- No. XV Squadron RAF
Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=No. XV (Reserve) Squadron
role=Strike/attack
equipment=Tornado GR4
garrison=RAF Lossiemouth
motto="Aim Sure"
identification_symbol=A hind's head between wings elevated and conjoined in base
dates=1 March 1915 (RFC)
battle_honours=Western Front 1915-1918, Somme 1916, Arras, Cambrai 1917, Some 1918, Hindenburg Line, France and Low Countries 1939-1940, Meuse Bridges, Dunkirk, Invasion Ports 1940, Fortress Europe 1941-1944, Ruhr 1941-1945, Berlin 1941-1945, Biscay Ports 1941-1945, France and Germany 1944-1945, Normandy 1944, Gulf 1991.No. XV (Reserve) Squadron of the
Royal Air Force operates thePanavia Tornado GR4 fromRAF Lossiemouth . XV or 15 Sqn is the RAF'sOperational Conversion Unit for the Tornado GR4. The OCU teaches pilots how to fly the aircraft and what tactics to use to best exploit the performance of their aircraft and its weapons.History
On 1 September 1958 it became the second Handley Page Victor squadron, stationed at
RAF Cottesmore . In 1962 it was one of the many squadrons ready for action during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Deploying toRAF Tengah in 1963, it was on hand as a show of force to deter Indonesia during theIndonesia-Malaysia Confrontation . Following this, it was disbanded on 31st October 1964 upon withdrawal from overseas detachment.XV Squadron were deployed to
Bahrain during the buildup toOperation Desert Storm , with the specific brief to knock out theIraqi Air Force bases by bombing therunway s. On their second mission, an ultra-low level daylight mission on Ar Rumaylah airfield with Squadron LeaderPablo Mason leading a flight of four Tornados, his number two crew of John Peters and navigator John Nichol were shot down and becamePOW 's. Mason (along with many other RAF tornado crews) flew 24 bombing missions in total in Desert Storm, from ultra-low level daylight, medium-level night bombing and on 2nd February 1991 the first ever Buccaneer/Tornado attack usinglaser-guided bomb s. [http://www.aircadetonline.com/flash_site/news_pablo_mason.htm 121 Sqn. ATC - News - Pablo Mason ] ]Previous Aircraft
* Royal Aircraft Factory
R.E.8 circa 1919
*Hawker Hart circa 1934
*Hawker Hind circa 1936
*Bristol Blenheim circa 1939
*Short Stirling circa 1941
*Avro Lancaster circa 1945
*Handley Page Victor circa 1958
*Blackburn Buccaneer circa 1970
* Tornado GR.11983-2002
* Tornado GR.42001-present See also
*
List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
*"Pablo" Mason - Sqdrn Ldr during theGulf War
*MacRobert's Reply XV Squadron as in the past before the Vulcan, were equipped with the English Electric Canberra B2 Bomber. The first British Jet Bomber. The squadron received the first one in June 1953, whilst at R.A.F. Coningsby (Lincolnshire), Cottesmore (Rutlandshire) and last Honington (Suffolk). Used in combat in the Sues Crisis and dropped the most bombs in the eighteen day of conflict.The Squadron disbanded in July 1953.J.A.Britton XV Squadron Association, Canberra Chapter Leader.References
External links
* [http://www.raf.mod.uk/structure/15squadron.cfm Part of the RAF website]
* [http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn011-15.htm Air of Authority - Sqn Histories (11, 12, 13, 14, 15 sqns)]
* [http://freespace.virgin.net/paul.hunt3/units/15Sq.html No. 15 Squadron history]
* [http://www.raf.mod.uk/raflossiemouth/aboutus/xvrsqnhistory.cfm About RAF Lossiemouth]
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