No. 83 Group Support Unit RAF

Last updated
No. 83 Group Support Unit (83 GSU)
Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg
ActiveMarch 1944 – October 1945
DisbandedOctober 1945
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleSupply pilots and aircraft for operational squadrons
Part of No. 83 Group RAF
Garrison/HQ RAF Redhill (March-June 1944)
Engagements World War Two
Battle honours WW2
Aircraft flown
Fighter Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Typhoon, North American Mustang

No. 83 Group Support Unit RAF was a "holding unit" for aircraft and pilots in WW2, supplying them to operational RAF combat squadrons.

Contents

History

No 83 SGU was formed in March 1944 at RAF Redhill, and was there until 25 June 1944 () later moving to RAF Bognor, RAF Thorney Island, RAF Westhampnett and RAF Dunsfold in Surrey. [1] [2]

No 83 GSU maintained a substantial number of combat aircraft of all types, ready to replace losses in combat squadrons in the field. Pilots were often "rotated out" to combat squadrons within a few days of arrival. The instructors were usually pilots who were "resting" between operational tours. [1] 83 GSU also operated "conversion flights" to train pilots on new aircraft types and maintain combat readiness of the existing pool of pilots. [1]

In November 1944 83 GSU arrived at RAF Westhampnett in West Sussex, bringing with it Spitfires, Mustangs and Typhoons. [3]

Flying accidents were not uncommon. On 9 February 1945 Flight Officer John Nesbitt Beattie was flying Typhoon 1B Serial MN704 when the aircraft suffered an engine malfunction leading to a crash in which Beattie was killed. [4] On June 26, 1945, Flight Lieutenant Theos Llewellyn Lewis was flying Typhoon 1B EK432 over Dunsfold, Surrey carrying out a practice rocket attack on the aerodrome when his aircraft crashed and he was killed. [5]

83 GSU RAF was disbanded in October 1945. [2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 83 GSU RAF at www.rafcommands.com Retrieved 10 May 2022
  2. 1 2 83 GSU at discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk Retrieved 10 May 2022]
  3. ↑ [https://books.google.com/books?id=pbHjCgAAQBAJ&dq=No.+83+Group+Support+Unit+RAF&pg=PA188 Hiller, Mark A Fighter Command Station at War (2015) Retrieved 10 May 2022
  4. ↑ 83 GSU at aircrewremembered.com Retrieved 10 May 2022
  5. ↑ 83 GSU RAF at thetyphoonproject.org Retrieved 10 May 2022
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