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No.616 Sqn RAF

Founded : 1st November 1938
Country : UK
Fate : Disbanded 10th March 1957
Known Aircraft Codes : QJ, RAW, YQ

South Yorkshire (Auxiliary)

Nulla rosa sine spina - No rose without thorns

616 squadron was formed at Doncaster on 1st November 1938 as the last of the Auxiliary Squadrons. Formed initially as a bomber squadron equipped with Hawker Hinds, it was re-equipped with Gloster Gauntlets in June 1939 and transferred to Fighter Command. The squadrons first Spitfires arrived in late October. 616 first saw action and claimed its first victories whilst covering the evacuation from Dunkirk in May 1940. Returning to Yorkshire, the squadron claimed further enemy victims with 15th August standing out as a memorable day. 616 intercepted a large force of unescorted German bombers off the Yorkshire coast and claimed eight enemy aircraft destroyed. They moved to Kenley to join 11 Group at the height of the Battle of Britain, and destroyed 15 aircraft and claimed a further 15 as probables or damaged. During February 1941, 616 joined the Tangmere Wing led by Wg Cdr Douglas Bader. Flying Spitfire II fighters, they flew circus and ramrod sweeps over Northern France, and re-equipped with Spitfires Vb during July 1941. For the next two years 616 continued as a front line fighter squadron and was heavily engaged during the Dieppe expedition and later flying beach-head patrols on D-Day. In July 1944, 616 re-equipped with Gloster Meteor jet fighter thus becoming the first and only Allied squadron to operate jet aircraft in World War II. The squadron destroyed a number of V1 flying bombs whilst operating from Manston before joining the 2nd Tactical Air Force. In January 1945, 616 moved to the continent and operated in the ground attack role before being disbanded at Lubeck on 29th August. The squadron was re-formed at Finningley on 31st July 1946 equipped with Mosquito NF XXX night fighters which were replaced with Meteor F 3 day fighters a few months later. 616 Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force was finally disbanded at RAF Worksop on 10th March 1957 whilst equipped with Meteor F8 aircraft.

No.616 Sqn RAF


Latest No.616 Sqn RAF Artwork Releases !
616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron Gloster Meteor Mk.1 EE218. Flown by Warrant Officer Sid Woodacre over Kent, August 1944. No.616 Sqn was chosen as the first unit to equip with the Gloster Meteor jet fighter - thus becoming the first RAF Jet Squadron.

Meteoric Victory by Tom Marchant. (PC)

Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia N3093 of 616 Sqn RAF by Keith Woodcock. (PC)		 Spitfires of 616 Squadron scramble from RAF Kenley during the heavy fighting of the Battle of Britain, late August 1940. Below them a Hurricane of 253 Squadron, sharing the same base, is being prepared for its next vital mission at a distant dispersal. All through the long summer of 1940, as Britain stood alone, a small band of fighter pilots took part in the greatest aerial battle in history. Day after day the men of Fighter Command valiantly took to the air to defend their country from the Luftwaffe and the threat of German invasion and Nazi tyranny. Outnumbered, but never out-fought, they fought to the point of exhaustion and, in doing so, paid a heavy price. But they won.

We All Stand Together by Robert Taylor.		 Spitfires of No.616 Squadron, September 1940. The aircraft nearest is K4330 QJ-G, the mount of Johnnie Johnson.

The New Knights by David Pentland. (P)

No.616 Sqn RAF Artwork Collection
Click the images below to view the fantastic artwork we have available to purchase!



Supermarine Spitfire MKVb W3458 YQ-X. by M A Kinnear.


Gloster Meteor Mk F.1 EE227 YQ-Y. by M A Kinnear.


Clipped Signature - Johnnie Johnson.


Clipped Signature - Tony Iveson.


Clipped Signature - Buck Casson.


Clipped Signature - Ralph Roberts.


We All Stand Together by Robert Taylor.


The New Knights by David Pentland. (P)


Escort by Keith Woodcock.


Inspiration by John Young.

Summer of 41 by Tom Marchant.


Meteoric Victory by Tom Marchant. (PC)


Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Ia N3093 of 616 Sqn RAF by Keith Woodcock.

Aces for : No.616 Sqn RAF
A list of all Aces from our database who are known to have flown with this squadron. A profile page is available by clicking the pilots name.
NameVictoriesInfo
James E Johnnie Johnson36.91The signature of James E Johnnie Johnson features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.
Colin Falkland Gray27.50
Tony Gaze12.50The signature of Tony Gaze features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.
Hugh Spencer Leslie Dundas11.00The signature of Hugh Spencer Leslie Dundas features on some of our artwork - click here to see what is available.