No. 25 Squadron RAF
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox military unit No. 25 (Fighter) Squadron, also known as No. XXV (F) Squadron, is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It operates the BAE Systems Hawk T2 and provides advanced fast jet training for pilots of the RAF and Royal Navy, as part of No. 4 Flying Training School based at RAF Valley, Angelsey.
During the First World War, No. 25 Squadron operated in the fighter-reconnaissance role and later as a bomber squadron. In the inter-war years, the squadron was based at RAF Hawkinge in Kent, from where No. 25 Squadron's badge originated. Throughout the Second World War, the unit flew both bombers and escorted bombers. In the 1950s, it became took on the night-fighter role and between 1963 and 1989 it operated the Bristol Bloodhound surface-to-air missile from RAF Brüggen, West Germany and later RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire. The squadron regained its wings in July 1989, operating the Panavia Tornado F3 interceptor, until April 2008 when it disbanded. It was dormant until it reformed on 8 September 2018 in its current training role.
History
First World War (1915–1919)
No. 25 Squadron was initially formed as part of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) at Montrose Airfield in Angus, from a nucleus provided by No. 6 Squadron.<ref>Mason 2001, p. 244.</ref> Upon its formation, the squadron operated numerous aircraft types such as the Maurice Farman MF.11 Shorthorn and the Avro 504.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The squadron relocated to Barnham, Norfolk on 31 December 1915 and shortly after was equipped with the Vickers F.B.5, these however were exchanged for the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b by February of the following year.<ref name="25H">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The squadron was deployed to the RFC headquarters at Saint-Omer, France on 20 February 1916, as a long-range reconnaissance and fighter unit.<ref name="25H" /> The squadron was initially tasked with intercepting German aircraft, operating in the routes taken by the Luftstreitkräfte on their way to raid England. However, this was proven to be ineffective and the Squadron was transferred to protect General Headquarters and Audruicq, flying sorties with No. 21 Squadron.<ref name="25H" />
On 1 April 1916, No. 25 Squadron relocated to the aerodrome at Auchel, operating alongside No. 18 Squadron and No. 27 Squadron.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> From here the it supported the British 1st Army near Fromelles and Souchez.<ref name="25H" /> In June 1916, in preparation for the Somme Offensive, the squadron had its ranks bolstered to eighteen aircraft, twenty pilots and eighteen observers. In the prelude to the battle, the squadron flew reconnaissance and bombing missions behind enemy lines.<ref name="25H" /> On 18 June, Corporal James Henry Waller, and his pilot Second Lieutenant George Reynolds McCubbin, shot down German flying ace Max Immelmann. This occurred during No. 25 Squadron's second encounter with Immelmann that day, after he previously shot down Lieutenant C. E. Rogers for his sixteenth victory. Immelmann, flying a Fokker E.III, engaged the squadron over Lens and subsequently shot down Lieutenant J. R. B. Savage before closing in on McCubbin's F.E.2b, whose gunner, Waller, opened fire and shot him down.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> For their accomplishment, McCubbin was awarded the Distinguished Service Order while Waller was promoted to Sergeant and received the Distinguished Conduct Medal.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> When the offensive started on 1 July, No. 25 Squadron started flying night time bombing missions. It started operating the Airco D.H.4 bomber in June 1917.<ref name="aoa">Template:Cite web</ref>
During the course of the First World War, No. 25 Squadron had nine flying aces among its ranks, including James Fitz-Morris, James Green, Reginald George Malcolm, Lancelot Richardson, Noel Webb, Charles Woollven<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Alexander Roulstone, Leonard Herbert Emsden, and Hartley Pullan.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Interwar years (1919–1938)
After the war the squadron acquired Airco D.H.9. The unit was disbanded on 31 January 1920 at RAF Scopwick in Lincolnshire. The squadron reformed the next day at RAF Hawkinge in Kent, flying the Sopwith Snipe. It was sent to Turkey in 1922 and 1923 during the Chanak Crisis. After returning to the UK, the unit stayed for a number of years at Hawkinge. The Snipe gave way to the Gloster Grebe and later the Armstrong Whitworth Siskin, while in December 1936 the squadron became the first unit to receive the Hawker Fury Mk. II, having already flown the Fury Mk. I since 1932. The Fury was replaced by the Hawker Demon when the squadron was given a night-fighter role. For night-flying training purposes the squadron also received the Gloster Gladiator.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The squadron moved to RAF Northolt in northwest London on 12 September 1938.<ref name=":0" />
Second World War (1939–1945)
During the Second World War, No. 25 Squadron flew the Bristol Blenheim medium bomber on night patrols, which were replaced by the Bristol Beaufighter and later the de Havilland Mosquito. By the closing stages of the war, the squadron was almost entirely committed to bomber escort missions.<ref name=":0">Wragg 2007, p. 1840</ref> The squadron was particularly successful during Operation Steinbock from January to May 1944.<ref>Mackay 2011, pp. 144–155.</ref>
Cold War (1945–1990s)
Night fighters
After the war ended in 1945, No. 25 Squadron continued to operate the Mosquito NF.30 night fighter from RAF West Malling in Kent until November 1951, when they were replaced by jet powered de Havilland Vampire NF.10, conversion to type having commenced in February 1951. The Vampires were then replaced by the Gloster Meteor NF.12 and NF.14 in March 1954. The squadron moved from West Malling in 1957 to RAF Tangmere in West Sussex, where it disbanded on 23 June 1958.<ref name=aoa/>
No. 153 Squadron was renumbered No. 25 Squadron on 1 July 1958 to fly Meteors until their replacement in 1959 with the Gloster Javelin FAW.7.<ref name="aoa" />
Bloodhound surface-to-air missile
No. 25 Squadron disbanded again on 30 November 1962, reforming a year later as the RAF's first Bristol Bloodhound surface-to-air missile unit, based at RAF North Coates in Lincolnshire.<ref name="aoa" /> In this role, the squadron moved to RAF Brüggen, Germany in 1970, with detachments also protecting nearby RAF Laarbruch and RAF Wildenrath.<ref name="aoa" />
In 1983, the squadron moved to RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire, similarly protecting RAF Barkston Heath and RAF Wattisham.<ref name="aoa" />
Tornado
The RAF withdrew the Bloodhound from 25 Squadron in October 1989 and the squadron immediately reformed at RAF Leeming as a Panavia Tornado F3 fighter squadron. It became operational in January 1990, alongside No. 11 Squadron and No. 23 Squadron, as part of No. 11 Group.<ref name="RAF">Template:Cite web</ref>
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Between September & December 1993 and May & August 1995, the squadron took part in Operation Deny Flight, a NATO-led operation enforcing the United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina. Operating out of Gioia del Colle Air Base near Bari, Italy, on each occasion the squadron took over responsibility for supporting the no-fly zone from No. 23 Squadron before being relieved by No. 5 Squadron from RAF Coningsby.
