No. XV Squadron RAF
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| No. XV (Reserve) Squadron | |
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| Active | 1 March 1915 (RFC) |
| Role | Strike/attack |
| Garrison/HQ | RAF Lossiemouth |
| Motto | "Aim Sure" |
| Equipment | Tornado GR4 |
| 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. |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |
A hind's head between wings elevated and conjoined in base |
No. XV (Reserve) Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Panavia Tornado GR4 from RAF Lossiemouth. XV or 15 Sqn is the RAF's Operational 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.
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[edit] 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 to RAF Tengah in 1963, it was on hand as a show of force to deter Indonesia during the Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation. Following this, it was disbanded on 31st October 1964 upon withdrawal from overseas detachment.
XV Squadron were deployed to Saudi Arabia during the buildup to Operation Desert Storm, with the specific brief to knock out the Iraqi Air Force bases by bombing the runways. On their first mission, an ultra-low level daylight mission on Ar Rumaylah airfield with Squadron Leader Pablo Mason leading a flight of four Tornados, his number two crew of John Peters and navigator John Nichol were shot down and became POW's. Mason flew and led 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 using laser-guided bombs.[1]
[edit] 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.4 circa 2004
[edit] See also
- List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
- "Pablo" Mason - Sqdrn Ldr during the Gulf War[1]
- 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.
