Royal Air Force





Current Chief of the Air Staff: Air Chief Marshall Sir Glen Torpy DFC



Gloster Meteor prototype, RAF Cosford, 2001.


  • Raf Bases (Updated 15 March 2008):

  • RAF Akiroti
    No. 84 Squadron - Bell Griffin HR2
  • RAF Aldergrove (Belfast)
    No. 230 Squadron - 15 Westland Puma HC1

    Chelmsford's Meteor WH132, March 2001.

  • RAF Barkston Heath
    Joint Elementary Flying School
  • RAF Benbecula
    Air Defence Ground Environment Control and Reporting Post
  • RAF Benson
    No. 28 (AC) Squadron - Merlin HC3 HC3A
    No. 33 Squadron - 20 Westland Puma HC1
    No. 78 Squadron - Merlin HC3 HC3A

    Victor V-bomber, RAF Cosford March 2001.

  • RAF Boscombe Down
    DERA Boscombe Down

    T.S.R. 2 XR220, the second T.S.R. 2 which was prepped for take off at Boscombe Down. RAF Cosford March 2001.

  • RAF Boulmer, School of Fighter Control
    No. 202 Squadron - 6 Westland Sea King HAR3 HAR3A
    Air Defence Ground Environment Control and Reporting Post/1 ACC
  • RAF Bracknell
  • RAF Brampton Guiness Girl Buccaneer XW547, RAF Cosford, March 2001.
  • RAF Brize Norton
    Combat Support 2 Group
    No. 99 Squadron - 4 Boeing C-17A Globemaster III.
    No. 101 Squadron - 4 BAC VC10 K3; 5 K4; C1K.
    No. 216 Squadron - 9 Lockheed Tristar K1/KC1/C2/C2A
  • RAF Buchan
    Air Defence Ground Environment Control and Reporting Post
  • RAF Conningsby
    121 Expeditionary Air Wing
    Air Combat 1 Group
    No. 3 (Fighter) Squadron - Typhoon F2, T1.
    XI Squadron - Typhoon F2, FGR4
    No. 29 (R) Squadron - Typhoon Operational Conversion Squadron - Typhoon T1/F2
    Air Warfare Centre
    No. 17 (R) Squadron - Typhoon Operational Evaluation Unit - Typhoon T1/F2
    No. 41 (R) Squadron - Harrier GR9, Gr9A, Tornado GR4.
    Battle of Britain Memorial Flight - 1 Lancaster B1, 2 Hurricane IIC, 1 Spitfire IIA, 2 Spitfire VB, 1 Spitfire IX, 2 Spitfire XIX, 1 Dakota and 1 Chipmunk.
    Eurofighter Typhoon as seen at RAF Leuchars, Fife.


    Avro Lincoln RF398 at RAF Cosford, March 2001.

  • RAF Cosford
  • RAF Cottesmore
    122 Expeditionary Air Wing
    No. 1 (Fighter) Squadron - 16 BAe Harrier GR7/GR7A, GR9/GR9A and 1 T10
    No. 4 (AC) Squadron - 16 BAe Harrier GR7/GR7A and 2 T10
  • RAF College Cranwell
    No. 45(R) Squadron - 10 Scottish Aviation Jetstream T1
    No. 3 FTS - Tutor etc.
  • RAF Digby
  • RAF Farnborough, School of Aviation Medicine
  • RAF Grantown-on-Spey
  • RAF Halton
  • RAF Headley Court
  • RAF Henlow
  • RAF High Wycombe
  • RAF Honington
  • RAF Innsworth
  • RAF Kinloss
    325 Expeditionary Air Wing
    No. 42(R) Squadron - HS Nimrod MR2
    No. 120 Squadron Nimrod MR2
    No. 201 Squadron - HS Nimrod MR2

    Gloster Javelin XA 564 at RAF Cosford, March 2001.

  • RAF Leeming
    135 Expeditionary Air Wing
    Air Combat 1 Group
    No. 100 Squadron - 14 BAe Hawk T1/T1A
    JFACTSU - Hawk T1A
  • RAF Leuchars
    125 Expeditionary Air Wing
    Air Combat 1 Group
    No. 43 (Fighter)Squadron - 13 Panavia Tornado F3
    No. 111 (Fighter)Squadron - 13 Panavia Tornado F3
  • RAF Linton-on-Ouse
    No. 72 (R) Squadron - Shorts Tucano T1
    No. 1 FTS - 73 Short Tucano T1
  • RAF Locking
    Gloster Meteor at Hendon Air Museum, March 2001.

