No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF
No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF | |
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![]() Badge of № 313 Squadron RAF | |
Active | 10 May 1941 – 15 February 1946 |
Country | ![]() |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch | ![]() |
Nickname(s) | Czechoslovak |
Motto(s) | (Czech): Jeden jestřáb mnoho vran rozhání ("One hawk chases away many crows") |
Insignia | |
Squadron Badge | A hawk volant, wings elevated and addorsed |
Squadron Codes | RY (May 1941 – February 1946) |
No. 313 Squadron RAF was a Czechoslovak-manned fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force in the Second World War.
History
[edit]The squadron was formed at RAF Catterick[1] on 10 May 1941.[2] It was the last RAF squadron to be formed mostly of escaped Czechoslovak pilots. Its first commander was the British Squadron Leader Gordon Sinclair.[3] On 29 July, Czechoslovak fighter pilot Josef Jaške was appointed as joint commander of the squadron.[4] The plan was for responsibility to be transferred gradually from Sinclair to Jaške.
The squadron was equipped initially with Supermarine Spitfire I fighters. On 30 June 1941 it moved to RAF Leconfield[1] in the East Riding of Yorkshire. In August the squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire IIA,[5] and on 25 August it moved to RAF Portreath[1] in Cornwall. In October the squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire VB/C.[5]
![](http://178.128.105.246/content-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/A_Czech_Spitfire_pilot_of_No._313_Squadron_in_conversation_with_his_rigger_and_fitter_at_Hornchurch%2C_8_April_1942._CH17971.jpg/170px-A_Czech_Spitfire_pilot_of_No._313_Squadron_in_conversation_with_his_rigger_and_fitter_at_Hornchurch%2C_8_April_1942._CH17971.jpg)
On 15 December 1941 Sqn Ldr Karel Mrázek succeeded Jaške as commanding officer[4] and the squadron moved to RAF Hornchurch[6] in Essex. On 8 June 1942 the squadron moved to RAF Church Stanton[6] in Somerset and on 26 June Sqn Ldr Jaroslav Himr succeeded Mrázek as commanding officer.[4]
In 1943 the squadron moved to Scotland, firstly on 28 June to RAF Sumburgh "A" in Shetland, and shortly thereafter to RAF Peterhead "B"[6] in Aberdeenshire. The squadron briefly flew the Spitfire VI in June and July 1943.[5] On 20 July it moved to RAF Hawkinge[6] in Kent. On 18 September it moved to RAF Ibsley[7] in Hampshire and on 24 September Sqn Ldr František Fajtl succeeded Himr as commanding officer.[4]
On 1 February 1944 Sqn Ldr Václav Bergman succeeded Fajtl as commanding officer.[4] Also in February the squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire IX.[5] This model was fitted with 190-gallon "slipper" tanks to extend its range, enabling the squadron to escort bombers on raids deep into Germany.[8] On 20 February the squadron moved to RAF Mendlesham[7] in Suffolk. On 14 March it moved again, to RAF Rochford[7] in Essex.
![](http://178.128.105.246/content-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d8/Royal_Air_Force_1939-1945-_Fighter_Command_CH12860.jpg/220px-Royal_Air_Force_1939-1945-_Fighter_Command_CH12860.jpg)
On 3 April 1944 the squadron moved to RAF Appledram[9] in West Sussex. On 22 May Sqn Ldr Alois Hochmál succeeded Bergman as commanding officer.[4] From 29 June the squadron spent a few days at RAF Tangmere,[9] also in West Sussex. On 4 July it spent a week at RAF Lympne[9] in Kent.
