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No. V (AC) Squadron RAF
Squadron badge
Active	26 July 1913 – 1 April 1918 (RFC) 1 April 1918 – 20 January 1920 (RAF) 1 April 1920 – 1 August 1947 11 February 1949 – 25 September 1951 1 March 1952 – 12 October 1957 20 January 1959 – 7 October 1965 8 October 1965 – 30 September 2002 1 April 2004 – 31 March 2021
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Flying squadron
Motto(s)	Frangas non flectas (Latin for 'Thou mayst break, but shall not bend me')
Battle honours	Western Front (1914–1918) Mons (1914)* Neuve Chappelle (1915) Ypres (1917) Loos (1915) Arras (1917) Somme (1918)* Amiens (1918)* Hindenburg Line (1918) Waziristan (1920–1925) Mohmand (1927) North West Frontier (1930–1931) North West Frontier (1935–1939) Arakan (1942–1944)* Manipur (1944) Burma (1944–1945)* Libya (2011) * Honours marked with an asterisk may be emblazoned on the Squadron Standard
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldry	A maple leaf, commemorating the squadron's close links with the Canadian Corps during the First World War. Approved by King George VI in June 1937.
Squadron roundel
Squadron codes	QN (Apr 1939 – allocated but possibly not used) OQ (Sep 1939 – Feb 1941, Mar 1946 – Aug 1947) B (Mar 1952 – 1955) A (Aug 1986 – Dec 1987) CA–CZ (Tornado F.3)

Number 5 (Army Co-operation) Squadron (although His Majesty the King awarded No. V (Army Cooperation) Squadron) was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It most recently operated the Raytheon Sentinel R1 Airborne STand-Off Radar (ASTOR) aircraft from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, between April 2004 until March 2021.

First formed in July 1913, the squadron served throughout the First World War, holding the distinction of gaining the first loss and kill for the Royal Flying Corps. No. V Squadron relocated to India in 1920 where it remained during the Second World War. During the Cold War, No. 5 (Fighter) Squadron flew the English Electric Lightning and Panavia Tornado F3.

History

Formation to First World War

No. 5 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was formed at Farnborough, Hampshire, on 26 July 1913, from members of No. 3 Squadron. Following the outbreak of the First World War, No. V Squadron deployed to France on 15 August 1914, equipped with a variety of aircraft types to implement reconnaissance for the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). It flew its first missions on 21 August and on the next day, an Avro 504 of No. 5 Squadron was the first British aircraft to be shot down, its crew of pilot Second Lieutenant Vincent Waterfall and navigator Lieutenant Charles George Gordon Bayly being killed over Belgium. On 24 August, No. V Squadron became the first unit in the RFC to shoot down an enemy aircraft with gunfire when Lt. Wilson and Lt. Rabagliati shot down a German Etrich Taube near Le Cateau-Cambrésis.

From 24 March until 7 April 1917 the squadron was based at La Gorgue in northern France.

No. 5 Squadron standardised on the Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2, specialising as observers for artillery, re-equipping with the Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 in May 1917, and working closely with the Canadian Corps, through to the end of the war and into 1919, when it moved into Germany as part of the Army of Occupation. (Its association with the Canadian Corps led to the incorporation of a maple leaf in the squadron's badge when it was approved in June 1937).

Interwar years

No. V Squadron returned to the UK in September 1919 before disbanding on 20 January 1920. The squadron was reformed at Quetta, India (now part of Pakistan) on 1 April 1920, when No. 48 Squadron was renumbered. There it continued working in Army Air Cooperation for operations on the North West Frontier. Upon reformation the unit was equipped with the Bristol F.2B which were flown up until 1931. In May 1931, No. 5 Squadron began to convert to the Westland Wapiti Mk.IIa.

