RAF Fighter Command order of battle 1940 explained

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

Fighter Command

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

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
11 Group	RAF Uxbridge,^[2] Hillingdon, Middlesex		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
14 Group	Drumossie Hotel, Inverness	Malcolm Henderson	Scotland

Sector stations and satellite aerodromes

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		SHORTJACK	Westhampnett
B	11		TOPHAT	Croydon
C	11		SAPPER	West Malling, Gravesend^[7]
D	11		LUMBA	Gravesend, Rochford, Manston, Hawkinge
E	11		COWSLIP	Stapleford Tawney, Martlesham Heath
F	11		GARTER	Martlesham Heath^[8]
G	12			Fowlmere
K	12			Coltishall
L	12			Ternhill
M	12
N	12			Leconfield
O	13			Catterick
P	13
Q	13			Drem, Grangemouth
R	13			Grangemouth
S	13			Grimsetter, Sumburgh
W	10			Boscombe Down, Colerne, Pembrey
Y	10		STARLIGHT	Boscombe Down, Warmwell, Exeter, some control over RNAS Roborough, St. Eval
Z	11			Hendon

Stations and squadrons

+Table of stations and squadrons^[9]
Sector Station	Squadron	Aircraft type	Squadron code	Radio call sign	Aerodrome assigned to	Commanding officer
10 Group
			VK			Sqn Ldr Harold Arthur Fenton
RAF Middle Wallop			PR	SORBO		Sqn Ldr Horace Stanley Darley
RAF Middle Wallop			NG			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		Supermarine Spitfire	UM	MAIDA	RAF Warmwell	Sqn Ldr Peter K Devitt
RAF Middle Wallop		Hawker Hurricane	US	BAFFIN		Sqn Ldr Herbert Moreton Pinfold
		Hawker Hurricane	NV	PANSY		Sqn Ldr J Hervey Heyworth
RAF Filton		Hawker Hurricane	LK	SUNCUP		Flt Lt R S Mills
RAF Filton		Hawker Hurricane	UF	WEAPON		Flt Lt Sir Archibald Philip Hope (Acting CO)
RAF Filton		Supermarine Spitfire	AZ	CRESSY		Sqn Ldr Minden Vaughan Blake
RAF Filton		Bristol Blenheim	FA		RAF St Eval	Sqn Ldr G W Montagu
RAF Filton			HP			Flight Lieutenant Hugh Addison Chater
11 Group
			RN	TENNIS		Sqn Ldr A R Collins
RAF Biggin Hill		Supermarine Spitfire	QJ	GANNIC	RAF Biggin Hill	Sqn Ldr P J Sanders
RAF Biggin Hill	No. 141 Sqn (half)		TW		RAF Biggin Hill	Sqn Ldr W A Richardson
RAF Biggin Hill		Supermarine Spitfire	LZ	FIBUS		Sqn Ldr Rupert Leigh
			GN	GANER		Sqn Ldr John Grandy
RAF North Weald	No. 23 Sqn (part)		YP			Sqn Ldr George Francis Wheaton Heycock
RAF North Weald		Hawker Hurricane	PO	ANGEL		Sqn Ldr J R MacLachlan
		Hawker Hurricane	SW			Sqn Ldr E R Bitmead
RAF Kenley		Hawker Hurricane	SD	VICEROY	RAF Kenley	Sqn Ldr Harry A V Hogan
RAF Kenley		Hawker Hurricane	UP	TURKEY		Sqn Ldr Walter A Churchill
		Supermarine Spitfire	XT	VIKEN		Sqn Ldr George Lovell Denholm
RAF Hornchurch			BQ		RAF Hornchurch	Sqn Ldr H L Maxwell
RAF Hornchurch		Supermarine Spitfire	EB	MITOR	RAF Hornchurch	Sqn Ldr Donald O. Finlay
RAF Hornchurch		Supermarine Spitfire	ZD	KOTEL	RAF Hornchurch	Sqn Ldr John H Hill
		Hawker Hurricane	AK	BEARSKIN		Flt Lt D S Wilson-Macdonald
RAF Tangmere		Hawker Hurricane	AF		RAF Tangmere	Sqn Ldr James A Vick
RAF Tangmere		Supermarine Spitfire	LO	VILLA
RAF Tangmere	No. 23 Sqn (part)		YP			Sqn Ldr George Francis Wheaton Heycock
		Hawker Hurricane	YB	EDEY		Sqn Ldr A G Miller
RAF Debden		Hawker Hurricane	TP		RAF Debden	Sqn Ldr Mike L Beytagh
RAF Debden		Hawker Hurricane	DT	ALERT		Sqn Ldr Robert Stanford Tuck DFC
RAF Debden	No. 25 Sqn (part)	Bristol Blenheim	ZK		RAF Martlesham Heath	Sqn Ldr Wilfred William Loxton
