No. 14 Squadron RAF

No. 14 Squadron RAF
No. 14 Squadron RAF
14 Squadron badge
The official squadron badge of no. 14 squadron RAF
Active 3 February 1915 - 4 February 1919
1 February 1920 - 1 June 1945
1 June 1945 - 31 March 1946
1 April 1946 - 17 December 1962
17 December 1962 - 30 June 1970
30 June 1970 - 1 June 2011
14 October 2011 - to date
Branch Royal Air Force RAF Air Command
Motto In Arabic, an extract from the Qur'an:
"I spread my wings and keep my promise"
Battle honours Egypt 1915-1917*, Gaza, Megiddo, Arabia 1916-1917*, Palestine 1917-1918*, Transjordan 1924 (Origin of motto), Palestine 1936-1939, East Africa 1940-1941*, Mediterranean 1941-1943*, Egypt and Libya 1941-1942*, Sicily 1943*, Atlantic 1945*, Gulf 1991*, Kosovo.
Honours marked with an asterisk are emblazoned on the Squadron Standard[1]
Insignia
Squadron Badge A winged plate charged with a cross throughout and shoulder pieces of a suit of armour
Squadron Codes BF (Apr 1939 - Sep 1939)
CX (Sep 1944 - Jun 1945, Apr 1946 - Feb 1951)
B (May 1953 - Jun 1955)
A (Carried on Jaguars)
B (Carried on Jaguars)
BA - BZ (Aug 1985 - Jun 2011)

No. 14 Squadron of the Royal Air Force currently operates the Beechcraft Shadow R1 (a modified Beechcraft Super King Air) in the ISTAR role from RAF Waddington.

Contents

History

World War I

No. 14 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed on the 3 February 1915 at Shoreham with Maurice Farman S.11 and B.E.2 aircraft.[2] and it departed after a few months of training for the middle east in November of that same year for Army co-operation duties. In July 1916 the squadron's B.E.2s were supplemented with a small number of D.H.1A two seat fighters for escort duties. In November 1917 the squadron was equipped with Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8s to perform reconnaissance duties. It was recalled to the UK in January 1919 and disbanded the following month.

Between the wars

On the 1 February 1920 the squadron was reformed in Ramleh by renumbering No. 111 Squadron. The squadron operated Bristol Fighters and used them for various duties including photo surveying and air policing. The squadron patrolled Trans-Jordan and Palestine for the next 20 years, it was during this period that the squadron gained its Arabic motto. When World War II broke out the squadron was transferred to Egypt but soon returned to Amman.

World War II

In September 1940, the squadron started converting to Bristol Blenheims; these were employed in bombing missions over the Western Desert. Martin B-26 Marauders were received in 1942 and used in bombing, mine-laying and shipping reconnaissance missions. In March 1943, it started performing anti-submarine missions out of Algeria before transferring back to the UK in October 1944. On its return to the UK, the squadron was based at RAF Chivenor and carried out anti-submarine mission using Vickers Wellington Mk.XIVs. The squadron was again disbanded on 1 June 1945 but was reborn the same day, when No. 143 Squadron was renumbered. 143 Squadron were based at Banff at the time and were operating the De Havilland Mosquito Mk.VI. This incarnation of the squadron was short lived, being disbanded on 31 March 1946.

With RAF Germany

Disbandment did not last long however, the following day No.128 Squadron, operating Mosquito B.16s at RAF Wahn in Germany, was renumbered No.14 squadron and the squadron lived again. In December 1947 the Mosquito B.16s were replaced with the Mosquito B.35 variant. The squadron moved to RAF Celle in September 1949, but this was a short placement as they moved again in November 1950, this time to RAF Fassberg. In 1951 the squadron received Vampire FB.5s to replace the Mosquitos, while in 1953 the Vampires made place for Venom FB.1s. The squadron converted to the day-fighter role when it received Hunter F.4s in 1955 while based at RAF Oldenburg, where they stayed for two years before moving to RAF Ahlhorn. The squadron used the Hunters until 17 December 1962, when the unit was disbanded at RAF Gutersloh. The same day however No.88 Squadron was renumbered No.14 Squadron, flying Canberra B(I).8s from RAF Wildenrath until disbandment there on 30 June 1970.

On that same 30 June 1970 the squadron was reformed at RAF Bruggen and operated Phantom FGR.2s until April 1975, when they were replaced with the SEPECAT Jaguar. From 1976 their role at RAF Bruggen, assigned to SACEUR, was support of the army in a European land battle, first in a conventional role, and later in a nuclear delivery role should tactical nuclear weapons be used. The squadron's twelve Jaguars were expected by RAF planning staff to suffer attrition of one third their strength, leaving sufficient survivors to deliver their stockpile of eight WE.177 nuclear bombs.[3][4] From 1986 the squadron's twelve Jaguars were exchanged for twelve Tornado GR.1s, for use in a similar role.[5] Tornados were able to carry two WE.177 nuclear bombs, and the RAF staff expected that there would be enough survivors of the conventional war phase to deliver an increased stock of eighteen bombs. No.14 Squadron was believed to have relinquished its nuclear delivery role in 1994, the last year for which information is available, although the RAF retained some WE.177 bombs until 1998.

Back in the Middle East

In August 1990, the squadron was dispatched to Bahrain in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait as part of Operation Granby along with two other squadrons from Bruggen, no. 9 and no. 31 Squadrons.

Recent history

The squadron returned to the UK in January 2001. It operated from RAF Lossiemouth, undertaking precision bombings by utilising the TIALD system, until disbanded on 1 June 2011. The Squadron was re-formed on 14 October 2011 at RAF Waddington operating the Beechcraft Shadow R1 previously on the strength of No. 5 Squadron RAF.

Aircraft operated

See also

References

Notes

  1. ^ Orange et all 1966, frontpage
  2. ^ Halley 1988, pp. 46-47.
  3. ^ Weapon detail and No.14 Squadron data for 1976
  4. ^ Weapon overview @ www.nuclear-weapons.info/vw.htm#WE.177 Carriage
  5. ^ Weapon detail and No.14 Squadron data for 1986

Bibliography

  • Ashworth, Chris. Encyclopedia of Modern Royal Air Force Squadrons. Wellingborough, UK:PSL, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-013-6.
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937-56. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • 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: Airlif 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.
  • 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: Airlife Publishing, 1998 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
  • Lewis, Peter. Squadron Histories: R.F.C, R.N.A.S and R.A.F., 1912-59. London: Putnam, 1959.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1964 (new edition 1976). ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
  • Orange, Dr. Vincent; The Lord Deramore; Wing Commander E. Donovan and Air Vice Marshal Deryck C. Stapleton. Winged Promises: A History of No. 14 Squadron RAF, 1915-1945. RAF Fairford, UK: The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund Enterprises, 1996. ISBN 1-899808-45-0.
  • 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.

External links

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