No. 5 Squadron of the
Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts.The RAF operates almost 1,109...
is the operator of the new
Sentinel R1The Raytheon Sentinel is a Bombardier Global Express modified as an airborne battlefield and ground surveillance platform for the British Royal Air Force. Originally known as the ASTOR programme the aircraft is operated by a RAF squadron manned by both air force and army personnel...
Airborne STand-Off Radar (ASTOR) aircraft and is based at
RAF WaddingtonRAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.-Early History:Waddington opened as a Royal Flying Corps flying training station in 1916 until 1920, when the station went into care and maintenance....
.
As No. 5 Squadron
Royal Flying CorpsThe Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery cooperation and photographic reconnaissance...
, it was formed at Farnborough on 26 July 1913, and following the outbreak of the
First World WarWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
deployed to France to carry out
reconnaissanceReconnaissance is a military and medical term denoting exploration conducted to gain information. Militarily, its shorthand Canadian and British form is recce , its American usage form is recon...
for the BEF, equipped in early to mid-1916 with such types as the
Bristol ScoutThe Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...
. They were later observers for artillery using the
BE.2The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine two-seat biplane in service with the Royal Flying Corps during World War I...
, re-equipping with the
RE.8The Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 was a British two-seat biplane reconnaissance and bomber aircraft of the First World War. Intended as a replacement for the vulnerable B.E.2, the R.E.8 was much more difficult to fly, and was regarded with great suspicion at first in the Royal Flying Corps...
in May 1917, and working closely with the
Canadian CorpsFor other uses of Canadian Corps, see Canadian Corps The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December...
, through to the end of the war and into 1919, when it moved into Germany as part of the Army of Occupation.
No. 5 Squadron of the
Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts.The RAF operates almost 1,109...
is the operator of the new
Sentinel R1The Raytheon Sentinel is a Bombardier Global Express modified as an airborne battlefield and ground surveillance platform for the British Royal Air Force. Originally known as the ASTOR programme the aircraft is operated by a RAF squadron manned by both air force and army personnel...
Airborne STand-Off Radar (ASTOR) aircraft and is based at
RAF WaddingtonRAF Waddington is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England.-Early History:Waddington opened as a Royal Flying Corps flying training station in 1916 until 1920, when the station went into care and maintenance....
.
History
As No. 5 Squadron
Royal Flying CorpsThe Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery cooperation and photographic reconnaissance...
, it was formed at Farnborough on 26 July 1913, and following the outbreak of the
First World WarWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
deployed to France to carry out
reconnaissanceReconnaissance is a military and medical term denoting exploration conducted to gain information. Militarily, its shorthand Canadian and British form is recce , its American usage form is recon...
for the BEF, equipped in early to mid-1916 with such types as the
Bristol ScoutThe Bristol F.2 Fighter was a British two-seat biplane fighter and reconnaissance aircraft of the First World War flown by the Royal Flying Corps. It is often simply called the Bristol Fighter or popularly the "Brisfit" or "Biff". Despite being a two-seater, the F.2B proved to be an agile aircraft...
. They were later observers for artillery using the
BE.2The Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 was a British single-engine two-seat biplane in service with the Royal Flying Corps during World War I...
, re-equipping with the
RE.8The Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 was a British two-seat biplane reconnaissance and bomber aircraft of the First World War. Intended as a replacement for the vulnerable B.E.2, the R.E.8 was much more difficult to fly, and was regarded with great suspicion at first in the Royal Flying Corps...
in May 1917, and working closely with the
Canadian CorpsFor other uses of Canadian Corps, see Canadian Corps The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December...
, through to the end of the war and into 1919, when it moved into Germany as part of the Army of Occupation. (Its association with the Canadian Corps lead the incorporation of a Maple Leaf in the squadron's badge when it was approved in June 1937.)
Thereafter in 1920, the squadron was reformed at
Quetta) is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. It is known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan", due to its diversity in plant and animals wildlife. The city has been a major stronghold along the western frontier of the country. It is situated at an average...
