Knowledge (XXG)

No. 242 Group RAF

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1178: 31: 71: 1095: 1105: 1118: 54: 1129: 1048: 273:: NATAF and NACAF. This unique history imparts a certain degree of flexibility, versatility, and importance to the group. During the same critical period of the Tunisian campaign mentioned above, No. 242 Group flew over 1,000 offensive sorties in just five days against ground targets as part of Coningham's NATAF. 268:
While the subordinate commands of NASAF, NACAF, and NATAF were fixed and permanent throughout most of 1943, No. 242 Group was a major exception to this rigidity. It was the largest air force unit that was assigned to two different
264:
was immediately put into practice when Spaatz placed most of the strategic bombers at Coningham's disposal during a critical period of the Tunisian campaign at the end of February and the beginning of March 1943.
1755: 1760: 1770: 883: 619: 753: 629: 675: 649: 835: 624: 1062: 639: 614: 558: 888: 280:(Operation Husky), No. 242 Group was transferred from NATAF to NACAF. At this time, the group consisted of the units indicated in the table below. 1177: 904: 830: 778: 670: 970: 934: 929: 426: 852: 763: 433:. Air Commodore G. Harcourt-Smith took over command of No. 242 Group on 24 February 1944 until the group was disbanded on 14 September 1944. 210: 1084: 1013: 644: 609: 576: 229: 140: 84: 425:
When MAC was disbanded on 10 December 1943 and the Allied air forces in the MTO were again reorganized, No. 242 Group was assigned to the
219: 195: 88: 1514: 793: 878: 814: 488: 909: 733: 665: 599: 1765: 1036: 1003: 965: 634: 1167: 1099: 1031: 768: 604: 233: 144: 1041: 840: 783: 551: 998: 955: 148: 847: 773: 1734: 527:
Participation of the Ninth & Twelfth Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign, Army Air Forces Historical Study No. 37
1489: 1051: 788: 701: 696: 691: 171:, and their staffs to establish an air force command structure based on the previously successful coordination of 809: 277: 191: 1077: 960: 914: 544: 257: 1724: 1719: 1714: 1709: 924: 70: 30: 1729: 124: 1018: 950: 758: 184: 152: 1122: 404: 164: 156: 1704: 1689: 1679: 1674: 1664: 1659: 1654: 1649: 1644: 1639: 1634: 1624: 1614: 1609: 1604: 1599: 1589: 1584: 1579: 1574: 1564: 1559: 1549: 1539: 1534: 1529: 1519: 309: 304: 993: 748: 394: 388: 380: 374: 330: 1232: 1070: 1008: 366: 351: 336: 322: 316: 249: 360: 345: 988: 1094: 1699: 1694: 1669: 1629: 1619: 1594: 1569: 1554: 1544: 1524: 1509: 868: 484: 194:(MAC) with Tedder as Air Commander-in-Chief of the Allied air forces in the North African and 176: 172: 168: 116: 1504: 1499: 1494: 1478: 1473: 1468: 1463: 1452: 1447: 1442: 1437: 1432: 1427: 1422: 1417: 1412: 1407: 1402: 1397: 1392: 1387: 1382: 1377: 1372: 1367: 1362: 1357: 1352: 1347: 1342: 1337: 1332: 1327: 1322: 1317: 1312: 1307: 1302: 1297: 1292: 1287: 1282: 1277: 1272: 1267: 1262: 1257: 1252: 1247: 1242: 1237: 1227: 1162: 1157: 743: 738: 430: 245: 223: 180: 1222: 1217: 1212: 1207: 1202: 1197: 1192: 1152: 1147: 1133: 873: 723: 567: 253: 214: 120: 101: 74: 1104: 59: 1749: 919: 293: 160: 136: 728: 199: 454: 139:
took over command on 22 February 1943 when the group was a sub-command of the
529:. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Army Air Forces Historical Office Headquarters. 1945. 147:. NATAF itself had just become one of the three major combat commands of the 190:
The Casablanca planners saw merit in Tedder's plan and established the
123:(RAF) formed on 24 August 1942. Its first commander was Air Commodore 536: 512: 1066: 540: 483:. Vol. 2. Chicago, Illinois: Chicago University Press. 29: 244:
command structure was implemented and practiced during the
202:
became the major sub-command of MAC and based on Tedder's
260:
campaigns. The intended successful coordination of these
159:
in January 1943. At Casablanca, Air Chief Marshal Sir
417:
ASR=Air Sea Rescue; RAAF=Royal Australian Air Force.
