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No. 33 Squadron RAF
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No. 33 Squadron RAF
No. 33 Squadron is a dormant squadron of the Royal Air Force. Prior to disbanding in 2025, it was based at RAF Benson, Oxfordshire, operating the Airbus Helicopters Puma HC2.
No. 33 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed from part of No. 12 Squadron at Filton airfield on 12 January 1916. For the remainder of the First World War the squadron was employed for home defence in Lincolnshire, guarding against German airship raids against northern England, being first equipped with the Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2, these being supplemented with the Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2. Its headquarters were at Gainsborough, with its flights based on three stations: RAF Scampton (A Flight), RAF Kirton in Lindsey (B Flight) and RAF Elsham Wolds (C Flight). The FE.2 was replaced by Bristol Fighters in June 1918, which were in turn replaced by night fighter the Avro 504 in August. The squadron did not destroy any enemy airships, despite a number of interceptions and was disbanded in June 1919.
The squadron was reformed at RAF Netheravon, Wiltshire on 1 March 1929 as a bomber unit, equipped first with the Hawker Horsley. In February 1930, it became the first squadron to receive the new Hawker Hart, an aircraft faster than the RAF's fighter aircraft. In 1935, as part of Britain's response to the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, the unit moved to Egypt, taking part in air policing in Palestine.
In February 1938, the squadron re-equipped with Gloster Gladiators, changing role to a fighter squadron, although at first it continued in support of British ground forces in Palestine.
With the exception of a time in Greece and Crete in 1941, No. 33 Squadron remained in the Middle East for most of the Second World War. Equipped initially with the Gloster Gladiators they had used in Palestine, the squadron claimed its first victories of the war on 14 June 1940, while supporting the British capture of Fort Capuzzo, when the squadron shot down an Italian Caproni Ca 310 and a Fiat CR.32. It suffered its first losses of the war five days later in a combat with Fiat CR.42 Falcos, with one Gladiator being shot down in exchange for two Fiats. The squadron re-equipped with the Hawker Hurricane in October 1940, allowing it to intercept the Italian SM.79 bombers, which were faster than the Gladiator.
The squadron withdrawn from desert fighting in January 1941, in order to help resist the Italian invasion of Greece. From 12 March, Pat Pattle, the leading Commonwealth flying ace, was in command until he was killed in action on 20 April. The squadron was involved in heavy fighting following the German intervention, and had to be withdrawn to Crete on 27 April. Due to continuing heavy losses, the squadron had to amalgamate with No. 80 Squadron and the ground personnel fought hand-to-hand with German paratroopers to protect the airfield. The remnants of No. 33 Squadron retired to Egypt by the end of May after the Battle of Crete. The squadron returned to support the army in the Western Desert, including at the Battle of El Alamein, trading its Hurricanes for Supermarine Spitfires in December 1943.
Returning to the UK in 1944 for the Allied invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord), the squadron flew the Spitfire IX F from RAF Lympne as part of Air Defence of Great Britain, though under the operational control of RAF Second Tactical Air Force (2nd TAF). It flew fighter support on D-Day (6 June 1944), then moved to France with 2nd TAF in October 1944, when it concentrated on ground-attack operations. It re-equipped with the Hawker Tempest in December, returning to action from Gilze-Rijen, Netherlands in February 1945, flying fighter sweeps in North West Europe. The squadron remained in Germany until 1949.
From 1949 to 1970, No. 33 Squadron spent much of its time in the Far East, based at Kai Tak, Hong Kong, until sent to Kuala Lumpur in Malaya, flying their Tempests in ground attack missions against Communist guerrillas during the Malayan Emergency. It re-equipped with twin-engined de Havilland Hornets in 1951, disbanding in March 1955, having flown 6,150 sorties during its stay in Malaya.
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No. 33 Squadron RAF
No. 33 Squadron is a dormant squadron of the Royal Air Force. Prior to disbanding in 2025, it was based at RAF Benson, Oxfordshire, operating the Airbus Helicopters Puma HC2.
No. 33 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed from part of No. 12 Squadron at Filton airfield on 12 January 1916. For the remainder of the First World War the squadron was employed for home defence in Lincolnshire, guarding against German airship raids against northern England, being first equipped with the Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2, these being supplemented with the Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2. Its headquarters were at Gainsborough, with its flights based on three stations: RAF Scampton (A Flight), RAF Kirton in Lindsey (B Flight) and RAF Elsham Wolds (C Flight). The FE.2 was replaced by Bristol Fighters in June 1918, which were in turn replaced by night fighter the Avro 504 in August. The squadron did not destroy any enemy airships, despite a number of interceptions and was disbanded in June 1919.
The squadron was reformed at RAF Netheravon, Wiltshire on 1 March 1929 as a bomber unit, equipped first with the Hawker Horsley. In February 1930, it became the first squadron to receive the new Hawker Hart, an aircraft faster than the RAF's fighter aircraft. In 1935, as part of Britain's response to the Second Italo-Abyssinian War, the unit moved to Egypt, taking part in air policing in Palestine.
In February 1938, the squadron re-equipped with Gloster Gladiators, changing role to a fighter squadron, although at first it continued in support of British ground forces in Palestine.
With the exception of a time in Greece and Crete in 1941, No. 33 Squadron remained in the Middle East for most of the Second World War. Equipped initially with the Gloster Gladiators they had used in Palestine, the squadron claimed its first victories of the war on 14 June 1940, while supporting the British capture of Fort Capuzzo, when the squadron shot down an Italian Caproni Ca 310 and a Fiat CR.32. It suffered its first losses of the war five days later in a combat with Fiat CR.42 Falcos, with one Gladiator being shot down in exchange for two Fiats. The squadron re-equipped with the Hawker Hurricane in October 1940, allowing it to intercept the Italian SM.79 bombers, which were faster than the Gladiator.
The squadron withdrawn from desert fighting in January 1941, in order to help resist the Italian invasion of Greece. From 12 March, Pat Pattle, the leading Commonwealth flying ace, was in command until he was killed in action on 20 April. The squadron was involved in heavy fighting following the German intervention, and had to be withdrawn to Crete on 27 April. Due to continuing heavy losses, the squadron had to amalgamate with No. 80 Squadron and the ground personnel fought hand-to-hand with German paratroopers to protect the airfield. The remnants of No. 33 Squadron retired to Egypt by the end of May after the Battle of Crete. The squadron returned to support the army in the Western Desert, including at the Battle of El Alamein, trading its Hurricanes for Supermarine Spitfires in December 1943.
Returning to the UK in 1944 for the Allied invasion of Normandy (Operation Overlord), the squadron flew the Spitfire IX F from RAF Lympne as part of Air Defence of Great Britain, though under the operational control of RAF Second Tactical Air Force (2nd TAF). It flew fighter support on D-Day (6 June 1944), then moved to France with 2nd TAF in October 1944, when it concentrated on ground-attack operations. It re-equipped with the Hawker Tempest in December, returning to action from Gilze-Rijen, Netherlands in February 1945, flying fighter sweeps in North West Europe. The squadron remained in Germany until 1949.
From 1949 to 1970, No. 33 Squadron spent much of its time in the Far East, based at Kai Tak, Hong Kong, until sent to Kuala Lumpur in Malaya, flying their Tempests in ground attack missions against Communist guerrillas during the Malayan Emergency. It re-equipped with twin-engined de Havilland Hornets in 1951, disbanding in March 1955, having flown 6,150 sorties during its stay in Malaya.
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