RAF Fighter Flights
| Alsace Free French Fighter Flight |
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| Serials | Code | Arrival | Note | Departure |
| K7937 | 06/42 From 80 Sq. | 26/06/42 Force-landed at Assiut. | To 58 RSU. No further trace. |
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| ’G’ Flight Manston Operated from Manston during the Dunkirk evacuation and existed between 23 – 30 May 1940 commanded by F/L J. Sanders of 615 Sq. |
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| Serials | Code | Arrival | Note | Departure |
| K7928 | 21/05/40 From 5 OTU. | 29/05/40 Returned to 5 OTU. | ||
| K7970 | 21/05/40 From 5 OTU. | 29/05/40 Returned to 5 OTU. | ||
| K8001 | 21/05/40 From 5 OTU. | 26/05/40 Collided with Blenheim L6607 taxiing at Manston. | 18/07/40 To Marshalls. 19/09/40 To 24. 11/04/41 To Odiham. 06/41 To the Middle East. 01/01/42 To 1412 (Met) Flight. |
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| K8033 | 21/05/40 From 5 OTU. | 29/05/40 Returned to 5 OTU. | ||
| Hal Far Fighter Flight Malta, March to June 1940. Sea Gladiators taken over from Royal Navy reserves at Kalafrana and operated by the RAF. |
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| Serials | Code | Arrival | Note | Departure |
| N5519 | ’R’; ‘Charity’ | 19/04/40-29/04/40 Hal Far Fighter Flight. 29/04/40 00:20 hrs Air firing; F/L Burges. 03/05/40 Re-assigned Hal Far Fighter Flight. 09/05/40 00:45 hrs Flying practice; F/L Burges. 09/05/40 01:00 hrs Formation flying; F/L Burges. 09/05/40 00:40 hrs R/T exercise; F/L Burges. 11/05/40 00:15 hrs Patrol; F/O Waters. 14/05/40 00:30 hrs Interception exercise; F/L Burges. 16/05/40 00:30 hrs Interception; F/O Waters. 22/05/40 00:15 hrs Crash take-off; F/O Waters. 23/05/40 00:45 hrs Interception; F/O Waters. 24/05/40 00:35 hrs Crash take-off; F/O Waters. 27/05/40 00:35 hrs R/T test & attacks; F/O Waters. 29/05/40 00:45 hrs R/T test & attacks; F/O Waters. 31/05/40 00:40 hrs R/T test & attacks; F/O Waters. 02/06/40 00:35 hrs R/T practice; F/O Waters. 07/06/40 00:35 hrs R/T test; F/L Burges. 08/06/40 00:40 hrs R/T practice; F/O Waters. 09/06/40 01:00 hrs R/T test; F/L Burges. 10/06/40 01:00 hrs R/T practice; F/O Waters. 11/06/40 Scramble; S/L A. C. Martin. 11/06/40 01:10 hrs Enemy interception; F/O Waters. 15/06/40 00:15 hrs Enemy interception; F/O Waters. 15/06/40 00:35 hrs Enemy interception; F/O Waters. 17/06/40 01:00 hrs Enemy interception. Aircraft slightly damaged in combat; F/O Waters. 22/06/40 00:40 hrs Patrol. 1 S.79 attacked and shot down; F/L Burges. 23/06/40 00:50 hrs Patrol. Attacked 5 S.79s and 3 MC.200s. 1 MC.200 shot down; F/L Burges. 26/06/40 01:00 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 26/06/40 00:30 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 26/06/40 00:40 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 26/06/40 00:30 hrs Enemy interception; F/O Waters. 28/06/40 00:20 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 10/07/40 01:10 hrs Interception; F/O Waters. 17/07/40 00:35 hrs Interception; F/O Waters. 19/07/40 00:40 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 19/07/40 00:50 hrs Interception against 13 Fiat CR.42s without result; F/O R. H. Barber. 21/07/40 00:45 hrs Interception; F/O R. H. Barber. 21/07/40 00:10 hrs Interception; F/O R. H. Barber. 21/07/40 01:00 hrs Interception; F/O R. H. Barber. 24/07/40 01:00 hrs Interception against 10 Fiat CR.42s without result; F/O R. H. Barber. 27/07/40 01:05 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 31/07/40 Interception. Aircraft shot down by Serg. Tarantino; F/L Peter W. Hartley baled out burned. |
