Motto: "Aera et terram imperare " ("To govern the air and the earth ") Badge: A Montagu's Harrier volant carrying a grenade-fired
No.193 squadron was formed at Harrowbeer on 18 December 1942 as a fighter squadron. Initially a few Hurricanes were received but in
January 1943 it received its first operational Typhoons and began operations on 1 April. The Typhoons speed was used to catch enemy
fighter-bombers attacking seaside towns and as escort for fighter-bombers attacking enemy shipping. In January 1944 the squadron's
aircraft began carrying 500-lb bombs in attacks on enemy communications, bases and flying-bomb launching sites in nothern France, a
move being made to south-east England in February. In April 1944, No.193 joined No.146 Wing for the invasion of Normandy and moved
there in mid-July to provide fighter-bomber support for the Army during the breakout from the beachhead. By October it had reached
Belgium and flew sweeps over Germany attacking transport targets and troops. During the final offensive, the squadron moved to
Germany in April 1945, where it was disbanded on 31 August 1945.
Hawker Typhoon 1B in 193 Squadron markings, 1944.
Note: 'DP' were the letters painted on the side of all 193 Typhoons. The letters on the other side of the logo were unique to each
plane in the Squadron. The pilots seemed to fly any of the letters, though my grandfather, for instance, flew the 'J' mostly during the end of 1944.
You can see the 'J' in the photo on the previous page. Also
in his flight log there's a side note under an entry for air test, 8/23/44: 'the new J! (MN 912) She's a beauty'.
The letters for 198 Squadron was 'TP'; 197, 'DV'; 195, 'JE'.
Hawker Typhoon 1B in 193 Squadron markings, 1944.