No. 135 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 135 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force
Squadron formed to be a 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 4 July 1918 without becoming operational.
. It was then moved to Calcutta, India
and Rangoon, Burma. The squadron converted to the P-47 Thunderbolt
until its disbandment upon renumbering to No 615 Squadron in June 1945.
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 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. 135 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 4 July 1918 without becoming operational.
Reformation in World War II
The squadron reformed in August 1941 as a fighter unit equipped with Hawker Hurricanes and was stationed at RAF Baginton and RAF HonileyRAF Honiley
RAF Honiley is a former Royal Air Force station located in Wroxall, Warwickshire seven miles southwest of Coventry, England. The station closed in March 1958, and after being used as a motor vehicle test track, is presently subject to planning permission from the Prodrive Formula One team for...
. It was then moved to Calcutta, 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 Rangoon, Burma. The squadron converted to the P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
until its disbandment upon renumbering to No 615 Squadron in June 1945.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1941 | Nov 1941 | 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... |
IIA |
| Nov 1941 | Nov 1941 | Hawker Hurricane | IIC |
| Feb 1942 | Oct 1943 | Hawker Hurricane | IIB |
| Oct 1943 | Sep 1944 | Hawker Hurricane | IIC |
| May 1944 | Jun 1945 | Republic P-47 Thunderbolt | I |