No. 333 Squadron (RAF): Second World War

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No.333 (Norwegian) Squadron was a maritime patrol and special duties squadron that ended the war operating with the Banff strike wing. The squadron was formed from No.1477 Flight, a formation already manned by Norwegians, on 10 May 1943. From the start it operated a mix of Mosquitoes and Catalinas. The Mosquitoes were used for reconnaissance flights along the Norwegian coast, while the Catalinas flew patrols off the north coast of Scotland. The squadron had a second role flying agents and supplies to the Norwegian resistance. The Catalinas claimed one U-boat, U-423, which was sunk to the north-west of the Faroe Islands on 17 June 1944.

In August 1944 the mosquito flight joined the Banff strike wing, but maintained its reconnaissance role, spending much of its time finding targets for the rest of the wing to attack. A second U-boat was claimed during this period, U-251 sunk on 19 April 1945 by a combination of aircraft from Nos.143, 235, 248 and 333 Squadrons.

The squadron was transferred to Norway in June 1945 (by which time the Mosquito wing had become No.334 Squadron), and became part of the Royal Norwegian Air Force on 21 November 1945.

Aircraft
May-November 1943: de Havilland Mosquito II
November 1943-May 1945: de Havilland Mosquito VI
May 1943-February 1945: Consolidated Catalina IB
May 1944-November 1945: Consolidated Catalina IVA

Location
May 1943-August 1944: Leuchars
    May 1943-June 1945: Detachment to Woodhaven
August 1944-June 1945: Banff
June-November 1945: Fornebu

Squadron Codes: L, KK

Duty
1943-1944: Anti-submarine warfare and coastal reconnaissance, Norway
1944-1945: Anti-submarine warfare and coastal reconnaissance for Banff Strike Wing

Books

 

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How to cite this article: Rickard, J (17 November 2011), No. 333 Squadron (RAF): Second World War, http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/333_wwII.html

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