No. 116 Squadron RAF was a

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

squadron first formed as part of the Royal Flying Corps during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. Reformed as part of the RAF during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

it served as an anti-aircraft calibration unit and also operated post-war from 1952 until 1958.

History

The squadron was formed at

RAF Andover RAF Andover is a former Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force station in England, west of Andover, Hampshire. As well as RFC and RAF units, units of the Aviation Section, U.S. Signal Corps, Royal Canadian Air Force, United States Army Air ...

in December 1917. The nameplate No. 116 Squadron RAF was applied to the squadron as of 1 April 1918 whilst it was at

RAF Netheravon The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) ...

. The squadron was disbanded at Feltham in the same year. It was resurrected as No. 116 Squadron from 1. Anti-Aircraft Calibration Flight (AACF) at Hatfield in February 1941 flying various aircraft during the Second World War (Lysanders, Hurricanes, Spitfires, Oxford and Tiger Moths) before being disbanded a second time at

Hornchurch Hornchurch is a suburban town in East London, England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. It is located east-northeast of Charing Cross. It comprises a number of shopping streets and a large residential area. It historically formed a l ...

in May 1945. During its time as an AACF, the squadron helped to calibrate the predictors on Anti-Aircraft batteries and so ended up with many detachments spread out across the United Kingdom. Flights were flown from

RAF Digby Royal Air Force Digby otherwise known as RAF Digby is a Royal Air Force station located near Scopwick and south east of Lincoln, in Lincolnshire, England. The station is home to the tri-service Joint Service Signals Organisation, part of the J ...

RAF Hendon Hendon is an urban area in the Borough of Barnet, North-West London northwest of Charing Cross. Hendon was an ancient manor and parish in the county of Middlesex and a former borough, the Municipal Borough of Hendon; it has been part of Grea ...

RAF Heston Heston Aerodrome was an airfield located to the west of London, England, operational between 1929 and 1947. It was situated on the border of the Heston and Cranford, London, Cranford areas of Hounslow, Middlesex. In September 1938, the British P ...

RAF Croydon Croydon Airport (former ICAO code: EGCR) was the UK's only international airport during the interwar period. Located in Croydon, South London, England, it opened in 1920, built in a Neoclassical style, and was developed as Britain's main airpo ...

RAF North Weald North Weald Airfield is an operational general aviation aerodrome, in the civil parish of North Weald Bassett in Epping Forest, Essex, England. It was an important fighter station during the Battle of Britain, when it was known as the RAF Stat ...

, RAF Gatwick and Redhill. It was reformed a second time in August 1952 from 'N' calibration flight at

RAF Watton Royal Air Force Watton or more simply RAF Watton is a former Royal Air Force station located southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England. Opened in 1937 it was used by both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) d ...

and continued for six years in this role flying Lincolns, Ansons, Hastings and Varsity aircraft. Its role at RAF Watton was as part of the Central Signals Establishment which would deploy 116 Squadron (and others) as Radio Counter Measure aircraft during exercises involving not only the RAF, but other nation's forces too. It was disbanded at RAF Watton in 1958 to become No. 115 Squadron RAF.

References

External links

116 116 Aircraft squadrons of the Royal Air Force in World War II {{RAF-stub