ASV squadrons in the Mediterranean in 1942

[tubby linton]

What squadrons were employed on allied ASV duties in the Mediterranean in 1942 and what types were used?

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

Suggest you have a look at this website: https://uboat.net/allies/aircraft/hudson.htm

A quick look at Hudson Ops in Med 1942 reveals U Boat losses down to 233 Squadron, 500 Squadron and 595 Squadron.

Haven't checked out other types - Over to You !

[tubby linton]

Was the Hudson ASV equipped? My interest is to do with attacks on convoys rather than Uboats.

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

Above website says Hudsons first equipped with ASV in 1940 for anti-sub ops. I can't help you - better you check out the squadrons I quoted.

[tubby linton]

Sources talk about an ASV Wellington being captured but without details.

[reynoldsno1]

Coastal Command Beaufighter Sqns in the Med in 1942:
No. 227 (http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/227_wwII.html)
Mk I and VI: August 1942 – August 1944; Mk X and XI: September 1943 – August 1944
Anti-shipping duties from Malta and later Egypt
No. 252
Coastal Command’s first Beaufighter squadron
Mk I: December 1940-December 1942; Mk VI: November 1942-April 1944; Mk X: January 1944-December 1946; Mk XI: June 1943-January 1944
May 1941-: Anti shipping duties from Malta, then Egypt, then Libya

[OUAQUKGF Ops]

Sources talk about an ASV Wellington being captured but without details.
221 Squadron were in the Med with Wellingtons in 1942.........and I expect there were other Squadrons too.......

[Haraka]

IIRC 221 had Wellington Mk VIIIs and certainly did anti-shipping work ( my father was RAF Malta Ground Crew) .

[oxenos]

Fleet Air Arm Swordfish were fitted with ASV - not sure if the ones so equipped operated in the Med.

[tubby linton]

The squadrons were used for Operation Pigeon which was used to home submarines onto shipping. Any information about this will be gratefully received plus any photographs of the ASV kit.

[Haraka]

In one later classic case 221 shadowed a surfaced sub which turned out afterwards to hsve been a U-boat stuck on the surface.

[Prangster]

Not sure when they got involved by Alfred Price in his book Aircraft Versus Submarine logs a USN PBY attack on a U boat passing though the straights of Gibraltar. The Catalina was equipped with rearwards firing anti sub munitions and bracketed the U boat.

[BEagle]

IIRC 221 had Wellington Mk VIIIs and certainly did anti-shipping work ( my father was RAF Malta Ground Crew) .

That's a coincidence, Haraka! My other half's late father was also groundcrew on 221 Sqn. She doesn't have many photos of him, but he certainly served in Malta with 221 in 1942.