No. 582 Squadron RAF

No. 582 Squadron RAF
No. 582 Squadron RAF
Active 1 April 1944 - 10 September 1945
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Air Force
Type Inactive
Role Pathfinder Bomber squadron
Part of no. 8 Group RAF, Bomber Command
Motto Latin: Praevolamus designates
{Translation: "We fly before marking")[1][2]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry On a hurt three mullets in a bend fimbriated[2]
A hurt represents the night sky while the three mullets, in the colours of flares used, symbolise the squadron's target-marking role[1]
Squadron Codes 6O (Apr 1944 - Sep 1945)[3][4]
Aircraft flown
Bomber Avro Lancaster
Four-engined heavy bomber

No. 582 Squadron RAF was a bomber pathfinder squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

Contents

History

The squadron was formed with Avro Lancasters on 1 April 1944 at RAF Little Staughton, Huntingdonshire, England, from 'C' Flight of 7 Squadron and 'C' Flight 156 Squadron. It was part of No. 8 Group RAF, also referred to as the Pathfinder Force, and began operation nine days later with a night raid on Lille on the 9/10 April 1944.[5] The squadron last finished operational raid against enemy forces was a raid on gun batteries on the island of Wangerooge on the 25th April 1945. The squadron spent the remainder of the war dropping food to the Dutch, during Operation Manna, and the repatriation of Prisoners of War, Operation Exodus[1]. It was disbanded at RAF Little Staughton on 10 September 1945.

Notable squadron members

During a raid on 23 February 1945, Captain Edwin Swales, a South African, won a posthumous Victoria Cross over Pforzheim.[6]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 582 Squadron RAF, data from[2][5][7]
From To Aircraft Version
April 1944 September 1945 Avro Lancaster Mks.I & III

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by no 582 Squadron RAF, data from[2][5][7]
From To Base
1 April 1944 10 September 1945 RAF Little Staughton, Huntingdonshire

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Moyes 1976, p. 270.
  2. ^ a b c d Halley 1988, p. 414.
  3. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 81.
  4. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 60.
  5. ^ a b c Moyes 1976, p. 271.
  6. ^ Moyes 1976, p. 359.
  7. ^ a b Jefford 2001, p. 98.

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Duke, Alex. Odd Man Out: Geordie Coalminer to Pathfinder Air-Gunner. Hailsham, East Sussex, UK: J&KH Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-90051-187-8.
  • Feast, Sean. Heroic Endeavour: The Remarkable Story Of One Pathfinder Force Attack, A Victoria Cross And 206 Brave Men. London: Grubb Street, 2006. ISBN 1-90494-351-9.
  • Feast, Sean. Master Bombers - The Experiences of a Pathfinder Squadron at War 1944-1945. London: Grubb Street, 2008. ISBN 1-90650-201-3.
  • Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE,BA,RAF (Retd). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's, 1964 (2nd edition 1976). ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
  • Stocker, Flt Lt Ted, DSO, DFC A Pathfinders war: An extraordinary tale of surviving over 100 bomber operations against all odds''. London: Grubb Street, 2009. ISBN 1-906502-52-2.

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • No. 550 Squadron RAF — Active 25 Nov 1943 31 Oct 1945 Country United Kingdom …   Wikipedia

  • No. 16 Squadron RAF — Active 10 February 1915 – Present Role Elementary Flying Training …   Wikipedia

  • No. 41 Squadron RAF — Official Squadron Badge of No. 41 Squadron RAF Active 14 July 1916 Country …   Wikipedia

  • No. 46 Squadron RAF — No. 46 Squadron Active 19 April 1916 31 August 1975 Country United Kingdom Branch Royal Air Force Size squadron No. 46 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps …   Wikipedia

  • No. 269 Squadron RAF — The official No. 269 Squadron badge Active 6 October 1918 – 15 November 1919 7 December 1936 – 10 March 1946 1 January 1952 – 24 M …   Wikipedia

  • No. 207 Squadron RAF — Active 31 Dec 1916 (RNAS) 20 Jan 1920 1 Feb 1920 19 Apr 1940 1 Nov 1940 1 Mar 1950 4 Jun 1951 27 Mar 1956 1 Apr 1956 1 May 1965 3 Feb 1969 30 Jun 1984 12 Jul 2002 present[1][2] …   Wikipedia

  • No. 99 Squadron RAF — No. 99 Squadron Royal Air Force Official squadron crest for no. 99 squadron RAF Active 15 Aug 1917 2 Apr 1920 1 Apr 1924 15 Nov 1945 17 Nov 1947 7 Jan 1976 1 Jan 2002 Present Day …   Wikipedia

  • No. 6 Squadron RAF — Active 31 January 1914 Role Quick Reaction Alert Garrison/HQ …   Wikipedia

  • No. 1 Squadron RAF — Official Squadron Badge of No. 1 Squadron RAF Active 1 April 1911 (RE), 13 May 1912 (RFC), 1 April 1918 (RAF) to 1 Novemb …   Wikipedia

  • No. 2 Squadron RAF — No. II (AC) Squadron Active 13 May 1912 …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”