List of Battle of Britain squadrons facts for kids
The Battle of Britain was a huge air battle fought in the skies over Britain during World War II. It happened from July 10 to October 31, 1940. During this time, the German air force (called the Luftwaffe) tried to destroy the British Royal Air Force (RAF) and prepare for an invasion of Britain. But the brave pilots of the RAF, along with pilots from other countries, defended their skies.
This page lists the special air units, called squadrons, that officially took part in the Battle of Britain. The British government, specifically the Air Ministry, decided which units were officially involved on November 9, 1960. These units were part of RAF Fighter Command, Coastal Command, and the Fleet Air Arm. In total, 71 different squadrons and units are recognized for their part in this important battle.
Squadrons That Fought in the Battle of Britain
Here is a list of the squadrons that were officially recognized for fighting in the Battle of Britain. It shows their special codes, radio call signs, the types of aircraft they flew, and how many people from each squadron were lost during the battle.
| Squadron | Squadron Code | Radio Call Sign | Aircraft Type | Number of Casualties |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 Squadron RAF | JX | ACORN | Hurricane | 7 |
| No. 3 Squadron RAF | QO | Hurricane | 1 | |
| No. 17 Squadron RAF | YB | EDEY | Hurricane | 5 |
| No. 19 Squadron RAF | QV | LUTON | Spitfire | 6 |
| No. 23 Squadron RAF | YP | LUTON | Blenheim | 8 |
| No. 25 Squadron RAF | ZK | LUTON | Blenheim, Beaufighter | 5 |
| No. 29 Squadron RAF | RO | Blenheim | 8 | |
| No. 32 Squadron RAF | GZ | JACKO | Hurricane | 2 |
| No. 41 Squadron RAF | EB | MITOR | Spitfire | 11 |
| No. 43 Squadron RAF | FT | Hurricane | 14 | |
| No. 46 (Uganda) Squadron RAF | PO | ANGEL | Hurricane | 14 |
| No. 54 Squadron RAF | KL | RABBIT | Spitfire | 6 |
| No. 56 (Punjab) Squadron RAF | US | BAFFIN | Hurricane | 8 |
| No. 64 Squadron RAF | SH | FREEMA | Spitfire | 7 |
| No. 65 (East India) Squadron RAF | YT | Spitfire | 8 | |
| No. 66 Squadron RAF | LZ | FIBIUS | Spitfire | 8 |
| No. 72 (Basutoland) Squadron RAF | RN | TENNIS | Spitfire | 9 |
| No. 73 Squadron RAF | TP | Hurricane | 4 | |
| No. 74 Squadron RAF | ZP | DYSOE | Spitfire | 12 |
| No. 79 (Madras Presidency) Squadron RAF | NV | PANSY | Hurricane | 4 |
| No. 85 Squadron RAF | VY | HYDRO | Hurricane | 7 |
| No. 87 (United Provinces) Squadron RAF | LK | SUNCUP | Hurricane | 7 |
| No. 92 (East India) Squadron RAF | QJ | GANNIC | Spitfire | 14 |
| No. 111 Squadron RAF | JU | WAGON | Hurricane | 11 |
| No. 141 Squadron RAF | TW | Boulton Paul Defiant | 10 | |
| No. 145 Squadron RAF | SO | PATIN | Hurricane | 13 |
| No. 151 Squadron RAF | DZ | Hurricane | 11 | |
| No. 152 (Hyderabad) Squadron RAF | UM | MAIDA | Spitfire | 14 |
| No. 213 (Ceylon) Squadron RAF | AK | BEARSKIN | Hurricane | 15 |
| No. 219 (Mysore) Squadron RAF | FK | Blenheim, Beaufighter | 6 | |
