No. 601 Squadron RAF


Number 601 Squadron is a squadron of the RAF Reserves, based in London. The squadron battle honours most notably include the Battle of Britain, and the first Americans to fly in the Second World War were members of this squadron. Reactivated in 2017, it is a specialist squadron "tapping into the talents of leaders from industry, academia and research to advise and shape and inspire ".

History

Formation

No. 601 Squadron was formed at RAF Northolt on 14 October 1925 when a group of wealthy aristocratic young men, all of whom were amateur aviators, decided to form themselves into a Reserve Squadron of the RAF after a meeting in White's Club, London. The original officers were picked by the first commanding officer, Lord Edward Grosvenor, youngest son of Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster. Grosvenor tested potential recruits by plying them with alcohol to see if they would behave inappropriately. Grosvenor wanted officers "of sufficient presence not to be overawed by him and of sufficient means not to be excluded from his favourite pastimes, eating, drinking and Whites". The Squadron was initially known as "the millionaires squadron", a nametag gained because of a reputation for filling their ranks with the very 'well-heeled'. Most of these affluent young pilots had little regard for the rigid discipline of the regular service; they lined their uniform tunics with bright red silk and wore blue ties rather than the regulation black. They played polo on brand-new Brough Superior motor cycles, drove fast sports cars and most of the pilots owned their own private aircraft.

Second World War

The Squadron became a day fighter unit in 1940 and operated both the Hawker Hurricane and the Supermarine Spitfire. Aircrew attrition and transfers to other units, war quickly took its toll on the pre-war personnel and as replacements were drafted in from all walks of life and all parts of the Commonwealth to cover casualties and promotions, the Squadron became as cosmopolitan as any other.

Postwar operations

The unit reformed in 1946 as a fighter squadron within the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, initially equipped with the Spitfire, followed by the jet powered De Havilland Vampire and the Gloster Meteor twin-jet. The squadron disbanded along with all other RAuxAF units during the defence cuts of early 1957.

Present

Reforming on 20 April 2017 at RAF Northolt, 601 Squadron is now a Specialist Support Squadron of the RAuxAF. The 3 principal roles of the Squadron are to provide advice to the Chief of the Air Staff and the RAF to help address important issues; to provide access to new networks that the RAF has not traditionally been connected with; and to develop advocates for the RAF.

Aircraft operated

FromToAircraftVersion
May 1926June 1926Avro 504K, N
June 1926October 1930Airco DH.9A
November 1929June 1933Westland WapitiMks.IIa, VI
February 1933August 1937Hawker Hart
August 1937November 1938Hawker Demon
November 1938March 1939Gloster GauntletMk.II
January 1939March 1940Bristol BlenheimMk.If
March 1940March 1941Hawker HurricaneMk.I
March 1941January 1942Hawker HurricaneMk.IIb
August 1941March 1942Bell AiracobraMk.I
March 1942April 1942Supermarine SpitfireMk.Vb
May 1942January 1944Supermarine SpitfireMk.Vc
June 1943August 1943Supermarine SpitfireMk.IX
July 1943June 1944Supermarine SpitfireMk.VIII
June 1944May 1945Supermarine SpitfireMk.IXb
December 1946December 1949Supermarine SpitfireLF.16e
November 1949September 1952de Havilland VampireF.3
August 1952March 1957Gloster MeteorF.8

Squadron bases

Notable pilots

For more pilots who flew with the Squadron during the Battle of Britain, see List of RAF aircrew in the Battle of Britain.

Commanding officers

Note: Sir Philip Sassoon was Member of Parliament during his Squadron Leadership of 601 Squadron.