Flights - 1300s

At the beginning of WW2 it became necessary to form a number of units for specific operational and non-operational duties which did not require a unit of squadron size and so began the formation of what would eventually become a large number of independent numbered flights. Initially these flights were numbered from 400 as it had been decided to allocate the 300 series to squadrons to be composed of European personnel. However, on 1 March 1941 these numbered flights had 1000 added to their designation to avoid confusion with the Article XV Commonwealth squadron that were beginning to form in the UK.

Flights in this series carried out a wide range of duties including meteorological reconnaissance, target towing, beam approach training and transport/communications. Later in the war many of the flights were amalgamated into squadrons and numbers in this series continue to be used to the present day.

This was formed in January 2004 to operate MQ-1 Predator As leased from the USAF and was based at Balad Airbase in Iraq and Indian Springs Air Force Base (Creech), Navada. It was part of the US/UK Combined Predator Task Force and was attached to the 15th Reconnaissance Squadron, USAF. It was absorbed into No 39 Squadron as 'A' Flight on 1 April 2007.

This was formed in No 293 Wing on 31 July 1943 from No 1 Meteorological Flight at Alipore equipped with Vengeances. Blenheims were added in November and it moved to Baigachi on 11 April 1944, where it received some Hurricanes in August before moving back to Alipore on 19 September. It moved to Kallang on 21 December 1945 where it was reduced to a number plate only basis on 30 May 1946. It was reformed on 1 June 1946 at Butterworth as No 1300 Meteorological Reconnaissance Flight equipped with five Mosquitoes but was disbanded on 15 March 1947 by being redesignated No 18 Squadron.

Blenheim IV

V5651, V5956, Z5980, Z7767, Z9733, Z9811,

This was formed in No 226 Group on 31 July 1943 from No 2 Meteorological Flight at Delhi equipped with Blenheims, with which it also used to photograph area of Delhi, Dehra Dun, Cawnpore and Lahore. It moved to Nagpur, transferring to No 229 Group, on 8 March 1944, receiving Hurricanes in August and disbanded on 1 June 1946.

It was reformed at Negombo on 1 May 1949 with four Brigands left behind by No 45 Squadron when it moved to Malaya. It disbanded on 30 November 1951.

Blenheim IV

Z7350, Z7884, Z9618, Z9652, Z9654,

Officers Commanding: -

1 May 1949 Flt Lt D G Walker

This was formed in No 225 Group on 31 July 1943 from No 2 Meteorological Flight at Yelahanka but without aircraft until February 1944 when its first Blenheims arrived. It moved to St Thomas Mount on 14 March 1944, where it received a Wellington followed by Hurricanes in August and disbanded on 1 June 1946.

Blenheim IV

V6079, Z7611,

This was formed in No 222 Group on 31 July 1943 from No 4 Meteorological Flight at Ratmalana but without aircraft until January 1944 when its first Blenheims arrived. It moved to Sigiriya on 19 April 1944, where littler flying took place, before returning to Ratmalana on 1 July. Here it received Hurricanes, moving to Negombo on 1 December 1945 and disbanding on 30 April 1946.

Blenheim IV

V6449, Z9706,

This was formed as No 1310 Transport Flight within No 46 Group on 10 April 1944 at Llandow, equipped with Anson Is. At this point it was tasked with ferrying aircrew of No 83 Group Support Unit (GSU) who were responsible for ferrying aircraft to operational units within the Group. It moved to Redhill on 18 May 1944, being attached to No 83 GSU and on 25 June 1944 it moved to Bognor, it now being responsible for carrying blood plasma to France following the invasion. In July 1944 it received Anson Xs with which it could now carry stretchers but on 21 July it was disbanded and its tasks were transferred to No 83 GSU.

It was reformed at Upavon as No 1310 (Transport) Flight on 31 March 1953 to provide support to the guided weapons trials being carried out in Australia and was equipped with Yorks. It moved to Mallala in Australia in May 1953 and disbanded there on 7 December of the same year.

It reformed, once again, on 23 July 1964 as simply No 1310 Flight at Odiham as part of No 38 Group equipped with three Whirlwind helicopters. It re-located to Atkinson Field near Georgetown in British Guiana on 1 September 1964, taking on the internal security duties within the country, previously carried out by a RN Wessex unit. When British Guiana gained its independence as Guyana the Flight's aircraft were returned to the UK on 14 October 1966 by RAF Belfasts and the unit disbanded on 31 October 1966.

The flight reformed on 20 August 1983 at Kelly's Garden, Port San Carlos on the Falkland Islands equipped with Chinooks, disbanding into No 78 Squadron on 22 May 1986.

