No. 1310 Flight RAF

No. 1310 Flight RAF
Active	10 April 1944 – 21 July 1944 31 March 1953 - 7 December 1953 23 July 1964 - 14 October 1966 20 August 983 - 1 May 1986 December 1995 - ? (Bosnia)  ? - April 2005 (RAF Basra)  ? - current (RAF Kandahar)
Role	Transport
Garrison/HQ	RAF Llandow RAF Bognor RAF Lyneham RAF Mellala RAF Odiham Atkinson field, British Guyana RAF Fairford RAF Kelly's Garden, Falkland Islands RAF Mount Pleasant Split, Croatia RAF Basra RAF Kandahar
Equipment	Avro Anson I Avro York Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer CC.2 Boeing-Vertol Chinook HC.1

No. 1310 (Transport) Flight was first formed at RAF Llandow on 10 April 1944, equipped with Avro Anson I transport aircraft. The flight was disbanded on 21 July 1944 at RAF Bognor, absorbed by 83 Group Support Wing.

1310 Flight was re-formed at RAF Lyneham with Avro York transport aircraft to provide transport services for the early nuclear weapon tests in Western Australia, disbanding at Mellala on 7 December 1953.

The next incarnation of 1310 Flight was at RAF Odiham, where the Flight prepared to transfer to British Guiana, in South America, to assist the nascent government of the newly independent state. Its first role with helicopters flying Westland Whirlwind HAR 10's, with three helicopters, three (possibly four?) pilots and approximately thirty ground crew, then deployed to Atkinson Field. This mission was carried out alongside five Alouette II helicopters of 24 Flt. Army Air Corps, in joint support of the British Army for two years before its helicopters were flown back to RAF Fairford with the Flight disbanding on 14 October 1966.

Following the Falklands War, the Flight was reformed at Kelly's Garden near to Port San Carlos, as 'ChinDet Falkland Islands', flying Chinook helicopters from Nos. 7 and 18 Squadrons, as No. 1310 (Tactical Support) Flight RAF. Later 1310 Flight was amalgamated with No. 1564 Flight to form No. 78 Squadron at RAF mount Pleasant.

1310 flight was re-formed again at Split in Croatia in December 1995 for saw service in Bosnia, flying support for British units in the Implementation Force (IFOR) and Stabilisation Force (SFOR).

Most recently it was based at Basra in southern Iraq. It commanded the Chinooks assigned to the British-commanded division based in the area. It was stood down in April 2005 and replaced by No. 1419 Flight.

As of 2006^[update], 1310 Flight operates Chinook aircraft in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, supporting the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). The Chinook's role in Afghanistan includes air assault, forward operating base resupply, and casualty evacuation.^[1]

References

1. ^ http://www.eliteukforces.info/gallery/helicopters/chinook-afghanistan.php

• Lake, Alan. "Flying Units of the RAF".Airlife Publishing. Shrewsbury. 1999. ISBN 1 84037 086 6
• http://www.eliteukforces.info/gallery/helicopters/chinook-afghanistan.php