No. 122 Squadron (RAF): Second World War

Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books

No.122 Squadron was a fighter-bomber squadron that formed part of 2nd Tactical Air Force during the D-Day period, before flying bomber escort missions to the end of the war.

Sergeant's Mess, No.122 Squadron, Ellon, 1944
Sergeant's Mess,
No.122 Squadron,
Ellon, 1944

The squadron reformed at Turnhouse (west of Edinburgh) on 1 May 1941 as a Spitfire equipped fighter squadron. Patrols over central Scotland began on 6 June and continued until the spring of 1942. In March 1942 the squadron moved south to Hornchurch, and began to fly offensive sweeps across northern France.

In June 1943 the squadron transferred to the Second Tactical Air Force and began to fly a mix of ground attack and bomber escort missions. The Spitfires were replaced by Mustangs in February 1944, and these were used to support the D-Day landings. The squadron was also used to escort bombers of the US Eighth Air Force. The squadron moved to Normandy three days after D-Day, and supported the advancing armies until September 1944, when it returned to the UK.

After returning to the UK the squadron began to fly bomber escort missions, carrying out this duty until the end of the war. In August 1945 the lend-lease Mustangs were replaced with Spitfires, which were flown from Scotland until 1 April 1946 when the squadron was renumbered as No.41.

Aircraft
May-October 1941: Supermarine Spitfire I
October 1941-February 1942: Supermarine Spitfire IIA and IIB
February-October 1942: Supermarine Spitfire VB and VC
October 1942-May 1943: Supermarine Spitfire IX
May-August 1943: Supermarine Spitfire VB and VC
August 1943-February 1944: Supermarine Spitfire IX
February 1944-May 1945: North American Mustang III
May-August 1945: North American Mustang IV
August 1945-February 1946: Supermarine Spitfire IX
February-April 1946: Supermarine Spitfire F.21

Location
May-June 1941: Turnhouse
June-August 1941: Ouston
August-October 1941: Catterick
October 1941-April 1942: Scorton
April-June 1942: Hornchurch
June 1942: Fairlop
June-July 1942: Martlesham Heath
July 1942: Fairlop
July-September 1942: Hornchurch
September-October 1942: Martlesham Heath
October-November 1942: Hornchurch
November-December 1942: Fairlop
December 1942-May 1943: Hornchurch
May-June 1943: Eastchurch
June-July 1943: Bognor Regis
July-September 1943: Kingsnorth
September 1943: Brenzett
September-October 1943: Kingsnorth
October 1943: Ashford
October-November 1943: Weston Zoyland
November 1943-April 1944: Gravesend
April-May 1944: Ford
May 1944: Funtington
May 1944: Southend
May-June 1944: Funtington
June 1944: Ford
June-July 1944: B.7 Martragny
July 1944: B.12 Ellon
July-September 1944: B.24 St. Andre de l'Eure
September 1944: B.42 Beauvais/ Tille
September 1944: B.60 Grimbergen
September-October 1944: Matlask
October 1944-May 1945: Andrews Field
May-July 1945: Peterhead
July-October 1945: Dyce
October 1945-January 1946: Wick
January-April 1946: Dalcross

Squadron Codes: MT

Duty
6 June 1944: No.122 Wing; No.83 Group; Second Tactical Air Force

Books

Spitfire: Flying Legend - 60th Anniversary 1936-96, John M. Dibbs. A beautifully illustrated book focusing on surviving flyable Spitfires, with some very impressive modern colour photos backed up by a good selection of archival pictures and a good selection of relevant quotes from wartime Spitfire pilots [see more]
cover cover cover

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How to cite this article: Rickard, J (7 December 2010), No. 122 Squadron (RAF): Second World War, http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/122_wwII.html

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