RAF Squadrons that flew Spitfires
Spitfires flew for many years with a great many squadrons in the RAF and allied units, and
later with a wider range of air forces throughout the world.
In this Page I have attempted to pull together those Squadrons within the umbrella of the
RAF, and give the Squadron codes with which they were associated. This is not as easy as it
may first appear, since a number of Squadrons changed codes over their lifetimes, particularly
at the outbreak of the war (and there were a fair number of "ringer" personal codes: D-B
Douglas Bader, RS-T Robert Stanford-Tuck, JE-J "Johnnie" Johnson etc). Additionally, some
codes may only have applied to periods when a Squadron did not fly Spitfires. I have
endeavoured to check these against photographs where possible. Where I am wrong, or there
are clear gaps (such as the PRU and Fleet Air Arm units) please Send me a message with
whatever information you can. Many of these units only operated Spitfires for a short period,
as aircraft types and Squadron locations were frequently varied according to needs at the
time.
In order to simplify the task, the numerous training and conversion units, the evaluation
groups, the maintenance organisations, and the transport groups have been omitted from
this version of the Page.
I hope that in the fullness of time, I can link to Squadron Interest groups such as the link
for 609 Squadron, or give a fuller Squadron history within this site.
| Squadron | Squadron name or
designation | Marks Flown | Squadron codes |
|---|
| 1 | | IX, 21 | JX |
| ?2 | | | OI |
| ?9 | | | |
| 11 | | XIV, XVIII | EX |
| 17 | | VIII, XIV | YB, UV |
| 19 | | I, II, V, IX, XVI | QV, WZ |
| 20 | Link | VIII, XIV | HN |
| 28 | | XVIII | No codes used |
| 32 | | V, VIII, IX, XVIII | GZ |
| 33 | | V, IX | 5R, SO, NW |
| 41 | | I, II, V, XII, XIV, 21 | EB |
| 43 | (China-British) | V, IX | FT |
| 54 | | I, II, V, VIII | KL, DL |
| 56 | | IX | US |
| 60 | | XVIII | MU |
| 63 | | XVI | UB |
| 64 | | I, II, V, IX | SH |
| 65 | (East India) | I, II, V, IX, XVI | YT, FZ,
4M |
| 66 | | I, II, V, VI, XVI | LZ, RB |
| 67 | | VIII | RD |
| 71 | (Eagle) | II, V | XR |
| 72 | (Basutoland) | I, II, V, IX | SD,
RN |
| 73 | | V, VIII, IX, 22 | No codes
used |
| 74 | (Trinidad) | I, II, V | ZP, JH,
4D |
| 80 | | V, IX, 24 | W2 |
| 81 | | V, VIII, IX | FL |
| 87 | | V, VIII, IX | LK |
| 91 | (Nigerian) | II, V, XII, XIV, 21
| DL |
| 92 | (East India) | I, V, VIII, IX | GR,
QJ |
| 93 | | V, IX | HN |
| 94 | | V, IX | GO |
| 111 | | I, II, V, IX | JU |
| 118 | | I, II, V, VII, IX | NK |
| 121 | (Eagle) | II, V | AV |
| 122 | (Bombay) | I, II, V, IX | MT |
| 123 | (East India) | I, II, V | XE |
| 124 | (Baroda) | I, II, V, VI, VII,
IX | ON |
| 126 | | V, IX, XVI | 5J, MK |
| 127 | | V, IX, XVI | BZ, 9N |
| 128 | (only one Spitfire!) | V | WG |
| 129 | (Mysore) | I, II, V, VI,
IX | DV |
| 130 | (Punjab) | II, V, IX, XIV | AP,
PJ |
| 131 | | I, II, V, VII, VIII,
IX | NX |
| 132 | (City of Bombay) | I, II, V, VIII, IX
XIV | FF |
| 133 | (Eagle) | II, V, IX | MD |
| 134 | | II, V | GQ |
| 136 | | V, VIII, XIV | HM |
| 140 | (PRU) | | ZW |
| 145 | | I, II, V, VIII, IX | ZX, SO |
| 152 | (Hyderabad) | I, II, V, VIII, IX,
XIV | UM |
| 154 | (Motor Industries) | II, V, VII, IX | HT,
HG |
| 155 | | VIII, XIV | DG |
| 164 | | V, IX, XVI | FJ, UB |
| 165 | (Ceylon) | V, IX | SK |
| 167 | (Gold Coast) | V | VL |
| 183 | | IX | HF |
| 185 | | V, VIII, IX | GL |
| 186 | | V | AP |
| 213 | | V, IX | AK |
| 222 | (Natal) | I, II, V, IX | ZD |
| 225 | | | WU |
| 229 | | V, IX, XIV | HB, 9R, X |
| 232 | | V, IX | EF |
| 234 | | I, II, V, VI, IX | AZ, FX |
| 238 | | V, IX | KC |
| 242 | (Canadian) Formerly 611 Squadron | V, IX
| LE |
| 243 | | V, IX | SN |
| 249 | | V, IX | GN, T |
| 253 | (Hyderabad) | V, VIII, IX, XI
| SW |
| 256 | | IX | JT |
| 266 | (Rhodesia) | I, II, V | UO |
| 273 | | VIII, XIV | MS |
| 274 | | V, IX | JJ |
| 276 | (Air Sea Rescue) | | AQ |
| 302 | (Poznan- Polish) | II, V, IX, XVI
| WX |
| 303 | (Kosciusco- Polish) | I, II, V,
IX | RF |
| 306 | (Torun- Polish) | II, V,
IX | UZ |
| 308 | (Krakow- Polish) | I, II, V, IX,
XVI | ZF |
| 310 | (Czechoslovak) | II, V, VI, IX | NN |
| 312 | (Czechoslovak) | II, V, IX | DU |
