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Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
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236 - 242 Operational Conversion Units
[Badges]
This unit formed at Kinloss to train general reconnaissance and Beaufighter crews on 31 July 1947 by redesignating No 6 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit, equipped with Lancasters, Spitfires and Beaufighters. The Lancasters were replaced by Neptunes and later Shackletons and on 1 October 1956 it was merged with No 1 School of Maritime Reconnaissance to form the Maritime Operational Training Unit.
It was reformed by renaming MOTU at St Mawgan on 1 July 1970 to train Nimrod crews, but was disbanded on 1 October 1992 when it was renamed No 42 (Reserve) Sqn.
Shadow/Reserve
Squadron designations: -
| Squadron | From | To |
| No 38 (R) | 1 Jul 1970 | 30 Sep 1992 |
Codes
used: -
| K7 | 1947 - 1951 |
| D | 1950 - 1956 |
This was formed
at Benson from No 8 OTU on 31 July 1947 as the Photographic Reconnaissance OCU,
equipped with Mosquito and Spitfire aircraft. It
moved to Leuchars on 15 April 1948, to Benson on 3 October 1950 and then to
Bassingbourn on 3 October 1951, where it was absorbed by No 231
OCU on 29 February 1952.
It reformed
in April 1955 from ‘C’ (PR) Sqn of No 231
OCU at
Merryfield near Ilminster, Somerset
equipped with
Canberra B2, T4 and PR3s.
By September 1955 they were joined by Meteor T7 and FR9s
and an Anson and
on 23 October 1956, it began the move to Wyton in No 3 Group, until it was re-merged with No 231
OCU on 21 January 1958.
It reformed again, this time
at Honington on 1 March 1971 as the Buccaneer OCU in No 1 Group.
It moved to Lossiemouth on 11 November 1984 in No 18 Group, where it disbanded on 1 October 1991,
its tasking being taken over by the Buccaneer Training Flight attached to No 208
Sqn.
Codes used: -
| BP, LE | 1947 - 1951 |
| C | 1984 - 1986 |
This formed
at Colerne in No 81 Group from the Airborne Interception School, to train night fighter radar operators on 15 June 1952, equipped with
Brigands and Balliols. These aircraft were eventually replaced by Meteors
and Valettas. It moved to North Luffenham on 1 January 1957, taking over
the All Weather and night Fighter OCU already there, but disbanded on 13 March 1958
Shadow/Reserve
Squadron designations: -
| Squadron | From | To |
| No 165 | 11 Jan 1956 | 13 Mar 1958 |
Aircraft
& Markings
This was formed at North Luffenham in No 4 Group from No 1382 Transport Conversion Unit on 5 January 1948 to train transport crews (medium range). Initially equipped with Dakotas, it was transferred to No 38 Group on 2 February and in December 1948 received Valettas and three Devons. On 28 March 1951 it moved to Dishforth, where it merged with No 241 OCU into No 242 OCU on 16 April 1951.
It reformed
by renaming No 38 Group's Air Training Squadron at Odiham on 29 December 1971. It was now responsible for the operational
training of all Support Helicopter crews using Wessex, Puma and later Chinook
aircraft. On 3 November 1980 the Wessex element moved to Benson as the
Wessex Training Flight but the OCU was was disbanded by being renamed No 27 (Reserve) Squadron on 1
October 1993.
Aircraft
& Markings
This was formed at Dishforth in No 4 Group from No 1332 Heavy Transport Conversion Unit on 5 January 1948, equipped with Yorks and Halifaxes. It was transferred to No 38 Group on 2 February 1948 and was disbanded by being merged into No 242 OCU (together with No 240 OCU) on 16 April 1951.
It reformed at Brize Norton in No 1 Group to train crews for the Strategic
Transport Force on 1 July 1970. It did not have aircraft of its own but
borrowed them from the units based at Brize Norton. It was disbanded by
being renamed No 55 (Reserve) Squadron on 1 October 1993.
Aircraft
& Markings
242 Operational Conversion Unit
This was formed by merging No's 240 and 241 OCUs on 16 April 1951 at Dishforth, responsible for training all transport crews. On 29 January 1962 it moved to Thorney Island, where it was transferred to No 38 Group from Flying Training Command on 15 June 1965. It relinquished the training of strategic crews on 1 July 1970 when No 241 OCU was reformed, after which it became purely the Hercules OCU but absorbed the Andover Training Flight on 1 November 1970. On 31 October 1975 it moved to Lyneham, where it was disbanded by being redesignated No 57 (Reserve) Squadron on 1 July 1992.
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