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
Active1 February 1943 – 1 September 1946
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RolePhoto-reconnaissance
Part ofNo. 206 Group RAF, Middle East Command[1]
AHQ Egypt, Middle East Command[2]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryNo badge known to have been authorised[3]
Squadron MarkingsNo 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

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

A well-known Australian actor, Charles "Bud" Tingwell, piloted Spitfires and Mosquitoes with the squadron.

Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by no. 680 Squadron[3][6][7]
FromToAircraftVariant
February 1943February 1944Hawker HurricaneMk.I
February 1943March 1943Bristol BeaufighterMk.Ic
February 1943June 1944Supermarine SpitfirePR.Mks.IV, V
February 1943September 1944Lockheed Electra
February 1943January 1945Supermarine SpitfirePR.Mk.IX
March 1943June 1943Supermarine SpitfirePR.Mk.VI
March 1943December 1944Hawker HurricanePR.Mk.IIb
August 1943July 1946Supermarine SpitfirePR.XI
February 1944May 1944Martin BaltimoreMks.IIIa, V
February 1944July 1944Bristol BlenheimMk.IV
February 1944September 1946de Havilland MosquitoMks.IX & XVI
March 1946September 1946de Havilland MosquitoPR.34

Squadron bases
Bases and airfields used by no. 680 Squadron RAF, data from[3][6][7]
FromToBaseRemark
1 February 194325 February 1945LG.219 Kilo 8/Matariyah/Payne Field, EgyptDets. at Tunisia, Cyprus and Italy
25 February 19459 July 1946RAF Deversoir, EgyptDets. at Iran, Iraq and Palestine
9 July 19461 September 1946RAF Ein Shemer, Palestine

Commanding officers
Officers commanding no. 680 squadron RAF, data from[3][8]
FromToName
February 1943October 1944W/Cdr. J.R. Whelan, DFC & Bar
October 1944September 1946W/Cdr. J.C. Paish

References

Notes
  1. Delve 1994, pp. 67 and 76.
  2. Delve 1994, p. 82.
  3. Rawlings 1982, p. 244.
  4. Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 148.
  5. Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 233.
  6. Halley 1988, pp. 452–453.
  7. Jefford 2001, p. 105.
  8. Bowyer 1984, p. 130.

Bibliography
  • 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.
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