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| N5520 | ’Faith’ | 11/39 Departed 802 Sq. To Kalafrana SS 19/04/40 To Hal Far Fighter Flight. |
19/04/40-29/04/40 Hal Far Fighter Flight. 23/04/40 01:00 hrs Formation; F/O Waters. 23/04/40 01:15 hrs Formation & gunnery; F/O Waters. 24/04/40 01:05 hrs Formation & aerobatics; F/O Waters. 24/04/40 00:05 hrs Rigging test; F/O Waters. 25/04/40 01:00 hrs R/T test & air to ground; F/O Waters. 25/04/40 01:00 hrs Formation; F/O Waters. 26/04/40 01:10 hrs R/T test & FF; F/L Burges. 26/04/40 01:00 hrs R/T range test; F/L Burges. 26/04/40 00:30 hrs FF & air firing; F/L Burges. 27/04/40 01:05 hrs Formation & R/T exercise; F/O Waters. 03/05/40 Re-assigned Hal Far Fighter Flight. 06/05/40 00:30 hrs R/T test & formation; F/O Waters. 06/05/40 00:35 hrs R/T test & formation; F/O Waters. 07/05/40 00:40 hrs R/T test & formation; F/O Waters. 07/05/40 00:35 hrs R/T test & formation; F/O Waters. 07/05/40 00:44 hrs R/T test & formation; F/O Waters. 08/05/40 00:30 hrs R/T test & formation; F/O Waters. 17/05/40 00:40 hrs R/T exercise; F/L Burges. 20/05/40 00:15 hrs Interception exercise; F/L Burges. 21/05/40 00:10 hrs Alarm take-off; F/L Burges. 24/05/40 00:25 hrs Low flying attack; F/L Burges. 25/05/40 00:35 hrs R/T & interception exercise; F/L Burges. 25/05/40 00:10 hrs Patrol; F/O Waters. 28/05/40 00:15 hrs Air test; F/L Burges. 30/05/40 00:40 hrs R/T test; F/L Burges. 01/06/40 00:45 hrs R/T test; F/L Burges. 02/06/40 00:35 hrs R/T test; F/L Burges. 03/06/40 01:00 hrs R/T test; F/L Burges. 03/06/40 00:30 hrs R/T practice; F/O Waters. 04/06/40 00:35 hrs R/T practice; F/O Waters. 05/06/40 00:40 hrs R/T test; F/L Burges. 05/06/40 00:45 hrs R/T practice; F/O Waters. 06/06/40 00:40 hrs R/T test; F/L Burges. 08/06/40 00:40 hrs R/T test; F/L Burges. 11/06/40 Scramble; F/O Woods. 11/06/40 00:30 hrs Enemy interception. 1 S.79 shot down; F/O Waters. 11/06/40 00:30 hrs Enemy interception; F/O Waters. 11/06/40 01:15 hrs Enemy interception; F/O Waters. 11/06/40 Interception. 1 MC.200 probably destroyed; F/O Woods. 13/06/40 00:25 hrs Enemy interception. 1 S.79 shot down; F/O Waters. 13/06/40 00:25 hrs Enemy interception; F/O Waters. 13/06/40 00:50 hrs Patrol - attacked 5 S.79s and 2 MC.200s; F/L Burges. 13/06/40 01:00 hrs Patrol - attacked 5 S.79s; F/L Burges. 23/06/40 00:35 hrs Enemy interception; F/O Waters. 19/07/40 00:10 hrs Flying practise; P/O W. R. C. Sugden. 27/07/40 00:45 hrs Interception; F/O R. H. Barber. 28/07/40 00:30 hrs Interception; F/O R. H. Barber. 30/07/40 00:35 hrs Interception; F/O R. H. Barber. 31/07/40 09:45- Interception. 1 CR.42 shot down; F/O Woods. |
To 261 Sq. |
| N5521 | 29/12/39 00:45 hrs Flying practice; F/L Burges. 10/01/40 00:35 hrs Flying practice; F/L Burges. 03/40-04/40 Hal Far Fighter Flight. 01/04/40 00:20 hrs Exercise; F/O Waters. 02/04/40 00:40 hrs Air to air firing; F/O Waters. |
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| N5522 | 05/40 Hal Far Fighter Flight. 19/06/40 00:15 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 20/06/40 00:45 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 21/06/40 Scramble, crashed on take-off; S/L A. C. Martin unharmed. Aircraft used to make N5524 flyable again. |
