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Escuadrón 207 de la RAF
Activo31 de diciembre de 1916 - 1 de abril de 1918 (RNAS)
1 de abril de 1918 - 20 de enero de 1920 ( RAF )
1 de febrero de 1920 - 19 de abril de 1940
1 de noviembre de 1940 - 1 de marzo de 1950
4 de junio de 1951 - 27 de marzo de 1956
1 de abril de 1956 - 1 de mayo de 1965
3 de febrero 1969 - 30 de junio de 1984
12 de julio de 2002 - 13 de enero de 2012 [1] [2]
1 de agosto de 2019 - presente [3]
PaísReino Unido
RamaAir Force Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg fuerza Aérea Royal
TipoEscuadrón volador
PapelUnidad de conversión operativa
Parte deGrupo No. 1 (Combate aéreo)
Estación de casaRAF Marham
Apodo (s)"Black Cat Squadron" (Primera Guerra Mundial)
"Ciudad de Leicester " (Después de 1939)
Lema (s)Latín : Semper paratus
("Siempre preparado") [4]
AeronaveLockheed Martin F-35B Lightning
Honores de batallaFrente occidental, 1916-1918
Ypres, 1917 *
Somme, 1918 *
Amiens
Hindenburg Line *
Puertos de Bizkaia, 1941-1945
Puertos alemanes, 1941-1945 *
Berlín, 1941-1945 *
Ruhr, 1941-1945 *
Báltico 1941-1945
Fortaleza Europa 1941 –1944
Francia y Alemania, 1944–1945 *
Normandía, 1944 * Los
honores marcados con un asterisco * son los estampados en el Escuadrón Estándar
Comandantes
Comandante actualComandante de ala Scott "Mox" Williams
Comandantes notablesArthur Tedder
Vashon James Wheeler
Insignias
Heráldica de la insignia de escuadrónUn león alado estatal [4] Aprobado por el rey Eduardo VIII en mayo de 1936. [5]
Redondel de escuadrónRAF 207 Sqn.svg
Códigos de escuadrón207 (abril de 1938 - abril de 1939)
NJ (abril de 1939 - septiembre de 1939) [6] [7]
EM (noviembre de 1939 - marzo de 1950) [8] [9]
D (1983-1984) [10]

El Escuadrón Número 207 es un escuadrón de bombarderos histórico y, últimamente, un escuadrón de entrenamiento de comunicaciones y vuelo de la Royal Air Force . Se anunció el 5 de julio 2017 que en el número 207 de la escuadrilla volverá a reformar para convertirse en la Unidad de Conversión Operacional para el Reino Unido F-35B Rayo Fuerza y regresará a la RAF Marham en Norfolk, donde se basa la última en 1965. [11] No. El Escuadrón 207 llegó a RAF Marham con seis F-35B el 16 de julio de 2019 antes de levantarse oficialmente el 1 de agosto. [3] [12]

Historia [ editar ]

Formación y Primera Guerra Mundial [ editar ]

El bombardero Handley Page O / 400 D8345 del Escuadrón No. 207 a punto de aterrizar en Andover, mayo-junio de 1918.

El contingente principal del Escuadrón No. 7 RNAS se formó a partir del Escuadrón "B" del Ala No. 4 RNAS el 31 de diciembre de 1916 en Petite-Synthe , Francia . Sin embargo, cabe señalar que un contingente anterior del Escuadrón se había formado previamente en Kondoa Irangi , Tanganyika , en mayo de 1916, volando Aéroplanes Voisins y Royal Aircraft Factory BE2cs durante siete meses en tareas de reconocimiento y bombardeo hasta su disolución en enero de 1917, dejando así el componente en Francia para perdurar a partir de entonces. [13] [14]Formado como un escuadrón especializado de bombarderos nocturnos en Francia en diciembre de 1916, el No. 7 RNAS voló sus primeras misiones el 3 de febrero de 1917, con cuatro bombarderos cortos partiendo contra los muelles de Brujas (Brujas) . [15] En abril de ese año se volvió a equipar con Handley Page O / 100 , usándolos para incursiones nocturnas, incluidos ataques contra objetivos ferroviarios y depósitos de municiones durante la Segunda Batalla de Ypres . [15] El escuadrón se dividió en dos en julio de 1917, con ocho O / 100 formando el equipo inicial del Escuadrón 7A, que luego se convirtió en el 14 Escuadrón RNAS , mientras que el Escuadrón 7 continuó con 10 O / 100. [16] [17]