Second World War

At the outbreak of war in September 1939, No. 5 Squadron were based at Fort Sandeman, still equipped with the Westland Wapiti biplane. The squadron became a light bomber unit when it converted to the Hawker Hart in June 1940. No. 5 Squadron further converted to the Hawker Audax in February 1941, using it as a fighter. In December 1941, the squadron relocated to RAF Dum Dum, Calcutta, and began to receive their first monoplane – the American-built Curtiss Mohawk Mk.IV. Posted to RAF Dinjan, Assam, in May 1942, No. V Squadron became tasked with escorting Bristol Blenheim bombers over north west Burma.

The Mohawks were replaced by Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIcs and Mk.IIds in June 1943 while the squadron was based at RAF Kharagpur. In September 1944, No. 5 Squadron converted to the Republic Thunderbolt Mk.I and Mk.II. In May 1945, No. V Squadron was withdrawn from the front line in preparation for the liberation of Malaya from Japanese occupation, however this was never carried out due to the Japanese Empire surrendering on 15 August 1945.

Cold War

Remaining in India, No. 5 Squadron converted to Hawker Tempest F.2 in February 1946, but disbanded on 1 August 1947 due to the Partition of India. On 11 February 1949, the squadron reformed at RAF Pembrey in Wales for target-towing duties when No. 595 Squadron was renumbered, however the squadron was shortly disbanded on 25 September 1951. The squadron was reformed at RAF Wunstorf, West Germany, on 1 March 1952, and were equipped with the de Havilland Vampire F.5. No. V Squadron converted over to the de Havilland Venom FB.1 in December 1952. The 1957 Defence White Paper saw the disbandment of No. 5 Squadron on 12 October 1957 while operating the Venom FB.5.

On 20 January 1959, the squadron was reformed as a night fighter unit at RAF Laarbruch, West Germany, flying the Gloster Meteor NF.11. No. 5 Squadron began converting to the delta winged Gloster Javelin FAW.5 in January 1960. When No. 33 Squadron was disbanded on 17 December 1962, No. V Squadron was allocated the former unit's Javelin FAW.9, along with crew members. No. 5 Squadron itself was disbanded on 7 October 1965 at RAF Geilenkirchen.

Lightning and Tornado (1965–2003)

The squadron reformed as No V (AC) Squadron at RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire, on 8 October 1965 with the English Electric Lightning interceptor. However, upon reformation the unit did not initially operate a Lightning, with the squadron first flying Hawker Hunter T.7A WV318 fitted with Lightning instruments. No V (AC) Squadron's first Lightning arrived on 19 November, when Lightning T.5 XS451 was delivered to RAF Binbrook. The squadron's first single seat Lightnings arrived on 10 December 1965, when Lightning F.3s XR755 and XR756 were delivered. No. V (AC) Squadron received their first production Lightning F.6 on 3 January 1967, with the arrival of XS894. Between 6 and 25 October 1967, the squadron deployed to RAF Luqa, Malta, with nine Lightning F.6s and a single Lighting T.5 for an Air Defence Exercise (ADEX) against Avro Vulcan B.2s of No. 50 Squadron. No 5 (AC) Squadron deployed to RAF Luqa once again between 1 and 8 August 1968 for Exercise Nimble.

Notably, over Christmas 1969, V(AC) Squadron deployed on reinforcement Exercise Ultimacy to RAF Tengah, Singapore using in flight refuelling and stopping only once en route at RAF Masirah in Oman. Long-distance route proving with the new overwing tanks had taken place previously in 1968 with a limited non stop deployment to RAF Muharraq in Bahrain.

In 1970, the squadron received a pair of Lightning F.1As (XM181 and XM183), which were used as targets for the Lightning F.6s due to them being lighter and more nimble (these were later replaced with Lightning F.3s). On 8 September 1970, the squadron lost Lightning F.6 XS894 when it crashed near Flamborough Head, Yorkshire, killing the pilot USAF Capt. William Schaffner. No. V (F) Squadron deployed two Lighting F.3s, seven Lightning F.6s and a single two-seat T.5 to RAF Luqa between 18 November and 13 December 1974, as part of Exercise Sunfinder alongside Avro Shackleton AEW.2s of No. 8 Squadron and English Electric Canberra B.2s of No. 85 Squadron. Between 5 April and 7 May 1976, the squadron deployed to RAF Luqa with ten Lightning F.6s for an APC. No V (AC) Squadron's last APC deployment to RAF Luqa was between 31 March and 5 May 1977.

