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616 Squadron
"No Rose Without A Thorn" |
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The Squadron was formed on the 1st of November 1938 at Doncaster airport. It began flight training on the 5th of December 1938. They flew Gloucester Gauntlets until Spitfires became available.
They operated from Leconfield Satellite Station. It moved to Kenley on the 20th of August 1940. No 616 Squadron then moved to Coltishall, to Kirton-in-Lindsey from 3/9/40.
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Spitfire Mk 1a's of 616 Squadron |
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616 Squadron Codes: Back to Top
(April 1939 - September 1939)
(September 1939 - June 1942)
Note: Aircraft recognition codes were changed from 3rd September 1939 as a measure against German intelligence. |
| Base |
County |
Arrived |
Comments |
Finningley |
Yorkshire |
03/09/39 |
Gauntlet II. Battle |
| Leconfield |
Yorkshire |
23/10/39 |
Spitfire I |
| Rochford |
Essex |
27/05/40 |
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| Leconfield |
Yorkshire |
06/06/40 |
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| Kenley |
Surrey |
19/08/40 |
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| Coltishall |
Norfolk |
03/09/40 |
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| Kirton-in-Lindsey |
Lincolnshire |
09/09/40 |
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| Tangmere |
Sussex |
26/02/41 |
Spitfire IIa |
| Westhampnett |
Sussex |
09/05/41 |
Spitfire Vb |
| Kirton-in-Lindsey |
Lincolnshire |
06/10/41 |
Spitfire IIb |
| King's Cliffe |
Northamptonshire |
30/01/42 |
Spitfire VI |
| West Malling |
Kent |
03/07/42 |
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| Kenley |
Surrey |
08/07/42 |
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| Great Sampford |
Essex |
29/07/42 |
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| Hawkinge |
Kent |
14/08/42 |
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| Great Sampford |
Essex |
20/08/42 |
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| Tangmere |
Sussex |
23/09/42 |
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| Westhampnett |
Sussex |
29/10/42 |
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| Ibsley |
Hampshire |
02/01/43 |
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| Exeter |
Devon |
17/09/43 |
Spitfire VII |
| West Malling |
Kent |
18/03/44 |
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| Fairwood Common |
Glamorganshire |
24/04/44 |
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| Culmhead |
Somerset |
16/05/44 |
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| Manston |
Kent |
21/07/44 |
Meteor I |
| Colerne |
Wiltshire |
17/01/45 |
Meteor III |
| Andrew's Field |
Essex |
28/02/45 |
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| To Gilze Rijen, B77 |
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31/03/45 |
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| B |
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Bell, J.S. |
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Brewster, J. |
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Burnard, F.P. |
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Burton, H.F. |
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| C |
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Cardell, P.M. |
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Casson, L.H. |
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Copeland, P. |
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| D |
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Dundas, H.S.L. |
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Gillam, D.E. |
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Gray, C.F. |
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| H |
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Hellyer, R.D. |
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Hogg, R.V. |
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Holden, K. |
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Hopewell, J. |
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| I |
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| J |
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| L |
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Le Chemnant, J. |
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Leckrone, P.H. |
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Lewis, A.G. |
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| M |
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MacFie, C.H. |
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Marples, R. |
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Moberley, G.E. |
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Murray, T.B. |
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| R |
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Ridley, M. |
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Rowden, J.H. |
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| S |
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Smith, R.A.D. |
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St. Aubin, E.F. |
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| W |
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Walsh, J.P. |
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Wareing, P.T. |
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Westmoreland, T. |
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Gauntlet II
The prototype aircraft entered RAF evaluation in February 1933. It had a maximum speed of 163 mph at sea level, rising to 210 mph at 14,000 and a climb rate of 2000 feet per minute. A series of changes were made before production began on the Mk I. The engine was changed to the slightly superior Bristol Mercury VIS2, capable of producing 570 HP. The aircraft was armed with two .303 calibre Vickers Mk V machine guns, with 600 rounds per gun. A series of minor modifications led to the Mk II Gauntlet, the most common service version, with very similar performance.