On the formation of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918 it became No. 207 Squadron RAF, moving back to Netheravon in England for re-equipping with the more advanced version of the O/100, the Handley Page O/400, returning to France in July as part of No. 54 Wing and continuing to fly night raids against railway targets.[15] It moved to Germany as part of the Army of Occupation in January 1919, serving there until August, when it handed its aircraft to No. 100 Squadron and returned to England, where it disbanded on 20 January 1920 at RAF Uxbridge.[18]

Inter-war period[edit]

The squadron re-formed on 1 February 1920 at RAF Bircham Newton.[2] Its Airco DH.9As saw service in Turkey in 1922, when it was deployed to Constantinople under the command of Arthur Tedder as part of the British intervention in the Greco-Turkish War (1919–1922); the Squadron returned to England in September 1923.[15][18] It re-equipped with Fairey IIIFs in December 1927, and with the radial engined development of the IIIF, the Fairey Gordon in August 1932. In 1935, as a response to the Italian invasion of Ethiopia, it was sent to Sudan. The Gordon's Armstrong Siddeley Panther engine proved unreliable in desert conditions, however, and they were replaced with Vickers Vincents. The following year, the squadron, again re-equipped with Gordons, returned home to RAF Worthy Down, joining RAF Bomber Command. It re-equipped with Vickers Wellesleys in 1937, only for them to be replaced with Fairey Battles early the following year. Based at RAF Cottesmore, the squadron took the role of an Operational Training Unit.[19]

Second World War[edit]

On 19 April 1940, the squadron's training role was assumed by No. 12 Operational Training Unit (OTU), allowing No. 207 Squadron to re-form on 1 November of that year as part of Bomber Command's No. 5 Group. At RAF Waddington, the squadron's crews were assigned the task of introducing the ill-fated Avro Manchester into service. Later moving to RAF Bottesford, the Manchesters were replaced by the much improved Avro Lancaster in March 1942. The squadron relocated to RAF Langar on 21 September, owing to the Bottesford runway surface breaking up and needing urgent repairs. In October 1943, No. 207 Squadron became the first occupant of the newly opened RAF Spilsby bomber station.[20]

The squadron was scheduled to form part of the Tiger Force against Imperial Japan. With the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki the Tiger Force plans were dropped and in November 1945, No. 207 Squadron relocated to RAF Methwold in Norfolk.[20]

Cold War (1946–1984)[edit]

Bombing role (1946–1965)[edit]

Vickers Valiant B.1 of No. 207 Squadron at Filton Airport, Bristol, in the 1960s.

After moving to RAF Mildenhall in 1949 and briefly replacing the Lancaster with the Avro Lincoln, the Squadron was disbanded on 1 March 1950. Re-formed on 4 June 1951 at RAF Marham, No. 207 Squadron flew the Boeing Washington B.1 until March 1954, when it was replaced by the English Electric Canberra, which remained in service with the squadron until it disbanded on 27 March 1956.[20]

On 1 April 1956, the squadron re-formed again at RAF Marham and was now equipped with the Vickers Valiant B.1. In October the same year, No. 207 Squadron deployed to RAF Luqa, Malta, to take part in the Suez Campaign,[21] flying 11 sorties over Egypt between October and November.[22] On 1 May 1965, the squadron disbanded with the grounding of the Valiant fleet.[20]

Communications role (1969–1984)[edit]

de Havilland Devon C.2 VP981 of No. 207 Squadron, 1977.

