No. 517 Squadron RAF

No. 517 Squadron RAF
Active	11 August 1943 - 21 June 1946
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	meteorological squadron
Part of	No. 19 Group RAF, Coastal Command[1]
Motto	Latin: Non Nobis Laboramus (Translation: "We work not for ourselves")[2]
Insignia
Squadron Badge	Two cubit arms erased, holding a flash of lightning[2]
Squadron Codes	X9 (1943 - 1946)[3]

No. 517 Squadron RAF was a meteorological squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

History

No. 517 Squadron was formed on 11 August 1943 at RAF St Eval, Cornwall when 1404 Meteorological Flight was re-numbered.^[4] It was equipped with Lockheed Hudsons and Handley Page Hampdens, which it flew daily out into the Atlantic to collect meteorological data. Between September and November 1943 four United States Army Air Force Flying Fortresses were temporary attached to the squadron, awaiting the arrival of adapted Handley Page Halifaxes. By November 1943 the squadron had re-equipped with the Halifax and then moved to RAF St David's in Wales. Two further moves followed, one to RAF Brawdy in February 1944 and then after the war to RAF Chivenor where the squadron was disbanded on 21 June 1946.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 517 Squadron RAF, data from^[5][6][7]

From	To	Aircraft	Version	Notes
August 1943	September 1943	Lockheed Hudson	Mk.III
August 1943	October 1943	Handley Page Hampden	Mk.I
September 1943	November 1943	Flying Fortress	B-17F	4 USAAF aircraft on attachment from 379th Bomber Squadron USAAF
November 1943	June 1946	Handley Page Halifax	Mk.V
February 1945	June 1946	Handley Page Halifax	Mk.III

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 517 Squadron RAF, data from^[5][6][7]

From	To	Base	Remark
11 August 1943	26 November 1943	RAF St Eval, Cornwall
26 November 1943	1 February 1944	RAF St David's, Pembrokeshire, Wales	Det. at RAF Tiree, Hebrides, Scotland
1 February 1944	26 November 1945	RAF Brawdy, Pembrokeshire, Wales
26 November 1945	21 June 1946	RAF Chivenor, Devon

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

1. ^ Delve 1994, pp. 64, 73 and 80.
2. ^ ^{a b} Halley 1988, p. 396.
3. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 117.
4. ^ Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 120.
5. ^ ^{a b} Rawlings 1982, p. 253.
6. ^ ^{a b} Halley 1988, p. 397.
7. ^ ^{a b} Jefford 2001, p. 97.

Bibliography

• 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, 1918-88. 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, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
• 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

• No 500 - 520 Squadron Histories on rafweb
• History of No. 517 Squadron on raf.mod.uk

Related content