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No. 276 Squadron RAF

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No. 276 Squadron RAF
Active21 October 1941 – 14 November 1945
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Motto(s)Retrieve
Insignia
Squadron BadgeThe head of a labrador Retriever dog
Squadron CodeAQ (October 1941 - November 1945)

No. 276 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as an air-sea rescue unit in World War II.

History

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Formation in World War II

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The squadron formed at RAF Harrowbeer, Devon on 21 October 1941 equipped with the Lysander and Walrus, with the responsibility of Air Sea Rescue over the Western part of the English Channel and the Bristol Channel.[1] Hurricanes, Defiants, Spitfires and Ansons were then supplied, the fighter aircraft being used for spotting downed aircrew at sea and for dropping dinghies to the downed airmen.[2][3] For a time it was commanded by Squadron Leader Ronald Hamlyn.[4]

Warwicks which could drop lifeboats were operated from April 1944 until they were transferred to No. 277 Squadron RAF. A detachment and then the whole squadron relocated to Querqueville, France, and then Belgium following the Normandy landings. The squadron then moved to Kjevik, Norway, on 23 August 1945 and it returned to RAF Dunsfold on 10 November 1945 where it disbanded on 14 November 1945.

Aircraft operated

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Aircraft operated by No. 276 Squadron RAF[5]
From To Aircraft Variant
Oct 1941 May 1943 Westland Lysander IIIA
Nov 1941 Jan 1942 Hawker Hurricane I
Jan 1942 Nov 1945 Supermarine Walrus
Mar 1942 Apr 1942 Supermarine Spitfire IIA
May 1942 Jun 1943 Boulton Paul Defiant I
Feb 1943 May 1944 Supermarine Spitfire IIA
Mar 1943 Mar 1944 Avro Anson I
Feb 1944 May 1944 Supermarine Sea Otter
Apr 1944 Nov 1944 Vickers Warwick I
May 1944 Jun 1945 Supermarine Spitfire VB

References

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  1. ^ Dunnell Aeroplane April 2018, p. 60.
  2. ^ Rawlings 1982, pp. 250–251.
  3. ^ Dunnell Aeroplane April 2018, p. 61.
  4. ^ "The Airmen's Stories – Sgt. R F Hamlyn". Battle of Britain London Monument. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  5. ^ C.G.Jefford (1988). RAF Squadrons. UK Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Dunnell, Ben (April 2018). "'The Sea Shall Not Have Them'". Aeroplane. Vol. 46, no. 4. pp. 60–61. ISSN 0143-7240.
  • Rawlings, John D. R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
  • Thomas, Andrew (6–19 December 1991). "The Retrievers: No.276 Squadron, Royal Air Force". Aviation News. Vol. 20, no. 15. pp. 698–701.
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