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Ferry Squadron RAF

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Ferry Squadron
Active16 April 1956 – 1 December 1958
CountryUnited Kingdom
BranchRoyal Air Force
RoleFerrying aircraft.

Ferry Squadron is a former Royal Air Force squadron which operated between 1956 and 1958 at RAF Benson, the squadron was formed by the replacements, disbandments and mergers dating back to 1943.

History

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Firstly the Ferry Crew Pool Unit was formed at Filton Airport on 7 March 1943,[1] it was then disbanded and became No. 1 Ferry Crew Pool at RAF Lyneham.[2] On 16 March 1944 the pool was merged with No. 301 Ferry Training Unit to become No. 1 Ferry Unit at RAF Pershore, it was then disbanded at RAF Manston[3] on 17 May 1948 to become No. 1 (Overseas) Ferry Unit. Back at RAF Pershore the unit was renamed No. 1 (Overseas) Ferry Unit during September 1950. The unit was disbanded on 17 November 1952 at RAF Abingdon to become No. 1 (Long Range) Ferry Unit and No. 3 (Long Range) Ferry Unit.[4]

No. 1 (Long Range) Ferry Unit was formed at Abingdon and disbanded at RAF Benson on 1 February 1953 to become No. 147 Squadron RAF. Similarly No. 3 (Long Range) Ferry Unit was also formed at Abingdon and was disbanded on 1 February 1953 still at Abingdon to become No. 167 Squadron RAF.[5]

On 16 April 1956 the Ferry Support Squadron was formed at Benson replacing the Ferry Transport Flight. The Support Squadron's name was changed to the Ferry Squadron on 1 January 1958. The squadron absorbed Nos 147 and 167 Squadrons on 15 September 1958[2] and was disbanded at Benson on 1 December 1958.[6]

Aircraft types ferried

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Ferry Crew Pool Unit

No. 1 Ferry Crew Pool

No. 1 Ferry Unit

1 (Overseas) Ferry Unit

  • North American Harvard IIB
  • Douglas Dakota IV
  • Vickers Wellington X
  • Hawker Tempest V
  • de Havilland Mosquito III, VI, XVI and PR.34
  • Avro Anson T.20
  • Bristol Buckmaster I
  • de Havilland Vampire F.3 & FB.5
  • Gloster Meteor T.7 & F.8
  • Vickers Valetta C.1
  • de Havilland Hornet F.3

No. 1 (Long-Range) Ferry Unit

No ferry aircraft known

No. 3 (Long-Range) Ferry Unit

No. 147 Squadron

No. 167 Squadron

No ferry aircraft known

Ferry Support Squadron/Ferry Squadron

References

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Citations

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  1. ^ Lake 1999, p. 66.
  2. ^ a b Lake 1999, p. 67.
  3. ^ Lake 1999, p. 69.
  4. ^ Lake 1999, p. 154.
  5. ^ Lake 1999, p. 135.
  6. ^ Lake 1999, p. 68.

Bibliography

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  • Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.