No. 512 Squadron RAF

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No. 512 Squadron RAF
Active 1943-1946
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Motto Pegasus Militans

No. 512 Squadron was a Second World War Royal Air Force transport squadron.

Contents

[edit] History

Formed on 18 June 1943 from the Dakota element of 24 Squadron at RAF Hendon. It operated supply routes from the United Kingdom to Gibraltar and Algeria to support the campaign in North West Africa. It also flew internal routes within the United Kingdom, and to the Azores and India. In February 1944 the squadron changed role and was transferred to No. 46 Group at RAF Broadwell, it was now a tactical Dakota squadron and started training glider towing and parachute dropping. It first operation in the new role was a leaflet drop on the 5 June 1944 over France, this followed intensive flying in and out of France including dropping parachutists at Arneham. It suffered losses during the Arneham campaign and was withdrawn to operate a transport service from Brussels in March 1945 although it was still involved in airborne operations associated with the Rhine crossing. After VE Day in July 1945 it extended its trooping routes to Palestine and the Middle East and moved to Gianaclis in Palestine in October 1945. In December 1945 it moved to Bari in to operate scheduled flight within Italy. It returned to the United Kingdom in February 1946 and was disbanded on 14 March 1946 .

[edit] Aircraft operated

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  • G G Jefford, RAF Squadrons, second edition 2001, Airlife Publishing, UK, ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft, (Part Work 1982-1985), Orbis Publishing