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Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books
No.322 'Dutch' Squadron was a fighter squadron manned by Dutch personnel. It formed part of 2nd Tactical Air Force, took part in the anti V-1 campaign, and ended the war operating from the Netherlands.
The squadron was formed on 12 June 1943 by renumbered No.167 Squadron, a fighter squadron with a large number of Dutch personnel (squadron numbers in the 300s were allocated to Allied squadrons serving with the RAF). The squadron was thus operational from the first day of its existence, and at the time was providing defensive cover over the Irish Sea.
This role continued until December, when the squadron moved south to Hawkinge for two months of convoy patrols. The squadron then moved to Scotland for training in tactical cooperation with the army. It then moved back south, before joining No.147 Airfield, 2nd Tactical Air Force, at Acklington.
In April the squadron and its wing moved south and took part in the pre-invasion aerial assault on France. After supporting the D-Day landings the squadron was diverted to the anti V-1 campaign, but this role only lasted until August.
The squadron then returned to the ground attack role, combining it with bomber escort missions. By now it was mainly operating over Belgium and Holland, and in January 1945 the squadron moved onto Dutch soil. From then until the end of the war the squadron carried out fighter sweeps over the front line and into Germany.
The RAF squadron disbanded in Germany on 7 October 1945, but its number was then given to a squadron in the Royal Netherlands Air Force.
Aircraft
June 1943-March 1944: Supermarine Spitfire VB and VC
March-August 1944: Supermarine Spitfire XIV
August-November 1944: Supermarine Spitfire IXB
November 1944-October 1945: Supermarine Spitfire XVIE
Location
June-November 1943: Woodvale
November 1943: Llanbedr
November-December 1943: Woodvale
December 1943-February 1944: Hawkinge
February-March 1944: Ayr
March 1944: Hawkinge
March-April 1944: Acklington
April-June 1944: Hartfordbridge
June-July 1944: West Malling
July-October 1944: Deanland
October-November 1944: Fairwood Common
November 1944-January 1945: Biggin Hill
January-February 1945: B.79 Woensdrecht
February-April 1945: B.85 Schijndel
April 1945: B.106 Twente
April-July 1945: B.113 Varrelbusch
July-October 1945: B.116 Wunstorf
Squadron Codes: VL, 3W
Duty
June-December 1943: Defensive duties, Irish Sea
December 1943-February 1944: Convoy Patrols, sweeps over English Channel
February-March 1944: Tactical training
March-July 1944: 2nd Tactical Air Force
July-August 1944: Anti V-1 campaign
August 1944 onwards: Offensive sweeps and ground attack
Part of
6 June 1944: No.85 Group; Second Tactical Air Force; Allied Expeditionary Air Force
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