No. 202 Squadron RAF

Last updated

No. 202 Squadron RAF
202 squadron RAF crest.jpg
Squadron badge
Active
  • 17 Oct 1914 (RNAS) – 22 Jan 1920
  • 9 Apr 1920 – 16 May 1921
  • 1 Jan 1929 – 12 Jun 1945
  • 1 Oct 1946 – 31 Jul 1964
  • 1 Sep 1964 [1] – 18 Feb 2016
  • May 2016 – present
Country Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg Royal Air Force
TypeFlying squadron
Role Search and rescue training
Part of Defence Helicopter Flying School
Home station RAF Valley
Motto(s)Semper vigilate
(Latin for 'Be Always Vigilant') [2] [3]
Aircraft Airbus Helicopters Jupiter HT.1
Commanders
Current
commander		 Squadron Leader Simon Allen
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldryA mallard alighting. Approved by King George VI in March 1937. [2] [3]
Squadron codesJU (Allocated Apr 1939 – Sep 1939, no evidence of use) [2] [4]
TQ (Sep 1939 – Aug 1943) [5]
AX (May 1941 – Aug 1943) [6]
TJ (Jul 1944 – Jun 1945) [7]
Y3 (Oct 1946 – Apr 1951) [8]
A (Apr 1951 – 1956) [9]

No. 202 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is the maritime and mountains training element of the No.1 Flying Training School, operating the Airbus Helicopters H145 Jupiter. [10]

Contents

It previously operated the Sea King HAR3 in the search and rescue role at three stations in the northern half of the United Kingdom. It was originally formed as one of the first aeroplane squadrons of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) before it became part of the RAF.

History

Formation and the First World War

No. 202 Squadron was formed along with the entire RAF on 1 April 1918 by renumbering No. 2 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). [11] It was originally formed as one of the first aeroplane squadrons of the RNAS on 17 October 1914. [2] [12] It served on the Western Front during the First World War, carrying out reconnaissance and bombing missions from bases in Belgium and France before being disbanded on 22 January 1920. [3] [12]

The interbellum

The squadron was reformed for a brief period between 9 April 1920 and 16 May 1921 as a fleet co-operation unit. [2] In 1929, it was reformed when No. 481 Flight, operating the Fairey III floatplane in Malta was re-numbered as No. 202 Squadron, continuing to fly patrols over the Mediterranean Sea throughout the 1930s, being re-equipped with Supermarine Scapa flying boats in 1935. [3] [13]

Second World War

During the Second World War, the squadron flew anti-submarine patrols from RAF Gibraltar with Saro London, Consolidated Catalina and Short Sunderland flying boats and Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers until 1944, when it moved with its Catalinas to RAF Castle Archdale, Northern Ireland, disbanding there on 12 June 1945. [3] [13]

Post-war

Weather Reconnaissance

Handley Page Hastings Met Mk.1 of 202 Squadron wearing Coastal Command camouflage at Manchester Airport in 1954 HP.67 Hasting Met.1 TG505 202 Sqn A-B RWY 25.04.54 edited-2.jpg
Handley Page Hastings Met Mk.1 of 202 Squadron wearing Coastal Command camouflage at Manchester Airport in 1954

No. 202 Squadron was reformed by the re-numbering of No. 518 Squadron [1] as a weather reconnaissance squadron at RAF Aldergrove near Belfast on 1 October 1946, flying converted Handley Page Halifax GR.6 & A.9 bombers on long-range meteorological flights over the North Atlantic (codenamed "Bismuth"). It re-equipped with the more modern Handley Page Hastings Met.1 from November 1950, continuing in this role until disbanding on 31 July 1964. [3] [14]

