No._575_Squadron_RAF
No. 575 Squadron RAF
Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force
No. 575 Squadron RAF was a transport squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
| No. 575 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 February 1944 – 15 August 1946 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Type | Inactive |
| Role | Transport |
| Part of | No. 46 Group, RAF Transport Command[1] |
| Motto(s) | The air is our path[2][3] |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | A hand couped at the wrist, supporting a terrestrial globe[3] |
| Squadron Codes | I9 (Feb 1944 – Aug 1946)[4][5] |
The squadron was formed at RAF Hendon on 1 February 1944 from elements of 512 Squadron. Just two weeks later it moved to RAF Broadwell to work-up as a tactical transport squadron with the Douglas Dakota, the military transport version of the Douglas DC-3 airliner. The squadron's first operations were leaflet raids on France, on the eve of D-Day it dropped the 5th Para brigade into the invasion drop zone (Operation Tonga).[6] On 6 June it towed 21 gliders into France. In the next few weeks it started a casualty evacuation service from France back to England. In September 1944 it was heavily involved in operations at Arnhem, suffering casualties.[6]
After the end of the war the squadron began flying to and from India from RAF Melbourne in Yorkshire and later from RAF Blakehill Farm. In January 1946 it moved to RAF Bari in Italy to operate an air service between Italy, Austria, Romania, Greece and Bulgaria. It was eventually disbanded at RAF Kabrit, Egypt on 15 August 1946.[3][7]
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| February 1944 | August 1946 | Douglas Dakota | Mk.III |
| June 1944 | May 1945 | Avro Anson | Mk.I |
| March 1945 | August 1946 | Douglas Dakota | Mk.IV |
| From | To | Base | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 February 1944 | 14 February 1944 | RAF Hendon, Middlesex | |
| 14 February 1944 | 5 August 1945 | RAF Broadwell, Oxfordshire | Dets. at B.56/Evere and B.70/Deurne, Belgium |
| 5 August 1945 | 16 November 1945 | RAF Melbourne, Yorkshire | |
| 16 November 1945 | 11 January 1946 | RAF Blakehill Farm, Wiltshire | |
| 11 January 1946 | 26 July 1946 | RAF Bari, Italy | |
| 26 July 1946 | 15 August 1946 | RAF Kabrit, Egypt |
Notes
- Delve 1994, pp. 74, 81.
- Rawlings 1982, p. 235.
- Halley 1988, p. 413.
- Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, pp. 56–57.
- Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 79.
- Rawlings 1982, p. 236.
- Jefford 2001, p. 98.
Bibliography
- 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.
