No. 276 Squadron RAF

No. 276 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as an air-sea rescue unit in World War II.

No. 276 Squadron RAF
Active21 October 1941 – 14 November 1945
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Motto(s)Retrieve
Insignia
Squadron BadgeThe head of a labrador Retriever dog
Squadron CodeAQ (October 1941 - November 1945)

History

Formation in World War II

The squadron formed at RAF Harrowbeer, Devon on 21 October 1941 equipped with the Lysander and Walrus, with the responsibility of Air Sea Rescue over the Western part of the English Channel and the Bristol Channel.[1] Hurricanes, Defiants, Spitfires and Ansons were then supplied, the fighter aircraft being used for spotting downed aircrew at sea and for dropping dinghies to the downed airmen.[2][3]

Warwicks which could drop lifeboats were operated from April 1944 until they were transferred to No. 277 Squadron RAF. A detachment and then the whole squadron relocated to Querqueville, France, and then Belgium following the Normandy landings. The squadron then moved to Kjevik, Norway, on 23 August 1945 and it returned to RAF Dunsfold on 10 November 1945 where it disbanded on 14 November 1945.

Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by No. 276 Squadron RAF[4]
FromToAircraftVariant
Oct 1941May 1943Westland LysanderIIIA
Nov 1941Jan 1942Hawker HurricaneI
Jan 1942Nov 1945Supermarine Walrus
Mar 1942Apr 1942Supermarine SpitfireIIA
May 1942Jun 1943Boulton Paul DefiantI
Feb 1943May 1944Supermarine SpitfireIIA
Mar 1943Mar 1944Avro AnsonI
Feb 1944May 1944Supermarine Sea Otter
Apr 1944Nov 1944Vickers WarwickI
May 1944Jun 1945Supermarine SpitfireVB
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References
  1. Dunnell Aeroplane April 2018, p. 60.
  2. Rawlings 1982, pp. 250–251.
  3. Dunnell Aeroplane April 2018, p. 61.
  4. C.G.Jefford (1988). RAF Squadrons. UK Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Dunnell, Ben (April 2018). "'The Sea Shall Not Have Them'". Aeroplane. Vol. 46 no. 4. pp. 60–61. ISSN 0143-7240.
  • Rawlings, John D. R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
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