In November 1987, No. V (AC) Squadron put up a nine-ship of Lightning F.6s to mark the type's impending withdrawal after 22 years of service. The last Lightnings were withdrawn by December 1987, with the squadron relocating to RAF Coningsby in preparation for the Panavia Tornado F.3. No V (AC) Squadron received their first Tornado F.3 in January 1988.

In August 1990, V (AC) Squadron was the first RAF squadron (accompanied by No. 29 (F) Squadron) to be deployed as part the UK's contribution to the Gulf War, with the first six Tornado F.3s arriving on 11 August at Dhahran Airfield, Saudi Arabia. Between 1993 and 1995, the squadron helped enforce the no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of Operation Deny Flight. No V (AC) Squadron disbanded on 30 September 2002, with personnel being reassigned to other units.

Sentinel R1 (2004–2021)

The squadron reformed on 1 April 2004 as No. 5 (Army Co-operation) Squadron at RAF Waddington. The first production Raytheon Sentinel R1 made its maiden flight on 26 May 2004. The ASTOR system officially entered service with the No. 5 (AC) Squadron on 1 December 2008. The fifth and last Sentinel to be delivered to the squadron was ZJ694 in February 2009. Full Operating Capability was achieved at the end of 2010. The new radar-equipped aircraft provides battlefield and ground surveillance for the British Army in a similar role to the American Northrop Grumman E-8 Joint STARS aircraft. In 2011, Sentinels from No. V (AC) Squadron participated in operations over Libya as part of Operation Ellamy, which were later described as pivotal by RAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton.

Between 2009 and 2011, No. V (AC) Squadron also briefly operated four Hawker Beechcraft Shadow R.1, based on the Beechcraft King Air 350. The first Shadow R.1 (ZZ416) was delivered to the squadron in May 2009. These were transferred over to the newly reformed No. 14 Squadron in October 2011.

On 25 January 2013, a Sentinel R1 deployed to Dakar-Ouakam Air Base, Senegal, to assist with France's Operation Serval in Mali. Over the course of a four-month long detachment, Sentinels flew a total of 697 hours across 66 sorties. On 18 May 2014, the squadron deployed a Sentinel to Kotoka International Airport, Ghana, in order to assist with searching for 223 schoolgirls who had been kidnapped by Boko Haram in Nigeria. In September 2014, the squadron temporarily relocated to RAF Cranwell along with No. 14 Squadron due to the resurfacing of RAF Waddington's runway which took over a year to complete. No. 5 (AC) Squadron sent a single Sentinel R.1 to Exercise Red Flag 15–1 at Nellis AFB, Nevada, between 26 January and 13 February 2015. On 26 March 2015, No. 5 (AC) Squadron deployed two Sentinel R1s to RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus, in support of Operation Shader.

In July 2017, Sentinel R.1 ZJ693 was withdrawn from use, with the remaining four Sentinels being given an out of service date (OSD) of 2021. In February 2020, the OSD was confirmed by the Ministry of Defence as March 2021. On 25 February 2021, ZJ694 carried out No. V (AC) Squadron's last Sentinel R.1 operational sortie. Across the Sentinel's 14 years of service, the squadron flew 32,000 hours across 4,870 sorties. The squadron was subsequently disbanded on 31 March 2021.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by No. 5 Squadron include:

