No. 154 Squadron RAF
No. 154 (Motor Industries) Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
Active | 7 August 1918 – 11 September 1918 15 June 1941 – 1 Nov 1944 16 Nov 1944 – 31 March 1945 |
Country | |
Branch | |
Nickname(s) | Motor Industries |
Motto(s) | His modis ad victoriam Latin: By this means to Victory[1] |
Insignia | |
Squadron Badge | A road sign in front of three arrows. |
Squadron Codes | HT (Nov 1941 - Nov 1942, Jun 1943 - Oct 1944) ) HG (Nov 1944 - Mar 1945) |
No. 154 (Motor Industries) Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron formed as a fighter unit in the Second World War.
History
[edit]Formation and World War I
[edit]No. 154 Squadron Royal Air Force was formed on 7 August 1918, but was disbanded on 11 September having not received any aircraft.
Reformation in World War II
[edit]The squadron reformed in November 1941 at RAF Fowlmere as a fighter squadron equipped with Spitfire IIAs. It was briefly located in the south west of England then based at RAF Hornchurch. In November 1942 it moved to Gibraltar and Algeria to take part in Operation Torch. On 4 June 1943 it arrived in Malta, it then operated from Palestine and Cyprus. From 23 August 1944 it was based at Fréjus, France, providing air cover for the forces that moved north to join those that had landed at Normandy. It was disbanded in Naples on 1 November 1944, but reformed on 16 November 1944 at RAF Biggin Hill to escort bombers and flew Mustangs until it was finally disbanded on 31 March 1945.
Aircraft operated
[edit]From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
---|---|---|---|
Nov 1941 | Apr 1942 | Supermarine Spitfire | IIA |
Jan 1942 | Apr 1942 | Supermarine Spitfire | IIB |
Feb 1942 | Apr 1942 | Supermarine Spitfire | VA |
Feb 1942 | Aug 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | VB |
Nov 1942 | Feb 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | VC |
Jul 1943 | Oct 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | IX |
Aug 1944 | Oct 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | VIII |
Nov 1944 | Feb 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | VII |
Feb 1945 | Mar 1945 | P-51 Mustang | IV |
References
[edit]- ^ Pine, L G (1983). A dictionary of mottoes. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul. p. 98. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
- ^ C.G.Jefford (1988). RAF Squadrons. UK Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.