No. 541 Squadron RAF

No. 541 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as a photographic reconnaissance squadron in World War II.

No. 541 Squadron RAF
Spitfire PR Mark XI, PL775, of No. 541 Squadron RAF
Active19 October 1942 – 1 October 1946
1 November 1947 – 7 September 1957
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Motto(s)Alone above all[1]
Insignia
Squadron BadgeA birds eye speedwell flower[2]
Squadron CodeES (October 1945 – Dec 1946)[3]
WY (November 1947 –1951)[4]
A (1951 –1954)[5]

History

Formation in World War II

The squadron formed at RAF Benson on 19 October 1942 from 'B' and 'F' flights of No. 1 PRU,[6] and was equipped with Spitfires to fly missions over Europe.[7] It also received Mustang aircraft in July 1944 and operated some Lancaster bombers for UK mapping purposes after hostilities ceased. One of the squadrons first commanders following its formation was John Saffery.[8]

Wartime detachments operated from Gibraltar in 1943, providing imagery of North Africa,[9] and from RAF Leuchars in the same year with missions flown into Norway looking for the battleship Scharnhorst.[10]

It disbanded in October 1946, with the Lancaster Flight becoming No. 82 Squadron.[11]

Postwar

The squadron reformed at RAF Benson on 1 November 1947,[12] and in December 1950 its Spitfires were replaced with Meteors which it operated from RAF Bückeburg, RAF Laarbruch and RAF Gütersloh before it disbanded again on 7 September 1957.[13]

Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by No. 541 Squadron RAF
FromToAircraftVariant
Oct 1942Jan 1943Supermarine SpitfireD
Oct 1942Sep 1944Supermarine SpitfireIV
Nov 1942Dec 1942Supermarine SpitfireIX
Dec 1942Mar 1946Supermarine SpitfireXI
May 1944Apr 1945Supermarine SpitfireX
Jun 1944Oct 1946Supermarine SpitfireXIX
Dec 1942Mar 1946Supermarine SpitfireXI
Jul 1944Jun 1945North American P-51 MustangIII
Oct 1945Apr 1946Gloster MeteorF.3
Feb 1946Oct 1946Avro LancasterPR1
Nov 1947May 1951Supermarine SpitfirePR 19
Dec 1950Sep 1957Gloster MeteorPR 10

References
  1. Pine, L G (1983). A Dictionary of mottoes. London: Routledge & K. Paul. p. 10. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
  2. "541 Sqn | RAF Heraldry Trust". rafht.co.uk. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  3. Lake 1999, p. 295.
  4. Lake 1999, p. 302.
  5. Lake 1999, p. 294.
  6. Lake 1999, p. 156.
  7. "No.541 Squadron". www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  8. Price, Alfred (2012). Spitfire : pilots' stories. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press. p. 143. ISBN 978-0-7524-6734-4.
  9. Fairbairn 1991, p. 72.
  10. "Veteran returns to RAF Leuchars after 67 years". BBC News. 2 September 2010. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  11. Lake 1999, pp. 217, 267.
  12. Lake 1999, p. 267.
  13. Fairbairn 1991, pp. 80, 115.

Sources
  • Fairbairn, Tony (1991). Action Stations Overseas. Sparkford: P. Stephens. ISBN 1-85260-319-4.
  • Lake, Alan (1999). Flying units of the RAF : the ancestry, formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
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