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| N5524 | 19/04/40-29/04/40 Hal Far Fighter Flight. 03/05/40 Re-assigned Hal Far Fighter Flight. 21/06/40 Scramble, crashed on landing; F/L Peter Hartley slightly injured. Aircraft repaired using parts from N5522. 11/07/40 00:20 hrs Flying practise; P/O W. R. C. Sugden. 12/07/40 00:30 hrs Gun test; F/O R. H. Barber. 13/07/40 00:40 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 14/07/40 01:30 hrs Interception; P/O Tom Balmforth. 15/07/40 00:20 hrs Flying practise; P/O Tom Balmforth. 24/07/40 01:00 hrs Interception; P/O Tom Balmforth. 28/07/40 00:40 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 30/07/40 00:40 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 03/08/40 00:15 hrs Interception; P/O Tom Balmforth. |
To 261 Sq. | ||
| N5525 | 10/39 Departed 802 Sq. | 03/40-04/40 Hal Far Fighter Flight. | 11/04/40 Re-embarked in 802 Sq. on HMS Glorious. | |
| N5527 | 03/40-04/40 Hal Far Fighter Flight. | |||
| N5529 | 11/39 Departed 802 Sq. To Kalafrana SS 05/40 To Hal Far Fighter Flight. |
Used between 05/40 – 07/40. 17/07/40 00:35 hrs Interception; P/O Tom Balmforth. 19/07/40 00:25 hrs Flying practice; F/O R. H. Barber. 19/07/40 00:50 hrs Interception; P/O W. R. C. Sugden. 27/07/40 00:45 hrs Interception; P/O Tom Balmforth. 28/07/40 00:30 hrs Interception; P/O Tom Balmforth. 29/07/40 00:50 hrs Interception; F/O Waters. 30/07/40 00:35 hrs Interception; P/O Tom Balmforth. 31/07/40 00:50 hrs Interception; F/O F. F. Taylor. 31/07/40 00:25 hrs Air test; F/O Waters. 01/08/40 00:10 hrs Night flying; P/O Tom Balmforth. 01/08/40 00:15 hrs Night flying; P/O Tom Balmforth. 01/08/40 00:20 hrs Night flying C&Bs; F/O R. H. Barber. 02/08/40 00:15 hrs Interception; P/O Tom Balmforth. 02/08/40 00:13 hrs Patrol. Broke wheel on landing; F/L Burges. 03/08/40 00:15 hrs Interception; F/O Waters. 03/08/40 00:15 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 05/08/40 00:30 hrs Night landing; F/L Burges. |
To 261 Sq. | |
| N5530 | 10/39 Departed 802 Sq. | 03/40-04/40 Hal Far Fighter Flight. | 11/04/40 Re-embarked in 802 Sq. on HMS Glorious. | |
| N5531 | ’Hope’ | 01/40 Departed 802 Sq. To Kalafrana SS 19/04/40 To Hal Far Fighter Flight. |
19/04/40-29/04/40 Hal Far Fighter Flight. 03/05/40 Re-assigned Hal Far Fighter Flight. 26/05/40 00:35 hrs R/T test; F/L Burges. 28/05/40 00:45 hrs R/T test; F/L Burges. 11/06/40 01:05 hrs Patrol. Attacked formation of 9 S.79s. 1 S.79 damaged; F/L Burges. 12/06/40 00:45 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 13/06/40 00:40 hrs Patrol - engine trouble; F/L Burges. 13/06/40 00:50 hrs Patrol - engine trouble; F/L Burges. 14/06/40 00:25 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 15/06/40 00:15 hrs Patrol; F/L Burges. 16/06/40 01:05 hrs Patrol - engine trouble; F/L Burges. 17/06/40 00:55 hrs Patrol - engine trouble; F/L Burges. 17/06/40 00:35 hrs Patrol - engine trouble; F/L Burges. 17/06/40 00:25 hrs Patrol - engine trouble; F/L Burges. 20/06/40 00:20 hrs Enemy interception; F/O Waters. 21/06/40 00:40 hrs Enemy interception; F/O Waters. 04/02/41 Destroyed on the ground. |
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| N5533 | 01/40 Departed 802 Sq. To Hal Far. 03/40 To Hal Far Fighter Flight. |
