No. 116 Squadron RAF facts for kids
Quick facts for kids No. 116 Squadron RAF |
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|---|---|
| Active | 1917–18 (RFC) 1941–45 & 1952–58 (RAF) |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Role | Bomber Command and Anti-Aircraft Calibration |
| Motto(s) | "Precision in Defence" |
| Aircraft | Lysander Hawker Hurricane Tiger Moth Avro Anson Airspeed Oxford Vickers Varsity Avro Lincoln |
| Battle honours | World War I 1917-1918 World War II Home Defence 1941-1945 |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron badge | In front of a flash of lightning, a pair of dividers. |
| Squadron codes | ZD (Allocated Apr 1939 - Sep 1939) II (Apr 1939 - Sep 1939) |
No. 116 Squadron RAF was a special group in the Royal Air Force, which is the UK's air force. It was first created during World War I as part of the Royal Flying Corps. Later, it was reformed during World War II and had an important job: helping to make sure anti-aircraft guns worked perfectly. The squadron also operated after the war, from 1952 to 1958.
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About No. 116 Squadron RAF
No. 116 Squadron RAF was a unit of the British air force. It was active during both World War I and World War II. After the wars, it continued to serve for several years. The squadron's main role was to help calibrate, or fine-tune, anti-aircraft defenses. This made sure that guns could accurately hit enemy planes.
Early Days: World War I
The squadron first started in December 1917 at RAF Andover. This was during World War I. On April 1, 1918, it officially became No. 116 Squadron RAF. At that time, it was based at RAF Netheravon. However, the squadron did not stay active for long. It was disbanded, or closed down, later that same year at Feltham.
Helping in World War II
No. 116 Squadron was brought back to life in February 1941. This was during World War II. It was reformed from a unit called the 1st Anti-Aircraft Calibration Flight. The squadron was based at Hatfield. Its main job was to calibrate anti-aircraft batteries. These were groups of guns used to shoot down enemy aircraft.
How Calibration Worked
To calibrate the guns, the squadron flew different types of planes. These included Lysanders, Hurricanes, Spitfires, Oxfords, and Tiger Moths. These planes would fly in specific patterns. This allowed ground crews to test and adjust their gun aiming systems, called "predictors." It was a bit like tuning an instrument to make sure it played the right notes.
Spreading Out Across the UK
Because their job was so important, the squadron had many smaller groups, called detachments. These detachments were spread out across the United Kingdom. They flew missions from various airfields. Some of these included RAF Digby, RAF Hendon, RAF Heston, RAF Croydon, RAF North Weald, RAF Gatwick, and Redhill. The squadron was disbanded for a second time in May 1945 at Hornchurch. This happened after World War II ended.
Post-War Role and Disbandment
The squadron was reformed for a third time in August 1952. It was created from a unit called 'N' calibration flight. This time, it was based at RAF Watton. No. 116 Squadron continued its important calibration work for six more years. During this period, it flew different aircraft. These included Lincolns, Ansons, Hastings, and Varsity planes.
Part of Central Signals Establishment
At RAF Watton, the squadron was part of the Central Signals Establishment. This group focused on radio and signal work. No. 116 Squadron's role was to act as "Radio Counter Measure" aircraft. This meant their planes would fly during training exercises. They would help test how well the RAF and other countries' forces could deal with electronic interference. The squadron was finally disbanded at RAF Watton in 1958. Its duties were then taken over by No. 115 Squadron RAF.
