Number of aircrafts in the squadron

[briantk]

I was reading the book called Mussolini and His Generals and in one section it mentions number of planes in a squadron: 9 in fighter, day bomber, tactical recon, 6 in strategic recon and 4 in night bomber. So question I ask is what is typical strength in squadron during WW1, interwar, WW2, Cold War, Korean War and Vietnam War?

[Ordie]

For a USN P-3 Squadron is was 9 aircraft.

[LineDoggie]

Your in Luck, perusing my 1944 copy of "AAF" I have the USAAF Breakdown

Squadrons- Heavy Bombardment (B-17/B-24/B-29)
12 Aircraft, 67 Officers, 360 Enlisted Men

Squadrons- Medium Bombardment (B-25/B-26)
16 Aircraft, 67 Officers, 310 Enlisted men

Squadrons- Single Engine Pursuit or Fighter Bomber (A-36/P-51/P-47/P-39/P-40)
25 Aircraft, 39 Officers, 245 Enlisted men

Squadrons- Twin Engine Pursuit or Fighterbomber (P-38)
25 Aircraft, 39 Officers, 274 Enlisted Men

Source: Pg.21 of AAF- The Official Guide to the Army Air Forces. A Directory, Almanac, and Chronicle of Development.
Published by Simon & Schuster New York NY first edition 1944 Cost $2.50 all proceeds went to the Army Air Forces Aid Society

[throwback]

typical mid 70s-90s deployed CV/CVN Air Wing
2 x VF - 12 aircraft
2 x VA - 10 aircraft (light attack)
VA - 10 aircraft + 2/4 tankers
VAQ - 4/6 aircraft
VAW - 4/6 aircraft
VS - 8 aircraft
HS - 8 helos
VQ Det - 2 aircraft
VRC Det - 1 aircraft

Today: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrier_air_wing

[JCR]

Today, the flying strength for a fighter squadron is usually 12 in NATO militaries, I think.

In WW2, the luftwaffe usually had 12 per fighter and 9 per bomber squadron.
In 1944 fighter staffeln increased to 16.
The RAF fighter units had more, usually 18 or so.
The USAAF fighters had 16, I think
Not sure about the VVS and the japanese.
So the Regia aeronautica had unusually small squadrons.
But the structure of the regia aeronatica was very confusing anyway, with a lot of mixed units and independent groups and squadrons.

In WW1, it was usually 10 per Jagdstaffel (Jasta), not sure about the french or british.