| No. 222 (Natal) Squadron RAF | ZD | KOTEL | Spitfire | 9 |
| No. 229 Squadron RAF | RE | KETA | Hurricane | 5 |
| No. 232 Squadron RAF | EF | Hurricane | – | |
| No. 234 (Madras Presidency) Squadron RAF | AZ | CRESSY | Spitfire | 5 |
| No. 238 Squadron RAF | VK | Hurricane | 17 | |
| No. 242 (Canadian) Squadron RAF | LE | LORAG | Hurricane | 5 |
| No. 245 (Northern Rhodesia) Squadron RAF | DX | Hurricane | 2 | |
| No. 247 (China – British) Squadron RAF | HP | Gloster Gladiator | – | |
| No. 249 (Gold Coast) Squadron RAF | GN | GANER | Hurricane | 8 |
| No. 253 (Hyderabad) Squadron RAF | SW | VICEROY | Hurricane | 11 |
| No. 257 (Burma) Squadron RAF | DT | ALERT | Hurricane | 11 |
| No. 263 (Fellowship of the Bellows) Squadron RAF | HE | Hurricane, Westland Whirlwind | 1 | |
| No. 264 (Madras Presidency) Squadron RAF | PS | Boulton Paul Defiant | 18 | |
| No. 266 (Rhodesia) Squadron RAF | UO | Spitfire | 7 | |
| No. 421 Flight RAF | L-Z | Hurricane, Spitfire | 1 | |
| No. 422 Flight RAF | – | Hurricane | – | |
| Fighter Interception Unit | – | Hurricane, Blenheim, Beaufighter | – | |
| Auxiliary Squadrons | ||||
| No. 501 (County of Gloucester) Squadron AuxAF | SD | MANDREL | Hurricane | 19 |
| No. 504 (City of Nottingham) Squadron AuxAF | TM | Hurricane | 6 | |
| No. 600 (City of London) Squadron AuxAF | BQ | Blenheim, Beaufighter | 9 | |
| No. 601 (County of London) Squadron AuxAF | UF | WEAPON | Hurricane, Spitfire | 14 |
| No. 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron AuxAF | LO | VILLA | Spitfire | 5 |
| No. 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron AuxAF | XT | VIKEN | Spitfire | 13 |
| No. 604 (County of Middlesex) Squadron AuxAF | NG | TALLYHO | Blenheim, Beaufighter | 3 |
| No. 605 (County of Warwick) Squadron AuxAF | UP | TURKEY | Hurricane | 8 |
| No. 607 (County of Durham) Squadron AuxAF | AF | Hurricane | 9 | |
| No. 609 (West Riding) Squadron AuxAF | PR | SORBO | Spitfire | 7 |
| No. 610 (County of Chester) Squadron AuxAF | DW | DOGROSE | Spitfire | 11 |
| No. 611 (West Lancashire) Squadron AuxAF | FY | CHARLIE | Spitfire | 2 |
| No. 615 (County of Surrey) Squadron AuxAF | KW | PANTA | Hurricane | 6 |
| No. 616 (South Yorkshire) Squadron AuxAF | QJ | RADPOE | Spitfire | 6 |
| Commonwealth and Allied Squadrons | ||||
| No. 1 Squadron RCAF (Canadian) | YO | CARIBOU | Hurricane | 3 |
| 302 (City of Poznan) Squadron (Polish) | WX | CALEB | Hurricane | 6 |
| 303 (Warsaw – Kosciuszko) Squadron (Polish) | RF | APANY | Hurricane | 8 |
| No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron (Czech) | NN | CALLA | Hurricane | 4 |
| No. 312 (Czechoslovak) Squadron (Czech) | DU | SILVO | Hurricane | 1 |
| Coastal Command Squadrons | ||||
| No. 235 Squadron RAF | QY | Blenheim | 9 | |
| No. 236 Squadron RAF | FA | Blenheim | 10 | |
| No. 248 Squadron RAF | WR | Blenheim | 16 | |
| Fleet Air Arm (FAA) Squadrons | ||||
| No. 804 Squadron FAA | 5- | Gloster Sea Gladiator/Grumman Martlet | – | |
| No. 808 Squadron FAA | 5- | Fairey Fulmar | – |