India (now part of
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
). There it continued working in Army Air Cooperation for operations on the North West Frontier. From 1920 until 1941 they had a succession of older aircraft:
Bristol FighterBristol Fighter may refer to:*Bristol F.2 Fighter aircraft*Bristol Beaufighter aircraft*Bristol Fighter , an automobile by Bristol Cars...
s,
Westland WapitiThe Westland Wapiti was a British two-seat general purpose military single-engined biplane of the 1920s. It was designed and built by Westland Aircraft Works to replace the Airco DH.9A in Royal Air Force service....
s,
Hawker HartThe Hawker Hart was a British two-seater biplane light-bomber of the Royal Air Force , which had a prominent role during the RAF's inter-war period. The Hart was designed during the 1920s by Sydney Camm and built by Hawker Aircraft...
s and Hawker Audaxs. In 1942 they received American built
MohawkThe Curtiss P-36 Hawk, also known as the Curtiss Hawk Model 75, was a U.S.-built fighter aircraft of the 1930s. A contemporary of the Hawker Hurricane and Messerschmitt Bf 109, it was one of the first of a new generation of combat aircraft—a sleek monoplane design making extensive use of metal in...
s and became escorts to Blenheim bombers over north west Burma. These were replaced in turn by
Hawker HurricaneThe Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. Some production of the Hurricane was carried out in Canada by the Canada Car and Foundry Co Ltd....
s and
P-47 ThunderboltThe Republic P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug," was the biggest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was one of the main United States Army Air Forces fighters of World War II, and also served with other Allied air...
s. No. 5 Squadron converted to
Tempest IIThe Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....
s in February 1946, but disbanded on 1 August 1947.
On 11 February 1949 it reformed Wales for target-towing but in 1951, the squadron moved to Germany to fly the
de Havilland VampireThe de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engined fighter of the Second World War, the second jet-powered aircraft commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the War , although it was not used in combat. The Vampire served with front line RAF squadrons until 1955 and continued in use as a...
and its successor the
VenomThe de Havilland DH.112 Venom was a British postwar single-engined jet aircraft developed from the de Havilland Vampire. It served with the Royal Air Force as a single-seat fighter-bomber and two-seat night fighter....
. The squadron was part of the defence cuts of 1957 but was restored in 1959 as a Night Fighter squadron at
RAF LaarbruchThe former Royal Air Force Station Laarbruch, more commonly known as RAF Laarbruch ICAO EDUL was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, located in Germany on its border with the Netherlands...
, Germany, first flying the
Gloster Meteor NF.11The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' first operational jet. Designed by George Carter, it first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with 616 Squadron of the Royal Air Force...
before re-equipping with the delta winged
Gloster JavelinThe Gloster Javelin was an "all-weather" interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s...
. It moved to
RAF BinbrookRAF Binbrook, located at Binbrook, England, was opened as a Bomber Command station in June 1940 during World War II. It closed in 1942 for the installation of three concrete runways, reopening in 1943 as home to No. 460 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force...
in 1965 with the
English Electric LightningThe English Electric Lightning is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft of the Cold War era, remembered for its great speed and unpainted natural metal exterior finish. It is the only all-British Mach 2 fighter aircraft. The aircraft was renowned for its capabilities as an interceptor; RAF pilots...
interceptor keeping these until 1987. From then until 2003, when it was disbanded at
RAF ConingsbyRAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. It has been commanded by Group Captain John Hitchcock since 15 December 2008....
, No.5 Squadron flew the Tornado F3 and with this aircraft it was the first RAF squadron (accompanied by No. 29 Squadron) to be deployed as part the UK's contribution to the
Gulf WarThe Persian Gulf War , known also as the Gulf War, the First Gulf War,or often as the Second Gulf War and by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as The Mother of all Battles, or commonly as Desert Storm, for the military response...
. It reformed on 1 April 2004.
The first production
Sentinel R1The Raytheon Sentinel is a Bombardier Global Express modified as an airborne battlefield and ground surveillance platform for the British Royal Air Force. Originally known as the ASTOR programme the aircraft is operated by a RAF squadron manned by both air force and army personnel...
made its maiden flight on May 26 2004. The ASTOR system officially entered service with the No. 5 Squadron on 1 December 2008. Full Operating Capability is expected by the end of 2010.
The new radar-equipped aircraft provides battlefield and ground surveillance for the
British ArmyThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
in a similar role to the
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
JSTARS aircraft.
The Squadron is also taking delivery of four new
Shadow R1 aircraft, based on the
King Air 350The Beechcraft Super King Air family is part of a line of twin-turboprop aircraft produced by the Beech Aircraft Corporation . The King Air line comprises a number of model series that fall into two families: the Model 90 series, Model 100 series , Model 200 series and Model 300 series...
.
External links