| 313 | (Czechoslovak) | I, II, V, VI, VII,
IX | RY |
| 315 | (Deblin- Polish) | II, V,
IX | PK |
| 316 | (City of Warsaw- Polish) | II, V, IX
| SZ |
| 317 | (Wilno- Polish) | V, IX,
XVI | JH |
| 322 | (Dutch) | V, IX, XIV, XVI | 3W,
VL |
| 326 | (Free French) | V, VIII,
IX | 91 |
| 327 | (Free French) | V, VIII,
IX | 7E |
| 328 | (Free French) | V, VIII,
IX | S8 |
| 329 | (Free French) | V, IX,
XVI | 5A |
| 331 | (Norwegian) | II, V, IX | FN |
| 332 | (Norwegian) | V, IX | AH |
| 335 | | V | |
| 336 | | V | |
| 340 | (Ile de France-Free French) | II, V, IX, XVI
| GW |
| 341 | (Alsace- Free French) | V,
IX, XVI | NL |
| 345 | (Free French) | V, IX,
XVI | 2Y |
| 349 | (Belgian) | V, IX, XVI | GE |
| 350 | (Belgian) | II, V, XIV,
XVI | MN |
| 352 | | V | No codes used |
| 401 | ("Ram"- Canadian) | II, V,
IX, XIV, XVI | YO |
| 402 | ("City of Winnipeg"- Canadian) | V,
IX, XIV, XVI | AE |
| 403 | ("Wolf"- Canadian) | I, II,
V, IX, XVI | KH |
| 411 | ("Grizzly Bear"- Canadian) | I, II, V, IX,
XVI | DB, LV |
| 412 | ("Falcon"- Canadian) | II,
V, IX, XIV, XVI | VZ |
| 416 | ("City of Oshawa"- Canadian) | II, V,
IX, XIV, XVI | DN, NS |
| 417 | (City of Windsor- Canadian) | II,
V, VIII, IX | AN |
| 421 | ("Red Indian"- Canadian) | V,
IX, XVI | AU |
| 441 | ("Silver Fox"- Canadian) | V,
IX | 9G |
| 442 | ("Caribou"- Canadian) | V,
IX | Y2 |
| 443 | ("Hornet"- Canadian) | IX,
XIV, XVI | 2I |
| 451 | | V, IX, XIV, XVI | BQ, NI |
| 452 | (RAAF) | I, II, V, VIII | UD |
| 453 | | V, IX, XVI | FU |
| 454 | (RAAF) | | |
| 457 | | I, II, V, VIII | ZP, BP |
| 485 | (RNZAF) | I, II, V, IX | OU |
| 501 | (County of Gloucester) | I, II, V, IX,
XVI | SD, RAB |
| 502 | (County of Ulster) | 22 | V9,
RAC |
| 504 | (County of Nottingham) | II, V, VI, IX,
22 | TM, RAD |
| 541 | PRU | | WY |
| 542 | ?PRU | | |
| 548 | | VIII | TS |
| 549 | | VIII | ZF |
| 600 | (City of London) | XIV, 21,
22 | RAG |
| 601 | (County of London) | V, VIII, IX, XVI, Seafire
II | UF, HT, RAH |
| 602 | (City of Glasgow) | I, II, V, VI, IX, XIV, XVI, 21,
22 | ZT, LO, RAI |
| 603 | (City of Edinburgh) | I, II, V, XVI,
22 | XT, RAJ |
| 604 | (County of Middlesex) | XVI | NG,
RAK |
| 607 | (County of Durham) | V, VIII, XIV,
22 | AF, LA, RAN |
| 608 | (North Riding) | 22 | RAO,
6T |
| 609 | (West
Riding) | I, II, V, XVI | PR, RAP |
| 610 | (County of Chester) | I, II, V, XIV, XVI,
22 | DW, RAQ |
| 611 | (West Lancashire) | I, II, V, IX, XIV,
22 | FY, RAR |
| 612 | (County of Aberdeen) | XIV, XVI | RAS,
8W |
| 613 | (City of Manchester) | XIV, 22 | RAT,
Q3 |
| 614 | (County of Glamorgan) | XVI, 22 | RAU,
7A |
| 615 | (County of Surrey) | V, VIII, XIV,
22 | KW, RAV, V6 |
| 616 | (South Yorkshire) | I, II, V, VI, VII | QJ,
YQ |
| 695 | | | 8Q |
| 715 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 718 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 719 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 736 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | AC |
| 760 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 761 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 794 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 801 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 805 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 807 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 808 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 809 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 833 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 834 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 842 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 879 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 880 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 884 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 885 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 887 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 889 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 899 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 894 | (Fleet Air Arm) | | |
| 1435 | | V, IX | V |
Back to the Spitfire Information Page
Last updated 11-08-2001
Maintained by Steve Graham
steveg@spitfiresociety.demon.co.uk
The contents of these pages are © The Spitfire Society 1999-2001 except
where otherwise stated.