Operation Steinbock
Order of battle
A list of the squadrons operating Mosquito and Beaufighter night fighters at the time of Steinbock: All units participated in Home Defence, with some also operating as intruder squadrons in support of Bomber Command and also against Steinbock incursions.

Operation Steinbock

Section Title: Order of battle
Table Section Text: A list of the squadrons operating Mosquito and Beaufighter night fighters at the time of Steinbock: All units participated in Home Defence, with some also operating as intruder squadrons in support of Bomber Command and also against Steinbock incursions.

Unit	Type	Location	Notes	Claims during Steinbock

No. 25 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Acklington	Squadron used mainly for intruder and escort operations supporting Bomber Command.	17

No. 29 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Ford and RAF Drem	Led by Wing commander George Powell-Shedden. Converted from Beaufighters in May 1943.	10

No. 68 Squadron RAF	Mosquito/Beaufighter	RAF Fairwood Common	Formed on 7 February 1941 and remained on Home Defence duties until disbanded on 20 April 1945.	No claims by Mosquito pilots 4 claims by Beaufighter pilots

No. 85 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Debden	Led by Wing commander John Cunningham. 85 Squadron was veteran night fighter formation since 1940.	15

No. 23 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	Returning from Malta	Returned to England in May 1944 and joined No. 100 Group RAF in June.	No claims

No. 125 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Hurn	Formed at RAF Colerne on 16 June 1941. Operated as Home Defence and intruder unit.	10

No. 151 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Colerne and RAF Predannack	Reformed from day to night fighters, November 1940. It operated in the escort, Home Defence and intruder role.	10

No. 219 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Honiley and Colerne	Initially assigned to protecting shipping. On 21 February 1940, was converted to night fighters.	1

No. 157 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Predannack	The first unit to be equipped with Mosquito night fighters. Began Home Defence duties on 27 April 1943.	3

No. 169 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Little Snoring	Formed at RAF Twinwood on 15 June 1942 as a tactical reconnaissance unit. Converted to night fighting in 1943.	12

No. 264 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Church Fenton	An experienced night fighter squadron since 1940. In 1943 and 1944 it flew day and night intruder flights over France and the Bay of Biscay.	3

No. 307 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Drem	Formed on 5 September 1940 from former Polish Air Force personnel, it was a night fighter unit from formation.	1

No. 604 Squadron RAF	Beaufighter and Mosquito	RAF Church Fenton	Developed as a night fighter squadron in September 1940. It was one of the first to receive airborne radar.	3

No. 409 Squadron RCAF	Mosquito/Beaufighter	RAF Hunsdon	409 Squadron was staffed with Canadian personnel. It was seconded to the RAF Second Tactical Air Force in the intruder role.	No claims

No. 418 Squadron RCAF	Mosquito	RAF Ford and RAF Holmsley	418 was unique among units seconded to the RAF. Though allotted to the intruder role, the squadron was not equipped with airborne radar as it targeted German night fighter airfields.	Two claims 36 claims on intruder sorties

No. 488 Squadron RNZAF	Mosquito	RAF Colerne and RAF Zeals	Formed on 25 June 1942 as a night fighter unit. It remained on Home Defence until 12 May 1944, when it was allocated to the RAF Second Tactical Air Force.	15

No. 96 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Cranage	Led by Wing commander Edward Crew during Steinbock. Reformed in December 1940 after being disbanded in November 1918, the squadron was conceived as a night fighter unit at RAF Shoreham.	23

No. 125 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Valley	Reformed on 16 June 1941 the squadron was assigned to Home Defence for the duration of Steinbock.	10

No. 141 Squadron RAF	Mosquito/Beaufighter	RAF West Raynham	141 Squadron was a former day fighter squadron converted to night fighters in 1941. It was a veteran formation operating in the intruder capacity.	12 claims on intruder operations (two possible claims opposing Steinbock)

No. 410 Squadron RCAF	Mosquito	RAF West Malling	Moved to West Malling in October 1943. Operated exclusively in Home Defence roles in 1943 and 1944.	15

No. 515 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Little Snoring	Formed on 1 October 1942. Operated Boulton Paul Defiant and Bristol Blenheim until December 1943.	3

No. 605 Squadron RAF	Mosquito	RAF Bradwell Bay and RAF Manston	Served in India and the Far East from 1942 before returning to Britain. During Steinbock it operated in Home Defence and intruder roles.	6 intruder claims over Belgium and France A further 6 claims unrelated to Steinbock

No. 456 Squadron RAAF	Mosquito	RAF Fairwood Common and RAF Ford	Led by Wing commander Keith Hampshire, the squadron's leading night fighter pilot. 456 was a Royal Australian Air Force unit, formed in June 1941 and deactivated in June 1945.	20 claims against Steinbock operations

No. 406 Squadron RCAF	Beaufighter	RAF Predannack	The squadron was formed at RAF Acklington on 5 May 1941 (No. 12 Group) to operate as night fighters.	3

Sentence(s)

Wing Commander Keith Hampshire commanded 456 Squadron RAAF.

final_sentence: Wing Commander Keith Hampshire commanded 456 Squadron RAAF.