No. 17 Squadron RAF
No. XVII Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
Latin for 'Strive to excel')[1] | |
Aircraft | Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning |
Battle honours |
|
Insignia | |
Squadron badge heraldry | A Gauntlet symbolizing armed strength and previous operation of the Gloster Gauntlet fighter in the 1930s. Approved by Edward VIII in October 1936.[2] |
Squadron roundel | |
Squadron Codes | UV Nov 1938 – Sep 1939 YB Sep 1939 – Feb 1948 UT Feb 1949 – Mar 1951 B (Carried on Jaguars) CA–CZ Aug 1985 – Mar 1999 |
Number 17 Squadron (sometimes written as No. XVII Squadron), currently No. 17 Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES), is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was reformed on 12 April 2013 at Edwards Air Force Base, California, as the Operational Evaluation Unit (OEU) for the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning.
History
First World War
No. 17 Squadron formed for the first time on 1 February 1915 at
Interwar years
In December 1918, the Squadron re-equipped with twelve
The Squadron reformed at
No. 17 Squadron then equipped with
Second World War
No. 17 Squadron flew defensive patrols from numerous bases in Britain, including
On 11 November 1941, the Squadron sailed for the
Post-War
Cold War
In April 1946, No. 17 Squadron arrived in Japan to form part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. The squadron remained here until it disbanded on 23 February 1948.[4] However it shortly returned to existence on 11 February 1949 at RAF Chivenor when No. 691 Squadron was renumbered as No. 17 Squadron.[13] The Squadron adopted No. 691 Squadron's role of being an anti-aircraft co-operation unit. During this time the Squadron flew a mixture of aircraft including the Spitfire LF.XVIe and target tugs: Airspeed Oxford T.II; Miles Martinet TT.I; North American Harvard TT.IIb; Bristol Beaufighter TT.X.[8] No. 17 Squadron continued this role until it disbanded once again on 13 March 1951.[4]
The Squadron reformed at
No. 17 Squadron were fully re-equipped with twelve Jaguar GR.1s by 31 January 1976. These continued the nuclear strike role from the Phantoms, being assigned to SACEUR, but this time carrying the British WE.177 nuclear weapon, a role they kept until 1984.[16][17] Their task was to support land forces in a high-intensity European war using conventional weapons initially, and tactical nuclear weapons if a conflict escalated. Some aircraft were to be held back in reserve from the conventional phase to ensure that sufficient aircraft survived the conventional phase to deliver the squadron's full stock of eight nuclear weapons.[18]
Still at RAF Brüggen, No. 17 Squadron began to convert to the Panavia Tornado GR.1 in January 1985. They reached full strength of twelve aircraft by 1 March when the last Jaguars were disbanded.[4] The Squadron at this time also had eighteen WE.177 nuclear bombs, and although the squadron's role remained unchanged, their Tornado aircraft were each able to carry two WE.177 bombs, with the ratio of weapons to aircraft at full strength increasing to 1.5 : 1.[19]
Operation Granby
During the
Tornados to Typhoons
Returning to RAF Brüggen, No. 17 Squadron continued its nuclear strike role up until the retirement of the WE.177, with it finally relinquishing its nuclear delivery capability fully in 1998.
The Squadron was reformed on 1 September 2002 as No. XVII (Reserve) Squadron at BAE Systems's Warton Aerodrome. At Warton, a special facility had been constructed to specially operate the new Eurofighter Typhoon T.1s and F.2s. No. 17 (R) Squadron was tasked with being the Operational Evaluation Unit (OEU), or alternatively the Typhoon Operational Evaluation Unit (TOEU), for the type, becoming the first in the RAF to operate it.[23] The Squadron relocated to RAF Coningsby on 1 April 2005 and was officially re-formed at its new base on 19 May 2005.[24] With the Typhoon fully operational, the need for the separate OEU ended and so the Squadron was disbanded on 12 April 2013.[25] Its functions were taken over by the RAF's Test and Evaluation Squadron, No. 41 (R) Squadron.[26]
Modern day
F-35B Lightning
The Squadron stood up at
No. 17 TES embarked their three F-35Bs upon HMS Queen Elizabeth on 13 October 2019 as part of Westlant 19, becoming the first British jets to land on the carrier.[31]
Aircraft operated
- Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c(Feb 1915–Nov 1915)
- Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2c(Dec 1915–June 1918)
- Bristol Scout (July 1916–Sep 1916)
- Airco D.H.2(July 1916–Sep 1916)
- Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12a (Nov 1916–Sep 1918)
- SPAD S.VII (July 1917–Apr 1918)
- Nieuport 17 (Aug 1917–Dec 1917)
- Royal Aircraft Factory S.E.5a(Dec 1917–Apr 1918)
- Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 (Mar 1918–Dec 1918)
- Airco D.H.9(Dec 1918–Nov 1919)
- Sopwith Camel (Dec 1918–Nov 1919)
- Sopwith Snipe (Apr 1924–Mar 1926)
- Hawker Woodcock (Mar 1926–Jan 1928)
- Gloster Gamecock (Jan 1928–Sep 1928)
- Armstrong Whitworth Siskin Mk.IIIa (Sep 1928–Oct 1929)
- Bristol Bulldog Mk.II (Oct 1929–Aug 1936)
- Bristol Bulldog Mk.IIa (Oct 1929–Aug 1936)
- Hawker Hart (Oct 1935–May 1936)
