This article lists the order of battle of RAF Coastal Command throughout the Second World War in the European Theatre of World War II.
3 September 1939[]
- No. 15 Group RAF (GR), under command of Air Commodore R.G. Parry, DSO[1]
- No. 16 Group RAF (GR), under command of Air Commodore R.L.G. Marix, DSO[1]
Squadron | Type of Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 22 Squadron RAF | Vickers Vildebeest | RAF Thorney Island |
No. 42 Squadron RAF | Vickers Vildebeest | RAF Bircham Newton |
No. 48 Squadron RAF | Avro Anson | RAF Thorney Island |
No. 206 Squadron RAF | Avro Anson | RAF Bircham Newton |
No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron RAF[2] | Avro Anson | RAF Detling |
- No. 17 Group RAF (T), under command of Air Commodore T.E.B. Howe, CBE, AFC[1][3]
Squadron | Type of aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
Torpedo Training Unit[4] | various | RAF Gosport |
No. 2 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit[5] | various | RAF Gosport |
School of General Reconnaissance[6] | Avro Anson | RAF Thorney Island |
Seaplane Training Squadron[7] | various | RAF Calshot |
- No. 18 Group RAF (GR), under command of Air Vice Marshal C.D. Breese, CB, AFC[1]
Squadron | Type of aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 201 Squadron RAF | Saro London | RAF Sullom Voe |
No. 209 Squadron RAF | Supermarine Stranraer | RAF Invergordon |
No. 220 Squadron RAF | Avro Anson | RAF Thornaby |
No. 224 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Leuchars |
No. 233 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Leuchars |
No. 240 Squadron RAF | Saro London | RAF Invergordon |
No. 269 Squadron RAF | Avro Anson | RAF Montrose |
No. 608 (North Riding) Squadron RAF[8] | Avro Anson | RAF Thornaby |
No. 612 (County of Aberdeen) Squadron RAF[9] | Avro Anson | RAF Dyce |
1 November 1940[]
- No. 15 Group RAF (GR), under command of Air Commodore R.G. Parry, DSO[10]
- No. 16 Group RAF (GR), under command of Air Vice Marshal J.H.S. Tyssen, CB, DSO[10]
Squadron | Type of Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 22 Squadron RAF | Bristol Beaufort | RAF North Coates |
No. 53 Squadron RAF | Bristol Blenheim | RAF Detling |
No. 59 Squadron RAF | Bristol Blenheim | RAF Thorney Island |
No. 206 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Bircham Newton |
No. 220 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Thornaby |
No. 235 Squadron RAF | Bristol Blenheim | RAF Bircham Newton |
No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron RAF[2] | Avro Anson | RAF Detling |
No. 608 (North Riding) Squadron RAF[8] | Avro Anson/Blackburn Botha | RAF Thornaby |
- No. 17 Group RAF (T), under command of Air Commodore T.E.B. Howe, CBE, AFC[10]
Squadron | Type of aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
Torpedo Training Unit[4] | Bristol Beaufort | RAF Abbotsinch |
No. 2 Operational Training Unit | Bristol Blenheim/Avro Anson | RAF Catfoss |
No. 3 Operational Training Unit | various | RAF Chivenor |
No. 1 Coast Artillery Co-operation Unit[12] | Bristol Blenheim | RAF Detling |
No. 2 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit[5] | various | RAF Gosport |
No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF | various | RAF Silloth |
No. 3 School of General Reconnaissance[6] | Blackburn Botha | RAF Squires Gate |
No. 4 Operational Training Unit | various | RAF Stranraer |
- No. 18 Group RAF (GR), under command of Air Vice Marshal C.D. Breese, CB, AFC[10]
Squadron | Type of Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 42 Squadron RAF | Bristol Beaufort | RAF Wick |
No. 98 Squadron RAF | Fairey Battle | RAF Kaldadarnes |
No. 201 Squadron RAF | Short Sunderland | RAF Sullom Voe |
