List of Royal Air Force aircraft independent flights

Last updated

This is a list of Royal Air Force independent Flights. An independent Flight is a military administrative structure which is used to command flying units where the number of aircraft is not large enough to warrant a fully fledged squadron.

Contents

RAF Coastal based numbered Flights 1918–1929

(Flying Boat) Flights [1] [2] [3] [4]

(Seaplane) Flights [4] [5] [6]

(Fighter) Flights [6] [7]

(Light Bomber) Flights [7]

(Special Duty) Flights [7] [8] [9]

(Light Bomber) Flights [9] [10]

(Anti-Submarine) Flights [10]

Royal Air Force Numbered Flights 1923–36

later Fleet Air Arm of the RAF numbered Flights. [10] [11]

FlightFormed atFormed onDisbanded atDisbanded onNotes
No. 401 (Fleet Fighter) Flight RAF RAF Leuchars 1 April 1923 RAF Netheravon 3 April 1933Renamed No. 401 (Fleet Fighter) Flight FAA from 1 April 1924. Became 801 Naval Air Squadron.
No. 402 (Fleet Fighter) Flight RAF RAF Leuchars 1 April 1923 RAF Netheravon 3 April 1933Renamed No. 402 (Fleet Fighter) Flight FAA from 1 April 1924. Became 800 Naval Air Squadron
No. 403 (Fleet Fighter) Flight RAF RAF Leuchars 1 April 1923 RAF Kai Tak,
Hong Kong
15 July 1936Renamed No. 403 (Fleet Fighter) Flight FAA from 1 April 1924. Became No. 715 (Catapult) Flight FAA
No. 404 (Fleet Fighter) Flight RAF RAF Leuchars 1 July 1923 RAF Netheravon 3 April 1933Renamed No. 404 (Fleet Fighter) Flight FAA from 1 April 1924. Became 800 Naval Air Squadron.
No. 405 (Fleet Fighter) Flight FAA RAF Leuchars 31 May 1924 RAF Netheravon 3 April 1933Became 803 Naval Air Squadron
No. 406 (Fleet Fighter) Flight FAA RAF Leuchars 31 May 1924 RAF Seletar,
Malaya
15 July 1936Became No. 714 (Catapult) Fight FAA
No. 407 (Fleet Fighter) Flight FAA RNAS Donibristle 1 September 1927 RAF Mount Batten 15 July 1936Became No. 712 (Catapult) Flight FAA
No. 408 (Fleet Fighter) Flight FAA RNAS Donibristle 30 March 1929Aboard
HMS Glorious
3 April 1933Became 802 Naval Air Squadron
No. 409 (Fleet Fighter) Flight FAA RAF Gosport 7 October 1932Aboard
HMS Glorious
3 April 1933Became 802 Naval Air Squadron
No. 420 (Fleet Spotter) Flight RAF RAF Gosport 1 April 1923Aboard
HMS Glorious
26 April 1929Renamed No. 420 (Fleet Spotter) Flight FAA from 1 April 1924. Became No. 449 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight FAA.
No. 421 (Fleet Spotter) Flight RAF RAF Gosport 1 April 1923Aboard
HMS Glorious
26 April 1929Renamed No. 421 (Fleet Spotter) Flight FAA from 1 April 1924. Became No. 447 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight FAA.
No. 422 (Fleet Spotter) Flight RAF RAF Gosport 1 April 1923Aboard
HMS Argus
26 April 1929Renamed No. 422 (Fleet Spotter) Flight FAA from 1 April 1924. Became No. 450 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight FAA.
No. 423 (Fleet Spotter) Flight RAF RAF Gosport 21 November 1923Aboard
HMS Eagle
26 April 1929Renamed No. 423 (Fleet Spotter) Flight FAA from 1 April 1924. Became No. 448 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight FAA.
No. 440 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight RAF RAF Leuchars 1 May 1923 RAF Kai Tak,
Hong Kong
11 June 1933Renamed No. 440 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight FAA from 1 April 1924. Absorbed by 824 Naval Air Squadron.
No. 441 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight RAF RAF Leuchars 1 April 1923Aboard
HMS Glorious
