No. 292 Squadron RAF

For the Australian unit, see No. 292 Squadron RAAF

No. 292 Squadron RAF
Active	1 February 1944 - 14 June 1945
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Air-sea rescue
Part of	South East Asia Command
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	No badge authorised[1]
Squadron Codes	No code(s) are known to have been used by this squadron[2][3]

No. 292 Squadron RAF was an air-sea rescue (ASR) squadron of the Royal Air Force operating in the Bay of Bengal during the Second World War.

History

292 squadron was formed at RAF Jessore, Bengal, (then) British India, on 1 February 1944, as a dedicated air-sea rescue squadron equipped with Walrus flying boats. A detachment of the squadron was based further south, in Ceylon. In April the squadron received a number of Vickers Warwick patrol aircraft, but these were found to be unsuitable in the tropical climate, and in December 1944 they received Consolidated Liberator Mk.VIs as replacements. In November 1944 the squadron already received a number of Supermarine Sea Otters, a bit more modern flying boat. The squadron rebased to RAF Agartala in February 1945, as operations had shifted further eastwards through Burma; they were based there when the squadron was disbanded on 14 June.^[4] Its duties were then taken over by three independent flights, No's 1347, 1348 and 1349 Flight RAF.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 292 Squadron RAF, data from^[5][6][7]

From	To	Aircraft	Version
February 1944	June 1945	Supermarine Walrus	Mks.I, II
April 1944	June 1945	Vickers Warwick	ASR.Mk.I (unsuited for tropical climate, non-operational after November 1944)
November 1944	June 1945	Supermarine Sea Otter	Mk.II
December 1944	June 1945	Consolidated Liberator	Mk.VI

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 292 Squadron RAF, data from^[5][6][7][8]

From	To	Base	Remark
1 February 1944	5 February 1945	RAF Jessore, Bengal, British India	Det. at RAF Ratmalana, Ceylon; RAF Sigiriya, Ceylon and RAF Santa Cruz, Maharashtra, British India
5 February 1945	14 June 1945	RAF Agartala, Tripura, British India	Dets. at RAF Kankesanthurai, Ceylon and RAF Chittagong, Bengal, British India

References

Notes

1. ^ http://yourarchives.nationalarchives.gov.uk/index.php?title=An_index_to_the_badges_of_RAF_Squadrons_in_AIR_2 An index to the badges of RAF Squadrons in AIR 2], National Archives. (1993)]
2. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 147.
3. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 231.
4. ^ History of 292 Squadron
5. ^ ^{a b} Rawlings 1982, p. 252.
6. ^ ^{a b} Halley 1988, p. 350.
7. ^ ^{a b} Jefford 2001, p. 86.
8. ^ Delve 1994, pp. 76–77.

Bibliography

• Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
• Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1994. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
• Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
• Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
• Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF(Retd.). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
• Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.

External links

• 292 Squadron Association
• No. 292 Squadron RAF movement and equipment history
• History of No. 292 Squadron
• 292 Squadron reports

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