Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
[Jul 1923 | Jan 1924 | May 1924 | Jan 1925 | Feb 1925 | Mar 1925 | Apr 1925 | May 1925 | Jun 1925 | Jul 1925 | Mar 1926 | Jul 1926 | Dec 1926 | Jul 1927 | Jul 1928 | Sep 1928]
May 1923 |
Source - May 1923 Air Force List
This was formed on 1 April 1923 at RAF Base Gosport equipped with six Westland Walruses.
Date | Location |
1 Apr 1923 | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Westland Walrus | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Edward R Openshaw | 1 Apr 1923 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | Louis M Hilton | 1 Apr 1923 | DFC |
Fg Off | Louis J Chandler | 1 Apr 1923 | MBE |
Fg Off | William L Payne | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Fg Off | Cecil G Hancock | 1 Apr 1923 | |
Plt Off | 1 Apr 1923 | later A/Cdre | |
Plt Off | Horace S C Bassett | 9 Apr 1923 | |
Plt Off | Patrick J A Hume-Wright | 11 Apr 1923 |
Source - Air Force List July 1923
Date | Location |
xx Sep 1923 | Novar |
xx Oct 1923 | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Westland Walrus | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Edward R Openshaw | 1 Apr 1923 | Officer Commanding |
Flt Lt | Louis J Chandler | 1 Apr 1923 | MBE |
Fg Off | Louis M Hilton | 1 Apr 1923 | DFC |
Fg Off | Frank W van Blommestein | 21 Nov 1923 | |
Fg Off | 1 Apr 1923 | later A/Cdre | |
Fg Off | Patrick J A Hume-Wright | 11 Apr 1923 | |
Plt Off | Sylvanus G Connolly | 21 Nov 1923 | |
Plt Off | Ronald H Carter | 21 Nov 1923 | |
Attached from Royal Navy | |||
Lt | Malcolm E B Deane | 1 Aug 1923 | |
Lt | Malcolm Farquhar | 1 Aug 1923 | |
Lt | Alexander G Rodger | 1 Aug 1923 | |
Lt | Ion W G White | 21 Nov 1923 | DSC |
Lt | Lachlan D Macintosh | 21 Nov 1923 | DSC |
Lt | Harry S M Smith | 21 Nov 1923 |
Source - Air Force List January 1924
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Westland Walrus | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Edward R Openshaw | 1 Apr 1923 | Officer Commanding |
Flt Lt | Louis J Chandler | 1 Apr 1923 | MBE |
Fg Off | Louis M Hilton | 1 Apr 1923 | DFC |
Fg Off | Frank W van Blommestein | 21 Nov 1923 | |
Fg Off | 1 Apr 1923 | later A/Cdre | |
Fg Off | Patrick J A Hume-Wright | 11 Apr 1923 | |
Fg Off | Sylvanus G Connolly | 21 Nov 1923 | |
Plt Off | Harry M Mellor | 1 Apr 1924 | |
Attached from Royal Navy | |||
Lt | Malcolm E B Deane | 1 Aug 1923 | |
Lt | Malcolm Farquhar | 1 Aug 1923 | |
Lt | Alexander G Rodger | 1 Aug 1923 | |
Lt | Ion W G White | 21 Nov 1923 | DSC |
Lt | Lachlan D Macintosh | 21 Nov 1923 | DSC |
Lt | Harry S M Smith | 21 Nov 1923 |
Source - Air Force List July 1924
Source - January 1925 Air Force List
Source - February 1925 Air Force List
Source - March 1925 Air Force List
Source - April 1925 Air Force List
The Walruses were replaced by Avro Bison Is in May 1925.
Source - May 1925 Air Force List
Date | Location |
8 May 1925 | RAF Base Leuchars (and Novar) |
Source - June 1925 Air Force List
Date | Location |
23 Jun 1925 | RAF Spittlegate |
23 Jun 1925 | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Avro Bison I | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Edward R Openshaw | 1 Apr 1923 | Officer Commanding |
Fg Off | 1 Apr 1923 | later A/Cdre | |
Fg Off | Sylvanus G Connolly | 21 Nov 1923 | |
Fg Off | Harry M Mellor | 1 Apr 1924 |
Source - Air Force List July 1925
Date | Location |
22 Jul 1925 | HMS Argus (Deck Landing Trials) |
24 Jul 1925 | RAF Base Gosport |
28 Sep 1925 | HMS Furious |
15 Oct 1925 | RAF Base Gosport |
6 Nov 1925 | HMS Furious |
9 Nov 1925 | RAF Base Gosport |
8 Jan 1926 | HMS Furious |
The Bison Is were replaced by Bison IIs in August 1925.