1756:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1944
198:(MTO). NAAF under the command of Lieutenant General 1185: 1140: 979: 943: 897: 861: 823: 802: 714: 684: 658: 592: 583: 474: 472: 206:model, was invested with three major sub-commands: 94: 80: 65: 47: 39: 23: 457:. Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation 1761:Military units and formations established in 1942 1771:Royal Air Force groups of the Second World War 155:air force reorganization that occurred at the 1078: 552: 8: 479:Craven, Wesley F.; Cate, James L. (1983) . 1085: 1071: 1063: 589: 559: 545: 537: 502: 500: 448: 446: 300: 442: 187:of 1942, primarily in Egypt and Libya. 16:Former Royal Air Force operations group 930:Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment 427:Mediterranean Allied Coastal Air Force 20: 853:List of equipment of the RAF Regiment 232:(NATAF) under Acting Air Marshal Sir 211:Northwest African Strategic Air Force 143:(NATAF) under Acting Air Marshal Sir 7: 1047: 230:Northwest African Tactical Air Force 141:Northwest African Tactical Air Force 85:Northwest African Tactical Air Force 754:Princess Mary's RAF Nursing Service 507:Richards, D.; Saunders, H. (1953). 481:The Army Air Forces in World War II 298:Headquarters at La Marsa, Tunisia. 222:(NACAF) under Air Vice Marshal Sir 220:Northwest African Coastal Air Force 196:Mediterranean Theater of Operations 89:Northwest African Coastal Air Force 994:Combined Cadet Force (RAF section) 177:No. 201 (Naval Co-operation) Group 43:24 August 1942 – 14 September 1944 14: 1176: 1127: 1116: 1103: 1093: 1046: 910:Assistant Chief of the Air Staff 151:(NAAF) as a result of the major 69: 52: 1004:RAF Centre of Aviation Medicine 884:List of serving senior officers 1168:No. 83 Expeditionary Air Group 1: 509:The Royal Air Force 1939–1945 284:Order of Battle, 10 July 1943 163:persuaded American President 213:(NASAF) under Major General 173:No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group 149:Northwest African Air Forces 779:RAF Mountain Rescue Service 774:RAF Search and Rescue Force 1787: 935:Warrant Officer of the RAF 630:Operational Training units 1174: 1123:United Kingdom portal 1113: 1027: 879:List of notable personnel 810:Royal Auxiliary Air Force 676:Satellite Landing Grounds 574: 278:Allied invasion of Sicily 192:Mediterranean Air Command 167:, British Prime Minister 28: 1014:RAF Football Association 915:Air Member for Personnel 635:Schools / Training units 925:Air Member for Materiel 453:Barrass, M. B. (2015). 