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RAF Fighter Command order of battle 1940

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This article lists the RAF Fighter Command order of battle at 15 September 1940, during the Battle of Britain.

Fighter Command

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RAF Fighter Command Headquarters was located at RAF Bentley Priory, near Stanmore in North London. The commanding officer was Air Chief Marshal Hugh C.T. Dowding.

Fighter groups

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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

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See also: Dowding system

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 TOPHAT Croydon
C 11 Biggin Hill SAPPER 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 Wick Grimsetter, Sumburgh
W 10 Filton Boscombe Down, Colerne, Pembrey
Y 10 Middle Wallop STARLIGHT Boscombe Down, Warmwell, Exeter, some control over RNAS Roborough, St. Eval
Z 11 Northolt Hendon

Stations and squadrons

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Table of stations and squadrons[9]
Sector Station Squadron Aircraft type Squadron code Radio call sign Aerodrome assigned to Commanding officer
10 Group
RAF Middle Wallop No. 238 Sqn Hawker Hurricane VK RAF Middle Wallop Sqn Ldr Harold Arthur Fenton
RAF Middle Wallop No. 609 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire PR SORBO RAF Warmwell Sqn Ldr Horace Stanley Darley
RAF Middle Wallop No. 604 (Night Fighter) Sqn Bristol Blenheim & Bristol Beaufighter NG RAF Middle Wallop Sqn Ldr Michael Frederick Anderson
RAF Middle Wallop No. 23 Sqn (part) Bristol Blenheim YP RAF Middle Wallop Sqn Ldr George Francis Wheaton Heycock
RAF Middle Wallop No. 152 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire UM MAIDA RAF Warmwell Sqn Ldr Peter K Devitt
RAF Middle Wallop No. 56 Sqn Hawker Hurricane US BAFFIN RAF Boscombe Down Sqn Ldr Herbert Moreton Pinfold
RAF Filton No. 79 Sqn Hawker Hurricane NV PANSY RAF Pembrey Sqn Ldr J Hervey Heyworth
RAF Filton No. 87 Sqn Hawker Hurricane LK SUNCUP RAF Exeter, RAF Bibury Flt Lt R S Mills
RAF Filton No. 601 Sqn Hawker Hurricane UF WEAPON RAF Filton Flt Lt Sir Archibald Philip Hope (Acting CO)
RAF Filton No. 234 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire AZ CRESSY RAF St Eval Sqn Ldr Minden Vaughan Blake
RAF Filton No. 236 (Coastal Command) Sqn Bristol Blenheim FA RAF St Eval Sqn Ldr G W Montagu
RAF Filton No. 247 Sqn Gloster Gladiator HP RNAS Roborough Flight Lieutenant Hugh Addison Chater
11 Group
RAF Biggin Hill No. 72 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire RN TENNIS RAF Biggin Hill Sqn Ldr A R Collins
RAF Biggin Hill No. 92 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire QJ GANNIC RAF Biggin Hill Sqn Ldr P J Sanders
RAF Biggin Hill No. 141 Sqn (half) Boulton Paul Defiant TW RAF Biggin Hill Sqn Ldr W A Richardson
RAF Biggin Hill No. 66 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire LZ FIBUS RAF Gravesend Sqn Ldr Rupert Leigh
RAF North Weald No. 249 Sqn Hawker Hurricane GN GANER RAF Middle Wallop Sqn Ldr John Grandy
RAF North Weald No. 23 Sqn (part) Bristol Blenheim YP RAF North Weald Sqn Ldr George Francis Wheaton Heycock
RAF North Weald No. 46 Sqn Hawker Hurricane PO ANGEL RAF Stapleford Sqn Ldr J R MacLachlan
RAF Kenley No. 253 Sqn Hawker Hurricane SW RAF Kenley Sqn Ldr E R Bitmead
RAF Kenley No. 501 Sqn Hawker Hurricane SD VICEROY RAF Kenley Sqn Ldr Harry A V Hogan
RAF Kenley No. 605 Sqn Hawker Hurricane UP TURKEY RAF Croydon Sqn Ldr Walter A Churchill
RAF Hornchurch No. 603 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire XT VIKEN RAF Hornchurch Sqn Ldr George Lovell Denholm
RAF Hornchurch No. 600 (Night Fighter) Sqn Bristol Blenheim & Bristol Beaufighter BQ RAF Hornchurch Sqn Ldr H L Maxwell
RAF Hornchurch No. 41 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire EB MITOR RAF Hornchurch Sqn Ldr Donald O. Finlay
RAF Hornchurch No. 222 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire ZD KOTEL RAF Hornchurch Sqn Ldr John H Hill
RAF Tangmere No. 213 Sqn Hawker Hurricane AK BEARSKIN RAF Tangmere Flt Lt D S Wilson-Macdonald
RAF Tangmere No. 607 Sqn Hawker Hurricane AF RAF Tangmere Sqn Ldr James A Vick
RAF Tangmere No. 602 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire LO VILLA RAF Westhampnett Sqn Ldr A V R "Sandy" Johnstone DFC
RAF Tangmere No. 23 Sqn (part) Bristol Blenheim & Bristol Beaufighter YP RAF Ford Sqn Ldr George Francis Wheaton Heycock
RAF Debden No. 17 Sqn Hawker Hurricane YB EDEY RAF Debden Sqn Ldr A G Miller
RAF Debden No. 73 Sqn Hawker Hurricane TP RAF Debden Sqn Ldr Mike L Beytagh
RAF Debden No. 257 Sqn Hawker Hurricane DT ALERT RAF Martlesham Heath Sqn Ldr Robert Stanford Tuck DFC
