| No. XIX Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1 Sept 1915 – 1 April 1918 (RFC) 1 April 1918 – 31 Dec 1919 (RAF) 1 April 1923 – 31 Dec 1976 1 January 1977 – 9 January 1992 23 Sept 1992 – 24 Nov 2011 1 April 2021– |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Type | Air Control Squadron, Ground-controlled interception |
| Role | Control and Reporting Centre |
| Size | 264 x Personnel |
| Part of | No. 2 Group RAF |
| Home station | RAF Boulmer |
| Nickname(s) | The Chosen Squadron;[1] The Dolphins[1] |
| Motto(s) | Latin: Possunt quia posse videntur (Translation: "They can because they think they can")[1] |
| Colors | Sky Blue and White |
| Equipment | 1 x Operations Room 3 x AN/TPS-77 2 x AN/FPS-117 (Type 92) 1 x BAE Systems Type 102 1 x Indra Sistemas Lanza LTR-25 IBM Guardian Air Control System |
| Battle honours | Western Front (1916-1918)*, Somme (1916)*, Arras, Ypres (1917)*, Somme (1918), Lys, Amiens, Hindenburg Line, Dunkirk*, Home Defence (1940-1942), Battle of Britain (1940)*, Channel and North Sea (1942-1942), Fortress Europe (1942-1944)*, Dieppe, Normandy 1944*, Arnhem, France & Germany (1944-1945) Honours marked with an asterisk(*) are those actually emblazoned on the Squadron Standard[2] |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | Between wings elevated and conjoined in base, a dolphin, head downwards.[1][2] |
| Squadron Roundel |  |
| Squadron Codes | WZ (Oct 1938 – Sep 1939)[3][4] QV (Sep 1939 – Sep 1945)[5][6] A (1989 – 1991)[7] |
No. 19 Squadron (sometimes written as No. XIX Squadron) is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was the first squadron to operate the Supermarine Spitfire. It currently operates the UK's Control and Reporting Centre from RAF Boulmer. No. 19 Squadron delivers persistent surveillance of UK airspace, and Tactical Control of RAF and NATO aircraft, including the UK's contribution to NATO's Quick Reaction Alert mission.
Formed on 1 September 1915 as a Royal Flying Corps squadron, the unit served during the First World War. No. 19 Squadron was the first squadron to operate the Supermarine Spitfire, which it flew for the majority of the Second World War. The squadron operated several different types during the Cold War from the Gloster Meteor F.4 to the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2 as No. 19 (Fighter) Squadron. In 1992, and on receipt of the BAe Hawk and establishing at RAF Valley, the squadron was designated as No. 19 (Reserve) Squadron.
The squadron was disbanded on 24 November 2011, before being allocated to the UK Air Surveillance and Control System Control and Reporting Centre at RAF Boulmer on 1 April 2021, charged with providing Battle Management and Tactical Command and Control (Tac C2) of NATO aircraft, for both defence of the UK and NATO airspace, as well as operational training for the RAF's fast jet squadrons.
- ^ a b c d Palmer 1991, p. 3.
- ^ a b "19 Squadron". Royal Air Force. 2015. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 19 October 2015.
- ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 11.
- ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 52.
- ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 87.
- ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 99.
- ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 229.