Its final incarnation, so far, began in December 1995 when it reformed with six Chinooks at Divulje Barracks in Split, Croatia to support British forces assigned to the Implementation Force (IFOR) and Stabilisation Force (SFOR). It later moved to the Basra area of Iraq but in April 2005 it was replaced by No 1419 Flight. It then served in Afghanistan at Kandahar Airbase and Camp Bastion, remaining in the theatre following the withdrawal of British combat troops. By 2021 it had reformed at or moved to Goa in Mali in support of French operations in the area.

This was formed as No 1311 Transport Flight within No 46 Group on 19 April 1944 at Llandow, equipped with Anson Is. At this point it was tasked with ferrying aircrew of No 84 Group Support Unit (GSU) who were responsible for ferrying aircraft to operational units within the Group. It moved to Aston Down on 21 May 1944, being attached to No 84 GSU and on 10 July 1944 it moved to Thruxton, it now being tasked with acting in the air ambulance role following the invasion. It disbanded on 21 July and its tasks were transferred to No 84 GSU.

It was reformed within No 303 Wing at Seletar as No 1311 (Transport) Flight on 1 September 1953 to provide short range transport and communications in support of the Army. It was equipped with four Pioneers and almost immediately moved to Kuala Lumper but was disbanded on 15 February 1954 by being redesignated No 267 Squadron.

This was formed as No 1312 Transport Flight within No 46 Group on 19 September 1944 at Llandow, equipped with Anson Is. At this point it was tasked with ferrying aircrew of No 2 Group Support Unit (GSU) who were responsible for ferrying aircraft to operational units within the Group. After the invasion in June 1944 it began acting in the air ambulance role following but disbanded on 21 July.

It reformed as No 1312 (Transport Support) Flight on 14 September 1954 at Abingdon from the Transport Command Air Support Flight equipped with Hastings. It received Valettas in February 1955 and disbanded on 1 April 1957.

It reformed once again on 20 August 1983 at Mount Pleasant in the Falkland Islands in the Air-to-Air Refuelling role, equipped with Hercules tankers. The Hercules tankers were replaced by a VC10 (ex No 101 Squadron) and a non-tanker Hercules. The VC10 was replaced by a Tristar in August 2013 and then a Voyager in February 2014.

This was formed at Accra on 4 August 1944 from the Dakota Transport Flight of No 55 Staging Post within No 114 Wing . It was tasked with flying scheduled services throughout West Africa and from July 1945 it received Ansons to carry out short range tasks. It disbanded into the West Africa Transport and Communication Squadron on 1 November 1945.

This was formed from No 232 Squadron on 1 January 1945 at Merryfield and by March was in transit to Australia. The ground element travelled on board HMT Dominion Monarch via the Panama Canal eventually reaching Camden after being processed through No 2 Personnel Depot, RAAF Bradfield Park. In the meantime the aircrews went to Canada to collect Dakotas, which they ferried to Australia departing on 4 April, arriving at Camden on 17 April. The Flight joined No 300 Wing and moved to Archerfield on 1 May, from where it undertook scheduled services to Leyte in the Philippines and Manus in the Admiralty Islands. The Flight was almost disbanded by 2 March 1946 but it was reformed from a nucleus of No 243 Squadron, which was in the process of disbanding, and was moved to Japan to undertake communications duties. The Dakotas arrived at Iwakuni on 12 April 1946 and on 23 April the Flight received 12 Austers from India but the Flight disbanded on 21 August 1946.

This was formed from the Allied Flight of the Metropolitan Communication Squadron on 7 July 1944 at Hendon as No 1316 (Dutch Communications) Flight but was later redesignated No 1316 (Transport) Flight. Controlled by No 44 Group, it operated a variety of types and in June 1945 received six Dakotas, disbanding on 4 March 1946.

This was formed at Woodhall Spa on 13 June 1945 under the control of No 54 Base with six Mosquitoes and one Lancaster to undertaking training duties in No 5 Group, disbanding on 27 June 1945.

This was formed on 15 January 1946 within No 45 Group at Nassau in the Bahamas with four Dakotas, disbanding on 15 June 1946.

This was formed within No 11 Group on 8 May 1944 at Holmsley South with six Typhoons in order to conduct Operation 'Abdullah', which involved homing on to enemy radar stations and then attacking them. It moved to Lee-on-Solent on 22 May 1944, from where it participated in D-Day as part of the 2nd TAF Air Spotting Pool, disbanding on 14 June.

This was formed as No 1321 (Bomber Defence Training) Flight on 1 September 1944 within No 5 Group at Bottesford equipped with Hurricane IICs to provide fighter affiliation training to Nos 1668 and 1669 HCUs. It disbanded on 1 November 1944.

