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Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books
No.171 Squadron went through two relatively short lived incarnations during the Second World War. The first lasted from June-December 1942, and saw the squadron operate as a tactical reconnaissance unit of Army Co-operations Command. The squadron was disbanded on 31 December 1942 and its aircraft passed on the new No.430 Squadron, RCAF.
The second incarnation of No.171 Squadron formed on 8 September 1944 from C Flight of No.199 Squadron as a bomber support squadron in No.100 Group. Its role was to drop "Window" in an attempt to jam German radar. Although not as effective as when first used over Hamburg, "Window" remained in use to the end of the war, and is still in use to this day, although is now known as "chaff".
Aircraft
June-December 1942: Curtiss Tomahawk I, IIA
September-December 1942: North American Mustang IA
September 1944-January 1945: Short Stirling Mk.III
September 1944-July 1945: Handley Page Halifax B Mk.III
Location
15 June-11 July 1942: Gatwick
11 July-25 August 1942: Odiham
25 August-10 September 1942: Gatwick
10-20 September 1942: Weston Zoyland
20 September-7 December 1942: Gatwick
7-31 December 1942: Hartfordbridge
8 December 1944-27 July 1945: North Creake
Squadron Codes: 6Y
Duty
June-December 1942: Tactical Reconnaissance, Army Co-operation Command
September 1944-May 1945: Bomber Support, No.100 Group
Halifax Squadrons of World War II , Jon Lake. This is a very good book on the combat record of the Handley Page Halifax. It covers much more than just its role as a front line bomber, with chapters on the Halifax with Coastal Command, the Pathfinders and SOE, amongst others. [see more]
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