List_of_wings_of_the_Royal_Air_Force

List of wings of the Royal Air Force

List of wings of the Royal Air Force

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Wings within the Royal Air Force have both administrative and tactical applications. Over the years, the structure and role of wings has changed to meet the demands placed on the RAF. Many of the RAF's numbered wings were originally Royal Flying Corps (RFC) or Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) units.

Wings can be found at every station in the RAF and also abroad, deployed on operations.

Wings by number

No. 1 Wing – No. 99 Wing

In late 1918, a scoreboard lists the claims for aircraft destroyed by No. 80 Wing RAF between July and November that year. The wing's squadrons at the time (including two from the Australian Flying Corps), are: 4 Sqn AFC, 88 Sqn RAF, 4 Sqn AFC, 92 Sqn RAF, 103 Sqn RAF, 46 Sqn RAF, and 54 Sqn RAF.
More information Wing, Date of establishment ...

No. 100 Wing – No. 199 Wing

More information Wing, Date of establishment ...

No. 200 Wing – No. 299 Wing

More information Wing, Date of establishment ...

No. 300 Wing – No. 499 Wing

More information Wing, Date of establishment ...

No. 500 Wing – No. 999 Wing

More information Wing, Date of establishment ...

Expeditionary Air Wings

Formed on 1 April 2006, Expeditionary Air Wings (EAW) are established at the following RAF Flying Stations:

Deployed EAWs

Disbanded EAWs

Force Protection Wings

Formed from RAF Regiment field squadrons and RAF Police components, Force Protection (FP) Wings are responsible for defending aircraft and personnel whilst deployed on operations. the overarching Force Protection Force HQ is located at RAF Honington. Each Wing is parented by an RAF Station with whom it is usually deployed:[41]

RAF Force Protection Wings were, until April 2004, known as Tactical Survive To Operate Headquarters (Tac STO HQs).

Miscellaneous Wings

Station-based Wings

A typical Royal Air Force flying station (not training) will have the following integrated wing-based structure:

  • Administrative Wing / Base (Station) Support Wing / Support Wing
  • Depth Support Wing
  • Forward Support Wing
  • Operations Wing

On a smaller RAF Station, these functions may be termed squadrons but their role is identical.

Specialised Station-based Wings

Some stations has Wings which are customised to their particular role with the RAF:

Tactical Wings

Wings termed 'Tactical' within the Royal Air Force provide are cohesive, specialised teams.

See also


Notes

  1. Bullock.
  2. MacmIllan Appendix I: 'Commanding Officers RNAS/RFC/RAF in Italy: Brigade, Wings, Squadrons'.
  3. "Royal Air Force".
  4. Delve, 'Orders of Battle, June 1944'.
  5. Ellis, Normandy, Appendix VI: 'Allied Air Forces'.
  6. Ellis, Germany, 'Appendix V: The Allied Air Forces'.
  7. Molony, Vol V, Appendix 4, 'Orders of Battle Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces'.
  8. Rennles.
  9. Ellis, France.
  10. Falconer, Appendix IV: 'Orders of Battle'.
  11. Jones, p. 176.
  12. "BBC - WW2 People's War - the War in 80 (Signals) Wing RAF". Archived from the original on 22 July 2012. Retrieved 1 November 2008.
  13. Royal Air Force Facebook Post 24 April 2017 at 16:41
  14. "Royal Air Force". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 28 April 2020.
  15. Woodburn Kirby, Vol II, Appendix 32, 'Order of Battle of Air Forces, India and Ceylon, June 1943'.
  16. Woodburn Kirby, Vol IV, Appendix 4, "Outline Order of Battle of Air Command, South East Asia, 12th December 1944".
  17. Woodburn Kirby, Vol V, Appendix 1: "Outline Order of Battle of Air Command, South-East Asia 30th June 1945".
  18. Woodburn Kirby, Vol V, Appendix 21: "Outline Order of Battle, RAF Malaya, 1st October 1945".
  19. Playfair, Vol III, Appendix 5, 'Royal Air Force Orders of Battle'.
  20. Playfair, Vol IV, Appendix 8, 'Orders of Battle Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces'.
  21. Jackson, Vol VI, Pt III, 'Appendix 3: Order of Battle Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Force'.
  22. Molony, Vol VI, Table V, pp. 406–7.
  23. Molony, Vol V, p. 238.
  24. "Lancaster Main Page". lancaster-archive.com. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  25. "'903 EAW' retrieved 20 March 2017". Archived from the original on 18 March 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
  26. Woodburn Kirby, Appendix 23: 'Outline Order of Battle, RAF Netherlands East Indies, 31 December 1945'.
  27. "904 Expeditionary Air Wing". RAF. Archived from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  28. "Force Protection". Royal Air Force. Retrieved 28 May 2018.
  29. "RAF stands up new ISTAR Air Wing". Janes.com. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  30. Lake 1999, p. 279.

