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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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Flying training units - Advanced
This section will give brief histories of those flying training units providing aircrew training at an advanced level only.
Advanced Flying School (India)
This was formed from Nos 1 (I) AFU, 1 (I) SFTS and 151 OTU on 1 April 1946 at Ambala under the control of No 1 (Indian) Group and was transferred to No 2 (Indian) Group in preparation for being absorbed into the RIAF on 1 June 1947.
Advanced Flying Training School
This was formed in November 1941 at Kluang but is presumed to have been lost in the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942.
No 1 (Indian) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed on 13 December 1943 at Ambala and was absorbed into Advanced Flying School (India) on 1 April 1946.
No 2 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 2 SFTS on 14 March 1942 at Brize Norton under the control of No 23 Group. It utilised RLGs at Akeman Street and Southrop and disbanded on 13 July 1942.
No 3 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 3 SFTS on 1 March 1942 at South Cerney under the control of No 23 Group. It utilised RLGs at Bibury, Long Newnton, Lulsgate Bottom, Southrop, Chedworth, Babdown Farm, Charmy Down and Moreton Valence being redesignated No 3 SFTS on 17 December 1945.
No 5 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 5 SFTS on 1 April 1942 at Ternhill under the control of No 21 Group. It utilised RLGs at Molesworth, Calveley, Chetwynd, Perton, Tatenhill, Bratton, Condover, Atcham and Wrexham and disbanded on 21 June 1945
It reformed from No 9 (P) AFU on 21 June 1945 at Ternhill under the control of No 21 Group. It utilised a RLG at Atcham before moving to Hibaldstow on 12 April 1946, where it was absorbed into No 7 STFS at Kirton-in-Lindsey finally being and disbanded into No 2 (P) RFU on 6 August 1947.
No 6 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 6 SFTS on 1 April 1942 at Little Rissington under the control of No 23 Group. It utilised RLGs at Windrush, Chipping Norton, Aleman Street and Moreton Valence being redesignated No 6 SFTS on 17 December 1945.
Officers Commanding: -
xx xxx xxxx (1943) Gp Capt M H Kelly
No 7 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from on 1 June 1942 at Peterborough under the control of No 21 Group with Sibson as a satellite and utilised RLGs at Horsey Toll, Sutton Bridge and Kings Cliffe. On 12 June 1944 it was advised that it was planned to be re-roled as a Holding Unit and on 8 August, Sutton Bridge replaced Sibson as its satellite, reverting to being a RLG. In September 1944 it began training Free French pilots being redesignated No 7 SFTS on 21 December 1945.
Officers Commanding: -
xx xxx xxxx Wg Cdr ? Brown
xx xxx 1943 Gp Capt J Norwood
xx xxx 1943 Gp Capt R B Councell
xx Jun 1944 Gp Capt J R Addams
No 9 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 9 SFTS on 14 February 1942 at Hullavington under the control of No 23 Group. It utilised RLGs at Babdown Farm and Castle Combe, being redesignated No 5 (P) AFU on 21 June 1945.
No 11 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 11 SFTS on 14 March 1942 at Shawbury under the control of No 21 Group. It utilised RLGs at Wheaton Aston, Bratton, Bridleway Gate, Condover, Montford Bridge and Perton, before moving to Calveley on 1 February 1944, from where it used RLGs at Wrexham and Cranage being disbanded on 1 June 1945.
No 12 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 12 SFTS on 4 April 1942 at Grantham (later renamed Spitalgate) under the control of No 21 Group. It utilised RLGs at Harlaxton and Balderton and in the winter of 1943/44 was forced to operate from Woodvale and Poulton,owing to the state of the airfield at Spitalgate with the detachment at Woodvale remaining until 17 August. The situation at Spitalgate was eventually improved by the laying of Sommerfeld Track runways. Initially operating Oxfords, these were changed for Blenheims but from July 1944 it began reverting to Oxfords and by the end of August Oxfords comprised about a third of the unit strength. In November 1944 Beauforts began to be received to replace the Blenheim Vs but by the end of the year only three had been received and over 60 Blenheims were still in use. The unit began its move to Hixon, with Cranage as a satellite, on 2 February 1945 which was completed by on 8 February. Flying ceased on 31 May and the unit disbanded on 21 June 1945.
