

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 680 Squadron RAF, data from [3] [6] [7]
FromToBaseRemark
1 February 194325 February 1945 LG.219 Kilo 8/Matariyah/Payne Field, Egypt Dets. at RAF El Djem, RAF Monastir, RAF Castel Benito, RAF Senem, RAF Derna, RAF Tocra, RAF Lakatamia, RAF Nicosia, RAF San Severo & RAF Hassani
25 February 19459 July 1946 RAF Deversoir, EgyptDets. at RAF Habbaniya, RAF Aqir, RAF Meherabad, RAF Hassani, RAF Sharjah & RAF Shaibah
9 July 19461 September 1946 RAF Ein Shemer, Palestine

Commanding officers

Officers commanding no. 680 squadron RAF, data from [3] [8]
FromToName
February 1943October 1944 W/Cdr. J.R. Whelan, DFC & Bar
October 1944September 1946W/Cdr. J.C. Paish

References

Notes

Bibliography

  • Bowman, Martin (1999). Mosquito Photo-Reconnaissance Units of World War 2. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN   1-85532-891-7.
  • Bowyer, Chaz (1984). Mosquito Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN   0-7110-1425-6.
  • 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.