No. 270 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force squadron which disbanded at the end of June 1945. It operated both in the First and Second World War, mainly as an anti-shipping and anti-submarine squadron. It initially formed during October 1918 lasting around eleven months and disbanded in September 1919, merging into No. 269 Sqn. It reformed in November 1942.
First World War
No. 270 Squadron was formed at Alexandria in Egypt from three flights (354, 355 and 356), on 6 October 1918.[1] (Nos 354, 355 & 356 (Flying Boat) Flights were planned to be formed at Alexandria, on 6 October 1918.[2] Seaplane Squadron, Alexandria was a designation for the merging of 354, 355, and 356 Coastal Patrol Flights prior to becoming 270 Squadron)[3] It was equipped with floatplanes and flying boats, operating with Felixstowe F.3, Sopwith Baby and Short Type 184. The main role was coastal reconnaissance which it continued to do until it was disbanded on 15 September 1919 when it was absorbed into 269 Squadron.[1]
In July 1943 the squadron moved to Lagos, in Nigeria, to be based at RAF Apapa and at the end of that year it re-equipped with the four-engined Short Sunderland flying boat patrol bomber.[4] The squadron operated detachments at RAF Jui, Abidjan and Libreville.[4] No. 270 Squadron was disbanded, after the war in the Atlantic had ended, on 30 June 1945 at Apapa, Nigeria.[4][5]
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). Orbis Publishing. 1985.
Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988. ISBN1-85310-053-6
Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN1-84037-141-2.