No. 80 Wing RAF

No. 80 Wing RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force during the First World War and Second World War.

First World War

A scoreboard listing the claims for aircraft destroyed by No. 80 Wing between July and November 1918.

No. 80 Wing was formed at Serny, Pas-de-Calais, in June 1918, as a scout (fighter) unit.[1] From 26 June, it was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Louis Strange.

The wing specialised in large-scale raids against German Luftstreitkräfte airfields.

Its subordinate squadrons were:

80 Wing was disbanded in February 1919.[1]

Second World War

In June 1940, a RAF Radio Counter-Measures (RCM) unit was formed at a requisitioned country hotel, Aldenham Lodge, in Radlett, Hertfordshire, to provide electronic countermeasures (ECM) and intelligence on enemy radio/radar systems.[2] On 7 October, it was renamed 80 (Signals) Wing, with the motto "Confusion to Our Enemies".

The main role of RCM/80 Wing initially was jamming the German radio navigation system Knickebein, which assisted Luftwaffe bombers raiding targets in the UK. Its founding commander was Wing Commander Edward Addison.

By the end of 1942, 80 Wing included a flying unit, known as the Wireless Intelligence and Development Unit (WIDU) at RAF Boscombe Down in Wiltshire, which was later renamed No. 109 Squadron RAF.[2] Among other roles, 109 Sqn simulated enemy air raids, to test ECM equipment.

The headquarters of 80 Wing later moved to the Handley-Page factory aerodrome at Radlett, also known as RAF Radlett. From November 1943, it became part of a No. 100 Group RAF – a larger formation devoted to ECM and commanded by Addison. The wing controlled Meacon beacons, as well as other countermeasures and radio/radar intelligence work.

At it peak, the wing included 2,000 personnel. It was disbanded on 24 September 1945.[2]

See also

Footnotes

  1. 1 2 Air Ministry, 1938, "80 Wing R.A.F.", Air Historical Branch: Papers (Series I), AIR 1/1938/204/245/8.
  2. 1 2 3 BBC, 2005, The War in 80 (Signals) Wing RAF (22 June 2016).


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