No. 72 Squadron RAF

No. 72 (Fighter) Squadron RAF
Squadron badge
Active28 June 1917 – 1 April 1918 (RFC)
1 April 1918 – 22 September 1919 (RAF)
22 February 1937 – 30 December 1946
1 February 1947 – 30 June 1961
15 November 1961 – 1 April 2002
12 July 2002 – 31 October 2019
28 November 2019 – present
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
TypeFlying training squadron
RoleAdvanced flying training
Part ofNo. 4 Flying Training School RAF
Home stationRAF Valley
Nickname(s)'Basutoland'[1]
Motto(s)Swift[2]
AircraftBeechcraft Texan T.1
Battle honours * Honours marked with an asterisk are those emblazoned on the Squadron Standard
Insignia
Squadron badge heraldryA swift volant, intended to symbolise speed.[3]
Post 1950 squadron insignia
Squadron codesRN (Oct 1938 – Apr 1939)[4]
SD (Apr 1939 – Sep 1939)[4][5]
RN (Sep 1939 – Dec 1946)[6][7]
FG (Jan 1947 – Apr 1951)[8][9]
AA–AZ (Wessex)[10]

Number 72 (Fighter) Squadron of the Royal Air Force is a training squadron that is currently based at RAF Valley using the Beechcraft Texan T.1 to deliver Basic Fast Jet Training (BFJT).

It was previously based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse using the Short Tucano T.1, a modified version of the Brazilian Embraer EMB-312 Tucano training aircraft. No. 72 Squadron started its service life supporting the army during World War I on operations in Middle East and afterwards was quickly disbanded. In its second incarnation the squadron was a real fighter unit, transitioning from Gloster Gladiator biplanes[11] to Gloster Javelin all-weather jets, in between flying the Supermarine Spitfire during the Battle of Britain. The jets went in 1961 and from then until 1 April 2002 the squadron flew helicopters in the transport role.

The squadron nickname, "Basutoland", is derived from the fact that during both world wars, the Basutoland Protectorate, now Lesotho, donated aircraft to RAF, which were assigned to No. 72 Squadron.[12]

  1. ^ Rawlings 1978, p. 522.
  2. ^ Pine, L.G. (1983). A dictionary of mottoes (1 ed.). London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. p. 227. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
  3. ^ Rawlings 1978, p. 176.
  4. ^ a b Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 51.
  5. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 12.
  6. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 90.
  7. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 104.
  8. ^ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 40.
  9. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 151.
  10. ^ Flintham and Thomas 2003, p. 199.
  11. ^ Gustavsson, Håkan. "Gloster Gladiator in 72 RAF Squadron service". Biplane Fighter Aces from the Second World War. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  12. ^ "Jackson, 2006, p260"