No. 204 Squadron RAF | Short Sunderland | RAF Sullom Voe |
No. 210 Squadron RAF | Short Sunderland | RAF Oban |
No. 224 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Leuchars |
No. 233 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Leuchars |
No. 240 Squadron RAF | Supermarine Stranraer | RAF Stranraer |
No. 248 Squadron RAF | Bristol Blenheim | RAF Dyce |
No. 254 Squadron RAF | Bristol Blenheim | RAF Dyce |
No. 320 (Dutch) Squadron RAF[11] | Avro Anson/Lockheed Hudson | RAF Leuchars |
No. 612 (County of Aberdeen) Squadron RAF[9] | Avro Anson | RAF Dyce |
- No. 200 Group RAF (Coastal), under command of Group Captain A.D. Rogers, CBE, AFC[10]
Squadron | Type of Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 202 Squadron RAF | Saro London/Fairey Swordfish | RAF Gibraltar |
12 February 1942[]
- No. 15 Group RAF (GR), under command of Air Vice Marshal J.M. Robb, CB, DSO, DFC, AFC[13]
Squadron | Type of aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 53 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Limavady |
No. 120 Squadron RAF | Consolidated Liberator | RAF Nutts Corner |
No. 143 Squadron RAF | Bristol Blenheim | RAF Aldergrove |
No. 201 Squadron RAF | Short Sunderland | RAF Castle Archdale |
No. 206 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Aldergrove |
No. 210 Squadron RAF | Consolidated Catalina | RAF Oban |
No. 220 Squadron RAF | Boeing Fortress | RAF Nutts Corner |
No. 228 Squadron RAF | Short Sunderland | RAF Stranraer |
No. 240 Squadron RAF | Consolidated Catalina | RAF Castle Archdale |
No. 1402 (Meteorological) Flight RAF[14] | Supermarine Spitfire/Gloster Gladiator | RAF Aldergrove |
No. 1405 (Meteorological) Flight RAF[14] | Bristol Blenheim/Lockheed Hudson | RAF Aldergrove |
- No. 16 Group RAF (GR), under command of Air Commodore I.T. Lloyd, CBE[13]
Squadron | Type of aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 22 Squadron RAF | Bristol Beaufort | RAF Thorney Island |
No. 59 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF North Coates |
No. 217 Squadron RAF | Bristol Beaufort | RAF Thorney Island |
No. 233 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Thorney Island |
No. 248 Squadron RAF | Bristol Beaufighter | RAF Bircham Newton |
No. 279 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Bircham Newton |
No. 280 Squadron RAF | Avro Anson | RAF Detling |
No. 407 (Demon) Squadron RCAF[15] | Lockheed Hudson | RAF North Coates |
No. 415 (Swordfish) Squadron RCAF[16] | Handley Page Hampden/Bristol Beaufort | RAF Thorney Island |
No. 500 (County of Kent) Squadron RAF[2] | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Bircham Newton |
No. 502 (Ulster) Squadron RAF[2] | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley | RAF Bircham Newton |
No. 1401 (Meteorological) Flight RAF[14] | Bristol Blenheim | RAF Bircham Newton |
No. 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit RAF | Supermarine Spitfire | RAF Benson |
- No. 17 Group RAF (T), under command of Air Commodore H.G. Smart, CBE, DFC, AFC[13]
Squadron | Type of Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
Numerous Training Units | N/A |
- No. 18 Group RAF (GR), under command of Air Vice Marshal A. Durston, CB, AFC[13]
Squadron | Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 42 Squadron RAF | Bristol Beaufort | RAF Leuchars |
No. 48 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Wick |
No. 235 Squadron RAF | Bristol Beaufighter | RAF Dyce |
No. 320 (Dutch) Squadron RAF[11] | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Leuchars |
No. 404 (Buffalo) Squadron RCAF[15] | Bristol Blenheim | RAF Sumburgh |
No. 413 (Tusker) Squadron RCAF[16] | Consolidated Catalina | RAF Sullom Voe |
No. 489 (New Zealand) Squadron RAF[2] | Bristol Blenheim | RAF Leuchars |
