No. 164 Squadron of the Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

 was a fighter squadron during the Second World War composed of Argentine volunteers.

Background

No. 164 Squadron RAF was originally founded on 1 June 1918, but never received aircraft and was disbanded on 4 July 1918. The squadron was reformed at Peterhead

Peterhead

Peterhead is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is Aberdeenshire's biggest settlement , with a population of 17,947 at the 2001 Census and estimated to have fallen to 17,330 by 2006....

, Aberdeenshire

Aberdeenshire

Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...

, on 6 April 1942, as a fighter squadron initially equipped with Spitfire Mk VAs

Supermarine Spitfire

The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...

, becoming operational in early May.

Around 600 Argentine volunteers

English settlement in Argentina

English Argentines are citizens of Argentina who can claim ancestry originating in England. The English settlement in Argentina , took place in the period after Argentina's independence from Spain through the 19th century...

, mostly of Anglo-Argentine descent, joined the British and Canadian Air Forces, many in the 164 Argentine-British RAF squadron,
which motto was Firmes volamos (Determined We Fly) and its insignia was a British lion in front of a rising sun representing Argentina. Some pilots adorned the side of their aircraft with a picture of a popular Argentine cartoon character called Patoruzú

Patoruzú

Patoruzú is a comic character created in 1928 by Dante Quinterno and is considered the most popular hero of Argentine comics. Patoruzú is a wealthy Tehuelche cacique with great state properties in Patagonia, and is possessed of both superhuman physical strength and a charitable yet naive heart...

, an indigenous Indian with incredible strength.

In January 1943 the squadron moved to South Wales to train as a ground-attack unit, where it was equipped with Hawker Hurricane

Hawker Hurricane

The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...

s. Operations against enemy shipping and coastal targets began in June 1943.

After providing support for the landing forces from southern England, using Hawker Typhoon

Hawker Typhoon

The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...

s, the squadron moved to France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 in July 1944. During the Battle of Normandy

Operation Overlord

Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...

, No.164 used its rockets against enemy armour in the battle area and after the breakout moved forward through northern France and Belgium

Belgium

Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...

 in support of the 21st Army Group.

The squadron was renumbered No. 63 Squadron RAF

No. 63 Squadron RAF

-In World War I:No. 63 Squadron was formed on 31 August 1916 at Stirling, Scotland as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. The squadron was intended to operate as a day-bomber unit over the Western Front in France, and was therefore equipped with de Havilland DH4 aircraft; however at the last...

 on 31 August 1946.

Service

! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|From
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|To
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
|-----
| April 1942
| September 1942
| Supermarine Spitfire

Supermarine Spitfire

The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...

 VA
|-----
| September 1942
| February 1943
| Supermarine Spitfire VB
|-----
| February 1943
| May 1943
| Hawker Hurricane

Hawker Hurricane

The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...

 IID
|-----
| February 1943
| February 1944
| Hawker Hurricane IV
|-----
| January 1944
| May 1945
| Hawker Typhoon

Hawker Typhoon

The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...

IB
|-----
| June 1945
| July 1946
| Supermarine Spitfire IX
|-----
| July 1946
| August 1946
| Supermarine Spitfire LF XVIE