No. 273 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron formed as reconnaissance unit in World War I and initially a torpedo bomber and reconnaissance unit in World War II, based out of China Bay, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). In mid 1944the squadron was re-equipped with Spitfire Mk VIII's and flew and fought out of airfields in both India and Burma. Following the end of the war, the squadron was moved first to Siam (Thailand), and then later, French Indo-china (Vietnam). It was re-equipped with Spitfire Mk XIV's in Nov 1945.