No. 1312 Flight RAF

No. 1312 Flight is an independent flight of the Royal Air Force, supporting at present the defence of the Falkland Islands..

No. 1312 Flight RAF
A 1312 Flight C-130 taking-off at RAF Stanley
Active19 Apr 1944 – 21 Jul 1944
14 Sep 1954 – 1 Apr 1957
20 Aug 1983 – present[1]
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleTransport
(1944; 1954–1957)
Aerial refueling and transport
(1983–present)
Motto(s)Uphold the right
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryNo known badge
Squadron CodesNo known identification code for the flight is known to have been carried

While the United Kingdom officially does not foresee any threat to the Falkland Islands, it maintains significant military forces as a deterrent against any aggressor. These forces also protect South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The Royal Air Force contribution to this deterrent is based at RAF Mount Pleasant, the primary component of which is No. 1435 Flight, with its four Eurofighter Typhoons providing air defence. The squadron goes by the motto of "Uphold the right" while the motto of the Falkland Islands is "Desire the right".

1312 Flight operates in support of this force providing aerial refuelling, air transport, search and rescue and maritime patrol. The latter is an important mission to the Falkland Islands government as the Hercules verifies that all fishing vessels are licensed; at £1,000 per licence per season this is an important source of income.

History

1312 (Transport) Flight was first formed on 19 April 1944 at RAF Llandow. It operated 6 Avro Ansons to collect and deliver aircrew involved in the ferrying replacement aircraft. After June 1944 it was involved in transporting wounded serviceman back to England from France until it was disbanded on 21 July 1944.[2][3]

The flight was re-formed on 14 September 1954, at RAF Abingdon, as 1312 (Transport Support) Flight operating the Handley Page Hastings and later the Vickers Valetta, disbanding on 1 April 1957.[1][3]

1312 (In-Flight Refuelling) Flight re-formed again on 20 August 1983 at RAF Stanley before moving to the newly opened RAF Mount Pleasant in 1986.[4] The original task was to operate the Lockheed Hercules on air-to-air refueling missions, but these were later replaced by VC10s (borrowed from 101 Squadron) and Hercules C.1s from the Lyneham Wing.[3] On 31 August 2013 the VC10 was replaced by a TriStar K1 from 216 Squadron.

Presently, 1312 Flt utilise aircraft and crew from RAF Brize Norton. With No. 70 Sqn provide an Airbus A400M "Atlas" whilst No. 10 & 101 Sqn provide an Airbus MRTT "Voyager".

Aircraft operated
Aircraft operated by no. 1312 Flight RAF, data from[1][3]
FromToAircraftVersionExample
19 April 194421 July 1944Avro AnsonMkI
MkX		NK692
NK696
14 September 195401 April 1957Handley Page HastingsC1
C2		TG615 'L'
WD485
February 195501 April 1957Vickers ValettaC1WD158; VL274
20 August 198331 March 1996Lockheed HerculesC1KXV201
31 March 199631 August 2013Vickers VC10
Lockheed Hercules		K4
C1		ZD242 'P'
..
31 August 2013February 2014Lockheed TriStar
Lockheed Hercules		K1
C1[5]		..
..
February 2014March 2018Airbus Voyager
Lockheed Hercules		KC2/KC3[6]
C4/C5		ZZ330
ZH867
March 2018PresentAirbus Voyager
Airbus Atlas		KC2/KC3
C1		ZZ330
ZM400

Flight bases
Bases and airfields used by no. 1312 Flight RAF, data from[1][3]
FromToBase
19 April 194421 July 1944RAF Llandow, Glamorgan, Wales
14 September 195401 April 1957RAF Abingdon, Oxfordshire
20 August 19831986RAF Stanley, Falkland Islands
1986presentRAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands

See also

References
Notes
  1. Lake 1999, pp. 84–85.
  2. Lake 1999, p. 84.
  3. Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 118.
  4. Lake 1999, p. 85.
  5. https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm131128/text/131128w0002.htm#131128w0002.htm_wqn105
  6. http://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/2014-03-26/raf-retires-tristar-tankers-voyager-fleet-grows
Bibliography
  • Lake, Alan. Flying Units of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1999. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
  • Sturtivant, Ray, ISO and John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.
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