No. 541 Squadron RAF
{{Short description|Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2015}}
{{refimprove|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox military unit|
|unit_name= No. 541 Squadron RAF
|image=Aircraft of the Royal Air Force, 1939-1945- Supermarine Spitfire. CH13493.jpg
|caption= Spitfire PR Mark XI, PL775, of No. 541 Squadron RAF
|dates= 19 October 1942 – 1 October 1946
1 November 1947 – 7 September 1957
|country= {{flagicon|UK}} United Kingdom
|allegiance=
|branch= 23px Royal Air Force
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|garrison_label= Base
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|motto= Alone above all{{cite book |last1=Pine |first1=L G |title=A Dictionary of mottoes |date=1983 |publisher=Routledge & K. Paul |location=London |isbn=0-7100-9339-X |page=10}}
|colors=
|colors_label= post 1950 aircraft insignia
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|identification_symbol= A birds eye speedwell flower{{cite web |title=541 Sqn {{!}} RAF Heraldry Trust |url=http://www.rafht.co.uk/index.php/2016/06/11/541-sqn/ |website=rafht.co.uk |access-date=8 March 2021}}
|identification_symbol_label= Squadron Badge
|identification_symbol_2= ES (October 1945 – Dec 1946){{sfn|Lake|1999|p=295}}
WY (November 1947 –1951){{sfn|Lake|1999|p=302}}
A (1951 –1954){{sfn|Lake|1999|p=294}}
|identification_symbol_2_label= Squadron Code
}}
No. 541 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as a photographic reconnaissance squadron in World War II.
History
=Formation in World War II=
The squadron formed at RAF Benson on 19 October 1942 from 'B' and 'F' flights of No. 1 PRU,{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=156}} and was equipped with Spitfires to fly missions over Europe.{{cite web |title=No.541 Squadron |url=https://www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org/research/squadrons/541/ |website=www.nationalcoldwarexhibition.org |access-date=8 March 2021}} It also received Mustang aircraft in July 1944 and operated some Lancaster bombers for UK mapping purposes after hostilities ceased. One of the squadrons first commanders following its formation was John Saffery.{{cite book |last1=Price |first1=Alfred |title=Spitfire : pilots' stories |date=2012 |publisher=The History Press |location=Stroud, Gloucestershire |isbn=978-0-7524-6734-4 |page=143}}
Wartime detachments operated from Gibraltar in 1943, providing imagery of North Africa,{{sfn|Fairbairn|1991|p=72}} and from RAF Leuchars in the same year with missions flown into Norway looking for the battleship Scharnhorst.{{cite news |title=Veteran returns to RAF Leuchars after 67 years |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-11168230 |access-date=8 March 2021 |work=BBC News |date=2 September 2010}}
It disbanded in October 1946, with the Lancaster Flight becoming No. 82 Squadron.{{sfn|Lake|1999|pp=217, 267}}
=Postwar=
The squadron reformed at RAF Benson on 1 November 1947,{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=267}} and in December 1950 its Spitfires were replaced with Meteors which it operated from RAF Bückeburg, RAF Laarbruch and RAF Gütersloh before it disbanded again on 7 September 1957.{{sfn|Fairbairn|1991|pp=80, 115}}
Aircraft operated
| class="wikitable"
|+Aircraft operated by No. 541 Squadron RAF ! From !! To !! Aircraft !! Variant | |||
| Oct 1942 | Jan 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | D |
| Oct 1942 | Sep 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | IV |
| Nov 1942 | Dec 1942 | Supermarine Spitfire | IX |
| Dec 1942 | Mar 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | XI |
| May 1944 | Apr 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | X |
| Jun 1944 | Oct 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | XIX |
| Dec 1942 | Mar 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | XI |
| Jul 1944 | Jun 1945 | North American P-51 Mustang | III |
| Oct 1945 | Apr 1946 | Gloster Meteor | F.3 |
| Feb 1946 | Oct 1946 | Avro Lancaster | PR1 |
| Nov 1947 | May 1951 | Supermarine Spitfire | PR 19 |
| Dec 1950 | Sep 1957 | Gloster Meteor | PR 10 |
References
{{reflist}}
=Sources=
- {{cite book |last1=Fairbairn |first1=Tony |title=Action Stations Overseas |date=1991 |publisher=P. Stephens |location=Sparkford |isbn=1-85260-319-4}}
- {{cite book |last1=Lake |first1=Alan |title=Flying units of the RAF : the ancestry, formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912 |date=1999 |publisher=Airlife |location=Shrewsbury |isbn=1-84037-086-6}}
External links
{{Commons category|No. 541 Squadron RAF}}
- [http://www.rafweb.org/Squadrons/Sqn541-598.htm History of No.'s 541–598 Squadrons at RAF Web]
- [http://www.rafht.co.uk/index.php/2016/06/11/541-sqn/Squadron badge on RAF Heraldry Trust website]
{{RAF squadrons}}
{{Royal Air Force}}
Category:Aircraft squadrons of the Royal Air Force in World War II
Category:Reconnaissance units and formations of the Royal Air Force