		Hawker Hurricane	YO	CARIBOU		Sqn Ldr Ernest A McNab
RAF Northolt		Hawker Hurricane	RE	KETA	RAF Northolt	Sqn Ldr Harry J Maguire
RAF Northolt		Hawker Hurricane	RF	APANY	RAF Northolt	Sqn Ldr Ronald Kellett DSO DFC
RAF Northolt	No. 264 Sqn (part)		PS		RAF Northolt	Sqn Ldr George Desmond Garvin
RAF Northolt		Hawker Hurricane	TM			Sqn Ldr John Sample
12 Group
			LE	LORAG		Sqn Ldr Douglas Bader
RAF Duxford		Hawker Hurricane	WX	CALEB	RAF Duxford	Sqn Ldr W A Jack Satchell / Sqn Ldr M V M Mumler
RAF Duxford		Hawker Hurricane,	NN	CALLA	RAF Duxford	Flt Lt G Douglas M Blackwood / Sqn Ldr A Sasha Hess
RAF Duxford			QV	LUTON		Sqn Ldr Brian John Edward Lane DFC
		Supermarine Spitfire	ZP	DYSOE		Sqn Ldr Adolph G "Sailor" Malan
		Supermarine Spitfire	QJ^[10]	RADPOE		Flt Lt H F "Billy" Burton
RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey	No. 264 Sqn (part)		PS		RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey	Sqn Ldr George Desmond Garvin
		Hawker Hurricane	DZ
RAF Digby		Supermarine Spitfire	FY	CHARLIE	RAF Digby	Sqn Ldr Jim E McComb
RAF Digby			RO		RAF Digby	Sqn Ldr Stan C Widdows
		Hawker Hurricane	JX			Sqn Ldr David A Pemberton DFC
RAF Wittering		Supermarine Spitfire	UO		RAF Wittering	Flt Lt Patrick Geraint Jameson DFC
		Hawker Hurricane	VY	HYDRO		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		Supermarine Spitfire	SH	FREEMA		Sqn Ldr Don McDonell
13 Group
			KL	RABBIT		Flt Lt F P R Dunworth
RAF Usworth	No. 219 (Night Fighter) Sqn (part)		FK		RAF Catterick	Sqn Ldr J H Little
RAF Usworth			FT			Sqn Ldr Tom F Dalton Morgan DFC
		Hawker Hurricane	GZ	JACKO		Flt Lt Mike N Crossley
RAF Acklington	No. 219 (Night Fighter) Sqn (part)	Bristol Blenheim	FK		RAF Acklington	Sqn Ldr J H Little
		Hawker Hurricane	QO			Sqn Ldr S F Gooden
RAF Turnhouse		Supermarine Spitfire	YT		RAF Turnhouse	Sqn Ldr A L Holland
RAF Turnhouse			TW		RAF Turnhouse	Sqn Ldr W A Richardson
RAF Turnhouse		Hawker Hurricane	JU	WAGON		Sqn Ldr John M Thompson DFC
RAF Turnhouse			HE		RAF Drem	Fg Off T P Pugh
		Hawker Hurricane	SO	PATIN		Sqn Ldr John R A Peel
		Hawker Hurricane	EF		RAF Roborough	Fg Off M M Stephens DFC & Bar
		Hawker Hurricane	DX		RAF Roborough	Sqn Ldr E W Whitley DFC
		Supermarine Spitfire	DW			Sqn Ldr J Ellis DFC & Bar

See also

• RAF Fighter Command
• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
• List of Officially Accredited Battle of Britain Squadrons
• List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain

References

Bibliography

• Ramsay, Winston (editor). The Battle of Britain Then and Now Mk V. London: Battle of Britain Prints International Ltd, 1989.

External links

• BattleofBritain.com - Retrieved: 4 August 2007.

Notes and References

1. http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/r/rudloe_manor_1/ RAF Box
2. http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/u/uxbridge/index.html RAF Uxbridge
3. http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/w/watnall/index.html RAF Watnall
4. http://www.subbrit.org.uk/rsg/sites/k/kenton_bar/ RAF Newcastle
5. Web site: Fighter Command Aerodromes and Sectors The Royal Air Force - Stations Pages . Royal Air Force . 28 May 2008 . dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20040604095259/http://www.raf.mod.uk/Bob1940/stations.html . 4 June 2004.
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