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Avro Bison II | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Louis M Hilton | 23 Jul 1925 | Officer Commanding, DFC |
Fg Off | 1 Apr 1923 | later A/Cdre | |
Fg Off | Sylvanus G Connolly | 21 Nov 1923 | |
Fg Off | John M Fuller | 23 Sep 1925 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | Robert M Giddy | 22 Jul 1925 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | James I Robertson | 30 Jul 1925 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | John B Heath | 30 Jul 1925 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Kenneth A B Hutson | 30 Nov 1925 | Lt , RN |
Source - March 1926 Air Force List
Date | Location |
30 Mar 1926 | RAF Base Gosport |
6 Jun 1926 | HMS Furious |
12-14 Jun 1926 | HMS Furious (Detachment) |
15 Jun 1926 | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Avro Bison II | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Louis M Hilton | 23 Jul 1925 | Officer Commanding, DFC |
Fg Off | Sylvanus G Connolly | 21 Nov 1923 | |
Fg Off | John M Fuller | 23 Sep 1925 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | Robert M Giddy | 22 Jul 1925 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | James I Robertson | 30 Jul 1925 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | John B Heath | 30 Jul 1925 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Kenneth A B Hutson | 30 Nov 1925 | Lt , RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1926
Date | Location |
7 Sep 1926 | HMS Furious |
1 Nov 1926 | RAF Base Gosport |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Avro Bison II | RAF Base Gosport | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Louis M Hilton | 23 Jul 1925 | Officer Commanding, DFC |
Fg Off | Sylvanus G Connolly | 21 Nov 1923 | |
Fg Off | John M Fuller | 23 Sep 1925 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | Robert M Giddy | 22 Jul 1925 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | James I Robertson | 30 Jul 1925 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | John B Heath | 30 Jul 1925 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Kenneth A B Hutson | 30 Nov 1925 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Robert W Gordon | 1 Sep 1926 | Lt , RM |
Source - December 1926 Air Force List
Date | Location |
14 Jan 1927 | HMS Furious |
In March 1927 it was split into two with No 421A staying with HMS Furious and No 421B going to HMS Eagle.
No 421A Flight | No 421B Flight | ||
15 Mar 1927 | HMS Furious | 15 Mar 1927 | HMS Eagle |
28 Mar 1927 | RAF Base Gosport | 7 Apr 1927 | RAF Hal Far |
6 Jun 1927 | HMS Furious | 31 Aug 1927 | HMS Eagle |
11 Jul 1927 | RAF Base Gosport |
No 421A Flight
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Avro Bison II | HMS Furious | Coastal Area/No 10 Group |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Louis M Hilton | 23 Jul 1925 | Officer Commanding, DFC |
Fg Off | Sylvanus G Connolly | 21 Nov 1923 | |
Fg Off | Robert M Giddy | 22 Jul 1925 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | John B Heath | 30 Jul 1925 | Lt , RN |
No 421B Flight
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Avro Bison II | HMS Eagle | RAF Mediterranean |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Fg Off | James I Robertson | 15 Mar 1927 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Robert W Gordon | 15 Mar 1927 | Lt , RM |
Fg Off | Edward J E Burt | 21 Dec 1926 | Lt , RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1927
In October 1927 No 421A was amalgamated with No 443 A Flight as No 443 (Composite) Flight on board HMS Furious.
No 421A Flight | No 421B Flight | ||
15 Mar 1927 | HMS Furious | 15 Mar 1927 | HMS Eagle |
28 Mar 1927 | RAF Base Gosport | 7 Apr 1927 | RAF Hal Far |
6 Jun 1927 | HMS Furious | 31 Aug 1927 | HMS Eagle |
11 Jul 1927 | RAF Base Gosport | 25 Oct 1927 | RAF Hal Far |
25 Apr 1928 | HMS Argus | ||
5 May 1928 | RAF Base Gosport |
Nos 421A and 421B Flights were reunited in June 1928.
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Avro Bison II | HMS Furious | RAF Mediterranean |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Louis M Hilton | 23 Jul 1925 | Officer Commanding, DFC |
Fg Off | Robert M Giddy | 22 Jul 1925 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | James I Robertson | 15 Mar 1927 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Harry M Mellor | 26 Jan 1927 | Armament duties |
Fg Off | Robert W Gordon | 15 Mar 1927 | Lt , RM |
Fg Off | Edward J E Burt | 21 Dec 1926 | Lt , RN |
Source - Air Force List July 1928
Date | Location |
8 Aug 1928 | RAF Base Gosport |
6 Sep 1928 | RAF Base Leuchars |
10 Sep 1928 | Novar |
Aircraft operated | Shore Station/Ship | Command/Group |
Avro Bison II | HMS Furious | RAF Mediterranean |
Rank | Name | Date | Notes |
Flt Lt | Lewin B Duggan | 9 Jul 1928 | Officer Commanding, DFC |
Flt Lt | Graham C Bladon | 10 Jun 1928 | later A/Cdre |
Fg Off | Robert M Giddy | 22 Jul 1925 | Lt, RM |
Fg Off | James I Robertson | 15 Mar 1927 | Lt , RN |
Fg Off | Harry M Mellor | 26 Jan 1927 | Armament duties |
Fg Off | Robert W Gordon | 15 Mar 1927 | Lt , RM |
Fg Off | Edward J E Burt | 21 Dec 1926 | Lt , RN |
Source - September 1928 Air Force List
Date | Location |
xx Oct 1928 | RAF Base Leuchars |
14 Oct 1928 | HMS Furious |
14 Oct 1928 | RAF Base Leuchars |
19 Oct 1928 | HMS Furious |
16 Nov 1928 | RAF Base Gosport |
4 Jan 1929 | HMS Furious |
15 Apr 1929 | Chickerell |
The Bisons were replaced by Fairey IIFs in January 1929
It was redesignated No 447 (Fleet Spotter Reconnaissance) Flight on 26 April 1929.
Re-equipment and movement dates are based on those shown in 'Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm' by Ray Sturtivant
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This page was last updated on 08/07/19