No. 181 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 181 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force
Squadron formed as a fighter-bomber
unit in World War II
.
Formation in World War II
The squadron formed on 25 August 1942 at RAF Duxford and was supplied with Hurricanes
and Typhoons
. It then operated the Typhoons from several locations in the United Kingdom including RAF Snailwell
, RAF Lasham, RAF Odiham
and RAF Hurn
. It attacked V-1 flying bomb launch sites and supported the Normandy landings in June 1944. It then relocated to France where it followed the allied advance across Europe seeking targets of opportunity. It disbanded in Lubeck
, Germany
on 30 September 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 as a fighter-bomber
Fighter-bomber
A fighter-bomber is a fixed-wing aircraft with an intended primary role of light tactical bombing and also incorporating certain performance characteristics of a fighter aircraft. This term, although still used, has less significance since the introduction of rockets and guided missiles into aerial...
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 in World War IIWorld War IIWorld 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...
The squadron formed on 25 August 1942 at RAF Duxford and was supplied with HurricanesHawker 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...
and Typhoons
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...
. It then operated the Typhoons from several locations in the United Kingdom including RAF Snailwell
RAF Snailwell
RAF Snailwell, Cambridgeshire, located 3 miles north of Newmarket, Suffolk. Also known as Station 361 of the USAAF. The site has now returned to agriculture and paddocks.-Units:* Royal Air Force 268 Squadron* Army Cooperation Command...
, RAF Lasham, RAF Odiham
RAF Odiham
RAF Odiham is a Royal Air Force station situated a little to the south of the historic small village of Odiham in Hampshire, England. It is the home of the Royal Air Force's heavy lift helicopter, the Chinook HC2, HC2A and HC3...
and RAF Hurn
RAF Hurn
RAF Station Hurn is a former World War II airfield in Dorset, England. The airfield is located approximately north east of Christchurch; about southwest of LondonOpened in 1941, it was used by both the Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force...
. It attacked V-1 flying bomb launch sites and supported the Normandy landings in June 1944. It then relocated to France where it followed the allied advance across Europe seeking targets of opportunity. It disbanded in Lubeck
Lübeck
The Hanseatic City of Lübeck is the second-largest city in Schleswig-Holstein, in northern Germany, and one of the major ports of Germany. It was for several centuries the "capital" of the Hanseatic League and, because of its Brick Gothic architectural heritage, is listed by UNESCO as a World...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on 30 September 1945.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1942 | Dec 1942 | 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... |
I |
| Sep 1942 | Dec 1942 | 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... |
IA |
| Sep 1942 | Sep 1945 | Hawker Typhoon | IB |