It reformed at Wittering in No 3 Group on 3 August 1954 with a single Valiant to carry out test drops with an inert 'Blue Danube' bomb but disbanded on 15 March 1956 with the task being transferred to No 138 Squadron.

On 1 October 1957 it reformed at Hemswell, still within No 3 Group from the Lincoln element of No 199 Squadron. It was now operating as an ECM unit and was absorbed into No 138 Squadron as 'C' Flight on 23 January 1958 but didn't formally disband until 31 March.

This was formed from the Anson element of No 1697 Flight at Northolt on 9 October 1944 within No 46 Group. It initially operated 12 Ansons on scheduled flights to the continent, this being increased in November to 18 aircraft with three being located at Brussels and another three at Le Bourget. It was disbanded into the Air Delivery Letter Squadron on 1 December 1944.

This was formed as No 1323 (Automatic Gun Laying Turret) Flight within No 8 Group on 29 November 1944 at Bourn equipped with Lancasters to undertake the development and training in radar gun laying techniques, disbanding on 30 September 1945.

On 20 October 1953 the 2 TAF Tactical Development Unit transferred to No 3 Group and moved to Wyton as No 1323 Flight, equipped with four Canberra B2s to which another two was added in January 1954. It moved to Laverton in Australia in March 1954, returning to Wyton on June, where it was redesignated No 542 Squadron on 1 November 1955.

This was formed at Dishforth on 1 August 1956 with Dakotas to provide a transport element in support of the atomic test in the Pacific. It set off on 25 January 1957 and arrived in South Australia in February 1957. The flight moved to Christmas Island in June 1958 and then to Changi on 28 March 1959, where it disbanded on 1 May 1960.

This was formed as No 1340 Special Duties Flight within No 225 Group at Sulur on 25 September 1944 equipped with two Vengeances and tasked with conducting smoke and gas laying trials on behalf of the Chemical Defence Research Establishment. It moved to Cannanore on 11 October 1944 and later used Thunderbolts and Mosquitoes but was back to three Vengeances by the time it disbanded on 31 March 1946.

It was reformed as No 1340 (Anti Mau-Mau) Flight at Eastleigh, Kenya with three bomb equipped Harvards, a further five and an Auster AOP 6 being added later. It moved to Mweiga in June 1953, Nanyuki in February 1954 and back to Eastleigh in April 1954 before disbanding on 9 September 1955.

This was formed as No 1341 Special Duties Flight at Abingdon on 1 June 1944 equipped with Whitleys in the signals and radio countermeasures role. It made various moves throughout 1944 starting with Stanton Harcourt (June), Abingdon (August), Acaster Malbis, Riccall (attached to No 1668 HCU), Melton Mowbrey (late 1944) until on 21 December 1944 its crews were sent to West Kirby to prepare to move overseas. It arrived in India on 31 January 1945 without any aircraft moving to Digri on 11 February, where it was due to receive six Halifaxes but these didn't arrive. In the meantime it made further moves to Allahabad (March), Poona (April), Allahabad (May) before retuning to Digri on 13 May, where it finally received its Halifaxes as well as the Liberators of 'C' Flight, No 159 Squadron. Under the control of No 185 Wing it was now designated No 1341 Radio Countermeasures Flight and operated from China Bay during July. Following VJ-Day the flight transferred to transport duties and began transporting supplies to PoW camps as well as ferrying prisoners to safety, moving to Pegu in October and Raipur on 15 October before disbanding on 30 October.

This was formed as No 1342 (RP Training) Flight in February 1945 at Shallufa to training pilots in the use of rocket projectiles using Hurricanes. On 15 April 1945 it was absorbed into the Advanced Bombing and Gunnery School at Ballah, whilst retaining its individual identity until disbanding on 20 November 1945.

It may have been reformed as part of the Overseas Ferry Unit in 1951 at Abingdon being absorbed into No 167 Squadron on 1 February 1953.

This was formed at Shallufa in March 1945 with Baltimores, moving to Ballah on 12 September and disbanding on 1 October 1945.

This was formed Gujrat within No 225 Group on 20 January 1945 equipped with six Hurricanes. It role was to train personnel to control fighters, fighter-bombers and fighter recce aircraft in mobile warfare, moving to Sambre in February, from where it undertook calibration of a GCI station from March to June and then returned to normal training until disbanding on 6 December 1945.

This was formed at Port Reitz on 1 May 1945 equipped with four Baltimores with which it carried out anti-malarial spraying with DDT throughout East Africa. On 13 December 1945 it moved to Tabora to undertake locust control, disbanding on 20 September 1946.

