No. 185 Squadron RAF

No. 185 Squadron RAF
Active 21 October 1918 – 14 April 1919
1 March 1938 – 17 May 1940
12 May 1941 – 14 August 1945
15 September 1951 – 1 May 1953
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Motto(s) Maltese: Ara fejn hu
("Look where it is").
Insignia
Squadron Badge A griffin in front of a Maltese Cross.
Squadron Codes ZM (Apr 1939 - Sep 1939)
GL (Sep 1939 - Apr 1940, May 1942 - Aug 1945)

No. 185 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed in World War I and reformed as a bomber and fighter unit in World War II. It then reformed in Malta in the post war period as a jet fighter squadron.

History

Formation and World War I

No. 185 Squadron was formed in East Fortune, East Lothian, Scotland on 21 August 1918 and was equipped with Sopwith Cuckoo torpedo-bomber aircraft, it did not become operational and disbanded on 14 April 1919.

Reformation in World War II

The squadron reformed on 1 March 1938 at RAF Abingdon and was supplied with Harts, then Battles. It then operated from RAF Cottesmore as a bomber squadron equipped with Hampdens after having a training role. The squadron was absorbed into an OTU on 8 April 1940 before re-forming in Malta on 12 May 1941 as a fighter squadron. The Squadron served all its time in the Mediterranean Theatre. It disbanded on 14 August 1945.

Postwar period

The squadron reformed on 15 September 1951 at Hal Far, Malta and was equipped with Vampires. It moved to Iraq in October 1952 and it finally disbanded there on 1 May 1953.

Aircraft operated

185 Sqn Hurricane IIs at RAF Hal Far, in September 1941.
Aircraft operated by no. 185 Squadron RAF[1]
From To Aircraft Variant
Nov 1918 Apr 1919 Sopwith Cuckoo
Mar 1938 Jul 1938 Hawker Hind
Jun 1938 Jun 1939 Fairey Battle
Jun 1939 Apr 1940 Handley Page Hampden
Aug 1939 Apr 1940 Handley Page Hereford
Aug 1939 Apr 1940 Avro Anson I
Apr 1940 May 1940 Handley Page Hampden
May 1941 Jun 1942 Hawker HurricaneI
May 1941 Jun 1942 Hawker HurricaneIIA & IIC
May 1942 Sep 1944 Supermarine SpitfireVC
Jun 1943 Jul 1944 Supermarine SpitfireIX
Aug 1944 Sep 1944 Supermarine SpitfireVIII
Sep 1944 Aug 1945 Supermarine SpitfireIX
Mar 1945 Apr 1945 Supermarine SpitfireVIII
Sep 1951 May 1953 de Havilland Vampire FB.5

References

  1. ↑ C.G.Jefford (1988). RAF Squadrons. UK Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
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