References

  • David L. Bullock, Allenby's War: The Palestine-Arabian Campaigns 1916–1918, London: Blandford Press, 1988, ISBN 0-7137-1869-2.
  • Ken Delve, D-Day: The Air Battle, London: Arms & Armour Press, 1994, ISBN 1-85409-227-8.
  • Appendix 1, 'British Forces Engaged', Major L.F. Ellis, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940, London: HM Stationery Office, 1954.
  • Major L.F. Ellis, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West, Vol I: The Battle of Normandy, London: HM Stationery Office, 1962/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-58-0.
  • Major L.F. Ellis, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: Victory in the West, Vol II: The Defeat of Germany, London: HM Stationery Office, 1968/Uckfield: Naval & Military, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-59-9.
  • Jonathan Falconer, Bomber Command Handbook 1939–1945, Stroud: Sutton, 1998, ISBN 0-7509-1819-5.
  • Gen Sir William Jackson, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol VI: Victory in the Mediterranean, Part III: November 1944 to May 1945, London: HMSO, 1988/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-72-6.
  • R.V. Jones, Most Secret War: British Scientific Intelligence 1939–1945, London: Hamish Hamilton 1978/Coronet 1979, ISBN 0-340-24169-1.
  • Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
  • Norman Macmillan, Offensive Patrol: The Story of the RNAS, RFC and RAF in Italy 1917–18, London: Jarrold, 1973.
  • Brig C.J.C. Molony, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol V: The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and the Campaign in Italy 3rd September 1943 to 31st March 1944, London: HMSO, 1973/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-69-6.
  • Brig C.J.C. Molony (Revised by Gen Sir William Jackson), History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol VI: Victory in the Mediterranean, Part I: 1st April to 4th June 1944, London: HMSO, nd/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-70-X.
  • Maj-Gen I.S.O. Playfair, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol III: (September 1941 to September 1942) British Fortunes reach their Lowest Ebb, London: HMSO, 1960 /Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-67-X.
  • Maj-Gen I.S.O. Playfair & Brig C.J.C. Molony, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East, Vol IV: The Destruction of the Axis forces in Africa, London: HMSO, 1966/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004, ISBN 1-845740-68-8.
  • Keith Rennles, Independent Force; The War Diary of the Daylight Squadrons of the Independent Air Force June–November 1918, London: Grub Street, 2002, ISBN 1-902304-90-X, pp. 6–7.
  • Maj-Gen S. Woodburn Kirby, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War Against Japan Vol II, India's Most Dangerous Hour, London: HM Stationery Office, 1958.
  • Maj-Gen S. Woodburn Kirby, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War Against Japan Vol IV, The Reconquest of Burma, London: HM Stationery Office, 1955.
  • Maj-Gen S. Woodburn Kirby, History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The War Against Japan Vol V, The Surrender of Japan, London: HM Stationery Office, 1969.

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