This was formed at Kankesunterai from No 1 ASR Flight (292 Sqn) on 15 June 1945 equipped with Warwicks. It converted to Liberators in October and operated detachments at Mauripur (July 1945 - January 1946) and Cocos Islands (December 1945 - 1946), disbanding on 20 April 1946.

This was formed at Agartala from No 2 ASR Flight (292 Sqn) on 15 June 1945 equipped with Liberators . It moved to Akyab in September, where it received some Warwicks and then moved again on 23 October to Chittagong with a detachment at Cochin from December 1945 to February 1946 before disbanding on 1 June 1946.

This was formed at Agartala from No 3 ASR Flight (292 Sqn) on 15 June 1945 equipped with Warwicks, taken over the disbanding No 292 Squadron to convert crews to Liberators. It moved to Pegu in January 1946, where it also received five Lancasters and four Beaufighters, the latter for communications work, disbanding on 15 May 1946.

This was formed at Agartala from No 4 ASR Flight (292 Sqn) on 15 June 1945 equipped with Warwicks and Liberators. It moved to Mauripur on 30 October 1945 where it disbanded on 15 May 1946.

This was formed at Ratmalana from No 5 ASR Flight (292 Sqn) on 15 June 1945 equipped with Walruses and Sea Otters and operated a detachment at China Bay from 1 June to 19 July 1945, disbanding on7 November 1945.

Walrus I

W2794, W3086,

This was formed within No 231 Group at Cox's Bazaar from 'E' Flight, No 292 Squadron on 15 June 1945 equipped with Sea Otters. It moved to Hathazari on 21 June and then to Akyab Main on 8 July, where it absorbed Nos 6 and 7 ASR Flights. October saw to moves, the first to Chittagong on 24 October followed the next day by one to Patenga, where it disbanded on 25 January 1946.

This was formed at Mingaladon on 15 June 1945 equipped with three Sea Otters, moving to China Bay on 10 September. It was then shipped to Singapore on board HMS Trumpeter on 21 September arriving at Kallang four days later. Despite officially disbanding on 20 November 1945 it remained in existence until 18 January 1946, under local arrangements

This was formed at West Freugh on 26 June 1945 from a detachment of No 289 Squadron to work with No 2 (AA) Practice Camp until October 1945 when it began working with the RAF AA Gunnery School at Netheravon. A detachment was operated at Silloth from 1 October 1945 to 15 June 1946 during which time the Flight base moved to Turnhouse, where it disbanded on 15 June 1946.

Spitfire VC

AB524,

This was formed as No 1354 DDT Spraying Flight within No 184 Wing at Digri on 1 July 1945 from the DDT Flight equipped with five Liberators and two Austers. It had been redesignated No 1354 Special Duties Flight by October 1945 and on 10 November moved to Mingaldon and then Pegu, where it was redesignated again, as No 1354 (Insecticide) Flight. It disbanded on15 February 1946.

This was formed at Baigachi on 18 May 1945 with 16 Sentinels to undertake communications duties and casualty evacuation, disbanding in October 1945.

This was formed at Baigachi on 18 May 1945 with 16 Sentinels to undertake communications duties and casualty evacuation but its disbandment date in unknown.

This was formed at Luqa on 31 January 1946 as a Meteorological unit and was due to receive seven Mosquito PR XVIs but these never arrived and the flight was disbanded on 10 April 1946.

This was formed at Shaibah on 31 January 1946 as a Meteorological unit and was due to receive seven Mosquito PR XVIs but these never arrived and the flight was disbanded on 10 April 1946.

This was formed as No 1359 (Transport) Flight at Lyneham on 1 December 1945, its role being to provide VIP transport using Yorks and Lancastrians. It moved to Bassingbourn on 25 February 1946, where it was absorbed into No 24 Squadron on 30 June 1946.

It reformed in 2001 at Lyneham as No 1359 (Hercules Reservist Aircrew) as part of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force. It role was top maintain a pool of qualified aircrew able to augment the RAF's Hercules fleet in times of crises, using aircraft drawn for No 70 Squadron.

This was due to form at Karachi in January 1946 as a Meteorological unit (Pampa) with seven Mosquito PR XVIs but the order was cancelled.

It eventually formed on 1 August 1957 at St Mawgan from 'X' Flight, No 22 Squadron equipped with two Whirlwind HAR 2s in order to support the nuclear tests in the Pacific but was redesignated No 217 Squadron on 1 February 1958.

This was formed at Aldergrove on 14 January 1946 equipped with Halifaxes and was due to join ACSEA but it disbanded on 11 February 1946.

This was formed at Aldergrove on 14 January 1946 equipped with Halifaxes and was due to join ACSEA but it disbanded on 11 February 1946. It probably never received any aircraft.