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No. 691 Squadron RAF 
Summary
No. 691 Squadron RAF was an Anti-aircraft cooperation squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1949.
| No. 691 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 December 1943 – 11 February 1949 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Type | Inactive |
| Role | Anti-aircraft cooperation |
| Part of | No. 70 Group RAF, Air Defense of Great Britain (1943–1944)[1] No. 11 Group RAF, Fighter Command (1944–1949)[2] |
| Motto(s) | Latin: Volamus Ut Serviamus (Translation: "We fly to serve")[3] |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge | In front of a sword and anchor in saltire, a popinjay[3] |
| Squadron Codes | 5S (Dec 1943 – Feb 1949)[4][5] |
History edit
The squadron was formed on 1 December 1943 at RNAS Roborough from 1623 (anti-aircraft co-operation) Flight.[3][6][7] It was tasked with anti-aircraft co-operation duties in the Plymouth area operating a variety of aircraft in this role. Most of the work was to fly as training targets for Royal Navy ships. The squadron moved a number of times from the end of the war to RAF Exeter, RAF Weston Zoyland, RAF Fairwood Common, and finally to RAF Chivenor. Its existence ended there when it was renumbered to No. 17 Squadron RAF on 11 February 1949.[3][8]
Aircraft operated edit
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 1943 | March 1945 | Fairey Barracuda | Mk.II |
| December 1943 | April 1945 | Boulton Paul Defiant | Mks.I & II |
| December 1943 | March 1944 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.I |
| December 1943 | February 1949 | Airspeed Oxford | Mks. I & II |
| March 1944 | April 1945 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIc |
| April 1945 | May 1947 | Vultee Vengeance | Mk.IV |
| July 1945 | August 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.Vb |
| August 1945 | February 1949 | Miles Martinet | |
| August 1945 | February 1949 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.XVI |
| November 1945 | February 1949 | North American Harvard | Mk.IIb |
Squadron bases edit
| From | To | Name | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 December 1943 | 21 February 1945 | RNAS Roborough, Devon | Formed here |
| 21 February 1945 | 1 August 1945 | RAF Harrowbeer, Devon | |
| 1 August 1945 | 31 January 1946 | RAF Exeter, Devon | |
| 31 January 1946 | 4 October 1946 | RAF Fairwood Common, Glamorgan (now County of Swansea), Wales | |
| July 1946 | 4 October 1946 | RAF Weston Zoyland, Somerset | Detachment |
| 4 October 1946 | 11 February 1949 | RAF Chivenor, Devon | Disbanded here |
See also edit
References edit
Citations edit
- ^ Delve 1994, p. 72.
- ^ Delve 1994, p. 79.
- ^ a b c d e f Halley 1988, p. 457.
- ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, pp. 95–96.
- ^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, pp. 57, 146 and 233.
- ^ Delve 1994, p. 159.
- ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 129.
- ^ a b c Jefford 2001, p. 105.
- ^ a b Rawlings 1982, p. 258.
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.
- Sturtivant, Ray, ISO; Hamlin, John (2007). RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
External links edit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Royal Air Force.
- Nos. 671–1435 Squadron Histories on rafweb Archived 30 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- Aircraft and markings of No. 691 Squadron
- History of No. 691 Squadron