No. 24 Squadron RAF

The squadron was founded as No. 24 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps on 1 September 1915 at Hounslow Heath Aerodrome.[2] It arrived in France equipped with D.H.2 fighters in February 1916.[2] The DH.2 came with a reputation for spinning because it had a rotary engine "pushing" it, but after Officer Commanding Major Lanoe Hawker demonstrated the recently discovered procedures for pulling out of a spin, the squadron's pilots came to appreciate the type's maneuverability.[3]

By early 1917 the DH.2 was outclassed and they were replaced by the Airco DH.5. The DH.5 did not prove suitable as a fighter but the squadron used it in a ground-attack role. One of the first actions was during the Battle of Messines and later in the Battle of Cambrai. The DH.5 was phased out of operations and the squadron were given the SE.5a in December 1917.[4] After a few months in the ground-attack role the squadron returned to air combat operations. By October 1918 the squadron had destroyed 200 enemy aircraft. With the armistice the squadron returned to England and was disbanded in February 1919.[4] During the course of its wartime existence, it had 33 flying aces among its ranks, including

A 24 Squadron Dakota C.III transporting King George VI to the Channel Islands, 1945.

On 1 February 1920 the squadron was re-formed at RAF Kenley as a communications and training squadron.[2] During the General Strike of 1926, because of the lack of a postal services, the squadron was used to deliver government dispatches around the country.[2]

Following the outbreak of the Second World War the squadron acquired more civil airliners which were impressed for wartime service. It provided a detachment in France to run a courier services, but with the withdrawal of British troops it was soon used to evacuate men back to England. Former British Airways and Imperial Airways aircraft were put to use on a network of communications flights including trips to Gibraltar and later Malta.[2]

The squadron had grown into a large organisation not only with a network of routes around the United Kingdom and eventually extended to India. It also operated VIP transports including Sir Winston Churchill's personal aircraft. It was decided to break the squadron up, the internal communication flight became 510 Squadron in October 1942.[6] In June 1943 a second squadron, No. 512, equipped with Douglas Dakotas was split off from No 24.[6] This left 24 Squadron to concentrate on the long distance routes using the Avro York.[2]

Lockheed Hercules of 24 Squadron in 1968

After many years the squadron had to leave RAF Hendon in February 1946 as the airfield was now too small to operate the larger Avro Yorks and Avro Lancastrians.[2] The squadron was also designated a Commonwealth squadron with crews from various Commonwealth countries joining the squadron strength.[2]

In 1968 the squadron moved from RAF Colerne to RAF Lyneham and re-equipped with the Lockheed Hercules. The squadron re-equipped with the new generation Hercules C.4 and C.5 RAF designation for the C-130J-30 and C-130J respectively in 2002. It celebrated 40 years of Hercules operation in 2008 and remained at Lyneham until 2011 when the squadron relocated to RAF Brize Norton.[7]

In 2013, 24 Squadron started its transition from a front line C130J Hercules Squadron to become the Air Mobility Operational Conversion Unit.[2] This transition brigaded the majority of flying and engineer training within the Air Mobility Force under one specialist training unit. 24 Squadron is currently responsible for the provision of training to aircrews flying the C130J Hercules and A400M Atlas aircraft; in addition 24 Squadron's Maintenance Training School is responsible for training engineers to maintain the C130J Hercules, A400M Atlas and C17 Globemaster aircraft. As a Central Flying School accredited training establishment, 24 Squadron is the professional training body for the Air Mobility Force delivering flying training for the C130J Hercules, A400M Atlas and C17 Globemaster as well as engineering training for the C130J Hercules, A400M Atlas and C17 Globemaster. The Squadron also oversees Aircrew Instructor Development for the Air Mobility Force, delivering initial aircrew instructor courses. [8]