602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron is a Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron. Originally formed in 1925 as a light bomber squadron, its role changed in 1938 to army co-operation and in 1939 to that of a fighter squadron.

During the Second World War, the squadron flew Spitfires and took part in the Battle of Britain. After the war, the squadron was reinstated as a fighter squadron within the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, until all these units disbanded in March 1957.

Reformed on 1 July 2006, the Squadron assumed the ISTAR mission support role formerly held by the Mission Support Element (MSE) of 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron. In this role the squadron provided flight operations and intelligence support to the RAF at home and overseas, first from Edinburgh before returning to its home city of Glasgow in August 2008.

The squadron underwent a transformation between 2012 and 2014 as it took on more diverse branches and trades and moved under the command of AOC 1 Group, reporting through the UK Joint Force Air Component and Headquarters 1 Group Reserves. At the end of 2014 the squadron moved its headquarters to the Reserve Centre in the King's Park area on the south side of Glasgow. It was later confirmed as a 1 Group General Service Support (GSS) Squadron and, along with the other 1 Group GSS Squadrons, moved from auspices of the UK Joint Force Air Component to sit under the 1* Commandant Air & Space Warfare Centre.

Formation and early years The squadron was formed at RAF Renfrew on 15 September 1925 as a light bomber squadron in the Auxiliary Air Force, and initially equipped with Airco DH.9As. These were replaced by Fairey Fawns in 1927, Westland Wapitis in 1929, Hawker Harts in 1934 and finally Hawker Hinds in 1936.

The squadron continued in the light bomber role until 1 November 1938 when it was redesignated as an Army Co-operation unit. This did not last long, and on 14 January 1939 the squadron became a fighter squadron. It received Hawker Hectors in November, but was re-equipped with Gloster Gauntlets on conversion to a fighter role. These were short-lived, as Spitfires arrived in May 1939.

Second World War Like 603 (City of Edinburgh) Squadron, 602 Squadron spent the early part of the war and Battle of Britain on defensive duties in Scotland. In August 1940, it moved south to join the battle, returning to Scotland in December. It moved south again in July 1941, remaining for a year before returning north. Another move came in January 1943, this time to the southwest, where in April it joined the newly forming 2nd Tactical Air Force. It briefly returned to Scotland from January to March 1944, when it returned south prior to taking part in the invasion of Europe.

From the end of June 1944, it operated from advance airfields in Normandy following the Army's advance into Belgium until September, when it returned from Antwerp to the UK. From RAF Coltishall flying Spitfire XVIs it carried out operations against V2 sites in the Netherlands over an area ranging from The Hook to Den Helder, until disbanding on 15 May 1945 at Coltishall.

Among No. 602's pilots was Raymond Baxter, later to become well known on television as a presenter of the BBC TV series Tomorrow's World. Andrew McDowall became a flying ace with the squadron during the Battle of Britain. Pierre Clostermann served as a pilot officer in the squadron in 1943 and 1944.Clostermann, Pierre. The Big Show. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2004. .

Post-war With the reactivation of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, No 602 was reformed on 10 May 1946 at RAF Abbotsinch as a day fighter squadron. It was initially equipped with Spitfire F.14s and later with F.21s and F.22s, until January 1951 when Vampire FB.5s were received. It also acquired some F.3s in August 1953, which it flew alongside the FB.5s until February 1954. FB.9s arrived in November 1954 and the squadron continued to fly both types (FB.5 and FB.9s) until, along with all the flying units of the RAuxAF, it was disbanded on 10 March 1957.

Present role As part of the new Royal Air Force Reserves umbrella organisation encompassing both the RAuxAF and RAFR, No 602 Squadron was reformed on 1 July 2006 when the mission support element of 603 (City of Edinburgh) Sqn was separated to form a new unit. As detailed above, it first provided operational support to the RAF Air Traffic Management Force, in the UK as well as to other deployed locations as needed before transforming as part of No 1 Group to become a General Service Support Squadron with approximately 20 branches and trades. The Squadron Mission is to generate, develop, sustain and retain trained volunteer Reservists prepared to deploy within the UK and overseas in support of the RAF. Since 2012 some 39 individual deployments have included support to the RAF as far north as RAF Lossiemouth and as far south as the National Air Traffic Control Centre Swanwick as well as many other units in the UK. Additionally, personnel have deployed to Cyprus, Iraq, Qatar, the Falkland Islands, Malaysia and Singapore, Gibraltar and Oman.