No. 207 Squadron was re-formed on 3 February 1969 at RAF Northolt by redesignating the Strike Command Communications Squadron, which had been until 1 January 1969 the Southern Communications Squadron based at RAF Bovingdon.[23] It was equipped with Devon C.2s, Basset CC.1s and Pembroke C.1s, with the squadron first retiring the Bassets in 1974, and its last Pembroke being transferred to No. 60 Squadron in Germany in November 1975, leaving No. 207 Squadron with 14 Devons.[24] Detachments of the squadron were located at RAF Wyton and RAF Turnhouse. No. 207 Squadron was once more disbanded on retirement of the remaining Devons on 30 June 1984,[24] VP952 ending up at the RAF Museum St Athan.[25] In its last years it was part of No. 1 Group.[26]

Tucano (2002–2012)[edit]

Tucano T1 ZF292 of No. 207 (Reserve) Squadron landing at RAF Linton-on-Ouse after Squadron disbandment flypast, 13 January 2012.

On 12 July 2002, one of the Flying Training Squadrons operating Short Tucano T.1s at No. 1 Flying Training School, RAF Linton-on-Ouse, was renumbered as No. 207 (Reserve) Squadron.[27] Tasked with Basic Fast Jet Training, the squadron provided training for both RAF and Royal Navy students – including Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, who was part of the squadron in 2008.[28]

The squadron was later disbanded on 13 January 2012 as a result of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review.[29] The squadron's Standard was laid up at Lincoln Cathedral on 3 October 2013.[30]

F-35B Lightning (2019–present)[edit]

On 5 July 2017, it was announced by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Stephen Hillier at RAF Marham that No. 207 Squadron would be the Operational Conversion Unit for the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning, being chosen due to its heritage as both a RNAS and RAF unit.[31]

Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning ZM137 at RIAT, 2016, this aircraft was delivered to Marham in July 2019.

No. 207 Squadron arrived at RAF Marham from MCAS Beaufort on 16 July 2019 with six Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightnings (ZM137, ZM139, ZM149, ZM150, ZM151 and ZM152) shortly before its reformation date of 1 August.[3] No. 207 Squadron made their first sortie from Marham on 29 July.[32] Wing Commander Scott Williams is the new squadron's first Officer Commanding who raised the squadron pennant when it stood up on 1 August.[12] On 28 January 2020, No. 207 Squadron became the first UK unit in a decade to operate jets in home waters from a British carrier – flying from HMS Queen Elizabeth.[33]

Aircraft operated[edit]

Aircraft operated include:[1][34]

  • Voisin III (June 1916–Jan 1917)
  • Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 (June 1916–Jan 1917)
  • Caudron G.4 (Dec 1916)
  • Sopwith 1½ Strutter (Dec 1916–Apr 1917)
  • Short Bomber (Dec 1916–June 1917)
  • Handley Page O/100 (Apr 1917–Apr 1918)
  • Handley Page O/400 (Apr 1918–Aug 1919)
  • Airco DH.9A (Feb 1920–Dec 1927)
  • Fairey IIIF (Dec 1927–Sep 1932)
  • Fairey Gordon Mk.I (Sep 1932–Apr 1936)
  • Vickers Vincent Mk.I (Apr 1936–Aug 1936)
  • Fairey Gordon Mk.I (Aug 1936–Aug 1937)
  • Vickers Wellesley (Aug 1937–Apr 1938)
  • Fairey Battle (Apr 1938–Apr 1940)
  • Avro Anson Mk.I (July 1939–Apr 1940)
  • Avro Manchester Mk.I (Nov 1940–Mar 1942)
  • Handley Page Hampden Mk.I (July 1941–Aug 1941)
  • Avro Lancaster Mk.I (Mar 1942–Aug 1949)
  • Avro Lancaster Mk.III (May 1943–Dec 1947)
  • Avro Lincoln B.2 (Aug 1949–Mar 1950)
  • Boeing Washington B.1 (July 1951–Mar 1954)
  • English Electric Canberra B.2 (Mar 1954–Mar 1956)
  • Vickers Valiant B.1 (July 1956–Feb 1965)
  • Beagle Basset CC.1 (Feb 1969–May 1974)
  • Percival Pembroke C.1 (Feb 1969–Nov 1975)
  • de Havilland Devon C.2 (Feb 1969–June 1984)
  • Short Tucano T.1 (July 2002–Jan 2012)
  • Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning (July 2019–present)

