No. 617 Squadron RAF

No. 617 Squadron RAF
Squadron badge
Squadron badge
Active
  • 21 March 1943 – 15 December 1955
  • 1 May 1958 – 31 December 1981
  • 1 January 1983 – 28 March 2014
  • 18 April 2018 – present
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
TypeFlying squadron
RoleMulti–role combat
Part ofNo. 1 Group
Home stationRAF Marham
Nickname(s)'The Dambusters'
Motto(s)Après moi le déluge
(French for 'After me, the flood'))[1]
AircraftLockheed Martin F-35B Lightning
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Guy Gibson
Leonard Cheshire
Willie Tait
John Fauquier
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldryOn a roundel, a dam in fesse, fractured by three flashes of lightning in pile and issuant from the breach water proper. The broken dam is indicative of the successful attack on the dams in May 1943. Approved by King George VI in March 1944.
Squadron roundel
Squadron codes
  • MZ (1939) (never used)
  • AJ (1943–1946)
  • KC (1943–1952) (used alongside AJ)
  • YZ (1945) (only used on aircraft used to carry 'Grand Slam' bombs)
  • AJ-A to AJ-Z (1983–2014)
Aircraft flown
AttackPanavia Tornado
Bomber
FighterLockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II

Number 617 Squadron is a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron, originally based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire and currently based at RAF Marham in Norfolk.[2] It is commonly known as "The Dambusters", for its actions during Operation Chastise against German dams during the Second World War. In the early 21st century it operated the Panavia Tornado GR4 in the ground attack and reconnaissance role until being disbanded on 28 March 2014. The Dambusters reformed on 18 April 2018, and was equipped at RAF Marham in June 2018 with the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning, becoming the first squadron to be based in the UK with this advanced STOVL type. The unit is composed of both RAF and Royal Navy personnel,[3] and operates from the Royal Navy's Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers.[4]

  1. ^ Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 14. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
  2. ^ "617 Squadron". raf.mod.uk. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference RN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Dambusters To Be Next Lightning II Squadron Archived 15 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine – RAF, 18 July 2013