Latin: Carpe Diem (Translation: "Seize the opportunity" or "Pluck the day")[2][3]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry
A merlin, wings inverted and addorsed, preying on a serpent[3] The squadron had its aircraft fitted with Merlin engines and the badge is symbolic of the unit seeking out and destroying its prey[2]
576 Squadron was formed on 25 November 1943 at RAF Elsham Wolds in Lincolnshire under the command of Wing Commander G.T.B Clayton DFC. "A" Flight was formed under Squadron Leader Dilworth and composed of 4 experienced aircrews drawn from 101 Squadron, with the remainder drawn from the Group 1 Heavy Conversion Units. "B" Flight was formed under Squadron Leader Attwater and consisted of 13 experienced aircrew and 9 aircraft from "C" Flight of 103 squadron.
576 Squadron commenced operations in the night of 2/3 December 1943, when seven Avro Lancasters were sent out to bomb Berlin.[6] FSGT John Booth RAAF and crew in UL-R2 (W4123) failed to return from this operation. Eleven months later 576 Squadron moved to RAF Fiskerton, a little way outside Lincoln. During its brief period of existence 576 Squadron operated only one type of aircraft, the Avro Lancaster four-engined heavy bomber. It carried out 2,788 operation sorties with the Lancaster, with the loss of 66 aircraft.[7] The last bombs of the squadron were dropped on 25 April 1945, when 23 of the squadrons aircraft bombed Obersalzberg with no loss of personnel. During this period, 576 Squadron flew 2,788 operational sorties; 67 aircraft were lost, including two abandoned over France in February 1945. The Jamaican airman Billy Strachan, who would later become a pioneer of black civil rights in Britain, flew 15 operations as the pilot of an Avro Lancaster with the squadron.[8]
576 then took part in Operation Manna - the dropping of food supplies to the Dutch; Operation Exodus - repatriation of British ex-POWs to Great Britain; Operation Post Mortem - testing the efficiency of captured German early-warning radar; and Operation Dodge-the transport of British troops to Great Britain from Italy. 576 Squadron's last operation was part of Operation Manna in which 28 aircraft were detailed to drop food to the starving Dutch people in Rotterdam on 7 May 1945.[6]
576 Squadron was disbanded at Fiskerton on 13 September 1945.
Aircraft operatededit
Aircraft operated by no. 576 Squadron, data from[3][6][9]
Four of the Lancasters that flew with 576 squadron managed to survive one hundred operations or more:
No. 576 Squadron RAF aircraft with the most number of operations, data from[10]
Serial no.
Name
Operations
Call-sign
Fate
Remarks
ED888
"Mike Squared"
140
UL-V2, UL-M2
Struck off charge, 8 January 1947
Flew 140 missions in total, initially with No. 103 Squadron RAF from April 1943, and then with 576 Squadron. The aircraft was returned to 103 Squadron when 576 moved to RAF Fiskerton and was re-coded PM-M2. This is the code which she is traditionally shown in, however most of her 140 operations were flown while at 576 Squadron.[11][12]
Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN0-85059-364-6.
Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN1-85310-451-5.
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. ISBN1-84037-281-8.
Franks, Norman (1994). Claims to Fame: The Lancaster. London: Arms and Armour Press. ISBN1-85409-220-0.
Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN0-85130-164-9.
Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN1-85310-053-6.
Moyes, Philip J.R. (1976). Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN0-354-01027-1.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to No. 576 Squadron RAF.
