| No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | February 1936 - May 1944 August 1945 - December 1947[1] |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Type | Training Unit |
| Role | Aircrew Training |
| Part of | RAF Coastal Command *No. 17 Group RAF |
| Insignia | |
| Identification Markings | Nil (1936 - 1944) 9KBeaufighter,Oxford (1945 - 1947)[2] |
No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit RAF, was a training unit of theRoyal Air Force. It was later allocated toNo. 17 Group RAF, which was part ofRAF Coastal Command. The unit was established during February 1936 and initially disbanded during May 1944, reforming in August 1945 and finally disbanding in December 1947[1]
'A' Torpedo Training Flight of RAF Base Gosport Training Squadron was redesignated atRAF Gosport, during February 1936, forming the Torpedo Training Unit.[1] The unit moved from RAF Gosport in March 1940, relocating toRAF Abbotsinch located inPaisley,Renfrewshire, west of the city ofGlasgow. Its primary role was totrainaircrew, for use oftorpedo bombermilitary aircraft, for both the Royal Air Force, and theRoyal Navy'sFleet Air Arm. The unit mainly usedFairey Swordfish, a Britishbiplane torpedo bomber, andBristol Beaufort, a British twin-engined torpedo bomber military aircraft, but also had small numbers ofBlackburn Shark, a Britishcarrier-borne torpedo bomber andBlackburn Botha, a British four-seatreconnaissance and torpedo bomber military aircraft. In November 1942 it moved toRAF Turnberry,[3] sited on headland along theFirth of Clyde inAyrshire, southwestScotland, overlooking theIsle of Arran andAilsa Craig, and the Torpedo Training Unit was redesignated as No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit from 1 January 1943 at RAF Turnberry.[1]
No. 2 Torpedo Training Unit
No. 2 Torpedo Training Unit RAF was formed withinNo. 17 Group RAF, on 19 December 1942 atRAF Castle Kennedy located inCastle Kennedy,Dumfries and Galloway,Scotland. It was equipped withWestland Lysander I, a Britisharmy co-operation andliaison aircraft,de Havilland Tiger Moth II, a 1930s Britishbiplane operated as a primarytrainer aircraft, Bristol Beaufort I,Airspeed Oxford II, a twin-enginemonoplane trainer aircraft andBristol Beaufighter VI, a Britishmulti-role aircraft. The unit existed for only nine months before being disbanded on 29 September 1943, being absorbed by No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit RAF.[2]
No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit
No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit continued in its role of torpedo bomber aircrew training at RAF Turnberry until it was absorbed byNo. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF, with No. 1 TTU disbanding on 22 May 1944.
It reformed on 1 August 1945 at RAF Turnberry, again as No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit,[2] but only operated there providing torpedo bomber aircrew training for less than four months, before relocating toRAF Tain, situated nearTain,Highlands inScotland, during November 1945. It remained in Scotland for around one year moving south toRAF Thorney Island, located onThorney Island,West Sussex, England, at the end of 1946.[4]
It was operational for a further year and then No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit disbanded 10 December 1947 at RAF Thorney Island.[5]
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The Torpedo Training Unit / No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit was equipped with numerous types and variants of aircraft:[5]
Torpedo Training Unit / No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit and No. 2 Torpedo Training Unit used a number Royal Air Force stations throughout their existence:[5]
Torpedo Training Unit
No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit
No. 2 Torpedo Training Unit
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