No. 540 Squadron RAF was a photoreconnaissance squadron of the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

from 1942 to 1956.

History

Formation and World War II

The squadron was formed on 19 October 1942 from 'H' and 'L' flights of No. 1 PRU at RAF Leuchars as a photoreconnaissance unit with the de Havilland Mosquito. It operated from Leuchars to carry out missions over

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

and

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, while a detachment based at

RAF Benson Royal Air Force Benson or RAF Benson is a Royal Air Force (RAF) station located at Benson, near Wallingford, in South Oxfordshire, England. It is a front-line station and home to the RAF's fleet of Westland Puma HC2 support helicopters, us ...

carried out similar missions over

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

and

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

. Another detachment, based at

RAF Gibraltar RAF Gibraltar (also formerly known as North Front) is a Royal Air Force station on Gibraltar. No military aircraft are currently stationed there, but RAF, Commonwealth and aircraft of other NATO nations will periodically arrive for transient stop ...

covered the south of France and

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

, but from 1944 on the unit was wholly based at RAF Benson, the range of the later Mosquito permitting missions deep in

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

or to the Canary Islands. In March 1945 the squadron went overseas, to Coulommiers in France, coming back to the UK in November, again at RAF Benson where the unit was disbanded on 30 September 1946, when it was renumbered to 58 Squadron.

Post-war

On 1 December 1947 No. 540 squadron was reformed at Benson, from the Mosquito element of 58 Squadron, taking up its old role and still flying Mosquitoes again as well. In December 1952 these gave way to

English Electric Canberra The English Electric Canberra is a British first-generation, jet-powered medium bomber. It was developed by English Electric during the mid- to late 1940s in response to a 1944 Air Ministry requirement for a successor to the wartime de Havil ...

s, the last Mosquito leaving in September 1953. By that time the squadron had moved to

RAF Wyton Royal Air Force Wyton or more simply RAF Wyton is a Royal Air Force station near St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. The airfield is decommissioned and is now home to the Joint Forces Intelligence Group. History Flying station Wyton has b ...

, where the unit disbanded on 31 March 1956.

1953 London to Christchurch air race

In 1953 the squadron formed a "NZ Air Race Flight" to train and carry out the RAF participation in the

1953 London to Christchurch air race The 1953 London to Christchurch air race, the "Last Great Air Race", was long, from Heathrow Airport, London Airport (now London Heathrow) to Christchurch Airport, Christchurch International Airport in New Zealand, and took place in October 195 ...

, Flight Lieutenant Monty Burton won the race in Canberra PR3 ''WE139'' now on public display at the Royal Air Force Museum.

Aircraft operated

Squadron bases

Commanding officers

References

Notes

Bibliography

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External links

Squadron history on MOD site

{{DEFAULTSORT:No. 540 Squadron Raf Military units and formations established in 1942 Aircraft squadrons of the Royal Air Force in World War II 540 Squadron Reconnaissance units and formations of the Royal Air Force Military units and formations disestablished in 1956 1942 establishments in the United Kingdom 1956 disestablishments in the United Kingdom