Search and Rescue

Reformed on 1 September 1964 [3] by the renumbering of No. 228 Squadron at RAF Leconfield in Yorkshire, the squadron began operating in a new helicopter search and rescue role using the Westland Whirlwind HAR.10, with flights based at RAF Acklington and RAF Ouston in Northumberland, RAF Coltishall in Norfolk and RAF Leuchars in Fife. The squadron moved to RAF Finningley during September 1976 with flights at RAF Boulmer in Northumberland, RAF Leconfield, RAF Coltishall, RAF Lossiemouth in Moray and RAF Brawdy in Pembrokeshire. The squadron re-equipped with Westland Sea King HAR3 from July 1978, but operated the Westland Wessex HAR2 as an interim measure whilst its Sea Kings were involved in the Falklands War of 1982. [15] On the closure of Finningley in 1989 the squadron moved its headquarters to Boulmer and later in April 2008 to RAF Valley in Anglesley. [11]

Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 of 202 Squadron at RAF Coltishall in 1971 Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 XD165 COLT 18.09.71 edited-2.jpg
Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 of 202 Squadron at RAF Coltishall in 1971

The primary role of RAF search and rescue was the recovery of downed military aviators, however in peacetime, its aircraft were available for use in civilian distress incidents. Over 95% of the rescues carried out by the squadron were civilian incidents. Rescues included a wide variety of incidents involving casualties from aircraft, fishing trawlers, ferries, oil rigs, mountainous terrain, cliffs and the waters surrounding the UK. [16]

Westland Sea King helicopter of 'E' flight, No. 202 Squadron RAF at the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II on 4 June 2012 at the Humber Bridge, Hessle, East Riding of Yorkshire. Westland Sea King air-sea rescue helicopter.JPG
Westland Sea King helicopter of 'E' flight, No. 202 Squadron RAF at the celebrations of the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II on 4 June 2012 at the Humber Bridge, Hessle, East Riding of Yorkshire.

In 2006, the government announced its intentions to privatise the search and rescue helicopter service in the UK. A ten-year contract worth £1.6 billion was signed in March 2013 with Bristow Helicopters who would run the service from 2015 with new AgustaWestland AW189 and Sikorsky S-92 helicopters. SAR helicopter operations ceased in staged handovers from March through September 2015. [17] 'A' Flight at Boulmer ceased flying in October 2015, [18] 'B' Flight at RAF Leconfield in March 2015 [19] [20] and 'D' Flight at Lossiemouth in April 2015. [21]

Reformation

A Jupiter HT.1 currently operated by 202 Squadron. H-145 Jupiter - RIAT 2018 (41932985800).jpg
A Jupiter HT.1 currently operated by 202 Squadron.

In May 2016, the Search and Rescue Training Unit (SARTU) was renumbered 202 Squadron [22] as the maritime and mountains training element of the Defence Helicopter Flying School based at RAF Valley and operating the Bell Griffin HT1 helicopter. [10] After a brief pause in operations in January 2018, No. 202 Squadron was again reformed in March 2018 as the 'maritime and mountains' training Squadron of the DHFS (a UK MFTS venture) and re-equipped with the Airbus Jupiter HT1. [23]

Aircraft operated

Battle honours

No. 202 Squadron has received the following battle honours. Those marked with an asterisk (*) may be emblazoned on the squadron standard. [24]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Lossiemouth</span> Royal Air Force main operating base in Moray, Scotland

Royal Air Force Lossiemouth or more commonly RAF Lossiemouth is a military airfield located on the western edge of the town of Lossiemouth in Moray, north-east Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Valley</span> Royal Air Force training station in Isle of Anglesey, Wales

Royal Air Force Valley or more simply RAF Valley is a Royal Air Force station on the island of Anglesey, Wales, and which is also used as Anglesey Airport. It provides both basic and advanced fast-jet training using the Beechcraft Texan T.1 and BAE Hawk T.2 and provides mountain and maritime training for aircrew using the Airbus Jupiter T.1 helicopter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Boulmer</span>

Royal Air Force Boulmer or more simply RAF Boulmer is a Royal Air Force station near Alnwick in Northumberland, England, and is home to Aerospace Surveillance and Control System (ASACS) Force Command, Control and Reporting Centre (CRC) Boulmer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Leconfield</span> Royal Air Force base in Yorkshire, England

