Can anyone give an idea of how many men and how many planes there were in RFC/RAF squadrons in WW1, WW2, and the present day? I appreciate that multi-engine squadrons might require more.

In WW1, normal squadron strength, certainly for single-seaters, was 18 aircraft in three flights of six. It was the same in WW2, and as far as I know about the same now. But I'm sure people will point out lots of exceptions. I'm not sure about numbers of personnel, if we are including non-flying personnel

Just to be pedantic, in 1918 the squadrons who were suffering the greatest number of casualties (primarily from ground fire), mainly Camel units, had their establishment increased to 24 aircraft - so that they could keep 18 at operational level.

Heavy Bomber squadrons, ie those using the Handley Page O/400 usually operated only two flights of about 6 aircraft each.

Gareth

Just to be super-pedantic, squadron strength for the units Gareth mentions was actually nominally 25 - an extra machine added for the CO to fly (nominally this, from Jan .18). Though SE5a units remained at 18+1. Several Corps units were also up to around 24 from April 17 for Arras, but then dropped back again later in the year. They returned to nominally 24 from March 1918. The above is really aircraft strength, as opposed to pilot strength. I came across one interesting statement about this, for the fighter units' increase from 18 to 24+1 that the comensurate pilot strength would be increasing from 20 to 27 pilots.

For me, the whole issue of unit strengths is complicated and involved, but also very revealling. And planned intentions and expansions were rarely put into place for many months owing to lack of men and machines. For example, the five RNAS fighter units attached to the RFC were all dropping back to around 15 in May 1917 simply because they couldn't find the pilots.

Regards,

Trevor

Any idea of the total manning of a squadron?

Are you interested in the manning of the kite balloon sections too? They played an important role in WWI.

Did 2 seater reconnaissance squadrons have the same complement of planes?

The composition of squadrons changed during the war. For example there were so many pilots available to the RFC in August 1914 that qualified pilots had to go over in other roles. For example Sgt Pilot William McCudden went to France in charge of the transport rather than as a pilot.

What about the ground staff?

For some squadrons there is a muster roll for the initial compliment that went to France.

Are you including those who worked in the various depots as well? A modicum of research about the period will show that the structure in WWI was different from WW2 or today.

An RAF Survey in October 1918 stated 24 aircraft and 400 personnel as full Squadron strength for the HD Squadron at Stow

Thanks Stow. 400 men for 24 aircraft in WW1. Any idea on WW2 or now?

Sorry, I cant help there

Hello Phil

The following are from various War Establishments from WW1:

Number Date Part Part Title Unit or HQ Superseded by Composition Offrs + O/Rks

Original 01-Jan-14 I Exped. Force Aeroplane Squadron 528/13,14 12 aeroplanes 19+138
528/13 13-May-17 XIX Flying Corps Aeroplane Squadron (h.e.) 602,607,699/27,736,737 18 aeroplanes 36+231
528/14 13-May-17 XIX Flying Corps Aeroplane Squadron (l.e.) 602,607,699/27,736,737 18 aeroplanes 36+196
613 23-Jul-17 XIV Home Service Home Defence (Night) Sqn 738 18 aeroplanes 21+189
738 13-Sep-17 XIV Home Service Home Defence (Night) Sqn 1099/20 18 aeroplanes 23+199
Original 04-Aug-14 V Reserve Units Reserve Aeroplane Sqn 76A 12 aeroplanes 55+131
76A 01-Jul-15 V Reserve Units Reserve Aeroplane Sqn 528/15 12 aeroplanes 60+135
607 21-Jul-17 XII Salonika Service Squadron RFC 899/14 18 aeroplanes 24+171
699/27 30-Aug-17 XI Egypt Service Squadron RFC current/to RAF 18 aeroplanes 24+167
727 08-Sep-17 VIIA France Service Squadron RFC current/to RAF 18 aeroplanes 24+167
736 13-Sep-17 XIII East Africa Service Squadron RFC current/to RAF 18 aeroplanes 24+167
737 13-Sep-17 XVIII Mesopotamia Service Squadron RFC current/to RAF 18 aeroplanes 24+167
899/14 01-Jan-18 XII Salonika Service Squadron RFC cancelled 1452 18 aeroplanes 24+167
92A 01-Aug-15 VII New Armies Squadron RFC 528/13,14 12 aeroplanes 27+153
1099/20 19-Mar-18 XIV Home Service Squadron (Night) RFC current/to RAF 18 aeroplanes 23+209
699/28 30-Aug-17 XI Egypt Training Squadron RFC current/to RAF 18 aeroplanes 21+148


Ron

Thanks, Ron. Looks like a squadron in France had about 200 men for 18 planes. In his book, Lions, Donkys & Dinosaurs, Lewis Page says that the recent Iraq deployment had 55 people per aircraft. (Equivalent to 990 for 18 planes).

For WW2, this link may give some idea. But some of the personnel, e.g the eight mechanics, were probably allocated to a particular aircraft, while others such as the met officer were one per squadron, so you would need to do some extrapolation to guess at a figure for the whole sqdn.

http://www.lancaster-archive.com/lanc_keepthem%20flying.htm

Difficult to sort that one out, Adrian, as many of those listed will cater for other planes as well. I`m not ex-RAF - what`s your estimate?

Phil

We may be getting into the problem highlighted in your recent "teeth and tail" thread! I don't know whether the 55 men per modern aircraft were all in the squadron or whether it included men in workshops or supply units.

Do bear in mind, too, that WW1 aircraft were much less sophisticated, mechanically, than today's planes. They had no elecronic equipment and it is quite likely that emergency maintenance could, at a pinch, be fixed by the aircrew themselves - rather like changing a car wheel or going under the bonnet at the roadside.

Ron

If I recall correctly the compliment of an RNAS balloon section was 80 groud crew to one balloon. As Ron mentions you are ignoring completely the Supply Depots, Aircraft Parks etc etc.

65 Squadron (Camels) went to France 27th Oct 1917 with 127 for the ground crew. They sailed out of Southampton while the pilots flew from Wye. As they went into the summer of 1918 the ground crew numbers grew to 156.

Hope that helps,

Simon

Similar to post #14 so I assume about 18 aircraft.

18 aircraft to start with is correct although was increased to 24 in the summer of 1918 for many Camel Squadrons, in an effort to keep 18 planes serviceable.

Hope that helps,

Simon