Squadron bases[edit]

RAF Spilsby 207 memorial on the airfield
Langar Airfield, England, September 1943
Bases and airfields used by No. 7 Squadron RNAS and No. 207 Squadron RAF, data from[1][35]
FromToBaseRemark
June 191612 January 1917Kondoa Irangi, Tanganyika1st no. 7 RNAS
31 December 19164 April 1917Petite-Synthe, France2nd no 7 RNAS
4 April 191822 April 1918Coudekerque, France1 April 1918 as No. 207 Squadron RAF
22 April 191813 May 1918RAF Netheravon, Wiltshire
13 May 19187 June 1918RAF Andover, Hampshire
7 June 191826 October 1918Ligescourt, France
26 October 19181 December 1918Estrées-en-Chaussée, France
1 December 19181 January 1919Carvin, France
1 January 191910 May 1919Merheim, Germany
10 May 191923 August 1919Hangelar, GermanyPresent Bonn-Hangelar airfield
23 August 19198 October 1919RAF Tangmere, West Sussex
8 October 191916 January 1920RAF Croydon, Surrey
16 January 192020 January 1920RAF Uxbridge, Middlesex
1 February 192029 September 1922RAF Bircham Newton, Norfolk
29 September 192211 October 1922en route to Turkey
11 October 192222 September 1923San Stephano, Turkey
22 September 19233 October 1923en route to UK
3 October 19237 November 1929RAF Eastchurch, Kent
7 November 19294 October 1935RAF Bircham Newton, Norfolk
4 October 193520 October 1935en route to Sudan
20 October 193528 October 1935Port Sudan, Sudan
28 October 19356 April 1936Ed Damer, Sudan
6 April 193614 August 1936Gebeit, Sudan
14 August 193629 August 1936en route to UK
29 August 193620 April 1938RAF Worthy Down, Hampshire
20 April 193824 August 1939RAF Cottesmore, Rutland
24 August 19399 December 1939RAF Cranfield, Bedfordshire
9 December 19395 April 1940RAF Cottesmore, Rutland
5 April 194019 April 1940RAF Cranfield, BedfordshireMerged here into no. 12 OTU
1 November 194017 November 1941RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire
17 November 194120 September 1942RAF Bottesford, LeicestershireDet. at RAF Syerston,
Nottinghamshire 24 August 1942
20 September 194212 October 1943RAF Langar, Nottinghamshire
12 October 194330 October 1945RAF Spilsby, Lincolnshire
30 October 194529 April 1946RAF Methwold, Norfolk
29 April 19468 November 1946RAF Tuddenham, Suffolk
8 November 194628 February 1949RAF Stradishall, Suffolk
28 February 19491 March 1950RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk
4 June 195127 March 1956RAF Marham, NorfolkWashington-Canberra period
1 April 19561 May 1965RAF Marham, NorfolkVickers Vailant period
3 February 196930 June 1984RAF Northolt, MiddlesexDets. at RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire
and RAF Turnhouse, Edinburgh
12 July 200213 January 2012[36]RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire
16 July 2019PresentRAF Marham, NorfolkSquadron personnel return from MCAS Beaufort, SC USA

See also[edit]

  • List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References[edit]

