No. 163 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a communications and light bomber unit in World War II.
No. 163 Squadron RAF | |
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Active | 1 Jun 1918 – 17 Aug 1918 10 Jul 1942 – 16 Jun 1943 15 Jan 1945 – 10 Aug 1945 |
Country | |
Branch | |
Motto(s) | No motto |
History
editFormation and World War I
editNo. 163 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed on 1 June 1918, but it was not equipped with any aircraft and was disbanded on 17 August 1918 without becoming operational.
Reformation in World War II
editThe squadron reformed on 10 July 1942 at Asmara, Egypt, and equipped with Hudson aircraft that operated a mail and communications service to Khartoum, Sudan, and other African countries. It was disbanded on 16 June 1943 and reformed at RAF Wyton on 15 January 1945 as a Mosquito Squadron on operations over Germany as part of the Night Striking Force, it finally disbanded on 10 August 1945.
Aircraft operated
editFrom | To | Aircraft | Variant |
---|---|---|---|
Jul 1942 | Aug 1942 | Lockheed Hudson | IIIA |
Jul 1942 | Dec 1942 | Lockheed Hudson | VI |
Jan 1945 | Aug 1945 | de Havilland Mosquito | XXV |
May 1945 | Aug 1945 | de Havilland Mosquito | XVI |
References
edit- ^ C.G.Jefford (1988). RAF Squadrons. UK Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.