Welcome to No.501 Squadron's Steam Page

Formed as a Special Reserve squadron at Filton on 14 June 1929, it was composed of a mixture of regular and reserve personnel, initially operating under the name 'City of Bristol' but this was changed to 'County of Gloucester' on 1 May 1930. Operating in the day bomber role it was initially equipped with DH9As, replacing these with Wapitis in 1930 and Wallaces in 1933. On 1 May 1936 the squadron was transferred to the Auxiliary Air Force and in July it received Harts, these in turn being replaced by Hinds in March 1938.

In December 1938, the squadron began converting to the fighter role, receiving its first Hurricanes in March 1939. It provided fighter cover for the AASF in France from May 1940, where it acquired an enviable reputation. It served throughout the Battle of Britain and in early 1941 began offensive sweeps over the continent. Converting to Spitfires in April 1941, the squadron moved to Northern Ireland in October 1942.

Returning to the south of England in April 1943, it converted to Tempests just in time to take part in operations again V1 flying bombs. It remained based in the south of England for the remainder of the war disbanding at Hunsdon on 20 April 1945.

With the reactivation of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force, 501 was reformed on 10 May 1946 at Filton as a day fighter squadron, its initial equipment of Spitfire LF 16s arriving in November. Vampires began to arrive in November 1948 with the last Spitfires having left by January 1949. FB 5s replaced F 1s from March 1951 and it operated these until, along with all the flying units of the RAuxAF, it was disbanded on 10 March 1957. Some FB 9s were received in February 1955 but these had been retired before disbandment. It was re-formed as a RAuxAF in the Operations Support role at Brize Norton in 2001 absorbing No 2624 Squadron RAuxAF Regiment.


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