• Farman MF.7 Longhorn (July 1913–July 1914)
• Farman HF.20 (July 1913–July 1914)
• Farman MF.7 Longhorn (July 1913–Mar 1915)
• Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.2a (Jan 1914–Mar 1914)
• Sopwith Three-seater (Feb 1914–Aug 1914)
• Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.1 (1914–Aug 1914)
• Sopwith Tabloid (June 1914–Aug 1914)
• Avro 504 (July 1914–Aug 1915)
• Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.8 (Aug 1914–Sep 1914)
• Farman HF.27 (Sep 1914–Sep 1914)
• Bristol Scout (Sep 1914–Oct 1914; 1915–Mar 1915)
• Martinsyde S.1 (Jan 1915–Aug 1915)
• Voisin LA (Feb 1915–Mar 1915)
• Blériot Parasol (Mar 1915–May 1915)
• Vickers F.B.5 (Mar 1915–Jan 1916)
• Caudron G.3 (Apr 1915–May 1915)
• Airco DH.2 (July 1915–Aug 1915; Jan 1916–May 1916)
• Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c (Aug 1915–Apr 1917)
• Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.8 (Dec 1915–May 1916)
• Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2d (June 1916–June 1917)
• Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e (Jan 1917–June 1917)
• Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2f (Jan 1917–June 1917)
• Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2g (Jan 1917–June 1917)
• Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 (May 1917–Mar 1918)
• Bristol F.2B (Mar 1919–Sep 1919; Apr 1920–May 1931)
• Westland Wapiti Mk.IIa (May 1931–June 1940)
• Hawker Hart (June 1940–Feb 1941)
• Hawker Audax (Feb 1941–Sep 1942)
• Curtiss Mohawk Mk.IV (Dec 1941–June 1943)
• Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc (June 1943–Sep 1944)
• Hawker Hurricane Mk.IId (June 1943–Sep 1944)
• Republic Thunderbolt Mk.I (Sep 1944–Feb 1946)
• Republic Thunderbolt Mk.II (Sep 1944–Feb 1946)
• Hawker Tempest F.2 (Mar 1946–Aug 1947)
• Supermarine Spitfire LF.16e (Feb 1949–Feb 1951)
• Miles Martinet TT.1 (Feb 1949–Feb 1951)
• Airspeed Oxford T.1 (Feb 1949–Feb 1951)
• Bristol Beaufighter TT.10 (Feb 1949–Feb 1951)
• de Havilland Vampire F.3 (Aug 1950–Sep 1951)
• de Havilland Vampire FB.5 (Mar 1952–Dec 1952)
• de Havilland Venom FB.1 (Dec 1952–July 1955)
• de Havilland Venom FB.4 (July 1955–Oct 1957)
• Gloster Meteor NF.11 (Jan 1959–Aug 1960)
• Gloster Javelin FAW.5 (Jan 1960–Nov 1962)
• Gloster Javelin FAW.9 (Nov 1962–Oct 1965)
• Hawker Hunter T.7A (Oct 1965–196?)
• English Electric Lightning T.5 (Nov 1965–1987)
• English Electric Lightning F.3 (Dec 1965–Jan 1967; Oct 1972–Sep 1987)
• English Electric Lightning F.6 (Dec 1966–Dec 1987)
• English Electric Lightning F.1A (June 1970–Sep 1972)
• Panavia Tornado F3 (Jan 1988–Sep 2002)
• Raytheon Sentinel R1 (2006–March 2021)
• Hawker Beechcraft Shadow R1 (May 2009–Oct 2011)

