No. 240 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 240 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force
flying boat
and seaplane
squadron during World War I
, World War II
and up to 1959. It was then reformed as a strategic missile squadron, serving thus till 1963.
was formed at RAF Calshot
on 20 August 1918 to provide anti-submarine protection, using its Short 184s
seaplane
s and Felixstowe F2A
flying boat
s. It was disbanded on 15 May 1919.
s and after a year converted to Short Singapores, which were followed a year later by the Saro London
, planning to convert later to Saro Lerwick
s, but getting Supermarine Stranraer
s in June 1940 instead. March 1941 these were replaced with Consolidated Catalinas, to carry out anti-submarine patrols over the Atlantic ocean
. It then moved to India
in March 1942 where it flew anti-shipping and submarine patrols from Red Hills Lake
, where it was disbanded on 1 July 1945.
The squadron reformed that same day, 1 July 1945, from elements of 212 sqn
and 240 squadron's special duties flight. The squadron converted to Short Sunderland
Mk.Vs and moved to Ceylon
in 1945, where it disbanded on 31 March 1946 at RAF Koggala.
and was equipped with Avro Shackleton
Mk.1a maritime reconnaissance aircraft. The squadron moved to Northern Ireland
in June 1952, where it disbanded on 1 November 1958 at RAF Ballykelly by being renumbered to 203 sqn
.
The squadron reformed once again on 1 August 1959, as one of 20 Thor Strategic Missile (SM) squadrons, associated with Project Emily
. The squadron was equipped with three Thor
Intermediate range ballistic missiles, and based at RAF Breighton.
In October 1962, during the Cuban missile crisis
, the squadron was kept at full readiness, with the missiles aimed at strategic targets in the USSR. The squadron was disbanded with the termination of the Thor Program in Britain, on 8 January 1963.
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...
flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
and seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
squadron during 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...
, 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...
and up to 1959. It was then reformed as a strategic missile squadron, serving thus till 1963.
Formation and World War I
No. 240 Squadron of the Royal Air ForceRoyal 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 formed at RAF Calshot
RAF Calshot
RAF Calshot was initially a seaplane and flying boat station, and latterly an RAF marine craft maintenance and training unit. It was located at the end of Calshot Spit in Southampton Water, Hampshire, England, at...
on 20 August 1918 to provide anti-submarine protection, using its Short 184s
Short Type 184
|-Manufacturers:Source: Barnes and James#Brush Electrical Engineering Co. Ltd. #Frederick Sage & Co. Ltd. #J. Samuel White #Mann, Egerton & Co. Ltd. #Phoenix Dynamo Manufacturing Company #Robey & Co. Ltd. #S E Saunders Limited...
seaplane
Seaplane
A seaplane is a fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. Seaplanes that can also take off and land on airfields are a subclass called amphibian aircraft...
s and Felixstowe F2A
Felixstowe F.2
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bruce, J.M. Flight, 2 December 1955, pp. 842–846.* Bruce, J.M. Flight, 16 December 1955, pp. 895–898.* Bruce, J.M. Flight, 23 December 1955, pp. 929–932....
flying boat
Flying boat
A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...
s. It was disbanded on 15 May 1919.
Reformation and World War II
The squadron was reformed at Calshot on 30 March 1937. It was at first equipped with Supermarine ScapaSupermarine Scapa
-See also:...
s and after a year converted to Short Singapores, which were followed a year later by the Saro London
Saro London
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Five: Flying Boats. London: Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1962 . ISBN 0-356-01449-5....
, planning to convert later to Saro Lerwick
Saro Lerwick
The Saunders-Roe A.36 Lerwick was a British flying boat built by the Saunders Roe Limited . It was intended to serve alongside the Short Sunderland in the Royal Air Force's Coastal Command, but it was a flawed design and only a small number were built...
s, but getting Supermarine Stranraer
Supermarine Stranraer
|-Surviving aircraft:A single intact Stranraer, 920/CF-BXO, survives in the collection of the Royal Air Force Museum London. This aircraft was built in 1940, one of 40 built by Canadian Vickers. In service with the Royal Canadian Air Force, it flew with several squadrons, on anti-submarine patrols,...
s in June 1940 instead. March 1941 these were replaced with Consolidated Catalinas, to carry out anti-submarine patrols over the Atlantic ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
. 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...
in March 1942 where it flew anti-shipping and submarine patrols from Red Hills Lake
Red Hills Lake
The Red Hills Lake,also called Puzhal Lake is located in Ponneri Taluk of Thiruvallur district, Tamilnadu, South India . It is one of the two rain-fed reservoirs from where water is drawn for supply to Chennai City, the other one being the Chembarambakkam Lake.*The full capacity of the lake is...
, where it was disbanded on 1 July 1945.
