- No. 548 Squadron RAF
-
No. 548 Squadron RAF Nil Badge Active 15 Dec 1943 - 31 Oct 1945[1] Country United Kingdom Branch Royal Air Force Insignia Squadron Codes TS (Apr 1944 - Oct 1945)[2][3] No. 548 Squadron RAF was a fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1943 to 1945.
Contents
History
The squadron was formed at Lawnton, near Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on 15 December 1943[4] to provide air defence duties with Spitfires, as the RAAF Kittyhawks were inadequate for interception missions.[4][5] The first months were spent training with Wirraways and de Havilland Tiger Moths, but in April 1944 the squadrons Spitfire's arrived.[6] The squadron was made up of RAF Aircrew and RAAF Groundstaff. On 15 June 1944 the squadron moved initially to Livingstone Airfield and Strauss Airfield in Northern Territory, Australia. The squadron was then relocated in October 1944 to Parap Airfield, at Darwin, Northern Territory.
Only two operations were undertaken by the squadron before the Japanese surrender. A sweep was conducted over Selaru Island, 300 miles north of Darwin, on 5 September 1944 and the airfield at Cape Chater, Timor was attacked on 3 June 1945. The squadron was disbanded according to some sources at Parap Airfield (Darwin/Civil), Northern Territory[4][6] on 9 October 1945 -but a more recent source states 31 October at Melbourne, Victoria[1]- and the RAF personnel returned to the United Kingdom.
Aircraft operated
Aircraft operatedby no. 548 Squadron RAF, data from[1][4][6] From To Aircraft Version Remark December 1943 April 1944 CAC Wirraway For training December 1943 April 1944 de Havilland Tiger Moth For training April 1944 October 1945 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VIII Tropicalised Squadron bases
Bases and airfields used by no. 548 Squadron RAF, data from[1][4][6][7] From To Base Remark 15 December 1943 19 January 1944 Lawnton Airfield, Queensland 19 January 1944 25 May 1944 Petrie Airfield, Strathpine, Queensland 25 May 1944 15 June 1944 RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland Det. at RAAF Base Townsville, Queensland 15 June 1944 22 October 1944 Livingstone Airfield, Northern Territory Dets. at Strauss Airfield, Northern Territory
and at Truscott Airfield, West Australia22 October 1944 23 September 1945 Parap Airfield (Darwin/Civil), Darwin, Northern Territory Det. at Truscott Airfield, West Australia 23 September 1945 31 October 1945 RAAF Base Melbourne (No. 1 PD), Victoria Commanding officers
Officers commanding no. 548 Squadron RAF, data from[6] From To Name January 1944 July 1944 S/Ldr. W.H.A. Wright July 1944 February 1945 S/Ldr. R.A. Watts February 1945 October 1945 S/Ldr. E.D. Glaser See also
References
Notes
- ^ a b c d Jefford 2001, p. 98.
- ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 99.
- ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 108.
- ^ a b c d e Halley 1988, p. 409.
- ^ RAF – Squadron history.
- ^ a b c d e Rawlings 1978, p. 467.
- ^ Jefford 2001, p. 275.
Bibliography
- Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
- Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1994. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
- 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, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
- Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald & Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (2nd edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
External links
- The history of No 458 squadron at raf.mod.uk
- Squadron history at rafweb.org
- 712 Squadron Australia Air Force Cadets Information
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