No. 170 Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
Active | 1942-1944 1944-1945 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force |
Motto(s) | Videre Non Videri ("To see is not to be seen") |
No. 170 Squadron RAF was a Second World War Royal Air Force squadron that operated the North American Mustang in the fighter-reconnaissance role and later the Avro Lancaster as part of Bomber Command.
The squadron was formed at RAF Weston Zoyland on 15 June 1942 as a fighter-reconnaissance squadron equipped with the American-built North American Mustang I. After a few months' training with the Army it began operations over continental Europe in January 1943. In the first few months of action it had a speciality for attacking and destroying rail traffic. It eventually operated defensive patrols against German fighter-bombers until it was disbanded at RAF Sawbridgeworth on 15 January 1944.
No. 170 Squadron was re-formed on 15 October 1944 at RAF Kelstern from C Flight of 625 Squadron, moving shortly to RAF Dunholme Lodge then again to RAF Hemswell. Equipped with the four-engined Avro Lancaster heavy bomber it was soon operating as part of the Bomber Command offensive over Germany through the winter of 1944/45. As the risk from German fighters grew less it also operated daylight raids. It only operated as a heavy bomber unit for six months but flew 980 sorties with the loss of 13 Lancasters. Following its last raid on 25 April 1945 against Berchtesgaden it concentrated on dropping relief supplies into the Netherlands and transporting prisoners of war and troops back to England from Germany. With its job done it was disbanded on 14 November 1945.
There is a 170 Sqn. memorial at the former RAF Hemswell site.
Dates | Aircraft | Variant | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1942-1944 | North American Mustang | I and IA | Single-engined fighter |
1944-1945 | Avro Lancaster | I and III | Four-engined heavy bomber |
1945 - Sqn Ldr Basil Templeman-Rooke
1944-1945 - Pilot Officer Robert Byron Pattison
1944-1945 - Flight Lieutenant Donald Edward Thomas Hudson DFC
1944-1945 Flight Lieutenant Denis Michael Evans
1944-1944 Pilot Officer Jack Stevenson
Royal Air Force Waddington otherwise known as RAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station located beside the village of Waddington, 4.2 miles (6.8 km) south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, in England.
The Avro Type 694 Lincoln is a British four-engined heavy bomber, which first flew on 9 June 1944. Developed from the Avro Lancaster, the first Lincoln variants were initially known as the Lancaster IV and V; these were renamed Lincoln I and II. It was the last piston-engined bomber operated by the Royal Air Force (RAF).
Number 617 Squadron is a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron, originally based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire and currently based at RAF Marham in Norfolk. It is commonly known as "The Dambusters", for its actions during Operation Chastise against German dams during the Second World War. In the early 21st century it operated the Panavia Tornado GR4 in the ground attack and reconnaissance role until being disbanded on 28 March 2014. The Dambusters reformed on 18 April 2018, and was equipped at RAF Marham in June 2018 with the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning, becoming the first squadron to be based in the UK with this advanced V/STOL type. The unit is composed of both RAF and Royal Navy personnel, and operates from the Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.
No. 220 Squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) was founded in 1918 and disbanded in 1963 after four separate periods of service. The squadron saw service in both the First and Second World Wars, as a maritime patrol unit, and finally as part of Britain's strategic nuclear deterrent.
No. 1 Group of the Royal Air Force is one of the two operations groups in RAF Air Command. Today, the group is referred to as the Air Combat Group, as it controls the RAF's combat fast-jet aircraft and has airfields in the UK, as well as RAF Support Unit Goose Bay at CFB Goose Bay in Canada. The group headquarters is located alongside Headquarters Air Command at RAF High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire. The other operational group is No. 2 Group RAF.
No. 75 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operated as a bomber unit in World War II, before being transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1945. This remains the only time in RAF’s history that a squadron was gifted to another commonwealth Air Force.
Number 100 Squadron is a former Royal Air Force squadron. It last operated the British Aerospace Hawk T1, providing 'aggressor' aircraft for air combat training from RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire, UK.
No. 625 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
No. 61 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was first formed as a fighter squadron of the British Royal Flying Corps during the First World War. It was reformed in 1937 as a bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force and served in the Second World War and after, until disbanded in 1958.
No. 463 Squadron RAAF was a Royal Australian Air Force heavy bomber squadron during World War II. The squadron was formed in the United Kingdom in late 1943 from personnel and aircraft allocated from No. 467 Squadron RAAF. The squadron was equipped with Avro Lancaster bombers and flew its first raids on Germany immediately after being formed. Operating as part of RAF Bomber Command No. 463 Squadron conducted raids against cities, industrial facilities and military targets in Germany, France and Norway throughout 1944 and until the end of the war in May 1945. Following the war, the squadron evacuated Allied prisoners of war from Europe until it was disbanded in late 1945.
No. 106 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadron active from 1917 until 1919, throughout World War II and during the Cold War from 1959 until 1963.
No. 613 Squadron was an Auxiliary Air Force later Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron formed on 1 February 1939 at the then new municipal airport at Ringway, nine miles south of Manchester. The squadron served at first in the army cooperation role, and later during the Second World War became a tactical bomber unit. After the war the squadron reformed as a fighter unit and as such flew until its last disbandment in March 1957.
No. 199 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron that operated during the Second World War and later in the 1950s as a radar countermeasures squadron.
Royal Air Force Talbenny, or more simply RAF Talbenny, is a former Royal Air Force station located 5.6 miles (9.0 km) north west of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire and 7.9 miles (12.7 km) south west of Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, Wales.
Royal Air Force Carew Cheriton, or more simply RAF Carew Cheriton, is a former Royal Air Force station located near Carew, Pembrokeshire. It was situated 4.7 miles (7.6 km) north west of Tenby.
No. 83 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force squadron active from 1917 until 1969. It was operative during both the First World War and the Second World War.
No. 608 Squadron was an Auxiliary Air Force squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. It flew during its existence as a bomber, fighter and reconnaissance unit and was the only RAF squadron to be equipped with the unsuccessful Blackburn Botha torpedo bomber.
No. 166 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron that formed just before the end of World War I. It was the first and one of only three to be equipped with the Handley Page V/1500 heavy bomber.
No. 268 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron raised during the First World War and in the Second World War operated the North American P-51 Mustang on tactical reconnaissance missions over occupied Europe and in support of the D-Day landings.
No. 50 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was formed during the First World War as a home defence fighter squadron, and operated as a bomber squadron during the Second World War and the Cold War. It disbanded for the last time in 1984.