The squadron reformed that same day, 1 July 1945, from elements of 212 sqn
No. 212 Squadron RAF
No. 212 Squadron RAF is an inactive Royal Air Force aircraft squadron.The squadron was first formed as No. 12 Squadron RNAS as a training unit within No 1 Wing of the Royal Naval Air Service at Hondschoote on 8 June 1917...
and 240 squadron's special duties flight. The squadron converted to Short Sunderland
Short Sunderland
The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
Mk.Vs and moved to Ceylon
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
in 1945, where it disbanded on 31 March 1946 at RAF Koggala.
Post war: Shackletons and Missiles
In 1 May 1952 the squadron reformed again at RAF AldergroveRAF Aldergrove
RAF Aldergrove was a Royal Air Force station situated northwest of Belfast. It adjoined Belfast International Airport, sometimes referred to simply as Aldergrove which is the name of the surrounding area...
and was equipped with Avro Shackleton
Avro Shackleton
The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force. It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage...
Mk.1a maritime reconnaissance aircraft. The squadron moved to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
in June 1952, where it disbanded on 1 November 1958 at RAF Ballykelly by being renumbered to 203 sqn
No. 203 Squadron RAF
No. 203 Squadron RAF was originally formed as No. 3 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service. It was renumbered No. 203 when the Royal Air Force was formed on 1 April 1918.-First World War:...
.
The squadron reformed once again on 1 August 1959, as one of 20 Thor Strategic Missile (SM) squadrons, associated with Project Emily
Project Emily
Project Emily was the deployment of American-built PGM-17 Thor Intermediate-range ballistic missiles in the United Kingdom between 1959 and 1963....
. The squadron was equipped with three Thor
PGM-17 Thor
Thor was the first operational ballistic missile of the U.S. Air Force . Named after the Norse god of thunder, it was deployed in the United Kingdom between 1959 and September 1963 as an intermediate range ballistic missile with thermonuclear warheads. Thor was in height and in diameter. It was...
Intermediate range ballistic missiles, and based at RAF Breighton.
In October 1962, during the Cuban missile crisis
Cuban Missile Crisis
The Cuban Missile Crisis was a confrontation among the Soviet Union, Cuba and the United States in October 1962, during the Cold War...
, the squadron was kept at full readiness, with the missiles aimed at strategic targets in the USSR. The squadron was disbanded with the termination of the Thor Program in Britain, on 8 January 1963.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 1918 | May 1919 | Curtiss H-12 | |
| Aug 1918 | May 1919 | Fairey Campania Fairey Campania |-See also:-Bibliography:*Taylor, H.A. Fairey Aircraft since 1915. London:Putnam, 1988. ISBN 0-370-00065-x.... |
|
| Aug 1918 | May 1919 | Felixtowe F.2 | a |
| Aug 1918 | May 1919 | Short 320 | |
| Aug 1918 | May 1919 | Short Type 184 Short Type 184 |-Manufacturers:Source: Barnes and James#Brush Electrical Engineering Co. Ltd. #Frederick Sage & Co. Ltd. #J. Samuel White #Mann, Egerton & Co. Ltd. #Phoenix Dynamo Manufacturing Company #Robey & Co. Ltd. #S E Saunders Limited... |
b |
| Mar 1937 | Jan 1939 | Supermarine Scapa Supermarine Scapa -See also:... |
|
| Nov 1938 | Jan 1939 | Short Singapore | Mk.III |
| Jul 1939 | Jun 1940 | Saro London Saro London |-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Five: Flying Boats. London: Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1962 . ISBN 0-356-01449-5.... |
Mk.II |
| Jun 1940 | Jan 1941 | Supermarine Stranraer Supermarine Stranraer |-Surviving aircraft:A single intact Stranraer, 920/CF-BXO, survives in the collection of the Royal Air Force Museum London. This aircraft was built in 1940, one of 40 built by Canadian Vickers. In service with the Royal Canadian Air Force, it flew with several squadrons, on anti-submarine patrols,... |
Mk.I |
| Mar 1941 | Dec 1945 | Consolidated Catalina | Mks.I, Ib & II |
| Jul 1945 | Mar 1946 | Short Sunderland Short Sunderland The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England.... |
Mk.V |
| May 1952 | Nov 1958 | Avro Shackleton Avro Shackleton The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force. It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage... |
MR.1a |
| Jul 1953 | Aug 1954 | Avro Shackleton Avro Shackleton The Avro Shackleton was a British long-range maritime patrol aircraft for use by the Royal Air Force. It was developed by Avro from the Avro Lincoln bomber with a new fuselage... |
MR.2 |
| Aug 1959 | Jan 1963 | Douglas Thor PGM-17 Thor Thor was the first operational ballistic missile of the U.S. Air Force . Named after the Norse god of thunder, it was deployed in the United Kingdom between 1959 and September 1963 as an intermediate range ballistic missile with thermonuclear warheads. Thor was in height and in diameter. It was... |
SM.75 |
Squadron bases
| From | To | Base | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 August 1918 | 15 May 1919 | RAF Calshot RAF Calshot RAF Calshot was initially a seaplane and flying boat station, and latterly an RAF marine craft maintenance and training unit. It was located at the end of Calshot Spit in Southampton Water, Hampshire, England, at... , Hampshire Hampshire Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force... |