No. 608 (North Riding) Squadron RAF[9] | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Wick |
No. 1406 (Meteorological) Flight RAF[14] | Bristol Blenheim | RAF Wick |
No. 1408 (Meteorological) Flight RAF[14] | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Wick |
- No. 19 Group RAF (GR), under command of Air Commodore G.R. Bromet, CBE, DSO[13]
- AHQ Gibraltar, under command of Air Commodore S.P. Simpson, CBE, MC[13]
Squadron | Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 202 Squadron RAF | Short Sunderland/Consolidated Catalina | RAF Gibraltar |
- AHQ Iceland, under command of Air Commodore W.H. Primrose, CBE, DFC[13]
Squadron | Type of Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 269 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Kaldadarnes |
No. 330 (Norwegian) Squadron RAF[18] | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Reykjavik |
No. 612 (County of Aberdeen) Squadron RAF[9] | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley | RAF Reykjavik |
No. 1407 (Meteorological) Flight RAF[14] | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Reykjavik |
VP-73 (United States Navy)[19] | Consolidated PBY Catalina | RAF Reykjavik |
15 February 1943[]
- No. 15 Group RAF under command of Air Vice Marshal T.A. Langford-Sainsbury, OBE, DFC, AFC[20]
Squadron | Type of aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 120 Squadron RAF | Consolidated Liberator | RAF Aldergrove |
No. 201 Squadron RAF | Short Sunderland | RAF Castle Archdale |
No. 206 Squadron RAF | Boeing Fortress | RAF Benbecula |
No. 220 Squadron RAF | Boeing Fortress | RAF Aldergrove |
No. 228 Squadron RAF | Short Sunderland | RAF Castle Archdale |
No. 246 Squadron RAF | Short Sunderland | RAF Bowmore |
No. 407 (Demon) Squadron RCAF[15] | Short Sunderland | RAF Oban |
No. 423 (Canadian) Squadron RCAF[16] | Short Sunderland | RAF Castle Archdale |
No. 1402 (Meteorological) Flight RAF[14] | Gloster Gladiator/Supermarine Spitfire/Lockheed Hudson | RAF Aldergrove |
- No. 16 Group RAF, under command of Air Vice Marshal B.E. Baker, CB, DSO, MC, AFC[20]
- No. 17 Group RAF, under command of Air Commodore H.G. Smart, CBE, DFC, AFC[20]
Squadron | Type of Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
Numerous Training Units | N/A |
- No. 18 Group RAF, under command of Air Vice Marshal A.B. Ellwood, CB, DSC[20]
Squadron | Type of Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 144 Squadron RAF | Bristol Beaufighter | RAF Leuchars |
No. 190 Squadron RAF | Consolidated Catalina | RAF Sullom Voe |
No. 235 Squadron RAF | Bristol Beaufighter | RAF Leuchars |
No. 455 (Australian) Squadron RAF[22] | Handley Page Hampden | RAF Leuchars |
No. 489 (New Zealand) Squadron RAF[2] | Handley Page Hampden | RAF Wick |
No. 540 Squadron RAF | de Havilland Mosquito | RAF Leuchars |
No. 547 Squadron RAF | Vickers Wellington | RAF Tain |
No. 612 (County of Aberdeen) Squadron RAF[9] | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley | RAF Wick |
No. 1406 (Meteorological) Flight RAF[14] | Supermarine Spitfire/Lockheed Hudson | RAF Wick |
No. 1408 (Meteorological) Flight RAF[14] | Handley Page Hampden | RAF Wick |
No. 1477 (Norwegian) Flight RAF[23] | Consolidated Catalina | RAF Woodhaven |
- No. 19 Group RAF, under command of Air Vice Marshal G.R. Bromet, CB, CBE, DSO[20]
- AHQ Gibraltar, under command of Air Commodore S.P. Simpson, CBE, MC[20]
Squadron | Type of aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 48 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Gibraltar (North Front) |
No. 179 Squadron RAF | Vickers Wellington | RAF Gibraltar (North Front) |
No. 202 Squadron RAF | Consolidated Catalina | RAF Gibraltar (Harbour) |
No. 210 Squadron RAF | Consolidated Catalina | RAF Gibraltar (Harbour) |