The Squadron trains ab initio recruits in the basics of RAF service before they go on to specialise in their chosen branch or trade. The Squadron also recruits ex-Regular Subject Matter Experts (SME) who bring a huge range of skills which can be deployed in support of the Whole Force with little or no additional training.

Moray Flight of No. 602 Squadron was established in 2013 at RAF Lossiemouth and staffed entirely with SMEs to support NATO maritime patrol aircraft and the UK Maritime Air Operations Centre when deployed to the airfield. The unit is also supporting the introduction of the Boeing P-8A Poseidon at Lossiemouth. Moray Flight detach from 602 Squadron and become part of RAF Lossiemouth over late 2020 and early 2021.

Aircraft operated +Aircraft operated by No 602 Squadron RAF-FromToAircraftVersion October 1925 January 1928 Airco DH.9 DH.9A September 1927 September 1929 Fairey Fawn July 1929 April 1934 Westland Wapiti Mk.IIa February 1934 June 1936 Hawker Hart June 1936 January 1939 Hawker Hind November 1938 January 1939 Hawker Hector Mk.I January 1939 May 1939 Gloster Gauntlet Mk.II May 1939 June 1941 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I May 1941 August 1941 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IIa August 1941 September 1943 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb September 1942 October 1942 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Va September 1942 October 1942 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VI October 1942 April 1943 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc September 1943 January 1944 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXb January 1944 March 1944 Supermarine Spitfire LF.Vb March 1944 August 1944 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXb August 1944 September 1944 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXe September 1944 November 1944 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IXb November 1944 May 1945 Supermarine Spitfire Mk. XVI August 1946 August 1947 Supermarine Spitfire F.14 April 1947 May 1951 Supermarine Spitfire F.21 June 1948 January 1951 Supermarine Spitfire F.22 January 1951 March 1957 de Havilland Vampire FB.5 August 1953 February 1954 de Havilland Vampire F.3 November 1954 March 1957 de Havilland Vampire FB.9

Commanding officers +Officers Commanding No 602 Squadron RAFFromToName September 1925 February 1926 Sqn Ldr C.N. Lowe, MC, DFC February 1926 May 1928 Sqn Ldr J.D. Latta, MC May 1928 June 1931 Sqn Ldr J. Fullerton June 1931 June 1936 Sqn Ldr Lord Clydesdale, AFC June 1936 October 1937 Sqn Ldr D.F. McIntyre, AFC October 1937 March 1940 Sqn Ldr A.D. Farquhar, DFC March 1940 July 1940 Sqn Ldr G. Pinkerton, DFC July 1940 June 1941 Sqn Ldr A.V.R. Johnstone, DFC June 1941 August 1941 Sqn Ldr P.E. Meagher August 1941 January 1942 Sqn Ldr A.C. Deere, DFC & Bar January 1942 June 1942 Sqn Ldr B.E. Finucane, DSO, DFC & Bar June 1942 October 1942 Sqn Ldr P.M. Brothers, DFC October 1942 October 1943 Sqn Ldr M.F. Beytagh, DFC October 1943 July 1944 Sqn Ldr R.A. Sutherland July 1944 August 1944 Sqn Ldr J.J. Le Roux, DFC & 2 Bars August 1944 September 1944 Sqn Ldr A.R. Stewart September 1944 May 1945 Sqn Ldr R.A. Sutherland, DFC May 1946 1950 Sqn Ldr M. Robinson, AFC 1950 1952 Sqn Ldr H.M. Stephen, DSO, DFC 1952 December 1953 Sqn Ldr J.A. Forrest December 1953 1956 Sqn Ldr R.B. Davidson, DFC 1956 March 1957 Sqn Ldr C.D. Bartman 2006 2012 Sqn Ldr G. Lyall AE 2012 2020 Sqn Ldr A McCallum 2020 Present Sqn Ldr C Loughlin