|
| 30 March 1937 | 12 August 1939 | RAF Calshot, Hampshire | |
| 12 August 1939 | 4 November 1939 | RAF Invergordon Invergordon Invergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated... , Ross and Cromarty Ross and Cromarty Ross and Cromarty is a variously defined area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is a registration county and a lieutenancy area in current use... , Scotland Scotland Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the... |
|
| 4 November 1939 | 1 April 1940 | RAF Sullom Voe Sullom Voe Sullom Voe is an inlet between North Mainland and Northmavine on Shetland in Scotland. It is a location of the Sullom Voe oil terminal. The word Voe is from the Old Norse vagr and denotes a small bay or narrow creek... , Shetland, Scotland |
|
| 1 April 1940 | 27 May 1940 | RAF Invergordon, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland | |
| 27 May 1940 | 30 July 1940 | RAF Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock Pembroke Dock is a town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, lying north of Pembroke on the River Cleddau. Originally a small fishing village known as Paterchurch, the town was greatly expanded from 1814 onwards following the construction of a Royal Naval Dockyard... , Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered.... , 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... |
|
| 30 July 1940 | 28 March 1941 | RAF Stranraer Stranraer Stranraer is a town in the southwest of Scotland. It lies in the west of Dumfries and Galloway and in the county of Wigtownshire.Stranraer lies on the shores of Loch Ryan on the northern side of the isthmus joining the Rhins of Galloway to the mainland... , Wigtownshire Wigtownshire Wigtownshire or the County of Wigtown is a registration county in the Southern Uplands of south west Scotland. Until 1975, the county was one of the administrative counties used for local government purposes, and is now administered as part of the council area of Dumfries and Galloway... , Scotland |
Also flying Stranraer Supermarine Stranraer |-Surviving aircraft:A single intact Stranraer, 920/CF-BXO, survives in the collection of the Royal Air Force Museum London. This aircraft was built in 1940, one of 40 built by Canadian Vickers. In service with the Royal Canadian Air Force, it flew with several squadrons, on anti-submarine patrols,... |
| 28 March 1941 | 25 August 1941 | RAF Killadeas Killadeas Killadeas is a small village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. It is about 7 miles north of Enniskillen near the shores of Lower Lough Erne. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 90 people.-History:... , County Fermanagh County Fermanagh Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas.... , Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west... |
|
| 25 August 1941 | 6 June 1942 | RAF Castle Archdale RAF Castle Archdale RAF Castle Archdale, also known for a while as RAF Lough Erne was a Royal Air Force station used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force station in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland.-WWII History:... (Lower Lough Erne), County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland |
Ground echolon left 29 March 1942 |
| 29 March 1942 | 4 July 1942 | En route to British India | |
| 4 July 1942 | 1 July 1945 | RAF Red Hills Lake Red Hills Lake The Red Hills Lake,also called Puzhal Lake is located in Ponneri Taluk of Thiruvallur district, Tamilnadu, South India . It is one of the two rain-fed reservoirs from where water is drawn for supply to Chennai City, the other one being the Chembarambakkam Lake.*The full capacity of the lake is... , Madras Chennai Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India... , British India |
|
| 1 July 1945 | 10 January 1946 | RAF Red Hills Lake, Madras, British India | Reformation as Short Sunderland Short Sunderland The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England.... unit |
| 10 January 1946 | 31 March 1946 | RAF Koggala, Ceylon Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the... |
|
| 1 May 1952 | 25 May 1952 | RAF Aldergrove RAF Aldergrove RAF Aldergrove was a Royal Air Force station situated northwest of Belfast. It adjoined Belfast International Airport, sometimes referred to simply as Aldergrove which is the name of the surrounding area... , County Antrim County Antrim County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000... , Northern Ireland |
|
| 25 May 1952 | 5 June 1952 | RAF St Eval RAF St Eval RAF St Eval was a strategic airbase for the RAF Coastal Command in the Second World War . St Eval's primary role was to provided anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south west coast of England... , Cornwall Cornwall Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of... |
|
| 5 June 1952 | 1 November 1958 | RAF Ballykelly, County Londonderry County Londonderry The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists... , Northern Ireland |
|
| 1 August 1959 | 8 January 1963 | RAF Breighton, East Riding of Yorkshire East Riding of Yorkshire The East Riding of Yorkshire, or simply East Yorkshire, is a local government district with unitary authority status, and a ceremonial county of England. For ceremonial purposes the county also includes the city of Kingston upon Hull, which is a separate unitary authority... |
as No. 240 (SM) Squadron |