RAF Squadron Structure (Fighters)

[pfP7063]

Whilst recently re-reading Mosquito, Typhoon and Tempest by Bowyer, Reed and Beamont I came across a photo of 609 Squadron's Operations Board from October 1943 on page 204.

On it it shows that:

'A' Flight consisted of Red, Yellow and White Sections.
'B' Flight consisted of Blue, Green and Black Sections.

It also indicates that aircraft coded A to L were allocated to 'A' Flight and that those coded M to Z were allocated to 'B' Flight.

My questions relating to this last tidbit are as follows:

1. Am I correct in assuming that this was standard practice throughout Fighter Command.

2. Given the vagaries of operational necessity would I be correct to assume that aircraft from 'B' Flight were flown by 'A' Flight pilots and vice versa without changing the aircraft's individual code?

3. My reason for asking Question 2 is to how this may have pertained to 137 and 263 Squadron's and their Whirlwinds, particularly during the twilight of its opertional career.

Thank you all in advance for your help.

Paul

On a differnet tack, and forgive my ignorance, how many ground crew would be assigned to each aircraft? Engine fitter, rigger (airframe?), instrument fitter and armourer spring to mind. And if I've incorrectly stated their designations I'm happy to have them corrected! (Please and thank you!)

[Graham Boak]

I believe that these habits were common but not necessarily uniform throughout.

I would not normally expect an aircraft to be operated by the other flight, but operational needs would rule. The letter would not be changed for what would be seen as a temporary loan. The supply of fighters in the UK was such that no unit's flights would remain unbalanced in numbers for long enough to bother. An individual fighter may have been transferred from one flight to the other after a servicing period, but I don't know how common that might have been.

As long as enough Whirlwinds existed to maintain the unit at full strength, then I would expect them to continue with whatever the squadron policy was on such matters beforehand. But what that was on the Whirlwind units I don't know. With such a small force, it would be normal to have aircraft go away from the unit for major servicing rework, and then return: a Spitfire or Hurricane would not expect to go back to the same unit. In which case it may well not end up with the same flight, but the old letter would probably have been removed anyway, certainly if the aircraft had been repainted. I think you would have to look at the individual aircraft histories, and as many photos as you can find.

Normally each aircraft (at least for Spitfires and Hurricanes) would have a fitter and a rigger. Armourers were a unit asset, as were instrument fitters, who would normally work indoors.

[pfP7063]

Thanks for the info. Graham. It helps and is much appreciated.

Paul