No. 72 Squadron RAF

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No. 72 Squadron (Reserve)

Active	2 July 1917
Role	Training
Garrison/HQ	RAF Linton-on-Ouse
Motto	Swift
Equipment	Tucano T1
Battle honours	Mesopotamia 1918, Channel and North Sea 1939-1942, Dunkirk, Battle of Britain 1940, Fortress Europe 1941-1942, North Africa 1942-1943, Mediterranean 1942-1943, Sicily 1943, Italy 1943-1945, Salerno, Anzio and Nettuno
Insignia
Identification symbol	A Swift Volant

No. 72 Squadron Royal Air Force is currently a training reserve squadron based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. They currently use the Tucano training aircraft.

1 History
2 Aircraft Used
3 External links
4 See also

[edit] History

Number 72 Squadron was formed on the 2nd of July in 1917 at Netheravon. On Christmas Day, the squadron left for the Middle East and regrouped at Basra on the 2nd of March. Here, they assisted the Army in their various missions, and were disbanded in February 1918.

No. 72 squadron was then reformed in February 1937 from 'B' flight from No. 1 Squadron. In 1939, the squadron was outfitted with Spitfires which replaced the Gladiators that came with the flight from No. 1 Squadron. These were used in Air defence and convoy protection duties following the start of the war. Then, in 1940, the squadron moved to assist in the evacuation of Dunkirk. During the Battle of Britain, No 72 spent the early days at RAF Acklington as part of No 13 Group, before moving south during September to aid the main defence force. The squadron was then moved to North Africa to support the Tunisian campaign before being supplied with the updated Spitfire IX in 1942. They then assisted the Allied 8th Army as they advanced through Italy and France up until the German surrender. At this point they were moved to Austria. It was here they were disbanded in December 1946 and reformed at RAF Odiham

The following years saw Meteor F8s (1952), NF12s (1955) and Javelins (1959) all flown until once again the Squadron disbanded at Leconfield in June 1961. In late November 1961, 72 squadron was reformed as a Helicopter unit. They were equipped with twin-rotor Belvederes until the Wessex replaced these aircraft in August 1964.

For the next thirty-eight years they continued to use these aircraft and in that time the Squadron saw action in Malaya, provided post-disaster assistance following the Torrey Canyon tanker disaster in 1967 and supported the Security Forces in Northern Ireland from 1981, albeit supported by a small number of Pumas from 1991 onwards. The Squadron disbanded in Easter 2002, the Wessex helicopters being flown to RAF Shawbury where they are stored.

[edit] Aircraft Used

Gloster Gladiator - 1937
Spitfire - 1939
Spitfire IX - 1942
Vampire - 1946
Meteor F8 - 1952
NF12 - 1955
Javelin - 1959
Belvedere - 1961
Wessex - 1964
Puma - 1991
Tucano - 2002 (current)