RAF Fighter Command order of battle 1940
Appearance
This article lists the RAF Fighter Command order of battle at 15 September 1940, during the Battle of Britain.
Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command Headquarters was located at RAF Bentley Priory, near Stanmore in North London. The Commanding Officer was Air Marshal Hugh C.T. Dowding.
Fighter Groups
Group | Headquarters | Commanding Officer | Area of Operations |
---|---|---|---|
9 Group | RAF Barton Hall, Preston, Lancashire | Not yet appointed | Not yet defined |
10 Group | RAF Box,[1] Box, Wiltshire | Air Vice-Marshal Sir C J Quintin Brand | South West England and South Wales |
11 Group | RAF Uxbridge,[2] Hillingdon, Middlesex | Keith Park | South East England and London |
12 Group | RAF Watnall,[3] Nottinghamshire | Trafford Leigh-Mallory | East Anglia, the Midlands, Mid Wales and North Wales |
13 Group | RAF Newcastle,[4] Kenton Bar, Newcastle upon Tyne | Richard Saul | North of England and Scotland |
14 Group | Drumossie Hotel, Inverness | Malcolm Henderson | Scotland |
Sector Stations and Satellite Aerodromes
Sector Stations had Sector Control Rooms as well as the usual features of RAF aerodromes; they were able to control RAF fighter formations during the battle. Sector stations were also able to disperse squadrons to satellite aerodromes, most of which were fully equipped.[5][6]
Sector | Group | Sector Station | Radio call sign | Satellite Airfield or airfields |
---|---|---|---|---|
A | 11 | Tangmere | SHORTJACK | Westhampnett |
B | 11 | Kenley | SAPPER | Croydon |
C | 11 | Biggin Hill | TOPHAT | West Malling, Gravesend[7] |
D | 11 | Hornchurch | LUMBA | Gravesend, Rochford, Manston, Hawkinge |
E | 11 | North Weald | COWSLIP | Stapleford Tawney, Martlesham Heath |
F | 11 | Debden | GARTER | Martlesham Heath[8] |
G | 12 | Duxford | Fowlmere | |
K | 12 | Wittering | Coltishall | |
L | 12 | Digby | Ternhill | |
M | 12 | Kirton-in-Lindsey | ||
N | 12 | Church Fenton | Leconfield | |
O | 13 | Usworth | Catterick | |
P | 13 | Acklington | ||
Q | 13 | Turnhouse | Drem, Grangemouth | |
R | 13 | Dyce | Grangemouth | |
S | 13 | RAF Wick | Kirkwall, Sumburgh | |
W | 10 | Filton | Boscombe Down, Colerne, embrey | |
Y | 10 | Middle Wallop | STARLIGHT | Boscombe Down, Warmwell, Exeter, some control over RNAS Roborough, St. Eval |
Z | 11 | Northolt | Hendon |
Stations and squadrons
See also
- RAF Fighter Command
- List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
- List of Officially Accredited Battle of Britain Squadrons
- List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain
References
Notes
- ^ RAF Box
- ^ RAF Uxbridge
- ^ RAF Watnall
- ^ RAF Newcastle
- ^ Fighter Command Aerodromes and Sectors. Retrieved: 28 May 2008
- ^ Price, Alfred The Hardest Day, 1980, pp. 208-211.
- ^ Note: Also used by Sector D
- ^ Note: Also used by Sector E
- ^ Note: The primary source used to list the Squadron names (e.g.; 152 "Hyderabad" Sqn.), unit code letters, radio call signs and aircraft types of the 71 Officially Accredited Battle of Britain Fighter Command Squadrons and other units which served under Fighter Command is Ramsay 1989, p.255.
- ^ Note: The squadron code letters QJ were the same as those of 92 Squadron. The codes changed to YQ in 1941
Bibliography
- Ramsay, Winston (editor). The Battle of Britain Then and Now Mk V. London: Battle of Britain Prints International Ltd, 1989. ISBN 0-900913-46-0
External links
- BattleofBritain.com - Retrieved: 4 August 2007.