- Gloster Gauntlet Mk.II (Aug 1936–June 1939)
- Hawker Hurricane Mk.I (June 1939–Feb 1941)
- Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIa (Feb 1941–Apr 1941)
- Hawker Hurricane Mk.I (Apr 1941–Aug 1941)
- Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIb (July 1941–Nov 1941)
- Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIa (Jan 1942–June 1942)
- Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIb (June 1942–Aug 1942)
- Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc (Aug 1942–June 1944)
- Supermarine Spitfire Mk.VIII (Mar 1944–June 1945)
- Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XIVe (June 1945–Feb 1948)
- Supermarine Spitfire LF.XVIe (Feb 1949–Mar 1951)
- Airspeed Oxford T.II (Feb 1949–Mar 1951)
- Miles Martinet TT.I (Feb 1949–Jan 1950)
- North American Harvard TT.IIb (Feb 1949–Mar 1951)
- Bristol Beaufighter TT.X (June 1949–Mar 1951)
- English Electric Canberra PR.7 (June 1956–Dec 1969)
- McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2 (Sep 1970–Dec 1975)
- SEPECAT Jaguar GR.1 (Sep 1975–Mar 1985)
- Panavia Tornado GR.1 (Mar 1985–Mar 1999)
- Eurofighter Typhoon T.1 (Dec 2003–Apr 2013)
- Eurofighter Typhoon F.2 (Dec 2003–Apr 2013)
- Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning (Apr 2013–)
-
Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.12a, similar to those flown by No. 17 Squadron, 1916 to 1918.
-
Hawker Woodcock, similar to those flown by No. 17 Squadron, 1926 to 1928.
-
Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc, similar to those flown by No. 17 Squadron, 1942 to 1944.
-
English Electric Canberra PR.7, similar to those operated by No. 17 Squadron, 1956 to 1969.
-
McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2, similar to those flown by No. 17 Squadron, 1970 to 1975.
-
A pair of No. 17 (R) Squadron Eurofighter Typhoon T.1s, which were operated from 2003 to 2013.
See also
References
- ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
- ^ a b "17 Sqn". RAF Heraldry Trust. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ "No 17 Squadron Aircraft & Markings 1915 - 1939". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "No 16 - 20 Squadron Histories". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ Jefford 1988, p. 29
- ^ Munson, Kenneth (May 1970). "Woodcock and Fury - Hawker's first and last biplane fighters". Aircraft Illustrated Extra. No. 4. Ian Allan Limited. pp. 6–12.
- ^ Thetford, Owen. "On Silver Wings — Part 6". Aeroplane Monthly, March 1991, Vol 19 No 3, Issue 215, pp. 138–144. London: IPC. ISSN 0143-7240.
- ^ a b c d e f "No 17 Squadron Aircraft & Markings 1939 - Current". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ "RAF Stations - D". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ "RAF Stations - M". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ a b "No. 17 Squadron RAF". Royal Air Force Commands. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ "No. 17 Squadron (RAF): Second World War". History of War. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ "RAF Stations - C". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 5 December 2018.
- ^ "Tactical Nuclear Weapons. 1971–1972". The National Archives. p. 5. DEFE 11/470 E30. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
- ISBN 978-0813316123.
- ^ "RAF nuclear front line Order-of-Battle 1976". Nuclear-Weapons. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ "RAF nuclear front line Order-of-Battle 1984". Nuclear-Weapons. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ "WE.177 Weapon overview". Nuclear-Weapons. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ RAF nuclear front line Order-of-Battle 1985
- ^ Price, Alfred (23 October 1991). "Tornado Storm" (PDF). Flight International. p. 42. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
- ^ a b Wilkins, Tony (30 September 2015). "RAF Tornado Losses During Desert Storm". Defence of the Realm. Archived from the original on 6 December 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
- ^ "RAF nuclear front line Order-of-Battle 1994". Nuclear-Weapons. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ "Typhoon Spitting Flares". Air Forces Monthly. Key Publishing. November 2006. p. 6.
- ^ "BAE Systems bids farewell to 17(R) Sqn as they head for new home at RAF Coningsby". BAE Systems plc. 1 April 2005. Archived from the original on 11 March 2006. Retrieved 17 October 2006.
- ^ Air Forces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England: Key Publishing Ltd. May 2013. p. 6.
- ^ "41 Sqn 100 History". RAF Coningsby. Royal Air Force. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
- ^ "RAF Coningsby". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ Stevenson, Beth (10 February 2015). "RAF's 17 Sqn assumes control of F-35 test and evaluation". Flight Global. Retrieved 24 March 2015.
- ^ "Airframe Details for F-35 #BK-01". F-16.net. Retrieved 6 December 2018.
- ^ "RAF Drops 'Reserve' Suffix from its Squadrons". Warnsey's World of Military Aviation. 17 March 2018. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
- ^ "First UK fighter jets land onboard HMS Queen Elizabeth". gov.uk. Ministry of Defence. 13 October 2019. Retrieved 17 November 2019.
Sources
- 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.