Royal Air Force Leconfield or more simply RAF Leconfield is a former Royal Air Force station located in Leconfield, East Riding of Yorkshire, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Shawbury</span> Royal Air Force base in Shropshire, England

Royal Air Force Shawbury, otherwise known as RAF Shawbury, is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Shawbury in Shropshire in the West Midlands of England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 78 Squadron RAF</span> Squadron of the Royal Air Force

No. 78 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, is the squadron number plate of RAF (Unit) Swanwick based at London Area Control Centre, Swanwick, Hampshire. The squadron was allocated the role in early 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 230 Squadron RAF</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

Number 230 Squadron is an RAF squadron, currently based at Medicina Lines, Brunei, operating the Westland Puma HC2. The squadron was part of Royal Air Force Germany, operating the Puma HC.1 there from 1980. Following the drawdown at the end of the Cold War, the squadron disbanded on 30 April 1992. This was short-lived however and the squadron reformed at RAF Aldergrove on 4 May 1992, again with the Puma HC.1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 84 Squadron RAF</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

No. 84 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is at present a Search and Rescue Squadron based at RAF Akrotiri, using the Westland/Airbus Helicopters Puma HC Mk.2 helicopter. The squadron transitioned from the previously operated Bell Griffin HAR.2 to the Puma HC.2 in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 22 Squadron RAF</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

Number 22 Squadron of the Royal Air Force is an operational testing and evaluation squadron for all the Joint Helicopter Command helicopter types including Chinook, Puma HC2, Merlin HC4, Apache and Wildcat AH1. Formerly the Rotary Wing Operational Evaluation and Training Unit, the highly experienced helicopter aircrew will also ensure frontline crews have Qualified Warfare Instructors to support them on operations worldwide. The squadron was reformed in May 2020 to serve as the Joint Helicopter Command Operational Evaluation Unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Brawdy</span> Former Royal Air Force station in Pembrokeshire, Wales

Royal Air Force Brawdy, or more simply RAF Brawdy, is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located 6.3 miles (10.1 km) east of St Davids, Pembrokeshire and 9.8 miles (15.8 km) south west of Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, Wales. It was operational between 1944 and 1992; it was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy (1946–1971), before the site was turned over to the British Army and renamed Cawdor Barracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Defence Helicopter Flying School</span> 1997–2020 UK military flying school

The Defence Helicopter Flying School (DHFS) was a military flying school based at RAF Shawbury in Shropshire, England. The school, established in 1997, was a tri-service organisation and trained helicopter aircrews for all three British armed forces. It initially used the Eurocopter Squirrel HT1 and Bell Griffin HT1 helicopters, which were retained despite the introduction of the Airbus Juno HT1 and Airbus Jupiter HT1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 72 Squadron RAF</span> Flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

Number 72 (Fighter) Squadron of the Royal Air Force is a training squadron that is currently based at RAF Valley using the Beechcraft Texan T.1 to deliver Basic Fast Jet Training (BFJT).

No. 1564 Flight RAF was an independent flight of the British Royal Air Force which was created on five separate occasions between 1943 and 2016 in a variety of roles.

No. 228 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force active at various times between 1918 and 1964. It spent the greatest part of its existence flying over water, doing so in First, and Second World Wars and beyond, performing anti-submarine, reconnaissance and air-sea rescue tasks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">705 Naval Air Squadron</span> Military unit

705 Naval Air Squadron was first formed as a flight in 1936 from No 447 Flight Royal Air Force and operated Swordfish torpedo bombers from battlecruisers. It achieved squadron status in 1939 before being disbanded in 1940. The squadron was re-formed briefly in 1945 and then again in 1947 as a fleet requirements unit to evaluate naval use of helicopters. Since the 1950s the squadron has been involved in the basic training of helicopter aircrew, and currently forms part of No. 1 Flying Training School at RAF Shawbury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Search and Rescue Force</span> British helicopter organisation, 1941-2016

The Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Force was the Royal Air Force organisation which provided around-the-clock aeronautical search and rescue cover in the United Kingdom, Cyprus and the Falkland Islands, from 1986 until 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 103 Squadron RAF</span> Defunct flying squadron of the Royal Air Force

No. 103 Squadron was a Royal Air Force bomber squadron during World War I, World War II and the Cold War, switching to helicopters in the late 1950s until it was disbanded for the last time in 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Search and Rescue Training Unit</span> Military unit

The Search and Rescue Training Unit (SARTU) of the Royal Air Force was located on the southern side of RAF Valley on the Isle of Anglesey, Wales.

The History of Royal Navy Helicopter Search and Rescue has its roots in the adoption by the Royal Navy of helicopters in the plane guard role. From a purely military tasking Royal Navy squadrons came to share the provision of search and rescue SAR coverage for the United Kingdom with the Royal Air Force and commercial providers under contract to Her Majesty's Coastguard, being responsible for two sectors out of twelve. From 2015 both the RAF and the Navy will surrender the civilian SAR role to contractors operating on behalf of the Coastguard.

Squadron Leader Nicola Elizabeth Smith is a retired British Royal Air Force officer. She was the first female military helicopter pilot in the United Kingdom and in 2002 she became the first female to command a flying squadron.

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 Jefford 2001, p. 70.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Rawlings 1982, pp. 130–131.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Halley 1988, p. 261.
  4. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 13.
  5. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 99.
  6. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 18.
  7. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 97.
  8. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, pp. 118–119.
  9. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 126.
  10. 1 2 "RAF Valley based Search & Rescue Training Unit becomes 202 (Reserve) Sqn". Royal Air Force. 6 May 2016. Archived from the original on 24 May 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  11. 1 2 "202 Squadron". Royal Air Force. 2015. Archived from the original on 27 January 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  12. 1 2 Lewis 1959, p. 69.
  13. 1 2 "202 Squadron History". 202squadron.com. Archived from the original on 7 July 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  14. ↑ Jackson 1989, pp.48–49.
  15. ↑ Barrass, M. B. (2015). "No. 201–205 Squadron Histories". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  16. ↑ Search & Rescue Organisations Archived 15 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  17. ↑ "Farewell to RAF UK Search and Rescue". Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  18. ↑ "Sea Kings Depart RAF Boulmer". Royal Air Force. 1 October 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  19. ↑ "The Times they are achanging". Walkington Life. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  20. ↑ Cotter 2008, p. 34.
  21. ↑ Foote, Chris (7 April 2015). "Last RAF Sea King helicopter leaves Lossiemouth as Bristow takes over". STV News . Archived from the original on 2 October 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
  22. ↑ "UK SAR Training Unit renamed" . Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  23. ↑ "202 Sqn Jupiter HT1 positioning for RAF100 flypast" (PDF). 202 Squadron Association. 11 July 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2019.
  24. ↑ "202 Squadron". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 6 October 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2022.

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN   0-85059-364-6.
  • Cotter, Jarrod (2008). Royal Air Force celebrating 90 years. Stamford, UK: Key Publishing Ltd. ISBN   978-0-946219-11-7.
  • Halley, James J. Famous Maritime Squadrons of the RAF, Volume 1. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Hylton Lacy Publishers Ltd., 1973. ISBN   0-85064-101-2.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN   0-85130-164-9.
  • Jackson, Paul. "The Hastings...Last of a Transport Line". Air Enthusiast . Issue Forty, September–December 1989. Bromley, Kent: Tri-Service Press. pp. 1–7, 47–52.
  • Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN   1-84037-141-2.
  • Lewis, Peter. Squadron Histories: R.F.C, R.N.A.S and R.A.F. 1912–59. London: Putnam, 1959.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN   0-7106-0187-5.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.