No. 233 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Gibraltar (North Front) |
No. 544 Squadron RAF | Supermarine Spitfire | RAF Gibraltar (North Front) |
- AHQ Iceland, under command of Air Commodore K.B. Lloyd, AFC[20]
Squadron | Type of Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 120 Squadron RAF | Consolidted Liberator | RAF Reykjavik |
No. 269 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Reykjavik |
No. 330 (Norwegian) Squadron RAF[18] | Northrop N-3PB | RAF Reykjavik |
No. 1407 (Meteorological) Flight RAF[14] | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Reykjavik |
VP-84 United States Navy[19] | Consolidated PBY Catalina | RAF Reykjavik |
6 June 1944[]
- No. 15 Group RAF under command of Air Vice Marshal Sir Leonard Slatter, KBE, CB, DSC, DFC[20]
- No. 16 Group RAF, under command of Air Vice Marshal F.L. Hopps, CB, CBE, AFC[20]
- No. 17 Group RAF, under command of Air Commodore H.G. Smart, CBE, DFC, AFC[20][27]
Squadron | Type of Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No 1674 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF | ||
Numerous Training Units | N/A |
- No. 18 Group RAF, under command of Air Vice Marshal S.P. Simpson, CB, CBE, MC[20]
Squadron | Type of Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 86 Squadron RAF | Consolidated Liberator | RAF Tain |
No. 210 Squadron RAF | Consolidated Catalina | RAF Sullom Voe |
No. 281 Squadron RAF | Vickers Warwick (ASR) | RAF Gt Orton/RAF Wick/RAF Sumburgh (Dets.) |
No. 330 Squadron RAF | Short Sunderland | RAF Sullom Voe |
No. 333 Squadron RAF | de Havilland Mosquito/Consolidated Catalina | RAF Sumburgh/RAF Leuchars/RAF Woodhaven |
No. 521 (Meteorological) Squadron RAF | Lockheed Ventura/Supermarine Spitfire | RAF Skitten |
No. 1693 (General Reconnaissance) Flight RAF[28] | Avro Anson | RAF Wick |
- No. 19 Group RAF, under command of Air Vice Marshal B.E. Baker, CB, DSO, MC, AFC[20]
- No. 106 Group RAF, under command of Air Commodore J.N. Boothman, CB, DFC, AFC[20]
Squadron | Type of aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 540 Squadron RAF | de Havilland Mosquito | RAF Benson |
No. 541 Squadron RAF | Supermarine Spitfire | RAF Benson (Det. at RAF St Eval) |
No. 542 Squadron RAF | Supermarine Spitfire | RAF Benson |
No. 544 Squadron RAF | de Havilland Mosquito | RAF Benson |
- No. 247 Group RAF, under command of Air Vice Marshal G.R. Bromet, CB, CBE, DSO[20]
Squadron | Type of aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 220 Squadron RAF | Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress | RAF Lagens, Azores |
No. 269 Squadron RAF | Lockheed Hudson/Supermarine Walrus/Supermarine Spitfire | RAF Lagens, Azores |
- AHQ Gibraltar, under command of Air Vice Marshal W. Elliott, CB, CBE, DFC[20]
Squadron | Type of aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 202 Squadron RAF | Consolidated Catalina | RAF Gibraltar (New Camp) |
No. 520 Squadron RAF | Handley Page Halifax/Gloster Gladiator (Met) | RAF Gibraltar (North Front) |
- AHQ Iceland, under command of Air Commodore C.G. Wigglesworth, AFC[20]
Squadron | Type of Aircraft | Station |
---|---|---|
No. 162 Squadron RCAF | Consolidted Canso | Skerja Fjord, Reykjavík |
No. 1407 (Meteorological) Flight RAF[14] | Lockheed Hudson | RAF Reykjavik |
References[]
- Footnotes
- Citations
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Ashworth 1992, Appendix II
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 Lake 1999, p. 264.
- ↑ Delve 1994, p. 51.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lake 1999, p. 282.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lake 1999, pp. 29-30.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lake 1999, p. 182.
