No. 543 Squadron RAF

No. 543 Squadron RAF
No. 543 Squadron RAF
Active	19 October 1942 - 18 October 1943; 24 September 1955 - 24 May 1974
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Reconnaissance
Motto(s)	Valiant and Vigilant
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	A crane's head, the crane carrying an open padlock, with key, in its beak

No. 543 Squadron RAF was a reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1942 to 1974.

History

The squadron was formed on 19 October 1942^[2] at RAF Benson as a photo-reconnaissance unit with the Supermarine Spitfire. A detachment was stationed at RAF St Eval, Cornwall to carry out reconnaissance flights over France. The rest of the squadron carried out operational training. On 18 October 1943 the squadron was disbanded.

On 24 September 1955 the squadron was reformed at RAF Gaydon to operate the Vickers Valiant for reconnaissance duties. It moved to RAF Wyton in November 1955. The squadron re-equipped with the Handley Page Victor in 1965. It was disbanded on 24 May 1974 at RAF Wyton.^[3]

Aircraft operated

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|From ! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|To ! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Version |- | October 1942 | October 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mks.IV & V |- | November 1942 | October 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | Mk.IX |- | June 1943 | October 1943 | de Havilland Mosquito | PR.IV |- | June 1955 | December 1964 | Vickers Valiant | B(PR).1 |- | February 1956 | December 1964 | Vickers Valiant | B(PR)K.1 |- | May 1965 | December 1965 | Handley Page Victor | B.1 |- | January 1966 | May 1974 | Handley Page Victor | B.2(SR) |}^[1]^[2]^[3]

Commanding officers

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|From ! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|To ! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Name |- | October 1942 | October 1942 | S/Ldr. A.E. Hill, DSO, DFC & Bar |- | October 1942 | October 1943 | S/Ldr. G.E. Hughes, DFC |- | August 1955 | August 1957 | W/Cdr. R.E. Havercroft, AFC |- | August 1957 | | W/Cdr. R. Berry, DSO, OBE, DFC |- | | | W/Cdr. C.G.St.D. Jeffries |}^[1]

Squadron bases

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|From ! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|To ! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Base ! style="text-align: left; background: #B0C4DE;"|Remark |- | 19 October 1942 | 18 October 1943 | RAF Benson | Detachments at St. Eval, Mount Farm and Grasnaya and Vaenga, Russia |- | 1 July 1955 | 18 November 1955 | RAF Gaydon | |- | 18 November 1955 | 23 March 1970 | RAF Wyton | |- | 23 March 1970 | 1 October 1970 | RAF Honington | |- | 1 October 1970 | 24 May 1974 | RAF Wyton | Disbanded here |}^[1]^[2]^[3]

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Rawlings 1982, p. 233.
^ ^a ^b ^c Halley 1988, p. 408.
^ ^a ^b ^c Jefford 2001, p. 98.

Bibliography

Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF (Retd.).RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.