Squadrons are the main form of flying unit of the Royal Air Force (RAF). These include Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) squadrons incorporated into the RAF when it was formed on 1 April 1918, during the First World War. Other squadrons of the RAF include those from Commonwealth air forces which have served within the RAF structure and squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm before it transferred to the Royal Navy in 1939.
Some squadrons have an individual tradition of presenting their squadron number in Roman numerals or using a suffix to their squadron number (such as "(F)" for "Fighter", "(B)" for "Bomber" or "(AC)" for "Army Co-operation") to indicate a past or present role. An example would be No. 18 (Bomber) Squadron RAF which currently actually operates the heavy-lift Chinook helicopter. However, these practices have, at least in the past, been deprecated at higher levels and generally only apply to certain squadrons with long traditions, especially those numbered from 1 to 20.Why do some Squadrons have letter after their number? – PPRuNe Historical Squadrons can choose to 'lay up' their standards at RAF Cranwell or in places of worship following disbandment.
Flying training units and operational evaluation squadrons have generally been (Reserve) squadrons, although they are regular active-duty units. The policy of the (Reserve) numberplate was rescinded in February 2018, to coincide with the renaming of 22 (Training) Group to just 22 Group in line with other RAF Groups.
Some Squadron names include the location they were originally formed.
Regular RFC, RNAS, and RAF squadrons (Nos. 1–299) Squadrons in Bold Type are currently active
Nos. 1–50
Nos. 51–66
Nos. 67–71 During the First World War, in order to avoid confusion with similarly numbered British flying squadrons, units of the separate Australian Flying Corps were known for administrative purposes as 67, 68, 69, and 71 squadrons. Since the Second World War these numbers have always been used by RAF units.
However, the designation 70 (or LXX) Squadron has always been used for RFC/RAF units.
No. 67 Squadron 1916–18: No. 1 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps From 1941: No. 67 Squadron No. 68 Squadron 1916–18: No. 2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps From 1941: No. 68 Squadron No. 69 Squadron RAF 1916–18: No. 3 Squadron Australian Flying Corps From 1941: No. 69 Squadron No. LXX Squadron (Atlas C1) No. 71 Squadron 1916–18: No. 4 Squadron Australian Flying Corps From 1940: No. 71 Squadron (staffed by US volunteers in 1940–42)
Nos. 72–100
Nos. 101–150
Nos. 151–200
Nos. 201–250 The first squadrons to carry numbers above 200 were former RNAS squadrons that were renumbered upon amalgamation with 200 added to their RNAS squadron number. Independent flights of the RNAS were grouped together in squadrons and given numbers in the 200 series.
Nos. 251–299
Nos. 300–352 Squadrons in the 300–352 series were staffed during the Second World War by volunteers from countries in occupied Europe. In some cases, these RAF squadrons and personnel were regarded by a relevant government-in-exile as serving concurrently with its air force.
Similarly, in 1940–42, three "Eagle Squadrons" were composed of volunteers from the US: No. 71 (Eagle) Squadron, later 334th Fighter Squadron USAAF; No. 121 (Eagle) Squadron, later 335th Fighter Squadron USAAF and No. 133 (Eagle) Squadron, later 336th Fighter Squadron USAAF.
Polish (300–309) See also Squadrons Nos. 315–318, 663 and Polish Fighting Team (under Other) No. 300 "Land of Masovia" Polish Bomber Squadron (Ziemi Mazowieckiej) No. 301 "Land of Pomerania" Polish Bomber Squadron (Ziemi Pomorskiej) No. 302 "City of Poznań" Polish Fighter Squadron (Poznański) No. 303 "Kosciuszko" Polish Fighter Squadron (Warszawski im. Tadeusza Kościuszki) No. 304 "Land of Silesia" Polish Bomber Squadron (Ziemi Śląskiej im. Ks. Józefa Poniatowskiego) No. 305 "Land of Greater Poland" Polish Bomber Squadron (Ziemi Wielkopolskiej im. Marszałka Józefa Piłsudskiego) No. 306 "City of Toruń" Polish Fighter Squadron (Toruński) No. 307 "City of Lwów" Polish Fighter Squadron (Lwowskich Puchaczy) No. 308 "City of Kraków" Polish Fighter Squadron (Krakowski) No. 309 "Land of Czerwień" Polish Fighter-Reconnaissance Squadron (Ziemi Czerwieńskiej)
Czechoslovak (310–313)
(Note: the RAF has never had a flying unit named 314 Squadron, although it has used the number for No. 314 Technical Services Unit. A proposed 314 Squadron was allocated squadron code "UY" during the period April to September 1939, but was never formed.)
Polish (315–318) See also Squadrons Nos. 300–309, 663 and Polish Fighting Team (under Other)
Note: the RAF never had a No. 319 Squadron; the "Polish Fighting Team" was attached to No. 145 Fighter Squadron. A proposed 319 Squadron was allocated squadron codes VE for the period April to September 1939. There was also 663 Artillery Observation Squadron; No. 138 Special Duty Squadron Polish Flight "C" and No. 1586 Polish Special Duty Flight.
Dutch (320–325)
Note: Nos. 323 to 325 Squadrons were not formed, but allocated Squadron Codes GN, PQ and EA respectively for the period April to September 1939. However these numbers were used for post-war Royal Netherlands Air Force squadrons.
French (326–329) See also Nos. 340–347 Squadron
Norwegian (330–334)
Greek (335–339)
Note: Nos: 337–339 never formed,Axis History Forum: RAF Unit Numbers query? but were allocated Squadron Codes OK, ML and KN respectively for the period April to September 1939. The Royal Hellenic Air Force 13th Light Bomber Squadron was also under RAF command in World War II.
