No. 628 Squadron RAF

No. 628 Squadron RAF
No. 628 Squadron RAF
Active	21 March 1944 – 1 October 1944
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Inactive
Role	Meteorological and air-sea rescue squadron
Part of	No. 225 Group RAF, Air Command, South East Asia
Base	Red Hills Lake, Madras
Aircraft flown
Patrol	Consolidated Catalina; Two-engined Flying Boat

No. 628 Squadron RAF was a meteorological and air-sea rescue squadron of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

History[edit]

The squadron was formed at Red Hills Lake in Madras, India, on 21 March 1944,^[2] by redesignating 'B' Flight of No. 357 Squadron RAF.^[3] The unit was equipped with Consolidated Catalina Mks.Ib and Mk.IV flying boats, and operated as part of No. 225 Group RAF, Air Command, South East Asia.^[1] Although intended for special duties, the squadron spent most of its time with meteorological reconnaissance and ASR (air-sea rescue) flights over the Indian Ocean.^[2] It was disbanded at Red Hills Lake on 1 October 1944.^[4]

Aircraft operated by No. 628 Squadron RAF^[2]^[4]^[5]
From	To	Aircraft	Variant
March 1944	September 1944	Consolidated Catalina	Mk.Ib
July 1944	September 1944	Consolidated Catalina	Mk.IV

Creed, Roscoe R. (1985). PBY: The Catalina Flying Boat. Annapolis, Maryland: The Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-526-4.
Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
Rawlings, John D.R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.