Coastal Defence Flights
The Coastal Defence Flights were formed immediately after the outbreak of the Second World War.
Several RAF Units detached aircraft to form flights. Most of the CDF aircraft were obsolete types like the Wapitis, Audaxes, Blenheims etc. RAF and Indian Air Force Volunteer Reserve Aircrew manned these various units.
The IAFVR Pilots were about 100 Civilian License holders who had volunteered for service duties in 1940.
The Units that formed were:
No.1 CDF raised at Drigh Road, Operated from St Thomas Mount in Madras. Used Harts, Audax, Atlantas.
No.2 CDF at Juhu , with Wapitis . Later also used Tata Airlines DH89s and DH86s.
No.3 CDF from Dum Dum had Wapitis, and later Blenheim Is.
No.4 CDF raised at Drigh Road, moved to Moulmein in Burma. Had Four Wapitis and two Audaxes. The unit moved back to Dum Dum after operations. disbanded and re-formed into 6CDF at Drigh Road. A second 4 CDF was raised at Dum Dum in February 1942. that later moved to Visakhapatnam in April 1942
No.5 CDF raised at Drigh Road, later moved to Cochin, operating Wapitis and DH82s
No.6 CDF was raised at Drigh Road in Feb 42, operating Wapitis, Audax and Tigermoths.
By the end of 1942, many of the CDFs were disbanded and the Flight crew utilised to raise new IAF Squadrons.
Date: 06/16/2012
Owner: Webmaster
Size: 2 items
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