No. 680 Squadron RAF
No. 680 Squadron RAF was a photo-reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Air Force, active during the Second World War.
| No. 680 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 February 1943 – 1 September 1946 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Role | Photo-reconnaissance |
| Part of | No. 206 Group RAF, Middle East Command[1] AHQ Egypt, Middle East Command[2] |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | No badge known to have been authorised[3] |
| Squadron Markings | No code(s) are known to have been carried by this squadron[3][4][5] Towards the end of the war Mosquitoes of 680 squadron carried red/white diagonal stripes on their rudders[3] |
History edit
No. 680 Squadron RAF was formed in February 1943 from 'A' Flight of No. 2 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU),[6] equipped with a variety of aircraft including Supermarine Spitfires, Hawker Hurricanes, Bristol Beaufighters and Lockheed Electras. It continued in the photographic reconnaissance role, operating in North Africa and the Mediterranean. In early 1944, the unit converted to Martin Baltimores and de Havilland Mosquitoes, deploying to Sicily and Sardinia later in the year.[7] After the end of the war, 680 Squadron flew surveying missions in the Middle East, before being disbanded by renumbering it to No. 13 Squadron RAF on 1 September 1946.[3][6]
Noted squadron members edit
A well-known Australian actor, Charles "Bud" Tingwell, piloted Spitfires and Mosquitoes with the squadron.
Aircraft operated edit
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 1943 | February 1944 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.I |
| February 1943 | March 1943 | Bristol Beaufighter | Mk.Ic |
| February 1943 | June 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | PR.Mks.IV, V |
| February 1943 | September 1944 | Lockheed Electra | |
| February 1943 | January 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | PR.Mk.IX |
| March 1943 | June 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | PR.Mk.VI |
| March 1943 | December 1944 | Hawker Hurricane | PR.Mk.IIb |
| August 1943 | July 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | PR.XI |
| February 1944 | May 1944 | Martin Baltimore | Mks.IIIa, V |
| February 1944 | July 1944 | Bristol Blenheim | Mk.IV |
| February 1944 | September 1946 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mks.IX & XVI |
| March 1946 | September 1946 | de Havilland Mosquito | PR.34 |
Squadron bases edit
| From | To | Base | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 February 1943 | 25 February 1945 | LG.219 Kilo 8/Matariyah/Payne Field, Egypt | Dets. at Tunisia, Cyprus and Italy |
| 25 February 1945 | 9 July 1946 | RAF Deversoir, Egypt | Dets. at Iran, Iraq and Palestine |
| 9 July 1946 | 1 September 1946 | RAF Ein Shemer, Palestine |
Commanding officers edit
References edit
Notes edit
- ^ Delve 1994, pp. 67 and 76.
- ^ Delve 1994, p. 82.
- ^ a b c d e f g Rawlings 1982, p. 244.
- ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 148.
- ^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 233.
- ^ a b c d Halley 1988, pp. 452–453.
- ^ a b c Jefford 2001, p. 105.
- ^ Bowyer 1984, p. 130.
Bibliography edit
- Bowman, Martin (1999). Mosquito Photo-Reconnaissance Units of World War 2. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-891-7.
- 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.
- 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
- Squadron histories 30 January 2010 at the Wayback Machine at RAF Web
- History of 680 Squadron
- Movement and Equipment records 1 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine