No. 131 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 131 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force
Squadron formed to be a night bomber unit in World War I
and reformed as a fighter unit in World War II
.
was formed on 1 March 1918 and became a unit of the Royal Air Force
, but it disbanded on 17 August 1918 without becoming operational.
and then provided air defence for convoy
s from RAF Atcham
and Llanbedr
in Wales
. It then moved to India
and was re-equipped with Thunderbolts. It was disbanded on 31 December 1945 at Kuala Lumpur
, Malaysia.
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...
Squadron formed to be a night bomber unit in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and reformed as a fighter unit in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Formation and World War I
No. 131 Squadron Royal Flying CorpsRoyal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
was formed on 1 March 1918 and became a unit 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...
, but it disbanded on 17 August 1918 without becoming operational.
Reformation in World War II
The squadron reformed in 1941 as a fighter unit equipped with SpitfiresSupermarine 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...
and then provided air defence for convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
s from RAF Atcham
RAF Atcham
RAF Atcham is a former World War II airfield in England. The field is located 5 miles E of Shrewsbury in Shropshire on the north eastern boundary of Attingham Park...
and Llanbedr
Llanbedr
Llanbedr is a village in the Ardudwy area of Gwynedd, Wales.The village originally grew around the slate quarrying industry. Attractions in Llanbedr include Neolithic standing stones and Bronze Age hut circles. The Morfa Dyffryn sand dunes and Mochras lie nearby...
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. It then moved to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and was re-equipped with Thunderbolts. It was disbanded on 31 December 1945 at Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
, Malaysia.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1941 | Nov 1941 | 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... |
IA |
| Sep 1941 | Jan 1942 | Supermarine Spitfire | IIA |
| Dec 1941 | Sep 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | VB |
| Dec 1942 | Sep 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | VC |
| Sep 1943 | Mar 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | IX |
| Mar 1944 | Oct 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | VII |
| Feb 1945 | Jun 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | VIII |
| Jun 1945 | Dec 1945 | Republic P-47 Thunderbolt | II |