03/40-04/40 Hal Far Fighter Flight. |
11/04/40 Re-embarked in 802 Sq. on HMS Glorious. | |
| ’K’ Flight Formed on 1 September 1940 Summit, Sudan, by redesignating ‘B’ Flight of 112 Squadron. Disbanded 1 April 1941 at Aqir, Palestine to become 250 Squadron. |
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| Serials | Code | Arrival | Note | Departure |
| K6134 | 31/08/40 From 112 Sq. | 23/12/40 Ditched while short on fuel in bad weather 15m S of Suakin, Sudan. | ||
| K6135 | 31/08/40 From 112 Sq. | 13/04/41 To Royal Hellenic Air Force. | ||
| K6143 | 31/08/40 From 112 Sq. | To 117 Sq. | ||
| K7948 | 31/08/40 From 112 Sq. | 21/11/40 Interception of two S.79 over Port Sudan, but no result; P/O G. B. Smither. |
To 237 Sq. | |
| K7969 | 31/08/40 From 112 Sq. | 06/11/40 Shot down by CR.42s near Metema; P/O H. B. Kirk parachuted and was WIA and taken as a PoW. | 13/12/40 SOC. | |
| K7974 | 31/08/40 From 112 Sq. | 22/12/40 Swung on take-off and hit hut at Port Sudan. Destroyed by fire; P/O A. Tofield WIFA. | ||
| K7977 | 31/08/40 From 112 Sq. | 06/11/40 Shot down by CR.42s in the Gallabat area; 21-years-old F/O Jack Maurice Hayward (RAF no. 40111) KIA. | 13/11/40 SOC. | |
| K7986 | 31/08/40 From 112 Sq. | 15/09/40 Undercarriage hit crashed aircraft on take-off and torn off; crash-landed, Port Sudan. | 01/10/40 SOC. | |
| L7612 | From 33 Sq. | 06/11/40 Damaged by CR.42s and crash-landed at Hawaton, Sudan; P/O Hamlyn safe. | To 112 Sq. | |
| L7614 | From 33 Sq. | 06/11/40 05:30- Offensive patrol behind Metemma. Shot down by CR.42s near Metema; 24-years-old F/L Kenneth Howard Savage (RAF no. 37483) KIA. | ||
| L7619 | From 33 Sq. | 01/07/42 SOC. | ||
| N5629 | To 94 Sq. | |||
| N5815 | From 1 SAAF Sq. | 26/02/41 1 CR.32 claimed by P/O Wells. | To 237 Sq. | |
| N5828 | From 1 SAAF Sq. | 22/02/41 1 S.79 claimed by F/Lt Scoular. | To 1412 (Met) Flight. | |
| N5833 | To Aden Station Flight. | |||
| N5895 | To 94 Sq. | |||
| N5896 | To 94 Sq. | |||
| N5917 | To Aden Station Flight. | |||
| Prestwick Fighter Flight |
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| Serials | Code | Arrival | Note | Departure |
| N5912 | 09/05/40 No further trace. | |||
| N5914 | To 263 Sq. | |||
| RAE Station Defence Flight, Farnborough Formed on 17 August 1940. Last flight flown on 25 October 1940. |
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| Serials | Code | Arrival | Note | Departure |
| K5200 | 06/01/37 From AAEE | 27/01/37 To Gloster. 17/04/39 Returned to RAE for gun sight trials. 25/10/40 The 53rd and last flight of the Flight was flown by P/O Roly Falk. |
27/03/41 To 24 Sq. | |
| Shetland Fighter Flight |
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| Serials | Code | Arrival | Note | Departure |
| N2266 | From Royal Navy Air Station, Donibristle. | 06/07/40 Stalled after take-off, bounced and hit pole at Sumburgh; the pilot was P/O R. A. Winter. | ||
| N5622 | To 1560 (Met) Flight. | |||
| N5642 | From 152 Sq. | 30/01/40 Engine cut in circuit and it run into bog and overturned at Samphrey Island, Shetlands; P/O R. A. Winter safe. The aircraft was apparently not repaired. |
31/12/41 SOC. | |
| N5643 | From 152 Sq. | 20/03/40 Bounced on landing and overshot and overturned at Sumburgh; Sgt A. E. Makins safe. Destroyed beyond repair. |
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| N5644 | From 263 Sq. | To 247 Sq. | ||
| N5682 | From 152 Sq. | To 247 Sq. | ||
| N5702 | From 152 Sq. | To Andover Station Flight. | ||
| N5716 | 21/06/40 Force-landed on beach after engine cut and overturned at Haroldswick, Unst.; P/O N. I. C. Francis safe. Some sources claim that it was shot down on 13/07/40. |
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| N5901 | To 247 Sq. | |||
| Wadi Halfa Flight |
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| Serials | Code | Arrival | Note | Departure |
| L7616 | From 3 RAAF Sq. | To Iraq Conversion Flight and then to 94 Sq. | ||
| 'X' Flight Formed May 1940 at Haifa, Palestine and disbanded at Haifa in June 1940. Reformed 6 June 1941 at Habbaniya, Iraq, from ‘A’ Squadron of the Habbaniya Air Defence Wing. Moved to Amman on 7 June Disbanded 30 June 1941 at Habbaniya. Reformed 16 July 1942 at Abadan, Iraq, and disbanded at Abadan on 30 October 1942. |
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| Serials | Code | Arrival | Note | Departure |
| K6140 | 06/06/41 From 33 Sq. | To Royal Iraqi Air Force. | ||
| K6141 | 06/06/41 From 112 Sq. | 01/02/42 SOC. | ||
| K7899 | 06/40 From 112 Sq. | This aircraft reportedly went to ‘X’ Flight in 06/40 but was used on two days in December 1940 by F/L Fraser of 112 Sq. | 05/41 To 94 Sq. | |
| K7907 | 01/02/42 From 261 Sq. 11/08/42 From Iraqi Conversion Flight. |
21/09/42 Swung on landing and wing hit ground, Abadan. | 06/12/42 To Royal Iraqi Air Force. | |
| K7914 | From 112 Sq. | 15/06/41 Damaged by Vichy D.520s; F/O Watson safe. | 01/09/42 To 1413 (Met) Flight. | |
| K7928 | 05/08/41 From 261 Sq. | 24/02/42 To Iraqi Conversion Flight. 11/11/42 To 119 MU. 06/12/42 To Royal Iraqi Air Force. |
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| K7947 | From 3 RAAF Sq. 04/04/41 To Iraq. 06/06/41 To ‘X’ Flight. |
07/05/41 02:00 hrs. Reconnaissance. 1 enemy Gladiator probably shot down; P/O Watson. 15/06/41 Shot down by Vichy D.520s near Ezraa, Syria; 35-years-old F/O John Norman Craigie (RAF no. 43477) KIA. |
08/08/41 SOC. | |
| K7954 | 06/06/41 From Royal Iraqi Air Force. | 15/07/41 Hit post while landing at LG H.4 and destroyed beyond repair (alternative date is 05/07/41). | 01/12/41 SOC. | |
| K7978 | 04/41 From 112 Sq. | 05/08/41 To 1413 (Met) Flight. | ||
| K7989 | From 261 Sq. | 15/07/42 Bounced on landing and ground-looped at Abadan. To 118 MU for repair. 23/08/42 Returned to X Flight. |
11/11/42 To 119 MU. 31/03/43 To Iraq for Royal Iraqi Air Force. |
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| N5777 | From 94 Sq. | 01/01/42 SOC. | ||
| N5780 | From 261 Sq. From Iraqi conversion flight. |
01/06/43 To Royal Iraqi Air Force. | ||
| N5857 | From 94 Sq. Returned from Shaibah. |
To 3 RAAF Sq. 01/03/44 To Royal Iraqi Air Force. |
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FAA Fighter Flights
| HMS Eagle HMS Eagle’s Fighter Flight was manned by Swordfish pilots. |
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| Serials | Code | Arrival | Note | Departure |
| N5512 | 06/40 | 29/11/40 Lost after forced landing at sea; Lt (A) P. W. V. Massy safe. | ||
| N5513 | 6-F | 06/40 | To 806 Sq. | |
| N5517 | 6-A | 06/40 | To 805 Sq. | |
| N5523 | 11/40 | 11/11/40 Used by HMS Illustrious during the Taranto raid. | ||
| N5567 | 6-C | 06/40 | To 805 Sq. | |
Gloster Gladiator in Commonwealth squadron service
