No. 252 Squadron RAF

No. 252 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force (RAF) squadron that formed as a bomber unit in World War I and re-formed as part of RAF Coastal Command in World War II.

No. 252 Squadron RAF
Active1 May 1918 – 30 June 1919
21 November 1940 – 15 June 1941
14 November 1941 – 1 December 1946
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Motto(s)With or on
Insignia
Squadron BadgeA Spartan Shield
Squadron CodesPN (Nov 1940 - May 1941)
BT (May 1941 –Nov 1942)

History

Formation and World War I

No. 252 Squadron was formed at Tynemouth on 1 May 1918 as a day bomber unit when four RNAS flights were amalgamated and was equipped with the Blackburn Kangaroo and DH.6s. One of these flights, No. 510 (Special Duty) Flight was posted to Redcar with its DH.6s for protection of shipping in the Teesport area until 21 January 1919.

The squadron disbanded at RNAS Killingholme on 30 June 1919.

Reformation in World War II
252 Sqn Beaufighters attacking an Italian seaplane base at Preveza, 19 July 1943.

On 21 November 1940 the squadron reformed at RAF Bircham Newton and was equipped with Blenheims and Beaufighters as a Coastal Command unit. It moved to Northern Ireland in April 1941 and an attachment went to Gibraltar.

The squadron was disbanded upon renumbering as No. 143 Squadron RAF on 15 June 1941 and re-established at Idku, Egypt on 14 Nov 1941. It then operated from Libya and various locations in Greece and was finally disbanded on 1 December 1946.

Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by no. 252 Squadron RAF[1]
FromToAircraftVariant
May 1918Jan 1919Airco DH.6
May 1918Aug 1918Blackburn Kangaroo
Dec 1940Apr 1941Bristol BlenheimIF
Dec 1940Apr 1941Bristol BeaufighterIVF
Dec 1940Jun 1941Bristol BeaufighterIC
Nov 1941Jan 1944Bristol BeaufighterIC
Sep 1942Jan 1944Bristol BeaufighterVIC
Jun 1943Jan 1944Bristol BeaufighterXI
Jun 1944Dec 1946Bristol BeaufighterX

References
  1. C.G.Jefford (1988). RAF Squadrons. UK Airlife Publishing. 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 Limited. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
  • Thomas, Andrew (13–26 May 1988). "Desert Beaus: No.252 Squadron, Royal Air Force". Aviation News. Vol. 16, no. 26. pp. 1201–1204.
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