209 SQUADRON RAF
Welcome to the homepage of the 209 Squadron, Royal Air Force. We are an honourable and highly skilled online virtual squadron that was originally established in December of 1997 as a Red Baron 3D allied unit. We have since evolved into a multi-sim group, and while we continue to fly RB3D, we are also involved in IL-2 1946 and Over Flanders Fields, among others. And, we are eagerly awaiting the release of both the Canvas Knights and the Rise of Flight sims as well. We recently completed operations in the Cold War V campaign, and will soon be deployed in the next epic battle.
The historic 209 Squadron was formed on 1 April 1918, from 9 Squadron RNAS, at Clairmarais. Equipped with Camels, it flew fighter and ground attack missions over the Western front for the rest of the war and was reduced to a cadre on 21 January 1919, returned to the UK and was disbanded on 24 June 1919.
On 15 March 1930, the 209 reformed at Mount Batten and was equipped with Iris flying boats, but as only four were built it was difficult to keep the squadron up to strength and other types were used on occasion. In January 1934 the Iris were replaced by Perths, but as only three were available the same problem continued until July 1936, when the squadron was fully equipped with Singapores. These it took to Malta in September 1937 for three months and in December 1938 began to convert to Stranraers. At the outbreak of World War Two, the 209 moved to Invergordon to fly patrols over the North Sea between Scotland and Norway. In October 1939 it moved to Oban for patrols over the Atlantic and in December began to re-equip with Lerwicks. The type was not a success, and after flying patrols from Wales and Scotland they were replaced by Catalinas in April 1941. From Loch Erne, anti-submarine patrols were flown over the Atlantic until August when the squadron moved to Iceland for two months. In March 1942, the 209 left for East Africa and flew patrols over the Indian Ocean for the rest of the war, using detached bases in South Africa, Madagascar, Oman and the Seychelles to extend its cover. In July 1945 the squadron moved to Ceylon with its recently aquired Sunderlands and a detachment was sent to Rangoon to attack enemy coastal shipping along the Burmese and Malayan coasts.
If you have any questions we invite you to post them on our public forum. And if you would like to become a part of the 209 Squadron, please visit our
Recruitment section.
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Sopwith Camel image courtesy of Bob Pearson. Copyright, 2005.
209 Squadron crest courtesy of http://www.rafmarham.co.uk. All crests © Crown copyright, 2006.
209 Squadron history courtesy of http://www.raf.mod.uk. Crown copyright, 2005.
209 Squadron RAF© - A WW1 & WW2
Virtual Squadron
