No. 515 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force formed during the Second World War. It ushered in electronic countermeasure (ECM) warfare, jamming enemy radar installations from October 1942 as the only such squadron in the RAF initially. Later in the war 515 Sqn was joined by other squadrons as part of No. 100 Group RAF. The squadron disbanded after VE Day, when the need for such a specialised squadron had reduced.

History

Fighter Command The squadron was formed from Defiant Flight, also known as Special Duties Flight – an electronic countermeasuress unit equipped with the Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.II – at RAF Northolt on 1 October 1942, It moved to RAF Heston later that month. As part of 11 Group, 515 Sqn performed radar jamming duties, using Moonshine and Mandrel equipment.

From May 1943, 515 Sqn re-equipped with the Bristol Beaufighter Mk.IIF.

Bomber Command The squadron transferred to No. 100 Group RAF in December 1943 as part of Bomber Command, and moved to RAF Little Snoring in Norfolk. There they re-equipped with de Havilland Mosquito Mk.VIs in March 1944, and operated these for the remainder of the war. At the time of its disbandment on 10 June 1945, 515 squadron had carried out 1,366 operational sorties with the Mosquito with a loss of 21 aircraft, with most of its aircrew transferring to No. 627 Squadron RAF. T

Moonshine Moonshine, developed at the Telecommunications Research Establishment (TRE), was the code-name for ARI TR1427, (Airborne Radio Installation Transmitter Receiver), a British airborne spoofer/jammer installed in the 20 modified Boulton Paul Defiants of No. 515 Squadron RAF to defeat Freya radar.

Mandrel Mandrel, developed at the TRE and also built in the United States as AN/APT-3, was the code-name for a jammer deployed against Freya and Würzburg radars used by aircraft of 515 sqn and 100 Group.

Aircraft operated

+Aircraft operated by no. 515 Squadron RAF, data from From To Aircraft Version October 1942 December 1943 Boulton Paul Defiant Mk.II June 1943 April 1944 Bristol Beaufighter Mk.IIf February 1944 April 1944 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.II March 1944 June 1945 de Havilland Mosquito Mk.VI

Squadron bases +Bases and airfields used by 515 Squadron From To Base Notes 1 October 1942 29 October 1942 RAF Northolt, Middlesex Dets. Coltishall, West Malling, Tangmere and Exeter 29 October 1942 31 May 1943 RAF Heston, Middlesex 31 May 1943 15 December 1943 RAF Hunsdon, Hertfordshire 15 December 1943 10 June 1945 RAF Little Snoring, Norfolk

Commanding officers +Officers commanding 515 Squadron From To Name October 1942 July 1943 S/Ldr. S.R. Thomas, DFC, AFC July 1943 January 1944 W/Cdr. J.F. Inkster January 1944 December 1944 W/Cdr. F.F. Lambert, DSO, DFC December 1944 June 1945 W/Cdr. H.C. Kelsey, DFC

See also List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons Boulton Paul Defiant Operational history Freya radar, the German early-warning radar that was jammed using "Moonshine" and "Mandrel" List of World War II electronic warfare equipment

References

Notes

Bibliography

External links Squadron history 1 on MOD site Squadron history 2 on MOD site No. 515 Squadron RAF movement and equipment history squadron histories for nos. 500–520 sqn on RafWeb's Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation unofficial website for no. 515 Sqn