Officers Commanding: -
1 Apr 1942: Gp Capt C W Mackey
28 Sep 1943 Gp Capt J Cox
13 Mar 1945 Gp Capt C Walter
No 14 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 14 SFTS on 26 January 1942 at Ossington under the control of No 21 Group. It utilised RLGs at Gamston, Balderton, Dunholme Lodge, Langer, Skellingthorpe, and Wigsley, before moving to Banff on 25 May 1943. Here it used RLGs at Fraserburgh, Dallachy and Brackla, being disbanded on 1 September 1944.
No 15 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed at Leconfield from No 15 SFTS on 1 February 1942 on moving from Kidlington under the control of No 21 Group. It operated a satellite at Kirmington and utilised RLGs at Acaster Malbis, Caistor and Tatenhill, the latter as a satellite following the hand-over of Kirmington to Elsham Wold. The whole unit moved to Andover on 15 December 1942, retaining Tatenhill as a satellite. Transferring to No 23 Group on 1 February 1943 it now made use of RLGs at Greenham Common, Grove, Long Newnton and Ramsbury. On 28 October 1943 it moved yet again, to Babdown Farm with Castle Combe as its RLG until it disbanded on 19 June 1945.
Officers Commanding: -
11 Feb 1942: Sqn Ldr J M Wells (SAO)
22 Feb 1942 Gp Capt W V Strugnell
10 Dec 1942 Gp Capt C N Lowe
No 17 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from on 29 January 1942 at Watton under the control of No 21 Group. It made use of a RLG at Bodney before moving to Calveley on 1 May 1943, from where it continued using Bodney as its RLG along with Watton and Wrexham, finally being disbanded on 1 February 1944.
No 18 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
According to No 15 (P) AFU's ORB, this was formed on 1 June 1942 at Goxhill but on 10 June Goxhill was transferred to Fighter Command and the unit was disbanded. The unit eventually formed from No 1 FIS on 27 October 1942 at Church Lawford under the control of No 23 Group. It utilised RLGs at Ashbourne, Hockley Heath, Honiley, Leamington, Snitterfield and Warwick before moving to Snitterfield on 3 April 1945, where it disbanded on 29 May 1945.
Officers Commanding: -
1 Jun 1942: Gp Capt L T N Gould
No 19 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from two flights of No 2 FIS on 20 October 1942 at Dalcross under the control of No 21 Group. It utilised RLGs at Forres, Elgin, Leanach, Tain and Brackla, where it disbanded on 25 February 1944 with its remaining students, instructors and aircraft being transferred to No 21 (P) AFU.
No 20 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from Nos 1, 2 and 4 GTSs on 23 March 1943 at Kidlington under the control of No 23 Group. It utilised RLGs at Kiddington, Kingston Bagpuize, Croughton and Weston-on-the-Green, being disbanded on 21 June 1945.
Officers Commanding: -
xx xxx xxxx (1944) Gp Capt J Noakes
No 21 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from a nucleus provided by No 11 (P) AFU on 1 August 1943 at Wheaton Aston under the control of No 21 Group. It utilised RLGs at Bratton, Peplow, Perton. Seighford and Tatenhill. On 25 February 1944 it absorbed the remnants of No 19 (P) AFU, moving to Moreton-in-Marsh on 5 December 1946, where it and merged with No 1 RFS to form No 1 (P) RFU on 6 August 1947.
Autogiro Training Flight
This was formed on 2 April 1940 at Odiham under the control of No 22 Group and was redesignated Autogiro Section, No 5 RMU on 1 July 1940 at Duxford.
'A' Boat Seaplane Training Flight
This was formed within No 210 TDS on 8 August 1918 at Calshot, and disbanded in June 1919.
'B' Boat Seaplane Training Flight
This was formed within No 210 TDS on 8 August 1918 at Calshot and disbanded in June 1919.
