History No. 613 Squadron RAF

1 history

1.1 formation , years
1.2 tactical reconnaissance operations
1.3 mosquito operations
1.4 postwar operations

history
formation , years

the squadron formed @ raf ringway on 1 february 1939 in army cooperation role part of no. 22 (army co-operation) group. intended title east lancashire squadron used, have been confused no. 611 squadron raf, named west lancashire , based @ liverpool s airport @ speke. link city of manchester therefore created. squadron equipped hawker hinds. on 2 october 1939 squadron moved raf ringway raf odiham near basingstoke , hawker hectors delivered unit during november replace hinds. 2 april 1940, westland lysanders served alongside hectors. hectors , lysanders used dive-bomb german positions , drop supplies friendly troops near calais during late may 1940 dunkirk evacuation.

tactical reconnaissance operations

in august 1941 squadron became tactical reconnaissance unit , began re-equipping faster curtiss tomahawk. re-equipped allison v-1710 powered mark version of north american mustang in april 1942, continuing operate within raf army cooperation command. during spring , summer 1943 mustangs flown on lagoon low level shipping reconnaissance flights on north sea near dutch coast, calling in heavy coastal command strike aircraft when enemy shipping located.

mosquito operations

613 squadron mosquito fb.vi ns898 sy-z @ raf lasham wearing d-day stripes in june 1944

on 15 october 1943 squadron moved raf lasham, hampshire , began equip de havilland mosquito when joined no. 2 group day , night tactical strike unit. squadron flew night intrusion sorties, took part in daylight precision actions such against dutch central population registry building on 11 april 1944, germans held dutch gestapo records. squadron disbanded @ cambrai-epinoy, france, on 7 august 1945 being renumbered no. 69 squadron.

postwar operations

no. 613 squadron spitfire f.14s outside hangar no. 7 @ raf ringway in 1947. note squadron s rat reserve command codes

the squadron reformed on 10 may 1946 @ raf ringway (now manchester airport), fighter squadron within reserve command. unit s home in ringway s hangar no.7, had been completed squadron in spring 1940, few months after leaving airport wartime service elsewhere. no. 613 squadron equipped supermarine spitfire fr.14 s, replacing these in november 1948 higher performance mark f.22 s. north american harvard aircraft used in dual training role. spitfires , volunteer flying , ground crews detached raf horsham st faith, norfolk, , other raf stations, weekend exercises alongside regular raf squadrons.

no.613 squadron vampire fb.9 wr257 , built fairey aviation @ ringway, flown unit s c/o s.ldr jack wales between june 1954 , december 1956

in april 1950, no. 613 squadron transferred become unit within raf fighter command. no. 613 re-equipped during february 1951 jet-powered de havilland vampire fb.5. harvard t.2s replaced gloster meteor t.7 twin-seat trainers. initial training new jet aircraft carried out @ avros nearby woodford aerodrome, longer runway, courtesy of squadron s honorary air commodore, sir roy dobson.

613 s commanding officer, squadron leader jack wales dfc, test pilot avros, flew unit s vampire fb.9, wr257 between june 1954 , death in december 1956 when flight testing prototype avro shackleton mr.3. wr257 had been built fairey aviation @ ringway – example of jet aircraft being both built , based @ airfield.

after 6 further years of peacetime exercises, detaching operational raf fighter stations, unit disbanded final time @ ringway on 10 march 1957, on same day other royal auxiliary air force flying units.