No. 684 Squadron RAF was a photo-reconnaissance squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1946.
| No. 684 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 29 September 1943 – 1 September 1946 |
| Country | |
| Branch | |
| Type | Inactive |
| Role | Photo-Reconnaissance |
| Part of | No. 231 Group RAF, Air Command South East Asia[1] |
| Motto(s) | Latin: Invisus Videns (Translation: "Seeing through unseen")[2][3] |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | A mask[2][3] |
| Squadron Codes | No code(s) are known to have been carried[3][4][5] |
The squadron was formed on 29 September 1943 at RAF Dum Dum near Calcutta, (then) British India from the twin-engined[3] elements of No. 681 Squadron RAF.[2] It operated in the photo-reconnaissance role with first the de Havilland Mosquito and the North American Mitchell, and later also with the Bristol Beaufighter and the Supermarine Spitfire. The squadron performed long range photo-reconnaissance in support of the Burma Campaign. Near the end of the war the squadron also performed high-speed courier flights. It was disbanded on 1 September 1946 at RAF Seletar, Singapore by being renumbered to No. 81 Squadron RAF.[2][6][7]
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 1943 | September 1945 | North American Mitchell | Mk.II (B-25C) |
| September 1943 | December 1943 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.II |
| September 1943 | February 1944 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.VI |
| October 1943 | February 1945 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.IX |
| February 1944 | May 1946 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.XVI |
| May 1945 | July 1945 | Bristol Beaufighter | Mk.VI |
| July 1945 | September 1946 | de Havilland Mosquito | PR.34 |
| July 1945 | July 1946 | Bristol Beaufighter | Mk.X |
| December 1945 | September 1946 | Supermarine Spitfire | PR.XI, PR.XIX |
| From | To | Name | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 September 1943 | 9 December 1943 | RAF Dum Dum, Bengal, British India | Formed here |
| 9 December 1943 | 31 January 1944 | RAF Comilla, Bengal, British India | |
| 31 January 1944 | 5 May 1944 | RAF Dum Dum, West Bengal, British India | |
| 5 May 1944 | 11 October 1945 | RAF Alipore, Bengal, British India | Detachments at RAF Yelahanka, Karnataka, British India; RAF China Bay, Ceylon; RAF Cocos Islands and RAF Mingaladon, Burma |
| 11 October 1945 | 27 January 1946 | Tân Sơn Nhất Airfield, Saigon, Vietnam | Detachment at RAF Seletar, Singapore |
| 27 January 1946 | August 1946 | Don Muang Airfield, Bangkok, Thailand | Detachments at RAF Seletar, Singapore and RAF Baigachi, Bengal |
| August 1946 | 1 September 1946 | RAF Seletar, Singapore | Disbanded here |
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| Sep 1943 | Dec 1943 | S/Ldr. B.S. Jones |
| Dec 1943 | Nov 1944 | W/Cdr. W.B. Murray |
| Nov 1944 | Nov 1945 | W/Cdr. W.E.M. Lowry, DFC |
| Nov 1945 | Apr 1946 | W/Cdr. K.J. Newman, DFC and Bar (RNZAF) |
| Apr 1946 | Sep 1946 | W/Cdr. J.R.H. Merrifield, DSO, DFC and Bar |
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