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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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226 - 235 Operational Conversion Units
[Badges]
This was formed at Molesworth in No 11 Group on 15 August 1946 from No 1335 Conversion Unit to train fighter pilots. It was equipped with a variety of types including Tempests, Hornets, Meteors and Vampires. It moved to Bentwaters on 10 October 1946 and then to Driffield on 26 August 1949, where it was transferred to No 21 Group and it disbanded by being redesignated No 203 Advanced Flying School on 31 August 1949.
It was reformed
on 1 September 1949 in No 12 Group by renaming No 203 AFS at Stradishall to train Meteor pilots.
On 15 December 1950, its Vampire Flight moved to Leuchars to form No 229 OCU and
on 18 February 1952 it was transferred to No 81 Group but by the time it disbanded
on 3 June 1955 it had been transferred to No 11 Group
It reformed again, this time
by redesignating the Lightning Conversion Squadron at Middleton St George on 1 June
1963. It moved to Coltishall on 20 April
1964, where it disbanded on 30
September 1974.
It reformed
the following day by redesignating the Jaguar Conversion Unit at Lossiemouth and
was disbanded by being redesignated No 16 (Reserve) Squadron on 1 November 1991.
Shadow/Reserve Squadron designations: -
| Squadron | From | To |
| No 145 | 1 Jun 1963 | 13 Apr 1964 |
| No 65 | 1 Sep 1970 | 17 Jun 1974 |
Codes used: -
| BB, KD, XL | 1948 – 1949 |
| HX, KR, TO, UU | 1948 - 1951 |
This was formed
in No 12 Group at Andover by renaming No 43 OTU on 7 May 1947 to train aircrew
for AOP squadrons. It was redesignated No
227 (AOP) OCU on 1 December 1947 and moved to Middle Wallop between 26-30
January 1948. It disbanded on being amalgamated with
No 22 EFTS and renamed The Air Observation Post School on 1 May 1950.
Codes
used: -
| BD, PF | 1947 - 1950 |
Aircraft
& Markings
This was formed
in No 12 Group at Leeming from No 13 and 54 OTUs on 1 May 1947.
Tasked with tactical light bomber and night fighter crews, it was equipped with
Mosquito’s, Meteors and later Javelins, with which it began all-weather fighter
training. It was transferred to No 81
Group on 22 February 1952 and on 17 April 1956 it moved the North
Luffenham due to Leeming being rebuilt, returning on 25 January 1957. With
the disbandment of No 81 Group it was transferred to No 11 Group on 23 March
1958 and disbanded
at Leeming on 15 September 1961.
It reformed
in No 11 Sector at Leuchars on 1 May 1965, tasked with training Javelin crews for overseas operations
and disbanded on 23 December 1966.
It reformed again, this time
at Coningsby on 1 August 1968 to train Phantom crews.
From 1 March to 1 November 1984 it moved to Waddington, whilst runway
resurfacing was carried out at Coningsby. It moved Leuchars on 6 April
1987 and disbanded on 31 March 1991.
Shadow/Reserve
Squadron designations: -
| Squadron |
From |
To |
| No
137 |
11
Jan 1956 |
15
Sep 1961 |
| No
11 |
11
Jan 1966 |
23
Dec 1966 |
| No
64 (R) |
16
May 1968 |
31
Jan 1991 |
This was formed
at Leuchars from the Vampire Flight of No 226 OCU on 15 December 1950 to train
fighter pilots, later operating Sabres
and then Hunters.
It reformed
at Coningsby in No 11 Group on 1 November 1984 to train crews in the air defence role
on the Tornado F Mk 2 and 3.
It was disbanded by being redesignated No 56 (Reserve) Squadron on 1 July 1992.
