No. 527 Squadron RAF

No. 527 Squadron RAF
Active 15 Jun 1943 – 15 Apr 1946
1 Aug 1952 – 21 Aug 1958[1]
Country United Kingdom 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]

No. 527 Squadron RAF was a radar calibration unit of the Royal Air Force between 1943 and 1958.

History

Formation

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

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

Aircraft operated by No. 527 Squadron RAF, data from[1][4][7]
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

Bases and airfields used by No. 527 Squadron RAF, data from[1][4][7]
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

Notes

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens, 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1994. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
  • Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians), 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF(Retd.). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company, 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
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