No. 1564 Flight RAF

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No. 1564 Flight RAF
Active1 Feb 1943 – 15 Jun 1946
14 Aug 1963 – 31 Dec 1966
1 May 1969 – 31 Mar 1970
20 Aug 1983 – 22 May 1986
Nov 2007 – Mar 2016
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleSearch and Rescue
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryNo known badge
Flight CodesSince 1984 the helicopters of the flight are coded SA, SB and SC[1][2]

No. 1564 Flight RAF was an independent flight of the British Royal Air Force which was created on five separate occasions between 1943 and 2016 in a variety of roles.

1564 (Meteorological) Flight in World War II

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No. 1564 (Meteorological) Flight was first formed at RAF Mellaha, near Tripoli, Libya, on 1 February 1943, flying Hawker Hurricanes and Supermarine Spitfires, and was disbanded at Istres, France on 15 June 1946.[1][2]

1564 (Helicopter) Flight in the 1960s

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A Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 like those of 1564 Flight

No. 1564 (Helicopter) Flight was re-formed at RAF El Adem, Libya on 14 August 1963, flying Bristol Sycamores and Westland Whirlwinds, from an element of 103 Squadron, disbanding on 31 December 1966 at El Adem.[1][2]

The flight was re-formed at El Adem again on 1 May 1969, from 'D' Flight of 202 Squadron, only to be disbanded again on 31 March 1970 on Cyprus.[1][2]

1564 (Tactical Support) Flight on the Falklands

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A Westland Sea King HAR.3 of No. 22 Squadron RAF, like those of 1564 Flight

Following the Falklands War of 1982, the Westland Sea King search and rescue aircraft of C Flight, 202 Squadron, RAF Coltishall were deployed to provide search and rescue cover for BFFI (British Forces Falkland Islands), flying from Navy Point opposite Port Stanley. The unit had a variety of designations before formally adopting No. 1564 (Tactical Support) Flight as its title in 1983. When the Sea King and Chinook units in the Falkland Islands were combined on the opening of RAF Mount Pleasant, they took on the title of 78 Squadron.[1][2]

1564 Flight was reformed in November 2007, by re-designating 78 Squadron on the departure of the Chinook aircraft from the Falklands. The Flight operated two Sea King HAR3 helicopters, with crews provided on rotation from Nos. 22 and 202 Squadrons in the UK. The Sea Kings, however, were replaced due to the SAR privatization process.[3] AAR Corp was awarded a contract for helicopter search and rescue services in the Falkland Islands to replace 1564 Flight, they will use AgustaWestland AW189 helicopters in the role from 2016.[4][5]

In March 2015, the UK announced that a pair of Chinooks would be stationed in the Falklands again.[6]

1564 Flight disbanded on 31 March 2016 with a simple ceremony and flypast, following the privatisation of UK SAR. This represented the final ever flight of the RAF SAR Sea Kings by ZE370 and XZ593[7][8] Since official records began in 1983, the SAR operating from the Falklands have responded to 1,305 callouts and given life-saving assistance to 1,883 people.[9]

Aircraft operated

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Aircraft operated by no. 1564 Flight RAF, data from[1][2]
From To Aircraft Version Example
1 February 1943 July 1945 Hawker Hurricane Mk.I Z4855
1 February 1943 July 1945 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIb KZ134
1 February 1943 July 1945 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc LD209
1 February 1943 July 1945 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IId HV590
July 1945 15 June 1946 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vc EF683
July 1945 15 June 1946 Supermarine Spitfire Mk.IX MA518
14 August 1963 1 November 1963 Bristol Sycamore HAR.14 XL824
1 November 1963 31 December 1966 Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 XP354
1 May 1969 31 March 1970 Westland Whirlwind HAR.10 XP300, XJ764
20 August 1983 22 May 1986 Westland Sea King HAR.3 XZ597 SC
November 2007 31 March 2016 Westland Sea King HAR.3 XZ597 SC

Flight bases

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Bases and airfields used by no. 1564 Flight RAF, data from[1][2]
From To Base
1 February 1943 14 December 1943 RAF Mellaha, Libya
14 December 1943 14 January 1946 RAF Castel Benito, Libya
14 January 1946 15 June 1946 FAF Istres, France
14 August 1963 31 December 1966 RAF El Adem, Libya
1 May 1969 January 1970 RAF El Adem, Libya
January 1970 31 March 1970 RAF Akrotiri, Cyprus
20 August 1983 22 May 1986 RAF Navy Point, Falkland Islands
November 2007 31 March 2016 RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands

See also

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References

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Notes
  1. ^ a b c d e f g Lake (1999), p. 95.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Sturtivant & Hamlin (2007), p. 127.
  3. ^ "AAR Commences Search and Rescue Operations for UK Ministry of Defence in the Falkland Islands". AAR Corp. 31 March 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  4. ^ "AAR Awarded 10-Year Search & Rescue Contract in the Falkland Islands by UK MOD". AAR Corp. 19 January 2015. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  5. ^ Jennings, Gareth (19 January 2015). "UK awards Falklands SAR contract to AAR Airlift". Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  6. ^ "UK to boost Falklands defences". BBC News Online. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  7. ^ Murray, Angus [@angusde] (31 March 2016). "As it's 1564 flight last day of SAR..." (Tweet). Retrieved 2 November 2017 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ Callaway, Jade [@JadeCallaway] (31 March 2016). "Farewell to the Falklands' Sea King SAR Force..." (Tweet). Retrieved 2 November 2017 – via Twitter.
  9. ^ Mander, Simon (8 April 2016). "Falklands finale for RAF SAR". RAF News (1392): 7. ISSN 0035-8614.
Bibliography
  • Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C. G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Lake, Alan (1999). Flying Units of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
  • Sturtivant, Ray; Hamlin, John (2007). RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 978-0-85130-365-9.
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