Summary
No. 527 Squadron RAF was a radar calibration unit of the Royal Air Force between 1943 and 1958.
| No. 527 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 15 Jun 1943 – 15 Apr 1946 1 Aug 1952 – 21 Aug 1958[1] |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Role | Radar calibration |
| Part of | No. 60 Group RAF, Fighter Command (43–46)[2] No. 90 (Signals) Group RAF, Home Command (52–58)[3] |
| Motto(s) | Silently we serve[4] |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | In front of a flash of lightning, a crystal[4] |
| Squadron Codes | WN (Jun 1943 – Apr 1946)[5][6] |
History edit
Formation edit
No. 527 Squadron was formed from various calibration flights[7] at RAF Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire on 15 June 1943 for radar calibration duties with Bristol Blenheims and Hawker Hurricanes. The squadron was engaged with the calibration of radar stations in southern England and East Anglia. The need for calibration units lessened considerably in 1944, so the squadron absorbed No. 528 Squadron RAF on 1 September 1944, extending its coverage in the process to Lincolnshire, and No. 526 Squadron RAF on 1 May 1945, adding the de Havilland Hornet Moths, Airspeed Oxfords and de Havilland Dominies of these units to its strength. The squadron standardised hereafter on Spitfires, Wellingtons, Oxfords and Dominies, the latter -old aircraft of 526 Squadron- still being based at RAF Longman, Inverness for communications flying. In November 1945, the squadron moved to RAF Watton, Norfolk where it disbanded on 15 April 1946.[1][4][7]
Reformation edit
The squadron reformed on 1 August 1952 at RAF Watton, when the 'N' and 'R' Calibration Squadrons of the Central Signal Establishment were redesignated to No. 527 Squadron.[4][7] A great variety of types, amongst them Avro Lincolns, Avro Ansons, English Electric Canberras and Gloster Meteors, were flown for high-level calibration[7] until 21 August 1958, when the unit was disbanded by being renumbered to No. 245 Squadron RAF.[1][4][7]
Aircraft operated edit
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 1943 | May 1945 | Bristol Blenheim | Mk.IV |
| June 1943 | April 1944 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.I |
| December 1943 | September 1944 | de Havilland Hornet Moth | |
| February 1944 | April 1945 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIb |
| July 1944 | April 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.Vb |
| September 1944 | April 1946 | Airspeed Oxford | Mk.II |
| April 1945 | April 1946 | Vickers Wellington | Mk.X |
| May 1945 | April 1946 | de Havilland Dominie | Mk.I |
| August 1952 | March 1954 | Avro Anson | C.19 |
| August 1952 | January 1954 | de Havilland Mosquito | B.35 |
| August 1952 | May 1957 | Avro Lincoln | B.2 |
| June 1953 | July 1955 | Gloster Meteor | NF.11 |
| June 1954 | August 1958 | Vickers Varsity | T.1 |
| August 1954 | October 1955 | Gloster Meteor | NF.14 |
| December 1954 | August 1958 | English Electric Canberra | B.2 |
| April 1956 | June 1956 | English Electric Canberra | PR.7 |
| September 1957 | November 1957 | Gloster Meteor | NF.11 |
Squadron bases edit
| From | To | Base | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 June 1943 | 28 February 1944 | RAF Castle Camps, Cambridgeshire | |
| 28 February 1944 | 28 April 1944 | RAF Snailwell, Suffolk | |
| 28 April 1944 | 8 November 1945 | RAF Digby, Lincolnshire | Dets at RAF Longman, Inverness and RAF Tealing, Angus |
| 8 November 1945 | 15 April 1946 | RAF Watton, Norfolk | |
| 1 August 1952 | 21 August 1958 | RAF Watton, Norfolk |
References edit
Notes edit
- ^ a b c d e Jefford 2001, p. 97.
- ^ Delve 1994, p. 79.
- ^ Delve 1994, p. 86.
- ^ a b c d e f g Halley 1988, p. 401.
- ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 109.
- ^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 116.
- ^ a b c d e f g Rawlings 1982, p. 261.
Bibliography edit
- Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
- Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
- Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003). Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
- Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
- Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
- Rawlings, John D.R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
External links edit
- 527 Squadron history on MOD site
- Squadron histories for nos. 521–540 sqn on RafWeb's Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation