| No. 185 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active |
21 October 1918 – 14 April 1919 1 March 1938 – 17 May 1940 12 May 1941 – 14 August 1945 15 September 1951 - 1 May 1953 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch |
 Royal Air Force |
| Motto(s) | Maltese: Ara fejn hu (Look where it is). |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge | A griffin in front of a Maltese Cross. |
| Squadron Codes |
ZM (Apr 1939 - Sep 1939) GL (Sep 1939 - Apr 1940, May 1942 - Aug 1945) |
No. 185 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed in World War I and reformed as a bomber and fighter unit in World War II. It then reformed in Malta in the post war period as a jet fighter squadron.
History[]
Formation and World War I[]
No. 185 Squadron was formed in East Fortune, East Lothian, Scotland on 21 August 1918 and was equipped with Sopwith Cuckoo torpedo-bomber aircraft, it did not become operational and disbanded on 14 April 1919.
Reformation in World War II[]
The squadron reformed on 1 March 1938 at RAF Abingdon and was supplied with Harts, then Battles. It then operated from RAF Cottesmore as a bomber squadron equipped with Hampdens after having a training role. The squadron was absorbed into an OTU on 8 April 1940 before re-forming in Malta on 12 May 1941 as a fighter squadron. It disbanded in 14 August 1945.
Postwar period[]
The squadron reformed on 15 September 1951 at Hal Far, Malta and was equipped with Vampires. It moved to Iraq in October 1952 and it finally disbanded there on 1 May 1953.
Aircraft operated[]
185 Sqn Hurricane IIs at RAF Hal Far, in September 1941.
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1918 | Apr 1919 | Sopwith Cuckoo | |
| Mar 1938 | Jul 1938 | Hawker Hind | |
| Jun 1938 | Jun 1939 | Fairey Battle | |
| Jun 1939 | Apr 1940 | Handley Page Hampden | |
| Aug 1939 | Apr 1940 | Handley Page Hereford | |
| Aug 1939 | Apr 1940 | Avro Anson | I |
| Apr 1940 | May 1940 | Handley Page Hampden | |
| May 1941 | Jun 1942 | Hawker Hurricane | I |
| May 1941 | Jun 1942 | Hawker Hurricane | IIA & IIC |
| May 1942 | Sep 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | VC |
| Jun 1943 | Jul 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | IX |
| Aug 1944 | Sep 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | VIII |
| Sep 1944 | Aug 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | IX |
| Mar 1945 | Apr 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | VIII |
| Sep 1951 | May 1953 | de Havilland Vampire | FB.5 |
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to No. 185 Squadron RAF. |
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The original article can be found at No. 185 Squadron RAF and the edit history here.