No. 79 Squadron RAF
| No. 79 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 August 1917 (RFC) to 15 July 1919 22 March 1937-30 December 1945 15 November 1951-1 January 1961 2 January 1967-31 August 1992 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 Royal Air Force
|
| Role | killer |
| Motto(s) |
Latin: Nil nobis obstare potest ("Nothing can stand against us") |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
C.C. McMullen (1939-1940) |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge | A salamander salient. The salamander is always ready to face any danger. |
| Squadron Roundel |  |
| Squadron Codes |
AL (Nov 1938 – Sep 1939) NV (Sep 1939 – Mar 1942,1943 - Dec 1945) T (Nov 1951 – 1956) |
No. 79 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.
It was first formed at Gosport on 1 August 1917 as a squadron of the Royal Flying Corps. It was equipped with Sopwith Dolphin fighter aircraft in December that year, moving to France in February 1918. It specialised in low-level ground-attack operations, mainly in support of the British Second Army. Despite its lack of emphasis on air-to-air combat, by the time of the Armistice, the squadron had claimed 64 enemy aircraft and nine kite balloons. Five aces had served in it: Francis W. Gillet, future Air Commodore Ronald Bannerman, Frederic Ives Lord, John McNeaney, and Edgar Taylor.
After the end of the war, it formed part of the British Army of Occupation, before being disbanded at Bickendorf on 15 July 1919.
It was reformed on 22 March 1937 by splitting off "B" Flight of No. 32 Squadron at RAF Biggin Hill, equipped with Gloster Gauntlet biplane fighters. It received more modern Hawker Hurricane fighters in November 1938, retaining these aircraft when the Second World War began. It claimed its first success on 21 November 1939, when it shot down a Dornier Do 17 over the English Channel. As the Battle of France heated up, it was deployed to Merville, operating over France for ten days, claiming 25 German aircraft. During the Battle of Britain the squadron operated from Biggin Hill and RAF Hawkinge in July, being moved to RAF Acklington in Northumberland for a rest before returning to Biggin in August.
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