In the late 1990s, the squadron deployed operationally to Saudi Arabia to protect the Shi'ite Muslims of southern Iraq by flying Combat Air Patrol missions below the 33rd parallel, enforcing the southern no-fly zone imposed by Operation Southern Watch.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
21st century (2000–present)
Between October 2004 and January 2005, a contingent of four aircraft from the squadron was deployed to Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania as part of to NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission to provide air defence to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, following their membership of NATO. Within the UK, the squadron's primary role, along with No. 11 Squadron was the Quick Reaction Alert (South) mission, providing air defence for the southern UK. Most publicly the squadron intercepted eight Russian Tu-95 Bear-H strategic bombers and two Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers in July 2007. The squadron disbanded on 4 April 2008, its Tornados relocating to RAF Leuchars in Fife to join the remaining active Tornado F3 squadrons stationed there.<ref name="aoa" />
Due to the increased demand for fast jet pilots in both the RAF and the Fleet Air Arm following the entry into service of the F-35B Lightning, No. 25 Squadron reformed on 8 September 2018 and joined No. 4 Squadron as part of No. 4 Flying Training School at RAF Valley in Anglesey.<ref name=":1" /> It operates the BAE Systems Hawk T2, providing jet conversion training, whilst No. 4 Squadron focuses on tactics and weapons training.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Heritage
The squadron's badge features on a gauntlet a hawk rising affrontée.<ref>Rawlings 1978, p. 66.</ref> The badge incorporates a previous badge used unofficially by the squadron and the hawk reflects the squadron's period at RAF Hawkinge. It was approved in October 1936.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The squadron's motto is Template:Language with name/for.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Battle honours
No. 25 Squadron has received the following battle honours. Those marked with an asterisk (*) may be emblazoned on the squadron standard.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref> Template:Div col
- Home Defence (1916)
- Western Front (1916–1918)*
- Somme (1916)
- Arras
- Ypres (1917)*
- Cambrai 1917*
- Somme (1918)*
- Lys
- Hindenburg Line
- Channel & North Sea (1939–1941)
- Battle of Britain (1940)*
- Fortress Europe (1943–1944)*
- Home Defence (1940–1945)*
- France & Germany (1944–1945)*
See also
References
Notes
Bibliography
- Ashworth, Chris. Encyclopedia of Modern Royal Air Force Squadrons. Wellingborough, UK:PSL, 1989. Template:ISBN.
- Bowyer, Michael J.F and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. Template:ISBN.
- 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. Template:ISBN.
- Franks, Norman, et al. Above the War Fronts: the British Two-seater Bomber Pilot and Observer Aces, the British Two-seater Fighter Observer Aces, and the Belgian, Italian, Austro-Hungarian and Russian Fighter aces, 1914–1918: Volume 4 of Fighting Airmen of WWI Series: Volume 4 of Air Aces of WWI. Oxford, UK; Grub Street, 1997, Template:ISBN, Template:ISBN
- Halley, James J. Famous Fighter Squadrons of the RAF: Volume 1. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Hylton Lacey, 1971. Template:ISBN.
- Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. Template:ISBN.
- Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 1998 (second edition 2001). Template:ISBN.
- Mackay, Ron (2011). The Last Blitz: Operation Steinbock, the Luftwaffe's Last Blitz on Britain – January to May 1944. Red Kite. Template:ISBN
- Mason, Francis K. Hawks Rising, the Story of No.25 Squadron Royal Air Force. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2001. Template:ISBN.
- Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (new edition 1976, reprinted 1978). Template:ISBN.
- Shores, Christopher, et al. Above the Trenches: A Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. Oxford UK, Grub Street, 1990. Template:ISBN, Template:ISBN.
- Wragg, David (2007). Royal Air Force Handbook 1939-1945. The History Press. Template:ISBN