No. 268 Squadron RAF

No. 268 Squadron RAF
Active	1918–1919 1940–1945 1945–1946
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Motto	Adjidaumo

No. 268 Squadron RAF was a Second World War Royal Air Force squadron that operated the North American Mustang on missions over occupied Europe and in support of the D-Day landings.

History

Hawker Typhoon FR IB, number EK427; this aircraft was flown by 268 Squadron. Photographed in March 1945 after the type's withdrawal

The squadron was formed in August 1918 at Kalafrana, Malta from No. 433 and 434 Flights of the Royal Naval Air Service operating the Short 184 and Short 320 torpedo carrying floatplanes. It operated patrols in the Mediterranean until the end of the First World War and was disbanded on 11 October 1919.

On 30 November 1940 the squadron reformed at RAF Bury St. Edmunds with the Westland Lysander. It first flew anti-invasion sorties along the English coastline but the primary role was tactical reconnaissance. The squadron deployed to RAF Penshurst from 4 to 8 August 1941. It started operations with the Curtiss Tomahawk in October 1941 but these were replaced in April 1942 with the more capable North American Mustang. It converted to the Hawker Typhoon FR IB in July 1944 and continued to support the D-Day landings with tactical reconnaissance sorties.

Built in small numbers, the FR IB was intended for photo-reconnaissance at very low level. One of the Typhoon's four cannon was removed and three F24 cameras were fitted in its place, one 14-inch (360 mm) camera pointing forwards and two vertical 5-inch (130 mm) cameras. However, although the Typhoon well regarded as a combat aircraft, the reconnaissance variant was unpopular with pilots and unsatisfactory in use as inherent engine and airframe vibrations invariably blurred the photographs.

As with many RAF squadrons, 268 Squadron was manned with pilots from a wide range of backgrounds, in part due to programs such as the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan. In September 1944, half its pilots were Canadian, with others from Trinidad, Australia, Malta, Scotland and Wales; later in the year Polish and Indian pilots were transferred in.

The Typhoons were replaced by Mustang MkII aircraft by Nov 1944. A further change in aircraft was effected in Sept 1945 when the Mustangs were replaced by Supermarine SpitfireXIV's. The squadron acquired Spitfire IXs from 16 Squadron only to be disbanded on 19 September 1945 when it was re-numbered to 16 Squadron.

Shortly afterwards on 26 October 1945 the former 487 Squadron was re-numbered as 268 Squadron. Based at Cambrai/Epinoy it was equipped with the twin-engined de Havilland Mosquito FB6 for use in the light bomber role before being finally disbanded on 31 March 1946.

Aircraft operated

File:Damaged Mustang I 268 Sqn RAF at Odiham 1943.jpg

A combat-damaged 268 Sqn Mustang I at RAF Odiham, 1943.

Dates	Aircraft	Variant	Notes
1918–1919	Short 184		Single-engined torpedo seaplane
1918–1919	Short 320		Single-engined torpedo seaplane
1940–1942	Westland Lysander	II and then III	Single-engined liaison
1941–1942	Curtiss Tomahawk	IIA	Single-engined fighter
1942–1944	North American Mustang	I then IA	Single-engined fighter
1944	Hawker Typhoon	FR IB	Single-engined fighter
1944–1945	North American Mustang	II
1945	Supermarine Spitfire	XIVe and XIX	Single-engined fighter
1945–1946	de Havilland Mosquito	VI	Twin-engined light bomber