1766:North African campaign 185:North African Campaign 34: 815:RAF Volunteer Reserve 405:No. 458 Squadron RAAF 165:Franklin D. Roosevelt 157:Casablanca Conference 33: 848:List of RAF missiles 831:List of RAF aircraft 749:RAF Medical Services 734:RAF Chaplains Branch 1134:Aviation portal 1009:RAF Benevolent Fund 944:symbols and uniform 577:Ministry of Defence 397:(Det.), Wellington 363:(French), Spitfire 100: • 989:Air Training Corps 905:Chief of Air Staff 769:RAF Music Services 429:also commanded by 181:AHQ Western Desert 35: 1743: 1742: 1060: 1059: 889:Personnel numbers 784:RAF Marine Branch 764:RAF ground trades 710: 709: 411: 410: 169:Winston Churchill 107: 106: 1778: 1180: 1163:No. 22 Group RAF 1158:No. 11 Group RAF 1132: 1131: 1130: 1121: 1120: 1119: 1108: 1107: 1098:Royal Air Force 1097: 1087: 1080: 1073: 1064: 1050: 1049: 980:associated civil 744:RAF Legal Branch 739:RAF Intelligence 625:Conversion units 590: 561: 554: 547: 538: 531: 530: 523: 517: 516: 504: 495: 494: 476: 467: 466: 464: 462: 455:"Groups 200–333" 450: 395:No. 221 Squadron 389:No. 284 Squadron 381:No. 144 Squadron 375:No. 283 Squadron 331:No. 255 Squadron 325:, B-26 Marauder 301: 240:The new unified 234:Arthur Coningham 145:Arthur Coningham 73: 58: 56: 55: 21: 1786: 1785: 1781: 1780: 1779: 1777: 1776: 1775: 1746: 1745: 1744: 1739: 1181: 1172: 1153:No. 2 Group RAF 1148:No. 1 Group RAF 1136: 1128: 1126: 1117: 1115: 1109: 1102: 1091: 1061: 1056: 1023: 999:RAF Association 981: 975: 971:Heraldic badges 939: 893: 857: 819: 798: 724:Air Force Board 716: 706: 680: 654: 585: 579: 570: 568:Royal Air Force 565: 535: 534: 525: 524: 520: 511:. Vol. 2. 506: 505: 498: 491: 478: 477: 470: 460: 458: 452: 451: 444: 439: 423: 416: 367:No. 52 Squadron 352:No. 47 Squadron 348:(French), P-40 337:No. 39 Squadron 323:No. 14 Squadron 317:No. 73 Squadron 297: 291: 286: 215:Jimmy Doolittle 133: 121:Royal Air Force 119:of the British 110: 102:Operation Husky 99: 87: 75:Royal Air Force 53: 51: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1784: 1782: 1774: 1773: 1768: 1763: 1758: 1748: 1747: 1741: 1740: 1738: 1737: 1732: 1727: 1722: 1717: 1712: 1707: 1702: 1697: 1692: 1687: 1682: 1677: 1672: 1667: 1662: 1657: 1652: 1647: 1642: 1637: 1632: 1627: 1622: 1617: 1612: 1607: 1602: 1597: 1592: 1587: 1582: 1577: 1572: 1567: 1562: 1557: 1552: 1547: 1542: 1537: 1532: 1527: 1522: 1517: 1512: 1507: 1502: 1497: 1492: 1487: 1484: 1481: 1476: 1471: 1466: 1461: 1458: 1455: 1450: 1445: 1440: 1435: 1430: 1425: 1420: 1415: 1410: 1405: 1400: 1395: 1390: 1385: 1380: 1375: 1370: 1365: 1360: 1355: 1350: 1345: 1340: 1335: 1330: 1325: 1320: 1315: 1310: 1305: 1300: 1295: 1290: 1285: 1280: 1275: 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489: 468: 441: 440: 438: 435: 422: 419: 409: 408: 402: 399: 398: 392: 391:(ASR), Walrus 385: 384: 383:, Beaufighter 378: 377:(ASR), Walrus 371: 370: 364: 356: 355: 349: 341: 340: 334: 333:, Beaufighter 327: 326: 320: 313: 312: 307: 292:Air Commodore 285: 282: 238: 237: 227: 217: 135:Air Commodore 132: 129: 108: 105: 104: 96: 92: 91: 82: 78: 77: 67: 63: 62: 60:United