List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

Squadrons are the main form of flying unit of the Royal Air Force (RAF).

18 (Bomber) Squadron RAF which currently actually operates the heavy-lift Chinook helicopter.

However, these practices have, at least in the past, been deprecated at higher levels and generally only apply to certain squadrons with long traditions, especially those numbered from 1 to 20.

[1] Historical Squadrons can choose to 'lay up' their standards at RAF Cranwell or in places of worship following disbandment.

Squadrons in the 300–352 series were staffed during the Second World War by volunteers from countries in occupied Europe.

In some cases, these RAF squadrons and personnel were regarded by a relevant government-in-exile as serving concurrently with its air force.

Note: Nos: 337–339 never formed,[43] but were allocated Squadron Codes OK, ML and KN respectively for the period April to September 1939.

[42] The Royal Hellenic Air Force 13th Light Bomber Squadron was also under RAF command in World War II.

Formed as "Special Reserve" squadrons but absorbed into the Royal Auxiliary Air Force Note: No.

[45] There were to have been Reserve squadrons using numbers 551–566 which would have been created by adding 500 to existing Operational Training Unit designations.

[46] In the event the plan was never put into effect, although there was some desultory use of some of the numbers by some of the OTUs for a short period.

629, 632–634, 636–638, 641–643 and 645–649 were never formed,[50] but some were allocated Squadron codes for the period April to September 1939 – 629 (LQ), 632 (LO), 636 (VZ), 637 (UK), 638 (PZ), 641 (EV), 645 (KF), 646 (YG), 647 (ZS), 648 (YT) and 649 (HA).

These squadrons were formed during the Second World War to perform artillery spotting and liaison roles, in co-operation with Army units.

The range 700 to 750 had been previously used for Fleet Air Arm Catapult Flight numbers.

Training Depot Stations (TDS) were still in use after the formation of the Royal Air Force in 1918.

RAF College Cranwell stores some Standards for disbanded Squadrons that have the potential to be re-activated in the future, preserving the heritage of historic units.

Squadron Standards (and their last operated aircraft) that are on display in the College Hall Rotunda in order of seniority[64] are: The Royal Air force and Royal flying corps has always comprised a certain number of non-numbered Squadrons to fulfil special duties, experimental or one-off tasks.

To allow rapid transport of Air Officers, staff and other important people many units and Headquarters operated communication Sections, Flights, Squadrons or wings.

When individual units are assigned unusually large numbers of aircraft, multiple squadron codes have been used.

Historically, the codes have usually been two letters of the alphabet, painted on the rear fuselage next to the RAF roundel.

These formed a suffix or prefix to the call sign of each aircraft (on the other side of the roundel) which was usually a single letter (e. g. "G for George").