Shadow/Reserve
Squadron designations: -
| Squadron |
From |
To |
| No
127 |
11
Jan 1956 |
22
Oct 1958 |
| No
234 |
22
Oct 1958 |
2
Sep 1974 |
| No 131 | 15 Mar 1958 | 22
Oct 1958 |
| No
145 |
22 Oct 1958 | 1
Jun 1963 |
| No
63 |
1
Jun 1963 |
2
Sep 1974 |
| No
79 |
2 Jan 1967 | 2
Sep 1974 |
| No
65 (R) |
31
Dec 1986 |
30
Jun 1992 |
Codes
used: -
| ES, RS | 1950 - 1959 |
This was formed at Lindholme by renaming No 1653 Conversion Unit on 15 March 1947, equipped with Lancasters. It moved to Scampton on 21 February 1949 where it re-equipped with Lincolns, disbanding on 15 October 1952 with the the remnants becoming the Reserve Training Squadron.
It was reformed at Upwood on 1 August 1953 by renaming the Lincoln Conversion Flight but disbanded on 1 February 1955 and reverted to its previous title.
It reformed again, this time at Waddington on 31 May 1956 in No 1 Group to train Vulcan crews. It moved to Finningley on 18 June 1961 and on 8 December 1969 to Scampton, where it disbanded on 31 August 1981.
Codes
used: -
| YW, A3 |
1948 - 1949 |
| SN |
1949 - 1951 |
This formed
at Coningsby from a nucleus provided by No 16 OTU on 15 March 1947 to train light
bomber and PR crews on the Mosquito. Disbanded
on 4 December 1949.
It reformed
at Bassingbourn in No 1 Group to train Canberra crews on 1 December 1951,
absorbing No 237 OCU and No 204 AFS as 'D' Squadron on 29 February 1952.
'D' Squadron was disestablished on 26 June 1955 and 'C' (PR) Squadron was
detached to Merryfield in April 1955, to Weston Zoyland on 26 June, then back to
Merryfield on 1 October, where it remained until 23 October 1956 when it was
redesignated No 237 OCU at Wyton but the PR training task reverted to No 231 OCU
on 21 January 1958. On 19 May 1969 it moved to Cottesmore, to Marham on 12
February 1976 then to Wyton in No 18 Group on 30 July 1982, remaining there until
disbanding on 15 December 1990 when it was redesignated Canberra Standardisation
Training Flight.
The
CSTF was reverted to being No 231 OCU on 13
May 1991, again at Wyton but was disbanded
on 23 April 1993.
232 Operational Conversion Unit
This was formed
at Gaydon in No 3 Group on 21 February 1955 to train Valiant crews and from 28
November 1957 crews for the Victor.
'C' Squadron was formed on 1 November 1961 and moved to Cottesmore to
conduct the training of Victor crews, and this was redesignated Victor Training
Flight on 1 April 1962. It disbanded on 30 June 1965 and the Tanker Training Flight
was formed at Marham.
It
reformed
at Marham in No 1 Group by redesignating the Victor OCU at Marham and the Victor
Training Flight at Wittering on 6 June 1970, being disbanded on 4 April 1986 as
the result of the withdrawal of the Victor from service.
Aircraft
& Markings
233 Operational Conversion Unit
No 233 OCU originally formed on 1 September 1952 at RAF Pembrey, near Kidwelly, South Wales, and the unit’s Badge, approved in September 1953, depicted the head of a Welsh Wild-Cat, the motto ‘YMLAEN’, meaning ‘Forward’ in Welsh This badge was the only marking worn by the unit’s aircraft, and was positioned just below the front quarter-light of the cockpit of its Vampires. The role of the OCU was to train Vampire ground attack pilots, and later, Hunter day fighter pilots. The Station Commander was also the Officer Commanding the OCU. The OC Flying Wing was the Chief Instructor. The Station badge at that time was the No 233 OCU, which was adorned on all the RAF Pembrey Station vehicles
The aircraft operated by the OCU were:
Vampire FB5 - September 1952 - 1956
Vampire FB9 ?
Hunter F1 - December 1955 - September 1957
Support aircraft
Tempest TT5 - February 1955 to June 1955
Vampire T11 - February 1953 to ?