RAF Debden No. 25 Sqn (part) Bristol Blenheim ZK RAF Martlesham Heath Sqn Ldr Wilfred William Loxton
RAF Northolt No. 1 Sqn RCAF Hawker Hurricane YO CARIBOU RAF Northolt Sqn Ldr Ernest A McNab
RAF Northolt No. 229 Sqn Hawker Hurricane RE KETA RAF Northolt Sqn Ldr Harry J Maguire
RAF Northolt No. 303 (Polish) Sqn Hawker Hurricane RF APANY RAF Northolt Sqn Ldr Ronald Kellett DSO DFC
RAF Northolt No. 264 Sqn (part) Boulton Paul Defiant PS RAF Northolt Sqn Ldr George Desmond Garvin
RAF Northolt No. 504 Sqn Hawker Hurricane TM RAF Hendon Sqn Ldr John Sample
12 Group
RAF Duxford No. 242 Sqn Hawker Hurricane LE LORAG RAF Duxford Sqn Ldr Douglas Bader
RAF Duxford No. 302 (Polish) Sqn Hawker Hurricane WX CALEB RAF Duxford Sqn Ldr W A Jack Satchell / Sqn Ldr M V M Mumler
RAF Duxford No. 310 (Czech) Sqn Hawker Hurricane, NN CALLA RAF Duxford Flt Lt G Douglas M Blackwood / Sqn Ldr A Sasha Hess
RAF Duxford No. 19 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire QV LUTON RAF Fowlmere Sqn Ldr Brian John Edward Lane DFC
RAF Coltishall No. 74 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire ZP DYSOE RAF Wittering Sqn Ldr Adolph G "Sailor" Malan
RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey No. 616 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire QJ[10] RADPOE RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey Flt Lt H F "Billy" Burton
RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey No. 264 Sqn (part) Boulton Paul Defiant PS RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey Sqn Ldr George Desmond Garvin
RAF Digby No. 151 Sqn Hawker Hurricane DZ RAF Digby
RAF Digby No. 611 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire FY CHARLIE RAF Digby Sqn Ldr Jim E McComb
RAF Digby No. 29 (Night Fighter) Sqn Bristol Blenheim & Bristol Beaufighter RO RAF Digby Sqn Ldr Stan C Widdows
RAF Wittering No. 1 Sqn Hawker Hurricane JX RAF Wittering Sqn Ldr David A Pemberton DFC
RAF Wittering No. 266 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire UO RAF Wittering Flt Lt Patrick Geraint Jameson DFC
RAF Church Fenton No. 85 Sqn Hawker Hurricane VY HYDRO RAF Church Fenton Sqn Ldr Peter Wooldridge Townsend DFC
RAF Church Fenton No. 306 (Polish) Sqn (part) Hawker Hurricane UZ RAF Church Fenton Sqn Ldr D R Scott
RAF Church Fenton No. 64 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire SH FREEMA RAF Leconfield / RAF Ringway Sqn Ldr Don McDonell
13 Group
RAF Usworth No. 54 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire KL RABBIT RAF Catterick Flt Lt F P R Dunworth
RAF Usworth No. 219 (Night Fighter) Sqn (part) Bristol Blenheim & Bristol Beaufighter FK RAF Catterick Sqn Ldr J H Little
RAF Usworth No. 43 Sqn Hawker Hurricane FT RAF Usworth Sqn Ldr Tom F Dalton Morgan DFC
RAF Acklington No. 32 Sqn Hawker Hurricane GZ JACKO RAF Acklington Flt Lt Mike N Crossley
RAF Acklington No. 219 (Night Fighter) Sqn (part) Bristol Blenheim FK RAF Acklington Sqn Ldr J H Little
RAF Turnhouse No. 3 Sqn Hawker Hurricane QO RAF Turnhouse Sqn Ldr S F Gooden
RAF Turnhouse No. 65 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire YT RAF Turnhouse Sqn Ldr A L Holland
RAF Turnhouse No. 141 Sqn Boulton Paul Defiant TW RAF Turnhouse Sqn Ldr W A Richardson
RAF Turnhouse No. 111 Sqn Hawker Hurricane JU WAGON RAF Drem Sqn Ldr John M Thompson DFC
RAF Turnhouse No. 263 Sqn Hawker Hurricane & Westland Whirlwind HE RAF Drem Fg Off T P Pugh
RAF Dyce No. 145 Sqn Hawker Hurricane SO PATIN RAF Roborough Sqn Ldr John R A Peel
RAF Wick No. 232 Sqn Hawker Hurricane EF RAF Roborough Fg Off M M Stephens DFC & Bar
RAF Aldergrove No. 245 Sqn Hawker Hurricane DX RAF Roborough Sqn Ldr E W Whitley DFC
RAF Biggin Hill No.610 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire DW RAF Biggin Hill Sqn Ldr J Ellis DFC & Bar

See also

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References

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Notes

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  1. ^ RAF Box
  2. ^ RAF Uxbridge
  3. ^ RAF Watnall
  4. ^ RAF Newcastle
  5. ^ "The Royal Air Force - Stations Pages". Royal Air Force. Archived from Fighter Command Aerodromes and Sectors the original on 4 June 2004. Retrieved 28 May 2008. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  6. ^ Price, Alfred The Hardest Day, 1980, pp. 208-211.
  7. ^ Note: Also used by Sector D
  8. ^ Note: Also used by Sector E
  9. ^ 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.
  10. ^ Note: The squadron code letters QJ were the same as those of 92 Squadron. The codes changed to YQ in 1941

Bibliography

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  • 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
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