No. 515 Squadron RAF

No. 515 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force formed during the Second World War. It ushered in Electronic countermeasures (ECM) warfare, jamming enemy radar installations from October 1942 as the only such squadron in the RAF initially. Later in the war 515 Sqn was joined by other squadrons as part of No. 100 Group RAF. The squadron disbanded after VE day, when the need for such a specialised squadron had reduced.

No. 515 Squadron RAF
Active1 Oct 1942 – 10 Jun 1945
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleElectronic countermeasures
Part ofNo. 11 Group RAF, Fighter Command
No. 100 Group RAF, Bomber Command
Motto(s)Latin: Cleriter ferite ut hostes nacesit
(Translation: "Strike quickly to kill the enemy")[1][2]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryA gauntlet holding a winged dagger in bend sinister, trusting to the dexter[1][2]
Squadron Codes3P (Feb 1944 – Jun 1945)[3][4]

History

Fighter Command

The squadron was formed from Defiant Flight, also known as Special Duties Flight – an electronic countermeasuress unit equipped with the Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.II – at RAF Northolt on 1 October 1942,[5] It moved to RAF Heston later that month. As part of 11 Group, 515 Sqn performed radar jamming duties, using Moonshine and Mandrel equipment.

From May 1943, 515 Sqn re-equipped with the Bristol Beaufighter Mk.IIF.

Bomber Command

The squadron transferred to No. 100 Group RAF in December 1943 as part of Bomber Command, and moved to RAF Little Snoring in Norfolk. There they re-equipped with de Havilland Mosquito Mk.VIs in March 1944, and operated these for the remainder of the war. At the time of its disbandment on 10 June 1945, 515 squadron had carried out 1,366 operational sorties with the Mosquito with a loss of 21 aircraft, with most of its aircrew transferring to No. 627 Squadron RAF.[6] T[1][7]

Moonshine

Moonshine was the code-name for ARI TR1427, (Airborne Radio Installation Transmitter Receiver), a British airborne spoofer/jammer installed in the 20 modified Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 515 Squadron RAF to defeat Freya radar and was developed at the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE).

Mandrel

Mandrel was the code-name for a jammer deployed against Freya and Würzburg radars used by aircraft of 515 sqn and 100 Group. Developed at the TRE, Mandrel was also built in the United States as AN/APT-3.

Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by no. 515 Squadron RAF, data from[7][8][9]
FromToAircraftVersion
October 1942December 1943Boulton Paul DefiantMk.II
June 1943April 1944Bristol BeaufighterMk.IIf
February 1944April 1944de Havilland MosquitoMk.II
March 1944June 1945de Havilland MosquitoMk.VI

Squadron bases
Bases and airfields used by no. 515 Squadron RAF, data from[1][7][9]
FromToBaseRemark
1 October 194229 October 1942RAF Northolt, Middlesexdets. at RAF Coltishall, RAF West Malling,
RAF Tangmere and RAF Exeter[1]
29 October 194231 May 1943RAF Heston, Middlesex
31 May 194315 December 1943RAF Hunsdon, Hertfordshire
15 December 194310 June 1945RAF Little Snoring, Norfolk

Commanding officers
Officers commanding no. 515 Squadron RAF, data from[8]
FromToName
October 1942July 1943S/Ldr. S.R. Thomas, DFC, AFC
July 1943January 1944W/Cdr. J.F. Inkster
January 1944December 1944W/Cdr. F.F. Lambert, DSO, DFC
December 1944June 1945W/Cdr. H.C. Kelsey, DFC

See also

References

Notes
  1. Rawlings 1978, p. 462.
  2. Halley 1988, p. 395.
  3. Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 84.
  4. Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 56.
  5. Brew 1996, pp. 42–44.
  6. Falconer 2003, p. 255.
  7. Jefford 2001, p. 96.
  8. Rawlings 1978, p. 463.
  9. Halley 1988, p. 396.

Bibliography
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Brew, Alec (1996). The Defiant File. Tundbridge Wells, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-226-2.
  • Falconer, Jonathan (2003). Bomber Command Handbook, 1939–1945. Stroud, Gloucestershire, UK: Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0-7509-3171-X.
  • 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 (1978) [1969]. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft (Revised ed.). London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
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