Meteor T7 - September 1952 to February 1953
Meteor F8 - Late 1956 to September 1957
Balliol T2 ?
Tiger Moth T2 ?
Oxford T1 ?
Mosquito T3 ?
Mosquito TT35 - June 1955 to late 1956
Chipmunk T10 ?
The OCU disbanded on 1 September 1957.
No 233 OCU re-formed at RAF Wittering on 1 October 1970 by renaming the Harrier Conversion Unit, the Harrier Operational Conversion Unit, initially marking the Harriers with a yellow grasshopper with the words ‘Harrier Operational Conversion Unit’ markings in white, positioned on the lower side of the nose of its Harrier GR1s. On 3 August 1973, the CO unveiled the new OCU markings, and from May 1974 they slowly began to replace the earlier markings on the lower side of the noses of its Harriers 1As. These markings were the head of a Welsh Wild-Cat on a pale Blue disc, with two coloured bars on either side, coloured Red/Grey & Yellow/Black and outlined in pale Blue. These colours represented the then four operational Harrier squadrons. Red for No 1(F) Squadron, Yellow for No 3(F) Squadron, Black for No IV(AC) Squadron and Dark Sea Grey for No 20 Squadron. The OCU subsequently operated updated T2/2A, GR3 and T4/4A versions of the Harrier.
The role of the unit was to not only train new pilots to fly the Harrier, but also train Harrier Qualified Flying Instructors, Qualified Weapons Instructors, Electronic Warfare Instructors, Instrument Rating Examiners, and short courses for Test Pilots from Boscombe Down, Senior Officer Aquaint Courses and Refresher courses. The unit also provided the Harrier Examiners on behalf of the CFS, who conducted the annual evaluation of the front line Harrier squadron pilots. The OCU comprised two Flights, 'A' (Advanced) Flight being staffed by QFIs, and 'B' (Basic) Flight by QFIs, although some instructors had dual qualifications.
Because there were no two-seat versions of the Harrier GR5, the OCU continued to use GR3 and T4/4A Harriers for the initial phase of the Harrier II conversion courses. The markings carried on the GR5s remained the same as the earlier marks of the units aircraft. The only difference was that the GR5s were painted overall in the NATO Green upper/Medium Green lower colour scheme.
On 1 September 1992, the Harrier OCU was re-designated No 20(R) Squadron. The aircraft operated by the unit were:
Harrier GR1 - 1 October 1970 to 1973
Harrier GR1A - 1971 to 1975
Harrier T2 - July 1970 to 1973
Harrier T2A - 1973 to 1976
Harrier GR3 - 1973 to 31August 1992
Harrier T4 & 4A - 1973 to 31 August 1992
Harrier GR5 - 29 May 1987 to 31 August 1992
Officers Commanding
Wg Cdr L A B Baker 1 Oct 1970
Wg Cdr P King 1 Aug 1972
Wg Cdr R M Austin AFC 14 Jun 1974
Wg Cdr J D Rust 24 Jun 1977
Wg Cdr P Millar 22 Oct 1979
Wg Cdr A J Chaplin 12 Jul 1982
Wg Cdr S G Jennings 18 May 1984
Wg Cdr P W Day 19 Dec 1986
Wg Cdr P A Robinson 9 Jun 1989
Wg Cdr T A Harper 20 Mar 1992 - 31 Aug 1992
Shadow/Reserve
Squadron designations: -
| Squadron |
From |
To |
| No 129 | 11
Jan 1956 |
1 Sep 1957 |
My thanks to Norman Roberson for this detailed description of No 233 OCU.
This was formed
at Calshot from No 4 OTU to train flying boat crews on 31 July 1947, equipped
with Sunderlands, it was disbanded on 17 October 1953, its tasking being taken over
by the Flying Boat Training Squadron at Pembroke Dock.
Codes
used: -
| TA | 1947 - 1951 |
| D | 1951 - 1953 |
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