No. 100 Group RAF
Encyclopedia : N : NO : NO1 : No. 100 Group RAF
No. 100 Group was a special duties group with RAF Bomber Command. It was formed on 11 November, 1943 to consolidate the increasingly complex business of electronic warfare and countermeasures within one organisation. The group was responsible for the development, operational trial and use of electronic warfare and countermeasures equipment. The group were pioneers in countering the formidable force of radar-equipped Luftwaffe night fighters, utilising a range of electronic 'homers' fitted to de Havilland Mosquito fighters which detected the night fighter's various radar and radio emissions and allowed the RAF fighters to home in onto the Axis aircraft and either shoot them down or at least disrupt their missions against the bomber streams. Other Mosquitoes would patrol around the known Luftwaffe fighter airfields ready to attack any landing nightfighters they came across.
This effect indirectly led to a high proportion of aircraft and aircrew wastage from crashes as night fighters hurried in to land.
During 1944-5, the Mosquitoes of 100 Group claimed 258 Luftwaffe aircraft shot down for 70 losses. The gradually increasing threat from the RAF fighters also created what the Luftwaffe crews nicknamed 'Moskito Panic' as the night fighter crews were never sure when or where they may come under attack from the marauding 100 Group fighters.
Top Mosquito ace with 100 Group was 85 squadron's Wing Commander Branse Burbridge with 21 claims 1944-45.
The bomber squadrons of 100 group utilised various specialist electronic jamming devices to disrupt enemy radio communications and radar. During 100 group's existence over 32 different devices were evaluated and used. Specially equipped 100 group aircraft would fly within the bomber stream.
Order of battle
No. 100 group was headquartered at Bylaugh Hall, Norfolk from January 1944, a central location from which to administer the groups airfields in north Norfolk. No 100 Group operated from eight airfields with approximately 260 aircraft, 140 of which were various marks of Mosquito night fighter intruders with the remainder consisting of Halifaxes, Stirlings, Wellingtons, Fortresses and Liberators carrying electronic jamming equipment. The group also operated the Beaufighter for a short time.The Group disbanded on 17 December 1945. During its existence it had one commander, Air Vice-Marshal Edward Addison.
Units
| Squadron | Aircraft | First 100 Group Operation | Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| 192 | Mosquito II, BIV, BXVI, Wellington BIII, Halifax /V | December 1943 | RAF Foulsham |
| 141 | Beaufighter VI, Mosquito 2, 6, 30 | December 1943 | RAF West Raynham |
| 239 | Mosquito II, VI, XXX | 20th January 1944 | RAF West Raynham |
| 515 | Mosquito II, VI | 3rd March 1944 | RAF Little Snoring, RAF Great Massingham |
| 169 | Mosquito II, VI, XIX | 20th January 1944 | RAF Little Snoring |
| 214 | Fortress II, III | 20/21st April 1944 | RAF Sculthorpe, RAF Oulton |
| 199 | Stirling III, Halifax III | 1st May 1944 | RAF North Creake |
| 157 | Mosquito XIX, XXX | May 1944 | RAF Swannington |
| 85 | Mosquito XII, XVII | 5/6th June 1944 | RAF Swannington |
| 23 | Mosquito VI | 5/6th July 1944 | RAF Little Snoring |
| 223 | Liberator VI, Fortress II, III | September 1944 | RAF Oulton |
| 171 | Stirling II, Halifax III | 15th September 1944 | RAF North Creake |
| 462(RAAF) | Halifax III | 13th March 1945 | RAF Foulsham |
See also
External links
References
- ↑ From Confounding the Reich by Martin W. Bowman and Tom Cushing ISBN 1-84415-124-7
- ↑ Confound & Destroy by Martin Streetly ISBN 0354-01180-4
From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Original article here. Support Wikipedia by contributing or donating.
All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License See Wikipedia Copyrights for details.