No. 34 Expeditionary Air Wing
No. 34 Expeditionary Air Wing Previous units: 34th (Training) Wing RFC No. 34 (Army Co-operation) Wing RAF No. 34 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing RAF No. 34 Reconnaissance Wing RAF No. 34 Expeditionary Air Wing (ISTAR) RAF | |
---|---|
Active | 1 April 2006 - 1917-18 1941-43 1943-45 1953-60 |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force Royal Flying Corps |
Type | Expeditionary Air Wing |
Role | ISTAR |
Size | Wing |
Garrison/HQ | RAF Waddington |
No. 34 Expeditionary Air Wing is a deployable Expeditionary Air Wing of the Royal Air Force based at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, England, UK.
The current wing was established on 1 April 2006 the unit has history dating back to September 1917.
History
First World War
34th (Training) Wing RFC was formed on 8 September 1917 at Stockbridge within the Southern Training Brigade. It controlled Chattis Hill Aerodrome and Lopcombe Corner Aerodrome until 12 October 1918 when it was disbanded.[1]
Second World War
No. 34 (Army Co-operation) Wing RAF was formed on 22 August 1941 for Army Eastern Command attached to Eastern Command HQ at Luton Hoo under RAF Army Cooperation Command controlling Army co-operations units based at RAF Bottisham, RAF Sawbridgeworth, RAF Snailwell, RAF Stapleford Tawney, RAF Twinwood Farm and RAF Westley. It was renamed to No. 34 Strategic Reconnaissance Wing RAF on 1 June 1943 with No. 12 Group RAF, RAF Fighter Command attached to the RAF Second Tactical Air Force. On 30 June 1943 the wing moved to RAF Blackbushe, then to RAF Northolt on 8 April 1944, on 1 September 1944 the wing moved to mainland Europe and used A.12 Balleroy, B.47 Amiens and Eindhoven before being disbanded on 30 September 1945.[1]
It controlled various squadrons including: 2, 4, 16, 69, 140, 168, 170, 182, 231, 239, 241, 268, 309, 613, 652, 654, 656, 657.[2]
D-Day
For Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy in June 1944, No. 34 was a reconnaissance wing in RAF Second Tactical Air Force at RAF Northolt with Nos 16 (Spitfire PRXI), 69 (Wellington XIII) and 140 (Mosquito PRIX/XVI) Squadrons;[3][4]
Operation Bodenplatte
No. 34 Wing was based at B.56
Cold War
After the Second World War 34 Wing was reformed as No. 34 Reconnaissance Wing RAF at
It controlled various squadrons such as: 79, 541, 69, 31, 314, 68, 16 and 5.[2]
Current use
The unit was reformed on 1 April 2006 as a Expeditionary Air Wing and is based at RAF Waddington.
See also
- List of Wings of the Royal Air Force
References
Citations
- ^ a b Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 314.
- ^ a b c Sturtivant, Hamlin & Halley 1997, p. 315.
- ISBN 1-85409-227-8.
- ISBN 1-845740-58-0.
- ^ Manrho & Pütz 2004, p. 217.
- ^ Weal 2003, p. 117.
- ^ Franks 2000, p. 134.
Bibliography
- Sturtivant, R.; Hamlin, J.; Halley, J. (1997). Royal Air Force flying training and support units. UK: Air-Britain (Historians). ISBN 0-85130-252-1.