No. 131 Squadron RAF

No. 131 (County of Kent) Squadron RAF
Active 1 March 1918 – 17 August 1918
28 June 1941 – 10 June 1945
26 June 1945 – 31 December 1945
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Motto(s) Latin: Invicta
("Unconquered")
Insignia
Squadron Badge In front of an estoile of sixteen points, a horse forcene.
Squadron Codes NX (Jun 1941 - Dec 1945)

No. 131 (County of Kent) Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed to be a bomber unit in World War I and reformed as a fighter unit in World War II.

History

Formation and World War I

No. 131 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed on 1 March 1918 and became a unit of the Royal Air Force, but it disbanded on 17 August 1918 without becoming operational.

Reformation in World War II

The squadron reformed in 1941 at RAF Ouston as a fighter unit equipped with Spitfires and then provided air defence for convoys from RAF Atcham and Llanbedr in Wales. It moved to India in October 1944. The squadron re-assembled at Amarda Road on 5 February 1945 but it's Spitfires were re-allocated to the Royal Indian Air Force and the squadron was disbanded on 10 June 1945. Sixteen days later, 134 Squadron was renumbered to 131 and was equipped with Thunderbolts to begin training to support the invasion of Malaya. It was disbanded on 31 December 1945 at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Aircraft operated

No. 131 Squadron Spitfires
Aircraft operated by no. 131 Squadron RAF[1]
From To Aircraft Variant
Jun 1941 Nov 1941 Supermarine Spitfire IA
Sep 1941 Jan 1942 Supermarine Spitfire IIA
Dec 1941 Sep 1943 Supermarine Spitfire VB
Dec 1942 Sep 1943 Supermarine Spitfire VC
Sep 1943 Mar 1944 Supermarine Spitfire IX
Mar 1944 Oct 1944 Supermarine Spitfire VII
Feb 1945 Jun 1945 Supermarine Spitfire VIII
Jun 1945 Dec 1945 Republic P-47 Thunderbolt II

References

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