Notable members

• Rex Hunt - Governor of Falklands Islands

See also

• List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

1. Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 87. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
2. ^ "V (AC) Squadron". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
3. ^ "RAF Retires Sentinel Aircraft And Disbands V(AC) Squadron". Forces Network. 31 March 2021. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
4. Lewis 1959, p.14.
5. ^ "No 5 Squadron". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
6. ^ Ashworth 1989, p.34.
7. Jackson 1990 p.56
8. "Casualty Details:Vincent Waterfall". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
9. "Casualty Details:Charles Bayly". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 24 December 2016.
10. ^ "No.5 Squadron". Royal Air Force Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
11. "5 (Army Cooperation) Squadron Royal Air Force". RAF-Lincolnshire. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
12. "La Gorgue". Anciens Aérodromes (in French). 7 March 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
13. Ashworth 1989, pp. 34–35.
14. ^ "5 Squadron". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 11 April 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
15. ^ "No 5 Squadron Aircraft & Markings 1913 - 1951". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
16. ^ "No. 5 Squadron (RAF): Second World War". History of War. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
17. ^ Ashworth 1989, p.356.
18. ^ "No 5 Squadron Aircraft & Markings 1950 - Current". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
19. "No.33 Squadron". Royal Air Force Museum. Retrieved 23 April 2020.
20. ^ "5 Squadron". The Lightning Association. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
21. "Lightning T.5 Production batch, 22 aircraft". The Lightning Association. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
22. "Lightning F.3 Production batch, 70 built". The Lightning Association. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
23. "Lightning F.6 production batch, 39 aircraft built". The Lightning Association. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
24. ^ "Armaments Practice Camps – Lightnings". Aviation in Malta. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
25. Bowman, Martin (2009). Lightning Strikes Twice. Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1848684935.
26. "F.1A built at Salmesbury". The Lightning Association. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
27. "Accident English Electric Lightning F6 XS894, 08 Sep 1970". Aviation Safety Network. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
28. "United Kingdom". Panavia. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
29. "1990/91 The Gulf War - Operation Granby and RAF Tornado Dawn Tabuk". World Air War History. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
30. "House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 12 Feb 2003". parliament.uk. UK Parliament. 12 February 2003. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
31. "ASTOR Enters Service in U.K." Raytheon. 1 December 2008. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
32. "Raytheon Delivers Final Sentinel R Mk 1 Aircraft for U.K. ASTOR System". Defence Aerospace. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
33. "ASTOR Enters Service". Air International, Vol 76 No. 1, January 2009. p.5.
34.  This article incorporates public domain material from Factsheets : E-8C Joint Stars. United States Air Force. Retrieved 29 August 2014. August 2013.
35. "Coalition operations in Libya to continue". gov.uk. Ministry of Defence. 21 March 2011. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
36. "Reprieve for axed Sentinel R1 spy plane". British Forces News. 23 November 2011. Archived from the original on 11 May 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
37. Royal Air Force Yearbook 2009, p23
38. "Military Aircraft Markings Update number 49, June 2009" (PDF). Military Aircraft Markings. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
39. "UK commits to major upgrade for Shadow surveillance fleet". Flight Global. 14 September 2011. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
40. "14 Squadron". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
41. "RAF Sentinel aircraft deploys to Africa". gov.uk. Ministry of Defence. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
42. Hoyle, Craig (10 July 2013). "Royal Air Force lifts lid on Sentinel's role in Mali". Flight Global. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
43. "UK deploys RAF Sentinel to help search for missing schoolgirls". gov.uk. Ministry of Defence. 18 May 2014. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
44. "RAF Waddington - Royal Air Force" (PDF). www.raf.mod.uk.
45. Grant, Jason (14 February 2015). "Red Flag 15-1". Aero Resource. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
46. "Nellis AFB hosts Red Flag 15-1 Jan 26 to Feb. 13, 2015". Nellis Air Force Base. 5 December 2014. Archived from the original on 31 March 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
47. "UK troops to train moderate Syrian opposition". gov.uk. Ministry of Defence. 26 March 2015. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
48. Allison, George (17 July 2017). "Sentinel fleet cut by one aircraft but gains reprieve until 2021". UK Defence Journal. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
49. Ripley, Tim (18 February 2020). "UK faces ASTOR capability gap from 2021". Jane's 360. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
50. Allison, George (25 February 2021). "Sentinel R1 completes final sortie before being sold". UK Defence Journal. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
51. "RAF Sentinel R1 aircraft conducts last operational flight". Royal Air Force. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
52. "Memories of a Line Chief, 5 Squadron Lightnings, 1967- 68". The Lightning Association. March 2003. Retrieved 24 April 2020.

