No. 285 Squadron RAF
# No. 285 Squadron RAF

No. 285 Squadron RAF was a non-operational Second World War Royal Air Force squadron that operated a variety of aircraft to provide targets for anti-aircraft gun practice initially in the North Midlands and North Wales area.

## History

The squadron was formed at RAF Wrexham on 1 December 1941 from No. 9 Group AAC Flight. In 1944 the squadron moved to RAF Andover and then RAF North Weald before finally moving to RAF Weston Zoyland where it was disbanded on 26 June 1945.

## Aircraft operated

| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
| - | - | - | - |
| Dec 1941 | Mar 1942 | Bristol Blenheim | Mk.I |
| Dec 1941 | Mar 1942 | Lockheed Hudson | Mk.III |
| Dec 1941 | Jun 1942 | Westland Lysander | Mks.II, III, IIIa |
| Mar 1942 | Jun 1945 | Airspeed Oxford | Mks.I, II |
| Mar 1942 | Jan 1944 | Boulton-Paul Defiant | Mks.I, III |
| Sep 1943 | Nov 1944 | Bristol Beaufighter | Mk.If |
| Jan 1944 | Jun 1945 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIc |
| Mar 1944 | Apr 1944 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IV |
| Mar 1945 | Jun 1945 | North American Mustang | MK.I |