228 Gauntlets entered RAF service (24 Mk Is and 204 Mk IIs).
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Fairey Battle
This aircraft was designed in response to Air Ministry specifications published in 1933, and were to replace the out-moded Hawker Hart biplane (light) bombers that were in service during the early 1930s, but the Fairey Battle was already obsolete by the time the Second World War began. Nevertheless, it was used extensively during the first months of the war, and took part in the Battle of France and suffered heavy losses. A total of 2,185 were built, but production was suspended in September 1940. About that time, the surviving Battles were withdrawn from front-line duty and re-assigned to training and target-tug roles. |
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The Battle had a bomb capacity of 990 lbs (450kg), a range of 1,000 miles (1,610km), and a speed of 200 mph (322kph). It had a wingspan of 54ft (16.46m), was 52ft 1in (15.87m) long and 15ft 6in (4.72m) high. It weighed in at 10,792lb (4,895kg) (loaded) and a ceiling of 23,500ft (7,160m). It was armed with 2 machine guns and carried a crew of 3. The Battle was powered by a single Rolls-Royce Merlin Mk I, 12-cylinder V, liquid-cooled 1,030 hp engine. |
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Type 300 - "Spitfire" Mark I
This was basically the same airframe as the prototype allowing for changes to facilitate a production line. The all up weight was increased to 5,720 lb, and a 998 HP Merlin II (later 953 HP Merlin 3) fitted. The airscrew was initially 2-blade fixed pitch, but was soon changed to a 2-pitch 3-blade design from either De Havilland or Rotol. Armament was eight 0.303 Browning machine guns. Terminology will change frequently through these descriptions, as it did originally, and one of these changes involved the Mk 1b Spitfire. The (b) suffix usually denotes a particular wing variant, but since there was only one wing type in this Mark, it refers to a limited number of airframes armed with 20 mm cannon. |
These had a tendency to jam and were not popular with aircrews. On 3rd September 1939, 306 Spitfires had been delivered to the RAF. Altogether 1,569 Mk I Spitfires were produced. The first production Mk Is reached 19 Squadron RAF at Duxford in August 1938. |
Type 349 - "Spitfire" Mark Vb
With the arrival of the Me (Bf)109F an interim aircraft was produced by adding the latest Merlin to a strengthened airframe. They were powered by a 1,230 HP Merlin 45 or 46, with a maximum all-up weight of 6,170 lb. 3 patterns of wing were introduced:
- A - eight 0.303 Browning machine guns
- B - two 20mm cannon, and four Browning machine guns
- C - either four cannon or either of the other combinations.
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Type 351 - "Spitfire" Mark VII
This Mark introduced the 60 series Merlin engines, with 2-speed, 2-stage superchargers. The aircraft consequently had the symmetrical large radiators under each wing, rather than the asymmetric radiator/oil cooler combinations of earlier Marks, and a larger rudder.
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Gloster Meteor Mk I/III
This was the first jet fighter built in Britain and the only Allied jet aeroplane to enter service before the end of the war. Although it never saw combat against the German Messerschmitt 262, it marked the beginning of a new era for the RAF. Eight prototypes were built for the purposes of testing various engines. The successful turbojet , derived from a Whittle W.I was developed and built by Rolls Royce, and given the name of Welland. The first twenty meteors ordered by the RAF were delivered in June 1944, with 616 Squadron being the first squadron to be equipped with them. |
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The Meteor Mk III was developed in 1945, and were fitted with different engines; a pair of Rolls-Royce Derwent engines that produced some 2,000 lb (907kg) of thrust.
Crew: 1
Wingspan: 43ft (13.11m)
Length: 41ft 3in (12.58m)
Height: 13ft (3.96m)
Maximum speed: 415mph (667kph)
Ceiling: 40,000 ft (12,190m)
Range: 1,340 miles (2.156km)
Armament: 4 20mm Cannons
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