No. 126 (Persian Gulf) Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed to be a day bomber unit in World War I and reformed as a fighter unit in World War II.
| No. 126 (Persian Gulf) Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 March 1918 – 17 August 1918 28 June 1941 – 10 March 1946 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Nickname(s) | Persian Gulf |
| Motto(s) | "Foremost in attack"[1] |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge | A Maltese Cross under a laurel wreath.[1] |
| Squadron Codes | V (Jun 1942 – Dec 1942) MK (Dec 1942 – May 1943) 5J (Apr 1943 – Mar 1946) |
History
editFormation and First World War
editNo. 126 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed on 1 March 1918 and became a unit of the Royal Air Force a month later, but it disbanded on 17 August 1918.
Reformation in the Second World War
editThe squadron reformed in 1941 as a fighter unit equipped with Hawker Hurricanes and was stationed in Malta to provide air defence for the island. It was re-equipped with Supermarine Spitfires and then operated from Sicily and Italy. It moved to the UK in April 1944 and was disbanded on 10 March 1946 after a period equipped with the North American Mustang.
Aircraft operated
edit| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 1941 | Mar 1942 | Hawker Hurricane | IIA |
| Jun 1941 | Mar 1942 | Hawker Hurricane | IIB |
| Mar 1942 | Mar 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | VB |
| Mar 1942 | Mar 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | VC |
| Mar 1943 | Nov 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | IX |
| Apr 1944 | Dec 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | IXB |
| Dec 1944 | Apr 1946 | North American Mustang | II |
| Aug 1945 | Mar 1946 | North American Mustang | IV |
| Feb 1946 | Mar 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | LF XVIE |
References
edit- ^ a b Pine, L G (1983). A Dictionary of mottoes. London: Routledge & K. Paul. p. 82. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
- ^ C.G.Jefford (1988). RAF Squadrons. UK Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
External links
edit
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