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Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books
No.167 'Gold Coast' Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a largely Dutch manned fighter squadron and second as a transport squadron.
The squadron was reformed on 6 April 1942 as a fighter squadron at Scorton and became operational on 8 May. In the following month it moved to northern Scotland to provide fighter cover for the naval base at Scapa Flow and cover for coastal convoys. The squadron remained in Scotland for the rest of the summer and early autumn of 1942, before moving south to East Anglia in October 1942 to carry out a mix of intruder missions over the Low Countries and reconnaissance patrols searching for enemy shipping. By this point the squadron had a large number of Dutch pilots and it was decided to turn it into an official all-Dutch unit. On 12 June 1943 the squadron was renumbered as No.322 Squadron.
The squadron reformed on 21 October 1944 as a transport squadron within No.110 Wing, and based at Holmsley South. The squadron received the Vickers Warwick in November 1944, and began to fly a regular service to Allied bases in Europe and West Africa. A flight of Ansons arrived in May 1945 to be used on short range routes. The Warwicks were withdrawn between July and September 1945 to solve some technical faults, and the squadron's crews flew Dakotas with No.147 Squadron in the gap.
Aircraft
April 1942-June 1943: Supermarine Spitfire VB and VC
November 1944-May 1945: Vickers Warwick I
November 1944-February 1946: Vickers Warwick III
May 1945-February 1946: Avro Anson XII
July 1945-February 1946: Douglas Dakota III and Dakota IV
Location
April-May 1942: Scorton
May-June 1942: Acklington
June-October 1942: Castletown
October 1942-March 1943: Ludham
March 1943: Kidlington
March 1943: Fowlmere
March-May 1943: Ludham
May-June 1943: Digby
June 1943-October 1944: Woodvale
October 1944-March 1945: Holmsley South
March 1945-February 1946: Blackbushe
Squadron Codes: VL, N, QO
Duty
April 1942-June 1943: Home based fighter squadron
October 1944-February 1946: Long range transport squadron
Part of:
From 21 October 1944: No.110 Wing, Transport Command
Spitfire Mark V Aces, 1941-45, Dr Alfred Price. A well written and nicely balanced look at the combat career of the Spitfire Mk V and of the men who flew it. The Spitfire V fought in more theatres than the more famous Mk I/II, including over France in 1941, on Malta, in North Africa and even in northern Australia. [see more]
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