- ↑ Lake 1999, p. 183.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Lake 1999, p. 270.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Lake 1999, pp. 270-271.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 Ashworth 1992, Appendix III
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Lake 1999, p. 256.
- ↑ Lake 1999, p. 48.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 Ashworth 1992, Appendix IV
- ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 Lake 1999, p. 87.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 Lake 1999, p. 259.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 Lake 1999, p. 260.
- ↑ Lake 1999, pp. 87-88.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Lake 1999, p. 257.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_PBY_catalina_US_service.html
- ↑ 20.00 20.01 20.02 20.03 20.04 20.05 20.06 20.07 20.08 20.09 20.10 20.11 20.12 20.13 20.14 20.15 Ashworth 1992, Appendix V
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Matusiak 2007, p. 21.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Lake 1999, p. 262.
- ↑ Lake 1999, p. 90.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Lake 1999, p. 255.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 Lake 1999, pp. 255-256.
- ↑ Lake 1999, p. 146.
- ↑ See also Order of battle 6 June 1944, including Nos 4,5,6,7,9, 131, 132 OTUs and . [1].
- ↑ Lake 1999, p. 99.
- Bibliography
- Ashworth, Chris. RAF Coastal Command: 1936-1969. Patrick Stephens Ltd. 1992. ISBN 1-85260-345-3
- Blumenson, Martin & Greenfield, Ken. Command Decisions. United States Government Printing. 1984. ISBN 978-0-16-001912-8
- Buckley, John. The RAF and Trade Defence, 1919-1945: Constant Endeavour. Ryburn Publishing. 1995. ISBN 1-85331-069-7
- Buckley, John. Air Power in the Age of Total War. UCL Press. 1998. ISBN 1-85728-589-1.
- Blair, Clay. Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939-1942 Cassel & Co. 1996. ISBN 0-304-35260-8
- Blair, Clay. Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunted 1942-1945. Cassel & Co. 1996. ISBN 0-304-35261-6
- Bowyer, Chaz. Coastal Command at War. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-7110-0980-5.
- Corum, James. The Luftwaffe: Creating the Operational Air War, 1918-1940. Kansas University Press. 1997. ISBN 978-0-7006-0836-2
- de la Ferté, Philiip Joubert. The Birds and the Fishes: The Story of Coastal Command. Hutchinson. 1960. (No ISBN)
- Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 1994. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
- Forczyk, Robert. Fw 200 Condor Vs Atlantic Convoys, 1941-1943. Osprey Publications. 2010. ISBN 978-1-84603-917-1
- Goulter, Christina. A Forgotten Offensive: Royal Air Force Coastal Command's Anti-Shipping Campaign, 1940-1945. Frank & Cass. London. 2005. ISBN 0-7146-4147-2.
- Hendrie, Andrew. The Cinderella Service: RAF Coastal Command 1939-1945. Pen & Sword Aviation. 2006. ISBN 978-1-84415-346-6.
- Hyde, H. Montgomery. British Air Policy Between the Wars, 1918-1939 Heineman 1977. ISBN 434 -47983-7
- Lake, Alan. Flying Units of the RAF: The ancestry, formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
- March, Daniel J. British Warplanes of World War II. Rochester, Kent, UK: Grange Books, 1998. ISBN 1-84013-391-0.
- Matusiak, Wojtek. Merlin PR Spitfires (Classic Warbirds No. 10). Wellington, New Zealand: Ventura Publications, 2007. ISBN 0-9582296-2-7.
- Nesbit, Roy Conyers. Coastal Command in Action, 1939-1945. Budding Books. 2000 (2nd Edition). ISBN 1-84015-112-9
- Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London, Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
- Saunders, Hilary Aidan St. George and Denis Richards. Royal Air Force, 1939-1945. Volume III: The Fight is Won. Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1975. ISBN 0-11-771594-8.
- Terraine, John. Business in Great Waters: The U-Boat Wars, 1916-1945. Leo Cooper. London. 1989. ISBN 0-85052-760-0
External links[]
The original article can be found at RAF Coastal Command order of battle during World War II and the edit history here.