'C' Boat Seaplane Training Flight
This was formed in No 4 Group on 8 August 1918 at Felixstowe and disbanded on 19 March 1919.
'D' Boat Seaplane Training Flight
This was formed in No 4 Group on 8 August 1918 at Felixstowe and disbanded on 19 March 1919.
'E' Boat Seaplane Training Flight
This was formed in No 4 Group on 8 August 1918 at Felixstowe and disbanded on 19 March 1919.
'F' Boat Seaplane Training Flight
This was formed in No 28 Group on 15 August 1918 at Houton Bay and disbanded on 25 November 1918.
'G' Boat Seaplane Training Flight
This was formed in No 22 Group on 15 August 1918 at Dundee and disbanded on 25 November 1918.
Seaplane Training Flight
This was formed by 1925 at Calshot in No 10 Group and was redesignated the Seaplane Training Squadron on 1 October 1931.
Seaplane Training School
This was formed on 21 April 1921 at a detachment of the School of Naval Co-operation and Aerial Navigation and was redesignated the School of Naval Co-operation on 19 April 1923.
Seaplane Training Squadron
This was formed from the Seaplane Training Flight on 1 October 1931 at Calshot, moving to Invergordon in September 1939 and then to Wig Bay in 1940, where it was absorbed into No 4 OTU on 16 March 1941.
No 1 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 1 AOS on 1 February 1942 at Wigtown under the control of No 25 Group. It was transferred to No 29 Group on 1 July 1942, reverting to No 25 Group on 14 March 1945 and disbanded on 12 November 1945.
No 2 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 2 AOS on 18 February 1942 at Millon under the control of No 25 Group. It was transferred to No 29 Group on 1 July 1942, reverting to No 25 Group on 14 March 1945 and disbanded on 9 January 1945.
No 3 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 3 AOS on 11 April 1942 at Bobbington under the control of No 25 Group. Training ceased on 13 November 1945 and disbanded on 1 December 1945.
No 4 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 4 AOS on 11 June 1943 at West Freugh under the control of No 29 Group and disbanded on 21 June 1945.
No 6 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 6 AOS on 11 June 1943 at Staverton under the control of No 25 Group and disbanded on 12 December 1944.
No 7 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 7 AOS on 15 February 1944 at Bishops Court under the control of No 29 Group and disbanded on 31 May 1945.
No 8 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed on 15 November 1943 at Mona under the control of No 25 Group and disbanded on 14 June 1945.
No 9 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 9 AOS on 1 May 1942 at Penrhos under the control of No 25 Group and disbanded on 14 June 1945.
No 10 (Observers) Advanced Flying Unit
This was formed from No 10 AOS on 1 May 1942 at Dumfries under the control of No 25 Group. It was transferred to No 29 Group on 1 July 1942 and disbanded on 11 June 1945.
Advanced Ship Recognition Flight
This was formed from an Advance Ship Recognition Course, which had started at Castletown on 12 November 1942 on 7 January 1943 at Skeabrae under the control of No 29 Group. Its task was to provide observers and navigators to practice their ship recognition and to practice the bombing of moving targets from medium and high altitudes. and was redesignated No 1476 (Advanced Ship Recognition) Flight on 9 February 1943.
Tucano Air Navigation Squadron
This was formed on 1 April 2003 at Linton-on-Ouse, as part of No 1 FTS and was redesignated No 76 (Reserve) Squadron on 1 May 2007.
Advanced Bombing & Gunnery School (Middle East)
This was formed on 1 January 1943 at El Ballah and disbanded on 20 November 1945.
Advanced Flying Training Unit, Setif
This was formed from the Fighter Pilots Practice Flights at Setif and Blida on 1 July 1943 at Setif. It was tasked with providing operational training to fighter pilots in the Mediterranean theatre disbanded on 31 March 1944.
Middle East Advanced Crew Training Unit
This was formed from No 1 (Middle East) Pilots and Aircraft Pool on 29 October 1942 at Gordon's Tree, Sudan but its fate is unknown.
This page was last updated on 12/04/24