On 11 July 1944 the squadron moved to RAF Skeabrae[9] on Orkney in Scotland. The squadron briefly flew the Spitfire VII in July and August 1944.[5]
On 3 October 1944 the squadron moved to RAF North Weald[9] in Essex. Also in October it reverted to the Spitfire IX, which it continued to operate until the end of its history as an RAF unit.[5] On 1 September 1944 Sqn Ldr Karel Kasal succeeded Hochmál as commanding officer, and on 15 November Sqn Ldr Otmar Kučera succeeded Kasal.[1] On 29 December the squadron moved to RAF Bradwell Bay,[9] also in Essex.
![](http://178.128.105.246/content-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Slessor_inspects_Czecho-Slovak_personnel.jpg/220px-Slessor_inspects_Czecho-Slovak_personnel.jpg)
From 27 February to 8 May 1945 the squadron was based at RAF Manston[9] in Kent. On 3 August members of all of the RAF's Czechoslovak squadrons held a farewell parade at RAF Manston. Air Marshal John Slessor inspected the parade, accompanied by A/M Karel Janoušek. On 24 August 313 Squadron moved to Ruzyně Airport in Prague. It became a squadron of the new Czechoslovak Air Force, and on 15 February 1946 was officially disbanded as an RAF squadron.[2][5]
Aircraft operated
[edit]![](http://178.128.105.246/content-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/Royal_Air_Force_Fighter_Command%2C_1939-1945._CH5840.jpg/220px-Royal_Air_Force_Fighter_Command%2C_1939-1945._CH5840.jpg)
From | To | Aircraft | Variant | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
May 1941 | August 1941 | Supermarine Spitfire | I | |
August 1941 | November 1941 | Supermarine Spitfire | IIa | |
October 1941 | February 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | Vb/c | |
June 1943 | July 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | VI | |
February 1944 | July 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | LF.IX | |
July 1944 | August 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | VII | |
July 1944 | October 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | Vb/c | |
October 1944 | February 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | LF.IX |
References
[edit]![](http://178.128.105.246/content-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Arno%C5%A1t_Mrtv%C3%BD.jpg/170px-Arno%C5%A1t_Mrtv%C3%BD.jpg)
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c d van Eyck 1993, p. 21.
- ^ a b Lewis 1968, p. 96.
- ^ "Squadron Commanding Officers, Nos 300 - 361 Squadrons". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation.
- ^ a b c d e f van Eyck 1993, p. 20.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Jackson 2003, p. 89.
- ^ a b c d van Eyck 1993, p. 22.
- ^ a b c van Eyck 1993, p. 24.
- ^ "Miroslav Liskutin – RAF's Czech fighter pilot". Chichester Observer. Johnston Press. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g van Eyck 1993, p. 25.
Bibliography
[edit]- Halley, James J (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
- Hurt, Zdeněk (2004). In Focus: Czechs in the RAF. Walton-on-Thames: Red Kite. ISBN 0-9538061-9-7.
- Jackson, Robert (2003). Spitfire The History of Britain's Most Famous World War II Fighter. Bath: Parragon. p. 89. ISBN 0-75258-770-6.
- Jefford, Wg Cdr CG (2001) [1998]. RAF Squadrons, A Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (second ed.). Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84037-141-3.
- Lewis, Peter (1968) [1959]. Squadron Histories, RFC, RNAS and RAF, Since 1912. London: Putnam. p. 96. SBN 370-00022-6.
- Liškutín, Miroslav A (1988). Challenge in the Air: a Spitfire pilot remembers. London: William Kimber. ISBN 0718306910.
- Rawlings, John DR (1976) [1969]. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft (new ed.). London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
- van Eyck, Manuel F (1993). Zemřeli jsme pro Anglii (in Czech). Translated by František Fajtl. prologue by František Fajtl. Prague: Naše vojsko. ISBN 80-206-0321-2.
External links
[edit]![](http://178.128.105.246/content-http-upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- "313 Squadron". History RAF Formations. Ministry of Defence.
- "No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF". RAF Fighter Command 1939 – 1945. RAF Commands. 2013. – movement and equipment history
- "No 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation.
- Darlington, Roger. "Czechoslovaks in the RAF".