No. 1312 Flight RAF

No. 1312 Flight RAF

A 1312 Flight C-130 taking-off at RAF Stanley
Active 19 Apr 1944 - 21 Jul 1944
14 Sep 1954 - 1 Apr 1957
20 Aug 1983 - present[1]
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Role Transport
(1944; 1954-1957)
Aerial refueling and transport
(1983-present)
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry No known badge
Squadron Codes No known identification code for the flight is known to have been carried

No. 1312 Flight is an independent flight of the Royal Air Force, supporting at present the defence of the Falkland Islands.

While the UK officially does not foresee any threat to the Falkland Islands, it maintains significant military forces as a deterrent against any aggressor. These forces also protect South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The Royal Air Force contribution to this deterrent is based at RAF Mount Pleasant, the primary component of which is No. 1435 Flight, with its four Eurofighter Typhoons providing air defence.

1312 Flight operates in support of this force providing aerial refuelling, air transport, search and rescue and maritime patrol. The latter is an important mission to the Falkland Islands government as the Hercules verifies that all fishing vessels are licensed; at £1,000 per licence per season this is an important source of income.

Contents

History

1312 (Transport) Flight was first formed on 19 April 1944 at RAF Llandow. It operated 6 Avro Ansons to collect and deliver aircrew involved in the ferrying replacement aircraft. After June 1944 it was involved in transporting wounded serviceman back to England from France until it was disbanded on 21 July 1944.[2][3]

The flight was re-formed on 14 September 1954, at RAF Abingdon, as 1312 (Transport Support) Flight operating the Handley Page Hastings and later the Vickers Valetta, disbanding on 1 April 1957.[1][3]

1312 (In-Flight Refuelling) Flight re-formed again on the 20 August 1983 at RAF Stanley before moving to the newly opened RAF Mount Pleasant in 1986.[4] The original task was to operate the Lockheed Hercules on air-to-air refueling missions, but these were later replaced by VC10s (borrowed from 101 Squadron) and Hercules C.1s from the Lyneham Wing.[3]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 1312 Flight RAF, data from[1][3]
From To Aircraft Version Example
19 April 1944 21 July 1944 Avro Anson Mk.I
Mk.X		 NK692
NK696
14 September 1954 1 April 1957 Handley Page Hastings C.1
C.2		 TG615 'L'
WD485
February 1955 1 April 1957 Vickers Valetta C.1 WD158; VL274
20 August 1983 31 March 1996 Lockheed Hercules C.1K XV201
31 March 1996 present Vickers VC10
Lockheed Hercules		 K.4
C.1		 ZD242 'P'
..

Flight bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 1312 Flight RAF, data from[1][3]
From To Base
19 April 1944 21 July 1944 RAF Llandow, Glamorgan, Wales
14 September 1954 1 April 1957 RAF Abingdon, Oxfordshire
20 August 1983 1986 RAF Stanley, Falkland Islands
1986 present RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands

See also

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b c d Lake 1999, pp. 84-85.
  2. ^ Lake 1999, p. 84.
  3. ^ a b c d e Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 118.
  4. ^ Lake 1999, p. 85.
Bibliography
  • 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.

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