No. 120 Squadron RAF
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| No. 120 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | 1 January 1918 (RFC) |
| Role | Maritime Patrol |
| Garrison/HQ | RAF Kinloss |
| Motto | "Endurance" |
| Equipment | Nimrod MR.2 |
| Battle honours | Atlantic 1941-1945, Biscay 1941-1944, Arctic 1942-1944, Channel and North Atlantic 1941-1944, South Atlantic 1982, Gulf 1991 |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |
A falcon on a globe |
No. 120 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates Nimrod MR2, based at RAF Kinloss, Moray, Scotland.
Contents |
[edit] History
120 Squadron was formed in January 1918, as a day bomber squadron equipped with De Havilland DH9. The First World War, ended before it became operational, so 120 Squadron spent 1918 and 1919 flying communication and mail flights in Western Europe until it was disbanded late in 1919.[1]
Reformed in Northern Ireland in 1941 at RAF Nutts Corner, the unit equipped with the Liberator, flying against the U-Boat threat in the North Atlantic. The Squadron was very successful in this role, sinking 14 U-Boats outright, with shares in three more and eight damaged by the end of the war and its disbandment in 1945. This was the highest kill total in Coastal Command, achieved whilst flying from Northern Ireland, Iceland, and in support of Operation Overlord - the Allied invasion of France in 1944.[1]
It reformed in 1946, by renumbering 160 Squadron at RAF Leuchars and equipped with Avro Lancasters. A detachment moved to Palestine in November 1947 where it carried out searches for illegal immigrant ships until February 1948, when it returned to Britain.[1]
The squadron re-equipped with Avro Shackletons in 1951, and continued operating them in the maritime patrol role until re-equipping with Hawker-Siddeley Nimrods in 1971, gaining the updated Nimrod MR2 in 1981.[1] It flew operationally in the Falklands War in 1982 and the Gulf War in 1991. [2]
[edit] Aircraft operated
- De Havilland DH9
- De Havilland DH9a
- De Havilland DH10
- Consolidated Liberator
- Avro Lancaster
- Avro Shackleton
- Hawker-Siddeley Nimrod
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d Ashworth, Chris (1989). Encyclopedia of Modern Royal Air Force Squadrons. Patrick Stevens Limited. ISBN 1-85260-013-6.
- ^ RAF- 120 Squadron. Retrieved on 2007-01-15.
[edit] See also
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