No. 78 Squadron RAF

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No. 78 Squadron RAF

Active	1 November 1916
Role	Transport and search and rescue
Garrison/HQ	RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands
Motto	"Nemo non paratus" (Nobody unprepared)
Equipment	2 Sea Kings 1 Chinook HC.2
Insignia
Identification symbol	A heraldic tiger

No. 78 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates 2 Westland Sea King HAR.3s and 1 CH-47 Chinook HC.2 from RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands. 78 Sqn is one of only two frontline RAF squadrons to operate a mixed fleet, the only other being the Royal Squadron.

1 History
2 Current service
3 Chinook squadrons
4 See also
5 References

[edit] History

No. 78 Squadron was formed in the Royal Flying Corps in November 1916 for home defence, based at Harrietsham and tasked with protecting the southern English coast. Originally equipped with obsolescent BE2 and more modern BE12 fighters, it recieved Sopwith 1½ Strutters in late 1917, followed by Sopwith Camels in mid-1918. The squadron disbanded on 31st December 1918 following the Armstice.

During the buildup of the RAF in the period before the Second World War, No. 78 Squadron was reformed at RAF Boscombe Down in November 1938, twenty-two years after it was first formed, by redesignating a flight of No. 10 Squadron. In July 1939 it was equipped with Whitley bombers, and on the outbreak of war was designated as a training squadron and movd to RAF Linton-on-Ouse. In July 1940 it was returned to front-line duties, and served as a night bomber squadron of Bomber Command, changing to using Halifax bombers in early 1942.

In May 1945 it was transferred into Transport Command, re-equipping with Dakotas in July and moving to the Middle East in September. It remained active in the post-war period as a transport squadron, converting to Valettas in 1950, before being disbanded in 1950.

The squadron was again reformed in April 1956 at Aden, operating Pioneer and later Twin Pioneer light transport aircraft. In 1965 these were transferred to No. 21 Squadron and the squadron converted to a helicopter unit operating Wessexes; it remained in this role until being disbanded in 1971.

[edit] Current service

The Squadron reformed on May 22 1986 and has operated in the same role since then. Originally operating the Chinook HC.1, these were replaced with HC.2s. The Chinook HC.2, equivalent to the US Army CH-47D standard, began to enter RAF service in 1993.

78 Squadron is the only RAF squadron permanently based in the Falkland Islands. The four Tornado F3s which provide air defence are operated by No. 1435 Flight. No. 1312 Flight operates a single Vickers VC10 and one C-130K Hercules.