Kingdom 49: 45: 44: 41: 37: 36: 26: 25: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1783: 1772: 1769: 1767: 1764: 1762: 1759: 1757: 1754: 1753: 1751: 1736: 1735:'Z' Composite 1733: 1731: 1728: 1726: 1723: 1721: 1718: 1716: 1713: 1711: 1708: 1706: 1703: 1701: 1698: 1696: 1693: 1691: 1688: 1686: 1683: 1681: 1678: 1676: 1673: 1671: 1668: 1666: 1663: 1661: 1658: 1656: 1653: 1651: 1648: 1646: 1643: 1641: 1638: 1636: 1633: 1631: 1628: 1626: 1623: 1621: 1618: 1616: 1613: 1611: 1608: 1606: 1603: 1601: 1598: 1596: 1593: 1591: 1588: 1586: 1583: 1581: 1578: 1576: 1573: 1571: 1568: 1566: 1563: 1561: 1558: 1556: 1553: 1551: 1548: 1546: 1543: 1541: 1538: 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1069: 1068: 1065: 1053: 1045: 1043: 1040: 1038: 1035: 1033: 1030: 1029: 1026: 1020: 1017: 1015: 1012: 1010: 1007: 1005: 1002: 1000: 997: 995: 992: 990: 987: 986: 984: 982:organisations 978: 972: 969: 967: 964: 962: 959: 957: 954: 952: 949: 948: 946: 942: 936: 933: 931: 928: 926: 923: 921: 920:Air Secretary 918: 916: 913: 911: 908: 906: 903: 902: 900: 896: 890: 887: 885: 882: 880: 877: 875: 872: 870: 869:Officer ranks 867: 866: 864: 860: 854: 851: 849: 846: 842: 839: 837: 834: 833: 832: 829: 828: 826: 822: 816: 813: 811: 808: 807: 805: 801: 795: 792: 790: 787: 785: 782: 780: 777: 775: 772: 770: 767: 765: 762: 760: 757: 755: 752: 750: 747: 745: 742: 740: 737: 735: 732: 730: 727: 725: 722: 721: 719: 713: 703: 700: 698: 695: 693: 690: 689: 687: 683: 677: 674: 672: 669: 667: 664: 663: 661: 657: 651: 648: 646: 643: 641: 638: 636: 633: 631: 628: 626: 623: 621: 618: 616: 613: 611: 608: 606: 603: 601: 598: 597: 595: 591: 588: 582: 578: 573: 569: 562: 557: 555: 550: 548: 543: 542: 539: 528: 522: 519: 514: 510: 503: 501: 497: 492: 490:0-912799-03-X 486: 482: 475: 473: 469: 456: 449: 447: 443: 436: 434: 432: 428: 420: 418: 415: 407:, Wellington 406: 403: 401: 400: 396: 393: 390: 387: 386: 382: 379: 376: 373: 372: 368: 365: 362: 358: 357: 353: 350: 347: 343: 342: 338: 335: 332: 329: 328: 324: 321: 318: 315: 314: 311: 308: 306: 303: 302: 299: 295: 294:Kenneth Cross 290: 289:No. 242 Group 283: 281: 279: 276:Prior to the 274: 272: 266: 263: 259: 255: 251: 247: 243: 235: 231: 228: 225: 221: 218: 216: 212: 209: 208: 207: 205: 201: 197: 193: 188: 186: 182: 178: 174: 170: 166: 162: 161:Arthur Tedder 158: 154: 150: 146: 142: 138: 137:Kenneth Cross 130: 128: 126: 125:George Lawson 122: 118: 114: 113:No. 242 Group 109:Military unit 103: 97: 93: 90: 86: 83: 79: 76: 72: 68: 64: 61: 50: 46: 42: 38: 32: 27: 24:No. 242 Group 22: 19: 1684: 1490:90 (Signals) 898:appointments 729:RAF Regiment 715:branches and 645:Glider units 526: 521: 508: 480: 459:. Retrieved 424: 413: 412: 369:, Baltimore 361:II/7 Escadre 346:II/5 Escadre 310:No. 328 Wing 305:No. 323 Wing 288: 287: 275: 270: 267: 261: 