No. 132 Squadron RAF facts for kids
Quick facts for kids No. 132 (City of Bombay) Squadron RAF |
|
|---|---|
| Active | 1 Mar 1918 – 23 Dec 1918 7 Jul 1941 – 15 April 1946 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Nickname(s) | City of Bombay |
| Motto(s) | Latin: Cave leopardum ("Beware the leopard") |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | A leopard rampant. |
| Squadron Codes | FF (Jul 1941 – Apr 1946) |
No. 132 (City of Bombay) Squadron RAF was a special flying unit in the Royal Air Force, which is the UK's air force. It was first created during World War I to be a bomber squadron. Later, it was started again during World War II as a fighter squadron.
Contents
History
Starting in World War I
No. 132 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed on March 1, 1918. It became part of the Royal Air Force a month later. However, it was closed down on December 23, 1918. The squadron did not fly any missions during this time.
Starting Again in World War II
The squadron was formed again in 1941. This time, it was a fighter unit. Its planes were Spitfires. The squadron helped defend places like Peterhead, Scotland, and Southern England.
After the D-Day landings in France, the squadron moved to Normandy. They returned to England in September 1944. In January 1945, they moved to Vavuniya, Ceylon. Later, they were based in Hong Kong. The squadron was finally closed down on April 15, 1946.
No. 132 Squadron was a "mixed" RAF squadron. This means its members came from many different countries. These included the Caribbean, Poland, Canada, and New Zealand.
Aircraft Used
No. 132 Squadron RAF used different types of aircraft during its time. Here is a list of the main planes they flew:
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 1941 | Nov 1941 | Supermarine Spitfire | I |
| Sep 1941 | Apr 1942 | Supermarine Spitfire | IIB |
| Mar 1942 | Jun 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | VB |
| May 1943 | Jun 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | VC |
| Jun 1943 | Oct 1943 | Supermarine Spitfire | VB |
| Sep 1943 | Jan 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | IXB |
| Jan 1944 | Mar 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | VB |
| Jan 1944 | Mar 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | VI |
| Mar 1944 | Jul 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | IXB |
| Jun 1944 | Sep 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | IXE |
| Sep 1944 | Nov 1944 | Supermarine Spitfire | IXB |
| Jan 1945 | May 1945 | Supermarine Spitfire | VIII |
| May 1945 | Apr 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | XIV |
Combat Missions
Pilots and Awards
No. 132 Squadron had many skilled pilots. Several of them received special awards for their bravery. The Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) was given to pilots like F.F Colloredo-Mansfield and A.G Page. One pilot, F. Campbell, received the Distinguished Flying Medal.
The main leaders, called commanding officers, included J.R Ritchie and K.L Charney. Other important leaders were the Flight Commanders, such as D. Fopp and H.L. Smith.
Out of 130 pilots who served with the squadron, 14 sadly lost their lives. Four others went missing and their fates are unknown.
What They Did in Combat
The squadron first worked as a fighter unit. This meant they fought enemy aircraft in the sky. Later, they changed to a "Fighter-Bomber" role. This meant their planes could also carry bombs. They supported the D-Day landings by bombing enemy targets on the ground.
No. 132 Squadron was the first Spitfire squadron to carry a heavy bomb load. Each plane could carry 1000 pounds of bombs. During the war, they dropped a total of 110 tons of bombs.
The squadron claimed 29 victories over enemy aircraft. They also probably destroyed 15 more. On the ground, they destroyed 253 enemy transport vehicles. They even destroyed 15 midget submarines. A.G. Page, one of the commanders, said that a Norwegian Flight Commander named Hvinden spotted these submarines. They were trying to attack Allied ships near the Normandy beaches, but 132 Squadron stopped them.
