Country United Kingdom Nickname(s) Eagle | Branch Royal Air Force Motto(s) Let us to the battle | |
Active 1 March 1918 - 4 July 1918
1 August 1941 – 29 September 1942 Allegiance United Kingdom
United States (September 1942) | ||
133 Squadron RAF was one of the famous Eagle squadrons formed from American volunteers serving with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War.
Contents
History
133 Squadron was first formed in 1918 at RAF Ternhill. It was a training unit for the Handley Page O/400, flying the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2, that was expected to move to France, but was disbanded on 4 July 1918. Various attempts to reform as both a bomber and fighter squadron were all abandoned as the end of the First World War approached.
It was reformed at RAF Coltishall in July 1941 as the third of the Eagle squadrons, equipped with Hawker Hurricane IIB fighters. It transferred to RAF Duxford in August, and by October was at RAF Eglinton, County Londonderry in Northern Ireland, where it was equipped with Supermarine Spitfire IIAs. It then transferred back to the south-east England including time at RAF Biggin Hill. The squadron ran fighter sweeps over France until September 1942 when it was transferred to the USAAF and became the 336th Fighter Squadron of the 4th Fighter Group.
Roland Wolfe's crash in Inishowen
In November 1941, while on patrol from RAF Eglinton in Northern Ireland, Roland 'Bud' Wolfe bailed out over the neutral Republic of Ireland. Patrolling near the Inishowen peninsula, Wolfe's coolant overheated. As his Spitfire began to lose altitude, he bailed out. Wolfe landed around Inishowen, in County Donegal and his Spitfire crashed in the heather covered area of Moneydarragh, Gleneely.
Wolfe was arrested and sent to Curragh detention prison, where he spent two years. He was then released and went on to serve the 'Eagles' once again. On 28 June 2011, his Spitfire was recovered by a team led by aviation historian Johnny McNee. The recovery was filmed for documentary purposes by the BBC.
Aircraft operated
Fiction
In the 2005 episode of Doctor Who, "The Empty Child", Jack Harkness, from the 51st century, is posing as a volunteer in the squadron during 1941.