No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF

No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit

Ensign of the Royal Air Force
Active April 1940-October 1943
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Role Training
Aircraft flown
Bomber Lockheed Hudson
Bristol Blenheim
Bristol Beaufighter
Trainer Avro Anson

No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF was a training unit operated by the Royal Air Force Coastal Command.[1] The unit was established during April 1940 by the renaming of a Coastal Command unit[1] and disbanded during October 1943.[2][3]

History

Blackburn Botha of the unit at RAF Silloth, World War II

The unit originally started out life as the RAF Coastal Command Landplane Pilots Pool based at RAF Silloth in Cumbria training crews for landplanes flying Avro Ansons, Lockheed Hudsons, Bristol Blenheims and Bristol Beauforts. However during April 1940 the unit was renamed to No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit and before long with the creation of more OTU's the unit started to specialise in training Hudson crews.[1][4]

On 23 March 1943 the unit moved to RAF Thornaby[1] before disbanding during October 1943.[2]

Airfields used

Accidents

During September 1942 a Lockheed Hudson Mk.I N7325 of the unit crashed on Cross Fell in the Peak District.[5]

See also

References

Citations

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "No 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 "RAF Thornaby". Control Towers. Retrieved 30 April 2012.
  3. Sturtivant 2007, p. 198.
  4. Lake 1999, p. 144.
  5. "Lockheed Hudson Mk.I N7325 / B-59 of No.1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit". Peak District Air Accident Research. Retrieved 30 April 2012.

Bibliography

External links

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