No. 1564 Flight RAF

No. 1564 Flight RAF
Active	1 Feb 1943 – 15 Jun 1946 14 Aug 1963 - 31 Dec 1966 1 May 1969 - 31 Mar 1970 20 Aug 1983 - 22 May 1986 Nov 2007 - current
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Meteorological reconnaissance
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	No known badge
Flight Codes	Since 1984 the helicopters of the flight are coded SA, SB and SC[1][2]

History

1564 (Meteorological) Flight in World War II

No. 1564 (Meteorological) Flight was first formed at RAF Mellaha, near Tripoli, Libya, on 1 February 1943, flying Hawker Hurricanes and Supermarine Spitfires, and was disbanded at Istres, France on 15 June 1946.^[1][2]

1564 (Helicopter) Flight in the 1960s

A Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 like those of 1564 Flight

No. 1564 (Helicopter) Flight was re-formed at RAF El Adem, Libya on 14 August 1963, flying Bristol Sycamores and Westland Whirlwinds, from an element of 103 Squadron, disbanding on 31 December 1966 at El Adem.^[1][2]

The flight was re-formed at El Adem again on 1 May 1969, from 'D' Flight of 202 Squadron, only to be disbanded again on 31 March 1970 on Cyprus.^[1][2]

1564 (Tactical Support) Flight on the Falklands

A Westland Sea King HAR.3 of No. 22 Squadron RAF, like those of 1564 Flight

Following the Falklands War of 1982, the Westland Sea King search and rescue aircraft of C Flight, 202 Squadron, RAF Coltishall were deployed to provide search and rescue cover for BFFI (British Forces Falkland Islands), flying from Navy Point opposite Port Stanley. The unit had a variety of designations before formally adopting No. 1564 (Tactical Support) Flight as its title in 1983. When the Sea King and Chinook units in the Falkland Islands were combined on the opening of RAF Mount Pleasant, they took on the title of 78 Squadron.^[1][2]

1564 Flight was reformed in November 2007, by re-designating 78 Squadron on the departure of the Chinook aircraft from the Falklands. The Flight continues to operates two Sea King HAR3 helicopters, with crews provided on rotation from Nos. 22 and 202 Squadrons in the UK.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 1564 Flight RAF, data from^[1][2]

From	To	Aircraft	Version	Example
1 Feb 1943	July 1945	Hawker Hurricane	Mk.I	Z4855
1 Feb 1943	July 1945	Hawker Hurricane	Mk.IIb	KZ134
1 Feb 1943	July 1945	Hawker Hurricane	Mk.IIc	LD209
1 Feb 1943	July 1945	Hawker Hurricane	Mk.IId	HV590
July 1945	15 June 1946	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.Vc	EF683
July 1945	15 June 1946	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.IX	MA518
14 August 1963	1 November 1963	Bristol Sycamore	HAR.14	XL824
1 November 1963	31 December 1966	Westland Whirlwind	HAR.10	XP354
1 May 1969	31 March 1970	Westland Whirlwind	HAR.10	XP300, XJ764
20 August 1983	22 May 1986	Westland Sea King	HAR.3	XZ597 SC
November 2007	Present	Westland Sea King	HAR.3	XZ597 SC

Flight bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 1564 Flight RAF, data from^[1][2]

From	To	Base
1 February 1943	14 December 1943	RAF Mellaha, Libya
14 December 1943	14 January 1946	RAF Castel Benito, Libya
14 January 1946	15 June 1946	FAF Istres, France
14 August 1963	31 December 1966	RAF El Adem, Libya
1 May 1969	January 1970	RAF El Adem, Libya
January 1970	31 March 1970	RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus
20 August 1983	22 May 1986	RAF Navy Point, Falkland Islands
November 2007	Present	RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands

References

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Lake 1999, p. 95.
2. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 127.

Bibliography

• 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, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
• Lake, Alan. Flying Units of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
• 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

• Royal Air Force: 1564 Flt

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