No. 14 Squadron RAF

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No. 14 Squadron RAF
14 Squadron badge
Active February 3 1915
Role Strike/attack
Garrison/HQ RAF Lossiemouth
Motto In Arabic (an extract from the Qur'an): "I spread my wings and keep my promise"
Equipment Tornado GR4
Battle honours Egypt 1915-1917, Gaza, Megiddo, Arabia 1916-1917, Palestine 1917-1918, Transjordan 1924 (Origin of motto), Palestine 1936-1939, East Africa 1940-1941, Mediterranean 1941-1943, Egypt and Libya 1941-1942, Sicily 1943, Atlantic 1945, Gulf 1991, Kosovo
Insignia
Identification
symbol		 A winged plate charged with a cross throughout and shoulder pieces of a suit of armour

No. 14 Squadron of the Royal Air Force currently operates the Panavia Tornado GR4 from RAF Lossiemouth.

Contents

[edit] History

No. 14 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed on the 3rd of February 1915 at Shoreham with Royal Aircraft factory B.E.2s, it departed for the middle east in November of the same year for Army co-operation duties. In July 1916 the squadron's B.E.2s were supplemented with a small number of D.H.1A two seat fighters for escort duties. In November 1917 the squadron was equipped with Royal Aircraft factory R.E.8s to perform reconnaissance duties. It was recalled to the UK in January 1919 and disbanded the following month.

On the 1st of February 1920 the squadron was reformed in Ramleh by renumbering No. 111 Squadron. The squadron operated Bristol Fighters and used them for various duties including photo surveying and air policing. The squadron patrolled Trans-Jordan and Palestine for the next 20 years, it was during this period that the squadron gained its Arabic motto. When World War II broke out the squadron was transferred to Egypt but soon returned to Amman. In September 1940 the squadron started converting to Bristol Blenheims, these were employed in bombing missions over the Western Desert. B-26 Maruaders were received in 1942 and used in bombing, mine-laying and shipping reconnaissance missions. In March 1943 it started performing anti-submarine missions out of Algeria before transferring back to the UK in October 1944.

On its return to the UK the squadron was based at Chivenor and carried out anti-submarine mission using Vickers Wellington XIVs. The squadron was again disbanded on the 1st of June 1945 but was reborn the same day, when No. 143 Squadron was renumbered. 143 Squadron were based at Banff at the time and were operating the De Havilland Mosquito V1. This incarnation of the squadron was short lived, being disbanded on the 31st of march 1946. However, the following day No. 128 Squadron, operating Mosquito FB16s at RAF Wahn in Germany, was renumbered 14 and the squadron lived again. In December 1947 the Mosquito FB16s were replaced with B35 variants. The squadron moved to Celle in September 1949, this was a short placement as they moved again in November 1950, this time to Fassberg.

In June 1970 the squadron was move to RAF Bruggen and operated Phantom FGR.2s until April 1975, when they were replaced with the SEPECAT Jaguar.

In August 1990, the squadron was dispatched to Bahrain in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait as part of Operation Granby along with two other squadrons from Bruggen, no. 9 and no. 31 Squadrons.

[edit] Current Role

The squadron returned to the UK in January 2001 and current operates from RAF Lossiemouth undertaking precision bombings by utilising the TIALD system.

[edit] Aircraft Operated

[edit] 14 Sqn Trivia

  • 14 Squadron's current mascot is a Burmese Rock Python called Eric.
  • 14 Squadron's motto was suggested by the Emir of Transjordan.[1]
  • 14 Squadron's two key Flight Line AMM's, 'Ginge' and 'Hayley' (nick-names), leave the Squadron at Christams 2007 following selection for further training at DCAE Cosford. [2]
  • 14 Squadron is believed to be the point of origin of the 'Dave Yeeles is a big Jobby' phenominon. This apparently is about a former member of the Squadron, and can be found at Military and civilian locations around the world.

[edit] See also