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  5. Squadron Codes of the RAAF

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Squadron Codes of the RAAF

The Royal Australian Air Force

Squadron Codes

Collection Item C350012

Accession Number: 016636

An aircraft of No. 100 (Beaufort) Squadron RAAF is jacked up into a flying position to harmonize the guns and enable the under-carriage inspection to be made. C350012

During the Second World War RAAF flying squadrons were identified by an alphabetic code. Between 1939 and early 1943, aircraft flown in Australia or the South West Pacific were marked with a single letter. RAAF aircraft flying in Malaya, Europe and the Middle East were marked with RAF codes that consisted of a group of three letters, two to identify the squadron and one to identify an individual aircraft. Thus, within an individual squadron an aircraft was referred to by the phonetic equivalent of its code letter. For example, the Memorial's Lancaster bomber is marked with AR-G. AR was the two letter code for 460 Squadron RAAF and G signified the sixth aircraft in that squadron. Following the phonetic alphabet of the time, the aircraft was known to the squadron as 'G for George'. In early 1943, the RAP coding system was adopted for use on RAAF aircraft in Australia and the South West Pacific. Squadron codes were abandoned after the Second World War.

 

RAAF squadron codes: Australia and Pacific, 1939 - 1943

Squadron Code
1 A
2 B
3 C
4 D
5 E
6 F
7 G
8 H
9 J
10 K
11 L
12 M
13 N
14 P
21 R
22 S
23 T
24 U, M
Communication Flight Y
Survey Flight Z

RAAF squadron codes: Malaya, Middle East and Europe, 1939 - 1945, & Australia and Pacific, 1943 - 1945

Squadron Code
1 US, NA
2 KO
3 CV
4 QE
5 BF
6 FX
7 KT
8 NN, UV
9 YQ
10 RB
11 FJ
12 NH
13 SF
14 PN
15 DD
18 (NEI AF) GM
20 RB
21 GA, MJ
22 DU
23 NV
24 GR, M
25 SJ
30 LY
31 EH
32 JM
33 BT
34 FD
35 BK
36 RE
37 OM
38 PK
40 HF
41 DQ
42 RK
43 OX
54 (RAF) DL
60 EY
66 JN
67 MK
71 PP
73 NJ
75 GA
76 SV
77 AM
78 HU
79 UP
80 BU
82 FA
83 MH
84 LB
85 SH
86 MP
87 QK
92 OB
93 SK
99 UX
100 QH
102 BV
107 JE
119 (NEI) MV
120 (NEI) RR
450 OK
451  
452 UD
453 TD (Malaya)
FU (UK)
455 UB
456 RX
457 XB, ZP
458 MD, FU
459 GK
460 UV
AR (Nov 43-)
461 UT
462 Z5
463 PO
JOP (Nov 43-)
464 SB
466 HD
467 PO
548 (RAF) TS
549 (RAF) ZF
1 Communications Unit EV
2 Communications Unit JU
3 Communications Unit DB
4 Communications Unit VM
5 Communications Unit KF
6 Communications Unit XJ
7 Communications Unit YB
8 Communications Unit ZA
11 Communications Unit HM
9 Local Air Supply Unit TX
10 Local Air Supply Unit UB
12 Local Air Supply Unit TA
Survey Flight SU
111 Air-Sea Rescue Flight KP
112 Air-Sea Rescue Flight LJ
113 Air-Sea Rescue Flight NR
200 Flight NX
201 Flight LV
16 Air Observation Post Flight NF
17 Air Observation Post Flight KV

 

Last updated: 12 January 2021

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