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RAF College of Air Warfare

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This article is about the Royal Air Force unit. For the Indian Air Force unit, seeCollege of Air Warfare.

RAF College of Air Warfare
Active1962-74 as last formation
1942-1946
1946-49
1949-1962
Disbanded1974
CountryUnited Kingdom
BranchRoyal Air Force
TypeTraining
War college
RoleRAF flying training
Last baseRAF Manby

TheRAF College of Air Warfareis a formerRoyal Air Forceflying training unit operational between 1962 and 1974. The unit traces its history back to 1942 as theEmpire Central Flying School.

History

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The College started off life as theEmpire Central Flying SchoolatRAF Hullavingtonwhose main aim was to teach flying instructors and to maintain the standards of teaching and course content in the flying training system at British Empire flying schools, such as those of theBritish Commonwealth Air Training Plan,located worldwide.[1]The school had Instructional, Research and Examining flights from theCentral Flying Schoolalong with aHandling Squadron RAF.These flight used various aircraft includingMiles Magisters,de Havilland Tiger Moths,Gloster Gladiators,Avro AnsonsandAirspeed Oxfordsalong with various other training, fighter and bomber aircraft.[2]

TheHandling Squadronwas operational as part of Empire Central Flying School from 28 February 1942 and as part of the future units until 12 April 1954 when asNo. 3 (Handling) Squadronthe control of the squadron was transferred to theAeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment.[3]

The unit was renamed theEmpire Flying Schoolon 7 May 1946. In 1949 the examining wing was transferred to theCentral Flying SchoolatRAF Brize Norton,and other roles of the school were transferred to the RAF Flying College atRAF Manby.[4]The unit was formally disbanded on 31 July 1949.[4][1]

No. 1 Air Armament Schoolwas operational between 1 November 1937 and 28 October 1944 at Manby and was absorbed by theEmpire Air Armament School[5]which in turn was absorbed by theRoyal Air Force Flying Collegeon 31 July 1949 while at Manby.[2]

TheRoyal Air Force Flying Collegewas formed at RAF Manby on 1 June 1949 and operated various aircraft includingPercival Prentices,Percival Provosts,Gloster Meteors,Handley Page Hastings,andHawker Huntersamongst others.[6]The unit was disbanded on 1 July 1962 and became theRoyal Air Force College of Air Warfarewhich operatedVickers Valettas,Vickers Varsitys,English Electric Canberras,BAC Jet ProvostsandHawker Siddeley Dominiesamongst others.[7][4]

Air Display Team

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A JP in standard RAF dayglo colours, shown here after awheels-up landing

The College formed a display team in 1965, called "TheMagistrates"with the name originating from the initials"JP",the common nickname for the Jet Provost. In late 1967, the team name was changed to the" Macaws ". This name was constructed from the first letters of the unit, MAnby College of Air Warfare. The team wore the standard silver anddayglotraining colours, but in 1968, the display aircraft were re-sprayed into a unique colour scheme of light grey and red. From 1969 the Jet Provosts adopted the now-standard red/white/grey scheme but had special teammarkingsapplied. The "Macaws" flew six basic formations, their display culminating in a "Petal Break". During the 1971 and 1972 display seasons the team was led by Flt Lt Brian Hoskins, and he later went on to lead theRed Arrows.[8]

The team's final season occurred in 1973, in common with several other RAF displays teams, due the effects of the1973 oil crisis.

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ab"Empire Central Flying School".RAF Museum.
  2. ^abLake 1999,p. 64.
  3. ^Lake 1999,p. 128.
  4. ^abcSturtivant 2007, p. 108
  5. ^Lake 1999,p. 13.
  6. ^Lake 1999,p. 176.
  7. ^Lake 1999,p. 175.
  8. ^"THE JET PROVOST DISPLAY TEAMS".Jet Provost Heaven.Retrieved28 September2022.

Bibliography

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