No. 604 Squadron RAF

No. 604 (County of Middlesex) Squadron RAuxAF
Active
  • 17 March 1930 – 18 April 1945
  • 10 May 1946 – 10 March 1957
Country UK
Branch Royal Air Force
Part ofRoyal Auxiliary Air Force
Nickname(s)County of Middlesex
Motto(s)Latin: Si vis pacem para bellum
(Translation: "If you want peace, prepare for war")[1][2][3]
Post-1951 aircraft insignia
Battle honours
Commanders
Honorary Air CommodoreSamuel Hoare, 1st Viscount Templewood (1932–1957)
Notable
commanders		John Cunningham, Michael Hugh Constable-Maxwell, Frederick Desmond Hughes
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldryA seax
No. 604 Squadron, being the County of Middlesex squadron, took part of the armorial bearings of the county, a seax, to commemorate that association[1][2]
Identification
symbol
  • WQ (Jan 1939 – Sep 1939)[4]
  • NG Sep (1939 – Apr 1945,
    1949 – Apr 1951)[5]
  • RAK (Jul 1946 – 1949)[6]

No. 604 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force noted for its pioneering role the development of radar-controlled night-fighter operations. The squadron was established in March 1930 at RAF Hendon as a day-bomber squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. In July 1934, the squadron transitioned to two-seat fighters. Shortly after the commencement of World War II in 1939, the squadron was reassigned to a night-fighter role.

No. 604 Squadron was initially disbanded in April 1945 as part of a reduction of the British Armed Forces near the end of the war. It was reformed as an auxiliary single-seat fighter squadron in May 1946, again at RAF Hendon. Final disbandment occurred in March 1957 with the dissolution of the Auxiliary Air Force.

  1. ^ a b Moyes 1976, p. 275.
  2. ^ a b Rawlings 1978, p. 483.
  3. ^ Halley 1988, p. 421.
  4. ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 14.
  5. ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 76.
  6. ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 138.