No._627_Squadron_RAF Knowpia

No. 627 Squadron RAF
No. 627 Squadron RAF
	Official Squadron badge of No. 627 Squadron RAF
Active	12 November 1943 – 1 October 1945
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Pathfinder Bomber Squadron
Motto(s)	At First Sight
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	A hawk diving, holding in the beak a firebrand; The badge symbolises two of the unit's wartime functions - high-level bombing and target marking for the main heavy bomber force.
Squadron Codes	AZ (November 1943 – October 1945)
Aircraft flown
Bomber	de Havilland Mosquito; Twin-engined light fighter-bomber

No. 627 Squadron was a Royal Air Force Mosquito aircraft pathfinder bomber squadron that operated during the Second World War.^[2]

History edit

The squadron was formed on 12 November 1943 at RAF Oakington from part of 139 Squadron.^[5] It was equipped with the de Havilland Mosquito twin-engined fighter-bomber it flew operations as part of No. 8 Group's light bomber force.^[6] As well as normal bombing missions it also carried out Pathfinder duties and was involved in attacks on Berlin in early 1944.^[6] In April 1944 it was transferred to No. 5 Group as a specialised target marking squadron, although it also carried out armed reconnaissance and normal bombing duties.^[6] It was disbanded on 1 October 1945 at RAF Woodhall Spa when it was re-numbered 109 Squadron.^[2]^[5]^[6]

Aircraft operated edit

Aircraft operated by No. 627 Squadron RAF^[2]^[5]
From	To	Aircraft	Variant
November 1943	September 1945	De Havilland Mosquito	Mk.IV
July 1944	September 1945	De Havilland Mosquito	Mk.XX
October 1944	September 1945	De Havilland Mosquito	Mk.XXV
March 1945	September 1945	De Havilland Mosquito	Mk.XVI

Squadron bases edit

The Blue Bell. A Lincolnshire country inn with a history dating back to ca.1250. Reputedly haunted, visited by King Henry VIII and popular with 617 and 627 squadrons RAF during the war.

Bases and airfields used by No. 627 Squadron RAF^[1]^[2]^[5]
From	To	Base
November 1943	April 1944	RAF Oakington, Cambridgeshire
April 1944	September 1945	RAF Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire

Commanding officers edit

Officers commanding No. 627 squadron^[7]^[8]
From	To	Name
13 November 1943	3 June 1944	W/Cdr. R.P. Elliott, DSO, DFC*
3 June 1944	22 January 1945	W/Cdr. G.W. Curry, DSO, DFC*
22 January 1945	17 March 1945	W/Cdr. B.R.W. Hallows, DFC
10 April 1945	1 June 1945	W/Cdr. R. Kingsford-Smith, DSO, DFC, RAAF
1 June 1945	30 September 1945	W/Cdr. C. W. Scott AFC, RNZAF

References edit

Notes edit

^ ^a ^b ^c Moyes 1976, p. 288.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Halley 1988, p. 441.
^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 19.
^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 64.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Jefford 2001, p. 102.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Orbis 1985, p. 4257.
^ Bowyer 1984, p. 128.
^ Webb 1991, p. xii.

Bibliography edit

Bowyer, Chaz (1984). Mosquito Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 0-7110-1425-6.
Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
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.
Moyes, Philip J.R. (1976). Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
Ward, Cris (1998). Royal Air Force Bomber Command Squadron Profiles, Number 123: 627 Squadron. "At First Sight". Berkshire, UK: Ward Publishing.
Webb, Alan B. (1991). At First Sight: A Factual and Anecdotal Account of No.627 Squadron Royal Air Force 1943-1945. St.Albans, UK: The Mosquito Aircraft Museum. ISBN 0-9517534-0-1.
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing.