From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
WW2 British RAF photo-recon unit
Military unit
No. 683 Squadron RAF
was a
photo-reconnaissance squadron
of the
Royal Air Force
during the
Second World War
and from August 1950 to November 1953.
History
[
edit
]
Formation and World War II
[
edit
]
683 squadron was formed out of 'B' Flight of
No. 69 Squadron
on 8 February 1943
[4]
[5]
[8]
at
RAF Luqa
on
Malta
, as a
photo-reconnaissance squadron
operating the
Spitfire
fighter in the photo-reconnaissance role. The squadron added the
Mosquito Mk.VI
to its strength in May 1943, but they were only operated for a month. The squadron was involved in photo-reconnaissance mission over
Sicily
and
Italy
and later over
Yugoslavia
.
The squadron moved to
San Severo
in
Italy
and continued in support of the
US 5th Army
. As the war continued it was involved in both tactical and strategic reconnaissance, and was involved survey flight across southern Europe. In September 1944, the squadron re-equipped with
Spitfire PR.XIX
photo-reconnaissance aircraft.
Detachments from the squadron were based at a wide range of bases all across the Italian theatre of operations, with the squadron finally disbanding on 22 September 1945 at
San Severo
, Italy.
[4]
[5]
[8]
Post war
[
edit
]
The squadron was re-formed on 1 November 1950 at
RAF Fayid
,
Egypt
with the
Avro Lancaster PR.1
and the
Vickers Valetta C.1
. It was tasked with the survey and mapping of Arabia and East Africa. In January 1952 the squadron moved to
RAF Khormaksar
,
Aden
to cover both Aden and
Somaliland
. Another move to
RAF Habbaniya
,
Iraq
allowed the squadron to survey and map the Persian Gulf. With the survey and mapping role completed the squadron was disbanded at Habbaniya on 30 November 1953.
[4]
[5]
[8]
Aircraft operated
[
edit
]
Aircraft operated by no. 683 Squadron RAF, data from
[4]
[5]
[8]
From
|
To
|
Aircraft
|
Variant
|
February 1943
|
July 1943
|
Supermarine Spitfire
|
PR.Mk.IV
|
February 1943
|
March 1943
|
Supermarine Spitfire
|
PR.Mk.IX
|
April 1943
|
September 1945
|
Supermarine Spitfire
|
PR.XI
|
May 1943
|
June 1943
|
de Havilland Mosquito
|
PR.Mks.IV & VI
|
September 1944
|
September 1945
|
Supermarine Spitfire
|
PR.XIX
|
November 1950
|
November 1953
|
Avro Lancaster
|
PR.1
|
November 1950
|
November 1953
|
Vickers Valetta
|
C.1
|
Squadron bases
[
edit
]
Bases and airfields used by no. 683 Squadron RAF, data from
[4]
[5]
[8]
From
|
To
|
Base
|
Remark
|
8 February 1943
|
22 November 1943
|
RAF Luqa
,
Malta
|
|
22 November 1943
|
20 December 1943
|
RAF El Aouina
,
Tunisia
|
|
20 December 1943
|
21 September 1945
|
RAF San Severo
,
Italy
|
Dets. all over Italy
|
1 August 1950
|
26 February 1951
|
RAF Fayid
,
Egypt
|
|
26 February 1951
|
23 April 1951
|
RAF Kabrit
, Egypt
|
|
23 April 1951
|
24 September 1951
|
RAF Eastleigh
,
Kenya
|
Dets. at
Livingstone
,
Northern Rhodesia
and
Dar-es-Salaam
,
Tanganyika
|
24 September 1951
|
12 December 1951
|
RAF Kabrit, Egypt
|
Det. at
RAF Shaibah
,
Iraq
|
12 December 1951
|
22 May 1952
|
RAF Khormaksar
,
Aden
|
Det. at
RAF Habbaniya
, Iraq
|
22 May 1952
|
30 November 1953
|
RAF Habbaniya, Iraq
|
Det. at
RAF Sharjah
,
Trucial States
|
Commanding officers
[
edit
]
Officers commanding no. 683 squadron RAF, data from
[4]
From
|
To
|
Name
|
February 1943
|
October 1943
|
W/Cdr.
A. Warburton
,
DSO
and
Bar
,
DFC
and Bar
|
October 1943
|
August 1944
|
S/Ldr.
H.S. Smith, DFC
|
August 1944
|
April 1945
|
S/Ldr. R.T. Turton, DFC
|
April 1945
|
September 1945
|
S/Ldr. E.R. Pearson, DFC
|
November 1950
|
1952
|
S/Ldr. I.D.N. Lawson
|
1952
|
November 1953
|
S/Ldr. N.N. Ezekiel
|
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
Notes
[
edit
]
Bibliography
[
edit
]
- 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
.
External links
[
edit
]
|
---|
|
formations
and units
| |
---|
branches and
components
| |
---|
reserve forces
| |
---|
equipment
| |
---|
personnel
| |
---|
appointments
| |
---|
symbols and uniform
| |
---|
associated civil
organisations
| |
---|
|