| Flying Boat Training Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 2 January 1939 - 5 October 1956 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Type | Operational Conversion Unit |
| Role | Flying boattraining |
| Part of | RAF Coastal Command |
Flying Boat Training Squadron RAF is a former Squadron of theRoyal Air Force which was operational between 1931 and 1956 through various names.
TheFlying Boat Training Squadron was formed on 2 January 1939 atRAF Calshot. It operatedSupermarine Stranraer I, a British biplane flying boat,Supermarine Scapa I, a British general reconnaissanceflying boat, andShort Singapore III, a British multi-enginedbiplane flying boat, before being disbanded and merged with theSeaplane Training Squadron to becomeNo. 4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit, on 16 March 1941.[1]
History of the Seaplane Training Squadron
TheSeaplane Training Squadron formed on 1 October 1931 at RAF Calshot by redesignating theSeaplane Training Flight, which itself had been formed on 5 February 1923 at RAF Calshot by redesignating an element of the disbandingSeaplane Training School, that was equipped with Fairey IIID, Fairey IIIF, and Supermarine Southampton I & II.[2]
The Seaplane Training Squadron had a Floatplane Training Flight and in April 1938 this became independent of the squadron. The squadron operated a number of aircraft types and variants:
The Seaplane Training Squadron disbanded on 16 March 1941 atRAF Wig Bay and merged with theFlying Boat Training Squadron to becomeNo. 4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF.[2]
History of No. 4 OTU
No. 4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF was formed on 16 March 1941.[3] Its role was to train flying boataircrew for RAF Coastal Command and the unit was formed withinNo. 17 Group RAF atRAF Stranraer. The unit was initially equipped withShort Singapore III, a British multi-enginedbiplaneflying boat and it later receivedSupermarine Stranraerflying boat,Consolidated Catalina, a flying boat andamphibious aircraft, andSaunders-Roe A.36 Lerwick, a British flying boat. No. 4 (C) OTU then moved ontoRAF Invergordon in June 1941, and in the following December it receivedShort Sunderland, a Britishflying boatpatrol bomber.[4] No. 4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit was equipped with numerous types and variants of aircraft:[3]
Flying boat aircrew training was split into two sections in February 1942. Operational training was done at RAF Invergordon, but initial flying boat training was relocated back at RAF Stranraer. However, with an expansion of RAF Invergordon completed, the latter element returned in November. The Consolidated Catalina were transferred toNo. 131 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF in Autumn 1943, and from Autumn 1944 the units land based aircraft briefly usedRAF Evanton and then moved toRAF Tain. In August 1946 No. 4 (C) OTU moved toRAF Pembroke Dock,[4] but just under twelve months later it disbanded, on 31 July 1947, to becomeNo. 235 Operational Conversion Unit RAF.[3]
History of No. 235 OCU
No. 235 Operational Conversion Unit was formed at RAF Calshot, as a redesignation of No. 4 (C) OTU, on 31 July 1947. It operatedShort Sunderland V flying boat, andShort Seaford, a British long rangemaritimepatrol bomber flying boat. Between August 1947 and April 1951 it was assigned thesquadron codeTA but then from April 1951 until October 1953 it had the squadron codeD.[5] The OCU disbanded on 17 October 1953 at RAF Calshot to become the Flying Boat Training Squadron.[6]
Reformation
TheFlying Boat Training Squadron was reformed at RAF Pembroke Dock on 17 October 1953 as a redesignation ofNo. 235 OCU. It operated with Short Sunderland V flying boat, before being disbanded less than 3 years later, on 5 October 1956, still at RAF Pembroke Dock.[1]
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