576 squadron history on old MOD site
576 Squadron RAF website
January 01, 1970
squadron, royal, force, second, world, heavy, bomber, squadron, squadron, avro, lancaster, fiskerton, 1945active25, 1943, 1945countryunited, kingdombranchroyal, forcerolebomber, squadronpart, ofno, group, bomber, command, motto, latin, carpe, diem, translation. No 576 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Second World War heavy bomber squadron No 576 Squadron RAF576 Squadron Avro Lancaster at RAF Fiskerton 1945Active25 Nov 1943 13 Sep 1945CountryUnited KingdomBranchRoyal Air ForceRoleBomber squadronPart ofNo 1 Group RAF Bomber Command 1 Motto s Latin Carpe Diem Translation Seize the opportunity or Pluck the day 2 3 InsigniaSquadron Badge heraldryA merlin wings inverted and addorsed preying on a serpent 3 The squadron had its aircraft fitted with Merlin engines and the badge is symbolic of the unit seeking out and destroying its prey 2 Squadron CodesUL Nov 1943 Sep 1945 4 5 Aircraft flownBomberAvro Lancaster Four engined heavy bomber Contents 1 History 2 Aircraft operated 2 1 Notable aircraft 3 Squadron bases 4 References 4 1 Notes 4 2 Bibliography 5 External linksHistory edit576 Squadron was formed on 25 November 1943 at RAF Elsham Wolds in Lincolnshire under the command of Wing Commander G T B Clayton DFC A Flight was formed under Squadron Leader Dilworth and composed of 4 experienced aircrews drawn from 101 Squadron with the remainder drawn from the Group 1 Heavy Conversion Units B Flight was formed under Squadron Leader Attwater and consisted of 13 experienced aircrew and 9 aircraft from C Flight of 103 squadron 576 Squadron commenced operations in the night of 2 3 December 1943 when seven Avro Lancasters were sent out to bomb Berlin 6 FSGT John Booth RAAF and crew in UL R2 W4123 failed to return from this operation Eleven months later 576 Squadron moved to RAF Fiskerton a little way outside Lincoln During its brief period of existence 576 Squadron operated only one type of aircraft the Avro Lancaster four engined heavy bomber It carried out 2 788 operation sorties with the Lancaster with the loss of 66 aircraft 7 The last bombs of the squadron were dropped on 25 April 1945 when 23 of the squadrons aircraft bombed Obersalzberg with no loss of personnel During this period 576 Squadron flew 2 788 operational sorties 67 aircraft were lost including two abandoned over France in February 1945 The Jamaican airman Billy Strachan who would later become a pioneer of black civil rights in Britain flew 15 operations as the pilot of an Avro Lancaster with the squadron 8 576 then took part in Operation Manna the dropping of food supplies to the Dutch Operation Exodus repatriation of British ex POWs to Great Britain Operation Post Mortem testing the efficiency of captured German early warning radar and Operation Dodge the transport of British troops to Great Britain from Italy 576 Squadron s last operation was part of Operation Manna in which 28 aircraft were detailed to drop food to the starving Dutch people in Rotterdam on 7 May 1945 6 576 Squadron was disbanded at Fiskerton on 13 September 1945 Aircraft operated editAircraft operated by no 576 Squadron data from 3 6 9 From To Aircraft Version November 1943 September 1945 Avro Lancaster Mks I III Notable aircraft edit Four of the Lancasters that flew with 576 squadron managed to survive one hundred operations or more No 576 Squadron RAF aircraft with the most number of operations data from 10 Serial no Name Operations Call sign Fate Remarks ED888 Mike Squared 140 UL V2 UL M2 Struck off charge 8 January 1947 Flew 140 missions in total initially with No 103 Squadron RAF from April 1943 and then with 576 Squadron The aircraft was returned to 103 Squadron when 576 moved to RAF Fiskerton and was re coded PM M2 This is the code which she is traditionally shown in however most of her 140 operations were flown while at 576 Squadron 11 12 ME801 Nan 114 UL C2 UL N2 Struck off charge 16 October 1945 13 LM594 A Able 104 UL G2 UL A2 Struck off charge 13 February 1947 14 LM227 Item 100 UL I2 Struck off charge 16 October 1945 15 Squadron bases editBases and airfields used by no 576 Squadron data from 3 9 16 From To Base 25 November 1943 31 October 1944 RAF Elsham Wolds Lincolnshire 31 October 1944 13 September 1945 RAF Fiskerton LincolnshireReferences editNotes edit Delve 1994 pp 68 77 a b Moyes 1976 p 269 a b c d Halley 1988 p 413 Bowyer amp Rawlings 1979 p 101 Flintham amp Thomas 2003 p 109 a b c Moyes 1976 p 270 Falconer 2003 p 256 Horsley David 23 May 2019 Billy Strachan s was a remarkable life Islington Tribune Archived from the original on 7 May 2023 Retrieved 7 May 2023 a b Jefford 2001 p 98 Moyes 1976 p 362 ED888 Mother Mike Squared Build the Lancaster Hachette Partworks 2011 Franks 1994 pp 72 78 Franks 1994 pp 154 158 Franks 1994 pp 141 144 Franks 1994 pp 130 134 Moyes 1976 pp 269 270 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 Franks Norman 1994 Claims to Fame The Lancaster London Arms and Armour Press ISBN 1 85409 220 0 Halley James J 1988 The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force amp Commonwealth 1918 1988 Tonbridge Kent UK Air Britain Historians Ltd ISBN 0 85130 164 9 Falconer Jonathan 2003 Bomber Command Handbook 1939 1945 Stroud England Sutton Publishing ISBN 0 7509 3171 X Jefford C G 2001 RAF Squadrons a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 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 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to No 576 Squadron RAF 576 squadron history on old MOD site Squadron histories for nos 541 598 sqn on RafWeb s Air of Authority A History of RAF Organisation 576 Squadron RAF website Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title No 576 Squadron RAF amp oldid 1211257094, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
