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'Per purum tonantes' thundering through the clear air
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> Units and Formations
Flying
Squadrons
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61 Sqn
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81 Sqn
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133 Sqn
136 Sqn
139 Sqn
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153 Sqn
154 Sqn
166 Sqn
170 Sqn
189 Sqn
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206 Sqn
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210 Sqn
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222 Sqn
227 Sqn
228 Sqn
229 Sqn
235 Sqn
236 Sqn
248 Sqn
249 Sqn
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254 Sqn
255 Sqn
264 Sqn
266 Sqn
280 Sqn
288 Sqn
300 Sqn
301 Sqn
302 Sqn
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305 Sqn
307 Sqn
309 Sqn
310 Sqn
349 Sqn
401 Sqn
402 Sqn
404 Sqn
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415 Sqn
416 Sqn
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438 Sqn
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441 Sqn
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452 Sqn
455 Sqn
460 Sqn
463 Sqn
467 Sqn
486 Sqn
503 Sqn
504 Sqn
527 Sqn
528 Sqn
532 Sqn
538 Sqn
550 Sqn
576 Sqn
613 Sqn
616 Sqn
617 Sqn
619 Sqn
625 Sqn
626 Sqn
627 Sqn
630 Sqn
Heavy
Conversion Units
1654
HCU
1656 HCU
1660 HCU
1661 HCU
1662 HCU
1665 HCU
1667 HCU
1668 HCU
21 HGCU
Advanced
Flying Schools
201
AFS
Advanced
Flying Units
12
AFU
15 AFU
Flying
Training Schools
1 FTS
2 FTS
3 FTS
6 FTS
7
FTS
12 FTS
1 Lancaster Finishing School
Central Flying School
Operational
Training/Conversion Units
(Fighter)
6
OTU
53 OTU
56 OTU
(Bomber)
230 OCU
Air
Armament Schools
1
AAS
2 AAS
Empire Central AS
Other
schools
1 Gp Aircrew School
1 Ground Defence School
1 Air Observers School
Central
Gunnery School
5 Gp Anti Air School
Other units
Bomber Command
Coastal Command
Fighter Command
HQ No 5 Group
HQ No 23 Group
1485
Gunnery Flight
2782
Defence Sqn
178 Support Unit
399 Signals Unit
Nationality
based Sqns
Updated: 12 Jun 04
Formed: 2 Aug 1917
Disbanded: 1919
Reformed: 1937
Disbanded: 31 Mar 1958
Squadron was based at:
RAF Syerston ::
RAF Hemswell :: 3 Sep 1939 - 17 Jul 1941
RAF Skellingthorpe :: 16 Nov 1941 - 1 Feb 44; 15 Apr 1944 - 16 Jun 1945
RAF Coningsby :: 1 Feb 1944 - 15 Apr 1944
RAF Sturgate :: 16 Jun 1945 - Jan 1946
RAF Waddington :: Jan 1946 - 1953
RAF Wittering :: 1953 -
Squadron code: LS (prior to Sep 1939), QR
Aircraft operated:
Sopwith Pup :: 1916 -
SE5 ::
Sopwith Camel :: 1918 - 1919
Hawker Audax :: 1937
Anson ::
Blenheim ::
Hampden :: Feb 1939 - Oct 1941
Manchester :: Jul 1941 -
Lancaster Mk I, Mk II, Mk III
Lincoln :: May 1946 - ??
Canberra :: - May 1958
61 Sqn RFC one of the first 3 single-seater fighter squadrons of the London Air Defence Area formed in Aug 1917. It was to to counter daylight air raids with the Sopwith Pup.
61 Sqn's Hampdens were the first Bomber Command aircraft to drop bombs on German soil, on 19 Mar 1940. The target was the Hornum seaplane base.
Post-war it saw service in Malaya for a few months countering the Communist guerrilla threat. In Mar 1954, it undertook a similar role against the Mau Mau in Kenya.
On 16 Aug 1954 the Sqn reconsituted and took Canberra crews from 231 OCU. It took Canberra to the Middle East during the Suez Crisis in 1956, before disbanding on 31 Mar 1958.
Details of the 61 Sqn Museum are on the memorial page.
61 Sqn history on RAF site
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