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No. 548 Squadron RAF

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No. 548 Squadron RAF
Active15 Dec 1943 – 31 Oct 1945[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Insignia
Squadron CodesTS (Apr 1944 – Oct 1945)[2][3]

No. 548 Squadron RAF was a fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force (RAF) from 1943 to 1945.

History

The squadron was formed at Lawnton, near Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on 15 December 1943[4] to provide air defence duties with Spitfires, as the RAAF Kittyhawks were inadequate for interception missions.[4][5] It was first formed under the command of Dave Glaser. The first months were spent training with Wirraways and de Havilland Tiger Moths, but in April 1944 the squadrons Spitfire's arrived.[6] The squadron was made up of RAF Aircrew and RAAF Groundstaff. On 15 June 1944 the squadron moved initially to Livingstone Airfield and Strauss Airfield in Northern Territory, Australia. The squadron was then relocated in October 1944 to Parap Airfield, at Darwin, Northern Territory.

Only two operations were undertaken by the squadron before the Japanese surrender. A sweep was conducted over Selaru Island, 300 miles north of Darwin, on 5 September 1944 and the airfield at Cape Chater, Timor was attacked on 3 June 1945. The squadron was disbanded according to some sources at Parap Airfield (Darwin/Civil), Northern Territory[4][6] on 9 October 1945 -but a more recent source states 31 October at Melbourne, Victoria[1]- and the RAF personnel returned to the United Kingdom.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by No. 548 Squadron RAF[1][4][6]
From To Aircraft Version Remarks
December 1943 April 1944 CAC Wirraway For training
December 1943 April 1944 de Havilland Tiger Moth For training
April 1944 October 1945 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VIII Tropicalised

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by No. 548 Squadron RAF[1][4][6][7]
From To Base Remarks
15 December 1943 19 January 1944 Lawnton Airfield, Queensland
19 January 1944 25 May 1944 Petrie Airfield, Strathpine, Queensland
25 May 1944 15 June 1944 RAAF Base Amberley, Queensland Det. at RAAF Base Townsville, Queensland
15 June 1944 22 October 1944 Livingstone Airfield, Northern Territory Dets. at Strauss Airfield, Northern Territory
and at Truscott Airfield, Western Australia
22 October 1944 23 September 1945 Parap Airfield (Darwin/Civil), Darwin, Northern Territory Det. at Truscott Airfield, Western Australia
23 September 1945 31 October 1945 RAAF Base Melbourne (No. 1 PD), Victoria

Commanding officers

Officers commanding No. 548 Squadron RAF[6]
From To Name
January 1944 July 1944 S/Ldr. W.H.A. Wright
July 1944 February 1945 S/Ldr. R.A. Watts
February 1945 October 1945 S/Ldr. E.D. Glaser

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d Jefford 2001, p. 98.
  2. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 99.
  3. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 108.
  4. ^ a b c d e Halley 1988, p. 409.
  5. ^ RAF – Squadron history.
  6. ^ a b c d e Rawlings 1978, p. 467.
  7. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 275.

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 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 Ltd., 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) Ltd., 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. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald & Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (2nd edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
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