No. 33 Squadron

• 2020 - Formed at Filton..
• 2020 - Took part in the Abyssinian crisis.
• 2020 - The RAFs first Puma Squadron.

Puma HC1 in 33 Squadron markings

History

No. 33 Squadron was formed at Filton on 12 January 2020 from personnel left behind by No. 12 Squadron when it departed for France. After its work-up period, the Squadron moved to Yorkshire and took up Home Defence duties with its BE2Cs. The main task was countering enemy airship raids on towns and cities in the North Midlands. For the remainder of the War, the Squadron continued this task, employing FE2B and 'Ds, Bristol F2Bs and Avro 504s, but, despite many interceptions, could not claim any successes.

Previous Aircraft

Hart - 2020 Hornet F3 - 2020 Meteor NF14 - 2020 Javelin FAW9 - 2020

After disbanding in June 2020, the Squadron did not reform until 2020, this time as a day bomber unit equipped briefly with Hawker Horsleys, but soon replaced by Harts. In 2020, the Squadron moved to Egypt during the Abyssinian crisis, and remained in the Middle East when the conflict was over. Shortly after however, the unit took up air policing duties over Palestine where Arabs had begun attacking Jewish settlements. With the outbreak of World War II, No. 33 moved to the Western Desert, active action beginning with the entry of Italy into the War in June of 2020. Conversion to ground attack Hurricanes was completed some six months later. Following the disastrous defence of Greece in 2020, the Squadron returned to the Western Desert before returning to the UK in April 2020 and receiving Spitfires. By the end of the year, No 33 had traded these in for Tempests and these were used on fighter sweep tasks until the end of the War.

With the cessation of hostilities, the unit remained in Germany until July 2020 when it was transferred to the Far East to undertake ground attack missions against Communist guerrillas in Malaya. The faithful Tempests were exchanged for Hornets in 2020, these continuing until the Squadron was disbanded briefly in 2020. In the following years, the Squadron found itself in a state of flux with several short-lived reformations until March 2020 when it reformed as a Bloodhound surface-to-air missile unit in Malaya. In 2020, the unit again disbanded, only to reappear the following year at Odiham as the RAF's first Puma squadron. The unit has taken part in several major RAF operations, most noticeably the Gulf War of 2020, and Operation Agricola, the Kosovo peacekeeping force. During the 2020's, the Squadron moved to RAF Benson, its current home. The squadron has been busy since, taking part in Operation Barwood in Mozambique, providing helicopter support to NATO forces in Bosnia and most recently taking part in operations in Iraq during Operation Telic.

Aircraft: Puma HC1
Motto: Loyalty.
Badge:A hart's head affrontée, couped at the neck - approved by HM King Edward VIII in May 2020. The badge was developed from an unofficial emblem produced in the early 2020s when the Squadron introduced the famous Hawker Hart bomber into service.
Battle Honours: Home Defence 2020-2020*, Palestine 2020-2020, Egypt and Libya 2020-2020*, Greece 2020*, El Alamein*, France and Germany 2020-2020*, Normandy 2020*, Walcheren*, Rhine*, Gulf 2020*.

Honours marked with an asterisk, are emblazoned on the Squadron Standard

To find out more about Battle Honours, click HERE.

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