No. 292 Squadron RAF explained

Unit Name:No. 292 Squadron RAF
Dates:1 February 1944 – 14 June 1945
Branch: Royal Air Force
Role:Air-sea rescue
Command Structure:Air Command, South East Asia
Identification Symbol:No badge authorised[1]
Identification Symbol Label:Squadron Badge heraldry
Identification Symbol 2:No code(s) are known to have been used by this squadron
Identification Symbol 2 Label:Squadron Codes

No. 292 Squadron RAF was an air-sea rescue (ASR) squadron of the Royal Air Force operating in the Bay of Bengal during the Second World War.

History

292 squadron was formed at RAF Jessore, Bengal, (then) British India, on 1 February 1944, as a dedicated air-sea rescue squadron equipped with Walrus flying boats. A detachment of the squadron was sent further south, in Ceylon. In April the squadron received a number of Vickers Warwick patrol aircraft, but these were found to be unsuitable in the tropical climate, and in December 1944 they received Consolidated Liberator Mk.VIs as replacements. In November 1944 the squadron already received a number of Supermarine Sea Otters, a bit more modern flying boat. The squadron were posted to RAF Agartala in February 1945, as operations had shifted further eastwards through Burma; they were located there when the squadron was disbanded on 14 June.[2] Its duties were then taken over by three independent flights, No's 1347, 1348 and 1349 Flight RAF.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 292 Squadron RAF, data from! From !! To !! Aircraft !! Version
February 1944 June 1945 Mks.I, II
April 1944 June 1945 ASR.Mk.I (unsuited for tropical climate, non-operational after November 1944)
November 1944 June 1945 Mk.II
December 1944 June 1945 Mk.VI

Squadron Airfield

Camps and airfields used by No. 292 Squadron RAF, data from! From !! To !!Airfield !! Remark
1 February 1944 5 February 1945 Det. at RAF Ratmalana, Ceylon; RAF Sigiriya, Ceylon and RAF Santacruz, Maharashtra, British India
5 February 1945 14 June 1945 RAF Agartala, Tripura, British India Dets. at RAF Kankesanthurai, Ceylon and RAF Chittagong, Bengal, British India

References

Bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: An index to the badges of RAF Squadrons in AIR 2. National Archives. 1993.
  2. Web site: RAF - History. mod.uk.