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RAF Fighter Command order of battle 1940 facts for kids

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Imagine a time when brave pilots fought in the skies to protect their country! This article tells you about the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain. This was a huge air battle in 1940, when Britain was attacked by German planes. The RAF Fighter Command was the main group of pilots and planes defending the UK. This list shows how Fighter Command was set up on September 15, 1940, right in the middle of the Battle of Britain.

What was RAF Fighter Command?

The RAF Fighter Command was like the UK's air shield during World War II. Its main job was to stop enemy planes from attacking Britain. The headquarters, or main office, was at RAF Bentley Priory in North London. The top boss was Air Chief Marshal Hugh C.T. Dowding. He was in charge of all the fighter planes and pilots.

How Fighter Command was Organized: Groups

Fighter Command was split into different "groups." Each group was responsible for defending a certain area of the UK. Think of them like different teams, each covering a part of the country. Each group had its own headquarters and a commanding officer.

Group Headquarters Commanding Officer Area of Operations
9 Group RAF Barton Hall, Preston, Lancashire Not yet appointed Not yet defined
10 Group RAF Box, Box, Wiltshire Air Vice-Marshal Sir C J Quintin Brand South West England and South Wales
11 Group RAF Uxbridge, Hillingdon, Middlesex Keith Park South East England and London
12 Group RAF Watnall, Nottinghamshire Trafford Leigh-Mallory East Anglia, the English Midlands, Mid Wales and North Wales
13 Group RAF Newcastle, Kenton Bar, Newcastle upon Tyne Richard Saul North of England and Scotland
14 Group Drumossie Hotel, Inverness Malcolm Henderson Scotland

Sector Stations and Airfields

To help control the planes, Fighter Command used a special system called the Dowding system. This system used "sector stations." These were airfields with special control rooms. From these rooms, controllers could guide RAF fighter planes during battles.

Sector stations could also send squadrons to "satellite airfields." These were smaller airfields nearby. This helped spread out the planes and keep them safer from enemy attacks. Most satellite airfields had all the equipment needed for planes.

Here are some of the main sector stations and their satellite airfields:

Sector Group Sector Station Radio Call Sign Satellite Airfield(s)
A 11 Tangmere SHORTJACK Westhampnett
B 11 Kenley TOPHAT Croydon
C 11 Biggin Hill SAPPER West Malling, Gravesend
D 11 Hornchurch LUMBA Gravesend, Rochford, Manston, Hawkinge
E 11 North Weald COWSLIP Stapleford Tawney, Martlesham Heath
F 11 Debden GARTER Martlesham Heath
G 12 Duxford Fowlmere
K 12 Wittering Coltishall
L 12 Digby Ternhill
M 12 Kirton-in-Lindsey
N 12 Church Fenton Leconfield
O 13 Usworth Catterick
P 13 Acklington
Q 13 Turnhouse Drem, Grangemouth
R 13 Dyce Grangemouth
S 13 Wick Grimsetter, Sumburgh
W 10 Filton Boscombe Down, Colerne, Pembrey
Y 10 Middle Wallop STARLIGHT Boscombe Down, Warmwell, Exeter, some control over RNAS Roborough, St. Eval
Z 11 Northolt Hendon

Squadrons and Aircraft

Within each group, there were many "squadrons." A squadron is a unit of about 12 to 24 aircraft and their pilots. These squadrons flew different types of fighter planes, like the famous Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire. Some squadrons also flew night fighter planes, like the Bristol Blenheim and Bristol Beaufighter, which were designed to fight in the dark.

Here are some examples of squadrons and where they were based during the Battle of Britain:

Table of Stations and Squadrons (Examples)
Sector Station Squadron Aircraft Type Commanding Officer
10 Group
RAF Middle Wallop No. 238 Sqn Hawker Hurricane Sqn Ldr Harold Arthur Fenton
RAF Middle Wallop No. 609 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire Sqn Ldr Horace Stanley Darley
RAF Filton No. 79 Sqn Hawker Hurricane Sqn Ldr J Hervey Heyworth
RAF Filton No. 601 Sqn Hawker Hurricane Flt Lt Sir Archibald Philip Hope (Acting CO)
11 Group
RAF Biggin Hill No. 72 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire Sqn Ldr A R Collins
RAF Biggin Hill No. 92 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire Sqn Ldr P J Sanders
RAF North Weald No. 249 Sqn Hawker Hurricane Sqn Ldr John Grandy
RAF Kenley No. 253 Sqn Hawker Hurricane Sqn Ldr E R Bitmead
RAF Hornchurch No. 603 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire Sqn Ldr George Lovell Denholm
RAF Tangmere No. 213 Sqn Hawker Hurricane Flt Lt D S Wilson-Macdonald
RAF Debden No. 17 Sqn Hawker Hurricane Sqn Ldr A G Miller
RAF Northolt No. 1 Sqn RCAF Hawker Hurricane Sqn Ldr Ernest A McNab
RAF Northolt No. 303 (Polish) Sqn Hawker Hurricane Sqn Ldr Ronald Kellett DSO DFC
12 Group
RAF Duxford No. 242 Sqn Hawker Hurricane Sqn Ldr Douglas Bader
RAF Duxford No. 310 (Czech) Sqn Hawker Hurricane Flt Lt G Douglas M Blackwood / Sqn Ldr A Sasha Hess
RAF Coltishall No. 74 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire Sqn Ldr Adolph G "Sailor" Malan
RAF Kirton-in-Lindsey No. 616 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire Flt Lt H F "Billy" Burton
RAF Digby No. 611 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire Sqn Ldr Jim E McComb
RAF Wittering No. 1 Sqn Hawker Hurricane Sqn Ldr David A Pemberton DFC
RAF Church Fenton No. 85 Sqn Hawker Hurricane Sqn Ldr Peter Wooldridge Townsend DFC
13 Group
RAF Usworth No. 54 Sqn Supermarine Spitfire Flt Lt F P R Dunworth
RAF Acklington No. 32 Sqn Hawker Hurricane Flt Lt Mike N Crossley
RAF Turnhouse No. 3 Sqn Hawker Hurricane Sqn Ldr S F Gooden
RAF Turnhouse No. 111 Sqn Hawker Hurricane Sqn Ldr John M Thompson DFC

See also

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