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No. 313 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF
Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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No. 313 Squadron RAF was a Czechoslovak-manned fighter squadron of the Royal Air Force in the Second World War.
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The squadron was formed at RAF Catterick[1] on 10 May 1941.[2] It was the last RAF squadron to be formed mostly of escaped Czechoslovak pilots. Its first commander was the British Squadron Leader Gordon Sinclair.[3] On 29 July, Czechoslovak fighter pilot Josef Jaške was appointed as joint commander of the squadron.[4] The plan was for responsibility to be transferred gradually from Sinclair to Jaške.
The squadron was equipped initially with Supermarine Spitfire I fighters. On 30 June 1941 it moved to RAF Leconfield[1] in the East Riding of Yorkshire. In August the squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire IIA,[5] and on 25 August it moved to RAF Portreath[1] in Cornwall. In October the squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire VB/C.[5]
On 15 December 1941 Sqn Ldr Karel Mrázek succeeded Jaške as commanding officer[4] and the squadron moved to RAF Hornchurch[6] in Essex. On 8 June 1942 the squadron moved to RAF Church Stanton[6] in Somerset and on 26 June Sqn Ldr Jaroslav Himr succeeded Mrázek as commanding officer.[4]
In 1943 the squadron moved to Scotland, firstly on 28 June to RAF Sumburgh "A" in Shetland, and shortly thereafter to RAF Peterhead "B"[6] in Aberdeenshire. The squadron briefly flew the Spitfire VI in June and July 1943.[5] On 20 July it moved to RAF Hawkinge[6] in Kent. On 18 September it moved to RAF Ibsley[7] in Hampshire and on 24 September Sqn Ldr František Fajtl succeeded Himr as commanding officer.[4]
On 1 February 1944 Sqn Ldr Václav Bergman succeeded Fajtl as commanding officer.[4] Also in February the squadron was re-equipped with the Spitfire IX.[5] This model was fitted with 190-gallon "slipper" tanks to extend its range, enabling the squadron to escort bombers on raids deep into Germany.[8] On 20 February the squadron moved to RAF Mendlesham[7] in Suffolk. On 14 March it moved again, to RAF Rochford[7] in Essex.
On 3 April 1944 the squadron moved to RAF Appledram[9] in West Sussex. On 22 May Sqn Ldr Alois Hochmál succeeded Bergman as commanding officer.[4] From 29 June the squadron spent a few days at RAF Tangmere,[9] also in West Sussex. On 4 July it spent a week at RAF Lympne[9] in Kent.
On 11 July 1944 the squadron moved to RAF Skeabrae[9] on Orkney in Scotland. The squadron briefly flew the Spitfire VII in July and August 1944.[5]
On 3 October 1944 the squadron moved to RAF North Weald[9] in Essex. Also in October it reverted to the Spitfire IX, which it continued to operate until the end of its history as an RAF unit.[5] On 1 September 1944 Sqn Ldr Karel Kasal succeeded Hochmál as commanding officer, and on 15 November Sqn Ldr Otmar Kučera succeeded Kasal.[1] On 29 December the squadron moved to RAF Bradwell Bay,[9] also in Essex.
From 27 February to 8 May 1945 the squadron was based at RAF Manston[9] in Kent. On 3 August members of all of the RAF's Czechoslovak squadrons held a farewell parade at RAF Manston. Air Marshal John Slessor inspected the parade, accompanied by A/M Karel Janoušek. On 24 August 313 Squadron moved to Ruzyně Airport in Prague. It became a squadron of the new Czechoslovak Air Force, and on 15 February 1946 was officially disbanded as an RAF squadron.[2][5]
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