No. 72 Squadron RAF

No. 72 (Reserve) Squadron RAF
Badge of No. 72 Squadron RAF
Active	28 Jun 1917 - 22 Sep 1919 22 Feb 1937 - 30 Dec 1946 1 Feb 1947 - 30 Jun 1961 15 Nov 1961 - Easter 2002 12 July 2002 - present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Army support (1917-19) Fighter (1937-46, 1947-61) Transport (1961-2002) Flying training (2002-present)
Base	RAF Linton-on-Ouse
Nickname	"Basutoland"[1]
Motto	Swift
Post 1950 squadron insignia
Aircraft	Short Tucano T.1
Battle honours	Mesopotamia 1918*, Channel and North Sea 1939-1942, Dunkirk*, Battle of Britain 1940*, Fortress Europe 1941-1942*, North Africa 1942-1943*, Mediterranean 1942-1943, Sicily 1943*, Italy 1943-1945, Salerno*, Anzio and Nettuno* The honours marked with an asterisk* are those emblazoned on the Squadron Standard
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldry	A Swift Volant The swift in the squadron's badge is symbolic of speed[2]
Squadron Codes	RN (Oct 1938 - Apr 1939)[3] SD (Apr 1939 - Sep 1939)[3][4] RN (Sep 1939 - Dec 1946)[5][6] FG (Jan 1947 - Apr 1951)[7][8] A (on Wessex)[9]

No. 72 Squadron Royal Air Force started its service life supporting the army during World War I on operations in Middle East and afterwards was quickly disbanded. In its second incarnation the squadron was a real fighter unit, transitioning from Gloster Gladiator biplanes to Gloster Javelin all-weather jets, in between flying the Supermarine Spitfire during the Battle of Britain. The jets went in 1961 and from then till 2002 the squaron flew helicopters in the transport role. No. 72 (Reserve) Squadron Royal Air Force is currently a training reserve squadron based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse using the Short Tucano T.1, a modified version of the Brazilian Embraer EMB-312 Tucano training aircraft.

History

First World War

No. 72 Squadron was formed on 28 June 1917 at Upavon.^[2][10] On Christmas Day, the squadron left for the Middle East and regrouped at Basra on 2 March. Here, they split in three flights, each assisting the Army in their various missions, and were disbanded in Baghdad on 22 September 1919.^[2]

Second World War

No. 72 Squadron was reformed at RAF Tangmere on 22 February 1937 from 'B' flight of No. 1 Squadron.^[2] In 1939, the squadron was outfitted with Spitfires which replaced the Gloster Gladiators that came with the flight from No. 1 Squadron. These were used in Air defence and convoy protection duties following the start of the war. Then, in 1940, the squadron moved to assist in the evacuation of Dunkirk.

During the Battle of Britain, No 72 spent the early days at RAF Acklington as part of No. 13 Group RAF, before moving south during September to aid the main defence force. The squadron was then moved to North Africa to support the Tunisian campaign before being supplied with the updated Spitfire Mk.IX in 1942. They then assisted the British 8th Army as they advanced through Italy and France up until the German surrender. At this point they were moved to Austria. It was here they were disbanded on 30 December 1946 at Zeltweg.^[2]

Post war jets

A Gloster Javelin at RAF Museum Cosford.

The squadron was reformed on 1 February 1947 at RAF Odiham by renumbering No. 130 Squadron RAF.^[2] They took over 130 squadrons Vampire F.1s, making no haste to remove that units 'AP' code^[11] The Vampire soldiered on for three versions until it gave way to the Meteor F.8 in 1952, and when the squadron was given a night-fighter role in February 1956 these were replaced with Meteor NF.12s and Meteor NF.14. In 1959 the squadron got the all-weather fighter role and was given Javelin FAW.4s and later Javelin FAW.5s. These were flown until the Squadron was disbanded at RAF Leconfield on 30 June 1961.^[2]

Helicopters

A Bristol Belvedere

On 15 November 1961 No. 72 squadron was reformed at RAF Odiham, but now as a helicopter unit.^[12] They were equipped with twin-rotor Belvederes HC.1s until the Wessex HC.2 replaced these aircraft in August 1964. For the next thirty-eight years they continued to use these aircraft and in that time the Squadron saw action in Malaya, provided post-disaster assistance following the Torrey Canyon tanker disaster in 1967 and supported the security forces in Northern Ireland from 1981. From January 1997 the Wessex was partly supplanted with the more modern Westland Puma. The Squadron was disbanded in April 2002 at RAF Aldergrove and the Wessex helicopters were retired from service.^[12]