Bibliography

• Ashworth, Chris. Encyclopedia of Modern Royal Air Force Squadrons. Wellingborough, UK:PSL, 1989. ISBN 1-85260-013-6.
• Bartlett, S/Ldr C.P.O., DSC. Bomber Pilot, 1916–18. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan, 1974. ISBN 0-7110-0545-1.
• Bartlett, S/Ldr C.P.O., DSC. In the Teeth of the Wind (The Story of a Naval Pilot on the Western Front, 1916–1918). London: Leo Cooper, 1994. ISBN 0-85052-318-4.
• Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
• Jackson, A. J. Avro Aircraft since 1908. London:Putnam, Second edition, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-834-8.
• Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.
• Lewis, Peter. Squadron Histories: R.F.C, R.N.A.S and R.A.F., 1912–59. London: Putnam, 1959.
• Moxon, Oliver. Bitter Monsoon: The Memoirs of a Fighter Pilot. London: Robert Hale, 1955. (Being the Memoirs of Stephan James, Burma 1944).
• Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
• Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (new edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
• Strange, L.A. Recollections of an Airman. London: Greenhill Books, 1989. ISBN 1-85367-043-X. (Reprint of the original edition of 1933, with new material added).
• Yoxall, John. "No. 5 Squadron: A History of the "Fighting Fifth": Part 1". Flight, Vol. 72, No. 2543, 18 October 1957. pp. 618–623.
• Yoxall, John. "No. 5 Squadron: A History of the "Fighting Fifth": Part 2". Flight, Vol. 72, No. 2544, 25 October 1957. pp. 642–646.
• Yoxall, John. "No. 5 Squadron: A History of the "Fighting Fifth": Part 3". Flight, Vol. 72, No. 2546, 8 November 1957. pp. 745–746.

External links

• RAF – 5 Squadron

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inactive	5 15 21 26 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 43 44 46 47 48 49 50 52 53 55 58 59 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 71 73 74 75 76 77 79 81 82 83 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 93 94 95 96 97 98 100 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 116 117 118 119 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 203 204 205 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 353 354 355 356 357 358 360 361 510 511 512 513 514 515 516 517 518 519 520 521 524 525 526 527 528 529 530 531 532 533 534 535 536 537 538 539 540 541 542 543 544 547 548 549 550 567 569 570 571 575 576 577 578 582 586 587 595 597 598 618 619 620 621 623 624 625 626 627 628 629 630 631 635 639 640 644 650 651 652 653 654 655 656 657 658 659 660 661 662 663 664 665 666 667 668 669 670 671 672 673 679 680 681 682 683 684 691 692 695
Australian Flying Corps units attached to the RAF during the First World War	67 (1 Sqn AFC) 68 (2 Sqn AFC) 69 (3 Sqn AFC) 71 (4 Sqn AFC)
Article XV (Commonwealth) air force units attached to the RAF during the Second World War	Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) 450 451 452 453 454 455 456 457 458 459 460 461 462 463 464 466 467 Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) 485 486 487 488 489 490
squadrons formed from non-Commonwealth personnel during the Second World War	Argentine 164 Belgian 349 350 Czechoslovak 310 311 312 313 Dutch 320 (Netherlands) 321 (Netherlands) 322 (Dutch) French 326 327 328 329 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 Greek 13 335 336 Norwegian 330 331 332 333 334 Polish 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 308 309 315 316 317 318 663 United States 71 121 133 Yugoslav 351 352
Royal Auxiliary Air Force	Special Reserve 500 501 502 503 504 Auxiliary Air Force 600 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608 609 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 622
Fleet Air Arm of the RAF (1924–1939)	712 715 718 800 801 802 803 810 811 812 813 814 820 821 822 823 824 825
Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (VGS)	current 611 615 621 622 626 631 632 637 644 645 661 former 612 613 614 616 617 618 623 624 625 633 634 635 636 642 643 662 663 664

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