3 April 1933Renamed No. 441 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight FAA from 1 April 1924. Became 823 Naval Air Squadron.
No. 442 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight RAF RAF Leuchars 1 April 1923 RAF Netheravon 3 April 1933Renamed No. 442 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight FAA from 1 April 1924. Became 822 Naval Air Squadron.
No. 443 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight RAF RAF Leuchars 21 May 1923 RAF Mount Batten 15 July 1936Renamed No. 443 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight FAA from 1 April 1924. Became No. 716 (Catapult) Flight FAA and No. 718 (Catapult) Flight FAA.
No. 444 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight RAF RNAS Lee-on-Solent 15 January 1925 RAF Kalafrana,
Malta
15 July 1936Renamed No. 444 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight FAA from 1 April 1924. Became No. 701 (Catapult) Flight FAA and No. 705 (Catapult) Flight FAA.
No. 445 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight RAF RAF Leuchars 1 September 1927 RAF Mount Batten 15 July 1936Renamed No. 445 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight FAA from 30 August 1935. Became No. 713 (Catapult) Flight FAA.
No. 446 (Fleet Reconnaissance) Flight FAA RAF Leuchars 1 September 1927 RAF Gosport 3 April 1933Became 821 Naval Air Squadron.
No. 447 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight FAA Aboard
HMS Furious
26 April 1929 RAF Kalafrana,
Malta
15 July 1936Divided to form No. 701 (Catapult) Flight FAA and No. 711 (Catapult) Flight FAA.
No. 448 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight FAA Aboard
HMS Eagle
26 April 1929Aboard
HMS Glorious
3 April 1933Became 823 Naval Air Squadron.
No. 449 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight FAA Aboard
HMS Furious
26 April 1929 RAF Netheravon 3 April 1933Became 822 Naval Air Squadron.
No. 450 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight FAA  ?26 April 1929 RAF Gosport 3 April 1933Became 820 Naval Air Squadron.
No. 460 (Fleet Torpedo) Flight RAF RAF Gosport 1 April 1923RAF Gosport3 April 1933Became 824 Naval Air Squadron
No. 461 (Fleet Torpedo) Flight RAF RAF Gosport 1 April 1923RAF Gosport3 April 1933Became 812 Naval Air Squadron
No. 462 (Fleet Torpedo) Flight FAA RAF Gosport 31 May 1924RAF Gosport3 April 1933Became 812 Naval Air Squadron
No. 463 (Fleet Torpedo) Flight FAA RAF Gosport 1 September 1927RAF Gosport3 April 1933Became 810 Naval Air Squadron
No. 464 (Fleet Torpedo) Flight FAA RAF Gosport 1 September 1927RAF Gosport3 April 1933Became 810 Naval Air Squadron
No. 465 (Fleet Torpedo) Flight FAA RAF Gosport 20 March 1931RAF Gosport3 April 1933Became 811 Naval Air Squadron
No. 466 (Fleet Torpedo) Flight FAA RAF Gosport 31 March 1931RAF Gosport3 April 1933Became 811 Naval Air Squadron

Fleet Air Arm of the RAF numbered Flights

Numbered flights RAF 1940 on

A

Air Experience Flights

Air Sea Rescue Flights

Aircraft Delivery Flights

Anti-Aircraft Co-operation/Calibration Flights

B

Beam Approach Training Flights

Blind Approach Training Flights

C

Calibration Flights

Coast Defence / Co-operation Flights

Communication Flights

Conversion Flights

Meteorological flights

Seaplane Training Flights

Ferry flights

Specific Aircraft Type Flights

Special Flights

Special Duty/Duties

Other Special flights

Miscellaneous Flights

Target Towing Flights

See also

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Bibliography