250:Pantellerian 241: 239: 203: 189: 134: 112: 111: 98:World War II 81:Part of 18: 874:Other ranks 640:Ferry units 354:, Beaufort 339:, Beaufort 319:, Spitfire 200:Carl Spaatz 183:during the 95:Engagements 1750:Categories 1725:4 (Indian) 1720:3 (Indian) 1715:2 (Indian) 1710:1 (Indian) 1019:RAF Museum 794:Operations 759:RAF Police 717:components 650:Misc units 584:formations 437:References 271:tri-forces 262:tri-forces 224:Hugh Lloyd 1186:Disbanded 862:personnel 824:equipment 697:Squadrons 615:Squadrons 586:and units 242:tri-force 204:tri-force 1125:• 1037:timeline 961:Roundels 685:Regiment 659:stations 600:Commands 254:Sicilian 246:Tunisian 1052:commons 1032:history 966:Uniform 836:current 702:Flights 620:Flights 258:Italian 131:History 48:Country 1141:Active 1100:groups 1042:future 951:Ensign 841:future 671:Former 666:Active 605:Groups 487:  414:Notes: 256:, and 179:, and 153:Allied 115:was a 66:Branch 57:  40:Active 1233:11/18 956:Badge 692:Wings 610:Wings 593:units 461:1 May 431:Lloyd 421:MACAF 117:group 513:HMSO 485:ISBN 463:2015 359:No. 344:No. 1730:'X' 1705:333 1700:300 1695:247 1690:246 1685:242 1680:241 1675:238 1670:232 1665:231 1660:230 1655:229 1650:228 1645:227 1640:226 1635:225 1630:224 1625:223 1620:222 1615:221 1610:219 1605:218 1600:217 1595:216 1590:215 1585:214 1580:213 1575:212 1570:211 1565:210 1560:209 1555:207 1550:206 1545:205 1540:204 1535:203 1530:202 1525:201 1520:200 1515:106 1510:100 226:and 1752:: 1505:93 1500:92 1495:91 1486:88 1483:87 1479:85 1474:84 1469:82 1464:81 1460:72 1457:71 1453:70 1448:67 1443:66 1438:65 1433:64 1428:63 1423:62 1418:61 1413:60 1408:54 1403:51 1398:50 1393:48 1388:47 1383:46 1378:45 1373:44 1368:43 1363:42 1358:41 1353:40 1348:38 1343:34 1338:33 1333:32 1328:31 1323:30 1318:29 1313:28 1308:27 1303:26 1298:25 1293:24 1288:23 1283:21 1278:20 1273:19 1268:18 1263:17 1258:16 1253:15 1248:14 1243:13 1238:12 1228:10 499:^ 471:^ 445:^ 252:, 248:, 175:, 127:. 1223:9 1218:8 1213:7 1208:6 1203:5 1198:4 1193:3 1086:e 1079:t 1072:v 560:e 553:t 546:v 515:. 493:. 465:. 296:, 236:.

Index


United Kingdom

Royal Air Force
Northwest African Tactical Air Force
Northwest African Coastal Air Force
Operation Husky
group
Royal Air Force
George Lawson
Kenneth Cross
Northwest African Tactical Air Force
Arthur Coningham
Northwest African Air Forces
Allied
Casablanca Conference
Arthur Tedder
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Winston Churchill
No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group
No. 201 (Naval Co-operation) Group
AHQ Western Desert
North African Campaign
Mediterranean Air Command
Mediterranean Theater of Operations
Carl Spaatz
Northwest African Strategic Air Force
Jimmy Doolittle
Northwest African Coastal Air Force
Hugh Lloyd

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