No. 682 Squadron RAF

No. 682 Squadron RAF
Active1 February 1943 – 14 September 1945
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Rolephoto reconnaissance
Part ofMediterranean Air Command[1]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryNo badge known to have been authorised[2]
Squadron CodesNo code(s) are known to have been carried by this squadron[3][4][5]
Aircraft flown
ReconnaissanceSupermarine Spitfire
de Havilland Mosquito

No. 682 Squadron RAF was a photo reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

History

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The squadron was formed on 1 February 1943[6] at Maison Blanche, Algeria from No. 4 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (PRU) RAF. It was at first equipped with Spitfire PR.IVs and -shortly- Mosquito PR.IVs and PR.VIs, and later flew the Spitfire PR.XI in support of the campaign in Tunisia, Sicily, and then Italy. The squadron supported the invasion of Italy and carried out sorties over Yugoslavia including special reconnaissance for army and commando operations. In 1944 the squadron began to target southern France and it moved detachments to France in September 1944, receiving the superlative photographic reconnaissance version of the Spitfire, the PR.XIX. It returned to cover the Italian campaign and also operated over Greece. With the war over the squadron carried survey flights until it was disbanded on 14 September 1945 at Peretola, Italy.[3]

Aircraft operated

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Aircraft operated by no. 682 Squadron RAF, data from[3][6][7]
From To Aircraft Variant
February 1943 May 1943 Supermarine Spitfire PR.IV
April 1943 July 1943 de Havilland Mosquito PRs.IV & VI
April 1943 September 1945 Supermarine Spitfire PR.XI
September 1944 September 1945 Supermarine Spitfire PR.XIX

Squadron bases

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Bases and airfields used by no. 682 Squadron RAF, data from[3][6][7]
From To Base Remark
1 February 1943 6 June 1943 RAF Maison Blanche, Algeria
6 June 1943 8 December 1943 La Marsa, Tunisia Detachment at Foggia, Italy
8 December 1943 September 1944 San Severo, Italy Detachments at Pomigliano, Italy; Alghero, Italy;
Nettuno, Italy; Voltone, Italy;
Follonica, Italy; Borgo, Italy;
Le Luc, France; Y.23/Valence, France;
Lyons/Bron, France; Malignano, Italy
September 1944 14 September 1945 Peretola, Italy Detachments at Dijon, France;
Y.42/Nancy, France and RAF Hal Far, Malta

Commanding officers

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Officers commanding no. 682 squadron RAF, data from[3]
From To Name
February 1943 July 1943 S/Ldr. A.H.W. Ball, DSO, DFC
July 1943 July 1944 S/Ldr. J.T. Morgan, DSO
July 1944 March 1945 S/Ldr. R.C. Buchanan, DFC
March 1945 August 1945 S/Ldr. H.B. Oldfield
August 1945 September 1945 S/Ldr. B.R. Kenwright, DFC

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Delve 1994, p. 82.
  2. ^ Rawlings 1982, p. 245.
  3. ^ a b c d e Rawlings 1982, p. 246.
  4. ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 148.
  5. ^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 233.
  6. ^ a b c Halley 1988, p. 454.
  7. ^ a b Jefford 2001, p. 105.

Bibliography

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  • Bowman, Martin (1999). Mosquito Photo-Reconnaissance Units of World War 2. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-891-7.
  • Bowyer, Chaz (1984). Mosquito Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 0-7110-1425-6.
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
  • Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003). Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
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