No. 515 Squadron RAF

No. 515 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force formed during the Second World War. It ushered in Electronic countermeasures (ECM) warfare, jamming enemy radar installations from October 1942 as the only such squadron in the RAF initially. Later in the war 515 Sqn was joined by other squadrons as part of No. 100 Group RAF. The squadron disbanded after VE day, when the need for such a specialised squadron had reduced.

History

Fighter Command

The squadron was formed from Defiant Flight, also known as Special Duties Flight, at RAF Northolt on 1 October 1942, equipped with Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.II redundant night-fighters. As part of No. 11 Group RAF 515 Sqn performed radar jamming duties with Moonshine and Mandrel, moving to RAF Heston later that month, and was re-equipped with Bristol Beaufighter Mk.IIf aircraft from May 1943.

Bomber Command

The squadron transferred to No. 100 Group RAF in December 1943 as part of Bomber Command, and moved to RAF Little Snoring in Norfolk. There they re-equipped with de Havilland Mosquito Mk.VIs in March 1944, and operated these for the remainder of the war. At the time of its disbandment on 10 June 1945, 515 squadron had carried out 1,366 operational sorties with the Mosquito with a loss of 21 aircraft, with most of its aircrew transferring to No. 627 Squadron RAF. T