  • RAF Lossiemouth
    140 Expeditionary Air Wing
    Air Combat 1 Group
    No. 12 (Bomber) Squadron - 13 Panavia Tornado GR1B/GR4B
    No. 14 Squadron - 13 Panavia Tornado GR4
    No. 15 (R) Squadron - National Tornado Operational Conversion Squadron
    No. 617 Squadron - 13 Panavia Tornado GR1B/GR4
    Combat Support 2 Group
    202 Squadron 'D' Flight - Sea King HAR3

    Gloster Meteor WH301 at Hendon Air Museum, March 2001.

  • RAF Lyneham
    38 Expeditionary Air Wing
    No. 24 Squadron - Lockheed Hercules C1/C3
    No. 30 Squadron - Lockheed Hercules C1/C3
    No. 47 Squadron - Lockheed Hercules C1/C3
    No. 70 Squadron - Lockheed Hercules C1/C3
  • RAF Machrihanish
  • RAF Manston

    Vickers Valiant XD818, former RAF Marham gateguard, dropped the first British H-Bomb. Hendon, 2001.


  • RAF Marham
    138 Expeditionary Air Wing
    No. 2 (AC) Squadron - 13 Panavia Tornado GR4/GR4A
    No. 9 (Bomber) Squadron - 13 Panavia Tornado GR4
    No. 13 Squadron - 13 Panavia Tornado GR4/GR4A
    No. 31 Squadron - 13 Panavia Tornado GR4
  • Creech AFB, Nevada, USA
    Combined Joint Task Force
    Air Combat 1 Group
    No. 39 Squadron - MQ-1 Predator, MQ-9 Reaper.
  • RAF Mount Pleasant
    No. 78 Squadron - 2 Westland Sea King HAR3 and 2 Boeing-Vertol Chinook HC2.
    1312 Flight - 1 BAC VC10 K2/K3/K4 and 1 Lockheed Hercules
    1435 Flight - 4 Panavia Tornado F3
  • RAF Neatishead
    Air Defence Ground Environment Control and Reporting Post
  • RAF Newton
    Joint Elementary Flying Training School
  • RAF Northolt
    Combat Support 2 Group
    No. 32 (The Royal) Squadron - 6 Bae 125 CC3, 3 Bae 146 CC2, 3 (leased) Eurocopter Twin Squirrel HCC1.
  • RAF North Luffenham
  • RAF Northwood
  • RAF Oakhanger
  • RAF Odiham
    No. 7 Squadron - 13 Boeing-Vertol Chinook HC2 and 1 Westland Gazelle
    No. 18 Squadron - 12 Boeing Chinook HC2
    No. 27 Squadron - 7 Boeing-Vertol Chinook HC2
  • RAF Rudloe Manor
  • RAF Saxa Vord
    Air Defence Ground Environment Control and Reporting Post
  • RAF Scampton
    Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team The Red Arrows - 11 BAe Hawk T1/T1A
    Folland Gnat Red Arrow, RAF Cosford 2001. Image dedicated to my father.

  • RAF Shawbury
    No. 60(R) Squadron - 6 Bell Griffin HT1
    Defence Helicopter Flying School
  • RAF Spadeadam
  • RAF St Athan
    Ejection system testing Gloster Meteor WA634. RAF Cosford, March 2001.

  • RAF St Mawgan
    No. 203(R) Squadron (SKOCU) - 5 Westland Sea King HAR3
    Air Defence Ground Environment Reporting Site
  • RAF Stanbridge
  • RAF Stanmore Park
  • RAF Staxton Wold
    Air Defence Ground Environment Reporting Post
  • RAF Turnhouse
  • RAF Uxbridge
  • RAF Valley
    22 (Training) Group
    4 Flying Training School
    No. 19(R) Squadron - BAe Hawk T1/T1A
    No. 208(R) Squadron (4 FTS) - BAe Hawk T1/T1A
    Central Flying School Advanced Training Unit - BAe Hawk T1/T1A
    Search and Rescue Training Unit - Griffin HT1
    Combat Support 2 Group
    No. 22 Squadron 'C' Flight - Sea King HAR3
  • RAF Waddington
    34 Expeditionary Air Wing
    Combat Support 2 Group
    No. 5 (AC) Squadron - Bombardier Sentinel R1
    No. 8 Squadron - 4 Boeing E-3D Sentry AEW1
    No. 23 Squadron - 3 Boeing Sentry AEW1
    No. 51 Squadron - Nimrod R1
    No. 54 (R) Squadron - Boeing E-3D Sentry AEW1

    Rare shot of Chelmsford's Gloster Meteor WH132 at the end of Meteor way. March 2001.

  • RAF Wittering
    122 Expeditionary Air Wing
    No. 20(R) Squadron (HOCU) - 11 BAe Harrier and 7 T10
  • RAF Wyton

    E/E Lightning at Hendon Air Museum, March 2001.


    Others: No. 22 Squadron with 6 Westland Sea King HAR3/3A based at RMB Chivenor, Devon.

    Avro Vulcan B2 XM598, RAF Cosford, March 2001.