No. 7 Squadron (IAF) during the Second World War

No.7 Squadron, IAF, served as a ground attack squadron over Burma between July 1944 and May 1945, first with the Vultee Vengeance and later with the Hawker Hurricane.

No.7 Squadron, IAF, was formed as a Vultee Vengeance equipped dive bomber squadron on 1 December 1942, with elements from No.6 Coast Defence Flight, No.353 Squadron RAF and No.104 Squadron IAF, coming together at No.104 Squadron's final base at Vizagapatam.

The Vengeance was not a particularly successful aircraft, and No.7 Squadron wasn't able to enter service until July 1944, sixteen months after first receiving its aircraft. The Vengeance was used to provide close support for the Fourteenth Army in Burma from July until November 1944, when the squadron was withdrawn to convert to the Hurricane IIC. It returned to action in March 1945, and used the Hurricanes until 22 May, when it was withdrawn again to convert to the Spitfire. This ended its active career.

The Spitfires arrived in December 1945, and were used on the North West Frontier. In May 1947 they were replaced with Hawker Tempests, and those aircraft were taken into the Royal Indian Air Force.

Location
December 1942-March 1943: Vizagapatam
March-May 1943: Phaphamau
May-July 1943: Bairagarh
July-February 1944: Campbellpur
February-March 1944: Maharajpur
March-June 1944: Kumbhirgram
June-July 1944: Ranchi
July-November 1944: Chharra
November 1944-January 1945: Peshawar
January-March 1945: Imphal
March-April 1945: Sinthe
April-May 1945: Maida Vale
May 1945: Kohat
May-June 1945: Hathazari
June-August 1945: Samungli
August-November 1945: Lahore
November 1945-April 1946: Maharajpur
April 1946-August 1947: Kohat

Duty
December 1942-November 1942: Dive bomber, Burma
March-May 1945: Ground-attack, Burma

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How to cite this article: Rickard, J (9 November 2009), No. 7 Squadron (IAF): Second World War, http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/IAF/7_wwII.html