Squadron airfields +Airfields used by No 602 Squadron RAF, data fromFromToStation 12 September 1925 20 January 1933 RAF Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland 20 January 1933 7 October 1939 RAF Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire, Scotland 7 October 1939 13 October 1939 RAF Grangemouth, Stirlingshire, Scotland 13 October 1939 14 April 1940 RAF Drem, East Lothian, Scotland 14 April 1940 28 May 1940 RAF Dyce, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 28 May 1940 13 August 1940 RAF Drem, East Lothian, Scotland 13 August 1940 17 December 1940 RAF Westhampnett, West Sussex 17 December 1940 15 April 1941 RAF Prestwick, Ayrshire, Scotland 15 April 1941 10 July 1941 RAF Ayr, Ayrshire, Scotland 10 July 1941 14 January 1942 RAF Kenley, Surrey 14 January 1942 4 March 1942 RAF Redhill, Surrey 4 March 1942 13 May 1942 RAF Kenley, Surrey 13 May 1942 17 July 1942 RAF Redhill, Surrey 17 July 1942 16 August 1942 RAF Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 16 August 1942 20 August 1942 RAF Biggin Hill, Kent 20 August 1942 10 September 1942 RAF Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 10 September 1942 20 January 1943 RAF Skaebrae, Orkney Islands, Scotland 20 January 1943 14 April 1943 RAF Perranporth, Cornwall 14 April 1943 29 April 1943 RAF Lasham, Hampshire 29 April 1943 1 June 1943 RAF Fairlop, Essex 1 June 1943 1 July 1943 RAF Bognor, West Sussex 1 July 1943 13 August 1943 RAF Kingsnorth, Kent 13 August 1943 12 October 1943 RAF Newchurch, Kent 12 October 1943 18 January 1944 RAF Detling, Kent 18 January 1944 12 March 1944 RAF Skeabrae, Orkney Islands, ScotlandFromToBase 12 March 1944 13 March 1944 RAF Detling, Kent 13 March 1944 20 March 1944 RAF Llanbedr, Gwynedd, Wales 20 March 1944 18 April 1944 RAF Detling, Kent 18 April 1944 25 June 1944 RAF Ford, West Sussex 25 June 1944 13 August 1944 B.11/Longues-sur-Mer, France 13 August 1944 2 September 1944 B.19/Lingèvres, France 2 September 1944 5 September 1944 B.40/Nivillers, France 5 September 1944 17 September 1944 B.52/Douai, France 17 September 1944 29 September 1944 B.70/Deurne, Belgium 29 September 1944 18 October 1944 RAF Coltishall, Norfolk 18 October 1944 20 November 1944 RAF Matlaske, Norfolk 20 November 1944 19 February 1945 RAF Swannington, Norfolk 19 February 1945 23 February 1945 RAF Coltishall, Norfolk 23 February 1945 5 April 1945 RAF Ludham, Norfolk 5 April 1945 15 May 1945 RAF Coltishall, Norfolk 10 May 1946 30 July 1949 RAF Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire, Scotland 30 July 1949 15 April 1951 RAF Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland 15 April 1951 14 July 1951 RAF Leuchars, Fife, Scotland 14 July 1951 15 April 1952 RAF Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire, Scotland 15 April 1952 18 June 1954 RAF Renfrew, Renfrewshire, Scotland 18 June 1954 10 March 1957 RAF Abbotsinch, Renfrewshire, Scotland 1 July 2006 27 October 2007 Combined HQ with 603 Sqn, Edinburgh, Scotland 27 October 2007 November 2014 Avenuepark Street, Maryhill, Glasgow, Scotland November 2014 Present Kings Park, Glasgow, Scotland

References

Notes

Bibliography

(republished in 1969 by Coronet, 1991 by Wingham Press and last in 2004 by Crécy Publishing; Autobiographical 1941–43).

External links

602 RAUXAF website 602 Squadron Museum Association 602 (City of Glasgow) Squadron Museum History of 602 Squadron on RAF website Present 602 Squadron on RAF website History of No.'s 600–604 Squadrons at RAF Web Aircraft and markings of No. 602 Squadron on Rafweb 602 Squadron in the Battle of Britain