Notes
  1. ^ a b c Jefford 2001, pp. 71–72.
  2. ^ a b RAF – 207 Squadron Archived 10 December 2009 at the Wayback Machine". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  3. ^ a b c "Second Lightning Fight Jet Squadron Arrives In UK". www.raf.mod.uk. 17 July 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2019.
  4. ^ a b Halley 1988, p. 268.
  5. ^ "207 Sqn". RAF Heraldry Trust. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  6. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 13.
  7. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 51.
  8. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 35.
  9. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 70.
  10. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 198.
  11. ^ "Identity of F-35 Lightning Training Squadron Announced". www.raf.mod.uk. Archived from the original on 28 July 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2017.
  12. ^ a b "A small ceremony took place yesterday to mark the standing up of 207 Squadron at RAF Marham". RAF Marham (Facebook). 2 August 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  13. ^ Hamlin 1999, p. 10.
  14. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 71.
  15. ^ a b c d Rawlings 1961, p. 19.
  16. ^ Robertson 1933, p. 1023.
  17. ^ Halley 1980, p. 217.
  18. ^ a b "RAF History – Bomber Command 60th Anniversary:No. 207 Squadron". Royal Air Force. 2004. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
  19. ^ Rawlings 1961, pp. 19–20.
  20. ^ a b c d Jefford, 1988, p. 69
  21. ^ "207 Squadron". Royal Air Force Museum. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  22. ^ "Valiant period 'album' - Suez". 207 SQUADRON ROYAL AIR FORCE HISTORY. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  23. ^ Hamlin 1999, p. 166.
  24. ^ a b Burney 1984, p. 411.
  25. ^ Hamlin 1999, p. 172.
  26. ^ Isby and Kamps, Armies of NATO's Central Front, 1985.
  27. ^ Squadron Genealogy
  28. ^ "A brief history of No.7 Squadron RNAS and No.207 Squadron RAF". 207 SQUADRON ROYAL AIR FORCE HISTORY. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  29. ^ Dave, Allport (14 January 2012). "207 (Reserve) Squadron Disbands". key.aero. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
  30. ^ "THE LAYING UP OF THE STANDARD OF No.207 (RESERVE) SQUADRON ROYAL AIR FORCE". 207 SQUADRON ROYAL AIR FORCE HISTORY. 3 January 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  31. ^ "Identity of F-35 Lightning Training Squadron Announced". Royal Air Force. 5 July 2017. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  32. ^ "207 Squadron take to the skies for the first time from their new Norfolk home". RAF Marham (Facebook). 29 July 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  33. ^ "Fighter Jets fly from British Carrier in Home Waters for the First Time in a Decade". raf.mod.uk. Royal Air Force. 28 January 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  34. ^ Hamlin 1999, pp. 207–219.
  35. ^ Hamlin 1999, p. 190.
  36. ^ Dave, Allport (14 January 2012). "207 (Reserve) Squadron Disbands". key.aero. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
Bibliography
  • Aitken, Flt.Lt. W.M. (ed.) A History of No.207 Squadron – the First 68 Years. 207 Squadron RAF, 1984.
  • Bewsher, Paul. Green Balls: the Adventures of a Night Bomber. Greenhill Books, 1986. ISBN 0-947898-50-6. (reprint of William Blackwood 1919 edition).
  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Burney, Allan. "Devon Demob". Aircraft Illustrated, September 1984, Vol 17 No 9. pp. 407–411. ISSN 0002-2675.
  • Dick, David. 207 Squadron Memorial Book. 207 Sqn RAF Association, 1993.
  • Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Goodwin, Barry and Raymond Glynne-Owen. 207 Squadron: RAF Langar, 1942–1943. Langar Airfield, York, UK: Quacks Books/207 Squadron Memorial Committee, 1994. ISBN 0-948333-41-3.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1980. ISBN 0-85130-083-9.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Hamlin, John F. Always Prepared – The History of 207 Squadron RAF. Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1999. ISBN 0-85130-285-8.
  • Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Laing, John A. The Washington Era: Marham June 1951 to March 1954. Perth, Scotland: Self-published, 1998.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 2nd edition 1976. ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. "Squadron Histories: No.207". Air Pictorial, January 1961. Vol. 23, No. 1, pp. 19–20.
  • Robertson, F. A. de V. "No. 207 (Bomber) Squadron". Flight, 12 October 1933, pp. 1022–1024.
  • Wynn, Humphrey. Darkness Shall Cover Me: Night Bombing over the Western Front, 1918. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1989. ISBN 1-85310-065-X.
    • (also published as The Black Cat Squadron: Night Bombing in World War I). Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1990. ISBN 0874749921

External links[edit]

  • RAF Spilsby history
  • 207 Squadron RAF Association website
  • Squadron history on RAF website
  • Histories -and more- of nos. 206–210 sqn on RAFweb
  • Lancaster ED627, EM-N of 207 Squadron RAF