Country United Kingdom Role meteorological | Branch Royal Air Force | |
Active 6 July 1943 – 1 October 1946 Part of No. 15 Group RAF, Coastal Command Motto(s) Gaelic: Tha An Iuchair Againn-Ne
(Translation: "We hold the key") | ||
No. 518 Squadron RAF was a meteorological squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
History
No. 518 Squadron formed on 6 July 1943 from at RAF Stornoway, Scotland and was equipped with the Handley Page Halifax. After moving to RAF Tiree on 25 September 1943, and absorbing 1402 Flight, it became operational with daily flight out into the North Atlantic to collect meteorological data. It also kept observations for U-boat activity.
After the end of the Second World War the squadron moved to RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland where it absorbed 1402 Flight who had been operating Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Hurricanes. With these added to the squadron, the main equipment was changed from the Handley Page Halifax Mk.V to the Mk.VI. No. 518 squadron was the last of the wartime meteorological squadrons when it was re-numbered to 202 Squadron on 1 October 1946.