French (340–347) See also Nos. 326–329 Squadron
Note: No. 348 Squadron was not formed,No 330 – 352 Squadron Histories, Air of Authority but Squadron codes letters FR were allocated for the period April to September 1939.
Belgian (349–350)
Yugoslavian (351–352)
Nos. 353–361
Note: Nos. 362–399 Squadrons were not formed.Axis History Forum • View topic – RAF Unit Numbers query?
Article XV squadrons of World War II (Nos. 400–490) Under Article XV of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan, the air forces of Australia, Canada and New Zealand formed squadrons for service under RAF operational control. Most were new formations, however some had already existed prior to the creation of Article XV and had already been operational during the war, including combat operations.
Royal Canadian Air Force (400–443)
Note: Although squadron numbers 444 to 449 were also reserved for the RCAF, it did not use them during the Second World War.
Royal Australian Air Force (450–467)
Note: Although squadron numbers 465 and 468 to 479 were also reserved for the RAAF during the Second World War, it did not use them.
Royal New Zealand Air Force (485–490)
Note: Although the squadron numbers 491 to 499 were reserved for RNZAF units during the Second World War, no such squadrons were formed.
Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadrons (Nos. 500–509) Formed as "Special Reserve" squadrons but absorbed into the Royal Auxiliary Air Force
Note: No. 505, 506, 507, 508 and 509 Squadrons allocated Squadron codes YF, FS, GX, DY and BQ respectively for the period April to September 1939, but were never formed. A non-flying 505 Squadron was formed as a General Support Squadron in 2015.
Regular RAF squadrons (Nos. 510–598)
Note: No No. 599 Squadron seems to have been formed. There were to have been Reserve squadrons using numbers 551–566 which would have been created by adding 500 to existing Operational Training Unit designations. In the event the plan was never put into effect, although there was some desultory use of some of the numbers by some of the OTUs for a short period. Despite their lack of formal activation, this block of numbers has never been re-allocated for use by other units.
Advanced Training Squadrons (550–565) In the event of a German Invasion the Operational Training Units would have been re-formed into the Squadrons below, under plans as part of Operation Saracen, formulated in Spring 1940, which were later revised as Operation Banquet. Some reserve Squadron numbers were used by their respective OTU's during operational tasks until at least May 1944.
No. 550 Squadron – Air Fighting Development Unit (Banquet) No. 551 Squadron – 51 Operational Training Unit (Saracen and Banquet) No. 552 Squadron – 51 Operational Training Unit (Saracen and Banquet) No. 553 Squadron – 53 Operational Training Unit (Saracen and Banquet) No. 554 Squadron – 53 Operational Training Unit (Saracen and Banquet) No. 555 Squadron – 55 Operational Training Unit (Saracen and Banquet) No. 556 Squadron – 56 Operational Training Unit (Saracen and Banquet) No. 557 Squadron – 57 Operational Training Unit (Saracen and Banquet) No. 558 Squadron – 58 Operational Training Unit (Saracen and Banquet) No. 559 Squadron – 59 Operational Training Unit (Saracen and Banquet) No. 560 Squadron – 56 Operational Training Unit (Banquet) No. 561 Squadron – 61 Operational Training Unit (Saracen and Banquet) No. 562 Squadron – 57 Operational Training Unit (Banquet) No. 563 Squadron – 58 Operational Training Unit (Banquet) No. 564 Squadron – 59 Operational Training Unit (Banquet) No. 565 Squadron – 61 Operational Training Unit (Banquet)
Royal Auxiliary Air Force Squadrons (600–616)
Note: No. 606 Squadron RAF was allocated Squadron codes BG for the period April to September 1939, but was not formed. A non-flying No. 606 Helicopter Support Squadron of the RAuxAF was later formed in 1999.
Regular RAF squadrons (Nos. 617–650)
Note: Nos. 629, 632–634, 636–638, 641–643 and 645–649 were never formed,The Royal Air Force – History Section but some were allocated Squadron codes for the period April to September 1939 – 629 (LQ), 632 (LO), 636 (VZ), 637 (UK), 638 (PZ), 641 (EV), 645 (KF), 646 (YG), 647 (ZS), 648 (YT) and 649 (HA). However a fictional "633 Squadron" was featured in the eponymous novel and film. In addition, a fictional 641 Squadron featured in the film "Mosquito Squadron". Also, RAF Volunteer Gliding Squadrons (formerly Volunteer Gliding Schools until 2005) have been numbered in the range 611 to 671 since 1955.
Air observation post squadrons These squadrons were formed during the Second World War to perform artillery spotting and liaison roles, in co-operation with Army units. Most AOP squadron aircrew were provided by the Army. Nos. 661–664 and 666 Squadron were re-formed as Royal Auxiliary Air Force units in 1949. Nos. 651, 652 and 656 Squadron were transferred to the Army Air Corps in 1957.No 651 – 670 Squadron Histories, Air of Authority
Regular RAF squadrons (Nos. 667–695)
Note: Nos. 693–694 and 696–699 Squadrons were never formed.
Fleet Air Arm squadrons
While still under the control of the Royal Air Force, flights of the Fleet Air Arm (FAA) were organised into squadrons with numbers in the 700 and 800 range. The range 700 to 750 had been previously used for Fleet Air Arm Catapult Flight numbers.
These squadrons were transferred to the Royal Navy (RN) in 1939, becoming Royal Naval Air Squadrons (RNAS). The 700 and 800 range of squadron numbers continued to be used by the Royal Navy for newly formed Royal Naval Air Squadrons.
Training Depot Stations Training Depot Stations (TDS) were still in use after the formation of the Royal Air Force in 1918.
University Air Squadrons