Training

A RAF Short Tucano T.1 of no. 72 squadron at Shoreham Airport, 2005

On 12 July 2002 No. 1 Flying Training School divided its strength between two new reserve Squadrons, one of which was No 72, reformed as No. 72 (Reserve) Squadron operating the Short Tucano at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.^[13]

Legacy

The squadron also had an Air Training Corps squadron named after it which is situated in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. 72 Squadron's relationship with Northern Ireland and the young people living there was honoured upon their departure there when Air Cadets in the newly formed Omagh Squadron chose 72 as their Squadron Number. Many young people in Northern Ireland enjoyed a warm welcome, and hours in the air with 72 Squadron.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 72 squadron RAF, data from^[10][14]

From	To	Aircraft	Variant	Remark
March 1918	June 1918	Airco DH.4		'A' flight
March 1918	January 1919	Spad S.7		'A' flight
April 1918	November 1918	Martinsyde G.100		'B' flight
April 1918	February 1919	Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5	S.E.5A	'A' flight
April 1918	February 1919	Bristol M.1	M.1c	'C' flight
May 1937	May 1939	Gloster Gladiator	Mk.I
April 1939	April 1941	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.I
May 1940	May 1940	Gloster Gladiator	Mks.I, II	Acklington unserviceable for Spitfires[15]
April 1941	July 1941	Supermarine Spitfire	Mks.IIa, IIb
July 1941	July 1942	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.Vb
July 1942	February 1943	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.Vc
July 1942	August 1942	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.IX
August 1942	November 1942	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.Vb
February 1943	October 1944	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.IX
June 1943	January 1944	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk. Vc
October 1944	December 1946	Supermarine Spitfire	LF.Mk.IX
February 1947	October 1948	de Havilland Vampire	F.1
June 1948	February 1950	de Havilland Vampire	F.3
November 1949	July 1952	de Havilland Vampire	FB.5
July 1952	February 1956	Gloster Meteor	F.8
February 1956	June 1959	Gloster Meteor	NF.12
February 1956	June 1959	Gloster Meteor	NF.14
April 1959	June 1961	Gloster Javelin	FAW.4
June 1959	June 1961	Gloster Javelin	FAW.5
November 1961	August 1964	Bristol Belvedere	HC.1
August 1964	Easter 2002	Westland Wessex	HC.2
January 1997	Easter 2002	Westland Puma	HC.1
July 2002	present	Short Tucano	T.1

Historical Note

The squadron nickname, "Basutoland", is derived from the fact that during both world wars, the Basutoland Protectorare, now Lesotho, donated aircraft to RAF, which were assigned to No. 72 Squadron.^[16]

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

1. ^ Rawlings 1978, p. 522.
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Rawlings 1978, p. 176.
3. ^ ^{a b} Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 51.
4. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 12.
5. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 90.
6. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 104.
7. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 40.
8. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 151.
9. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 199.
10. ^ ^{a b} Jefford 2001, p. 50.
11. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 148.
12. ^ ^{a b} Rawlings 1982, p. 89.
13. ^ http://www.raf.mod.uk/organisation/72squadron.cfm
14. ^ Halley 1988, p. 140.
15. ^ Rawlings 1978, p. 177.
16. ^ "Jackson, 2006, p260"

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.
• Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1994. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
• Docherty, Tom. Swift to Battle: No. 72 Fighter Squadron RAF in Action, Volume 1: 1937 to 1942, Phoney War, Dunkirk, Battle of Britain, Offensive Operations. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen and Sword, 2009. ISBN 978-1-84415-829-4.
• Docherty, Tom. Swift to Battle: No. 72 Fighter Squadron RAF in Action, Volume 2: 1942 to 1947, North Africa, Malta, Sicily, Southern France and Austria. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen and Sword, 2009. ISBN 978-1-84884-087-4.
• Docherty, Tom. Swift to Battle: No. 72 Fighter Squadron RAF in Action, Volume 3: 1947 to 1961, Cold War Operations. Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK: Pen and Sword, 2010. ISBN 978-1-84884-186-4.
• Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
• 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, Ashley, The British Empire and the Second World War (London/New York: Hambledon Continuumn, 2006).
• Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE,BA, RAF (Retd). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
• 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.
• Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (new edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
• Robinson, Anthony. RAF Fighter Squadrons in the Battle of Britain. London: Arms and Armour Press Ltd., 1987 (Reprinted in 1999 by Brockhampton Press, ISBN 1-86019-907-0.)
• Sturtivant, Ray, ISO and John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.

External links

• Official RAF No.72 Squadron Website
• No.72 Squadron in art
• Photographs of No.72 Squadron's farewell visit and flypast at RAF North Weald, March 2002
• No 71 - 75 Squadron Histories