List of Royal Air Force units & establishments


There have been many Units with various tasks in the Royal Air Force and they are listed here. A unit is an administrative body, which can be larger or smaller than a Flight or Squadron, is given a specific mission, but does not warrant the status of being formed as a formal Flight or Squadron.

A

Aircraft training units

Aircraft units

Overseas Aircraft Despatch
Overseas Aircraft Preparation
Aircraft Preparation
Other
Observers
Pilots
To hone aircrew weapons skills armament practice camps and stations have been used and these are listed here.
Armament Practice Camp
UnitPrevious nameFormed atFormedAircraftDisbandedDisbanded atHistory
No. 1 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 15 Group Armament
Practice Camp
RAF Aldergrove5 November 1941Westland Lysander II/III/IIIA
Fairey Battle
Miles Master
Miles Martinet
de Havilland Dominie I
1 September 1945RAF Aldergrove
No. 2 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 16 Group Armament
Practice Camp
RAF Thorney Island5 November 1941Westland Lysander III/IIIA
Miles Martinet
1 September 1945RAF Bradwell BayAbsorbed by the Armament Practice Station, Spilsby.
No. 3 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 18 Group Armament
Practice Camp
RAF Leuchars5 November 1941Westland Lysander II/III/IIIA
Fairey Battle
Miles Martinet
1 September 1945RAF Leuchars
No. 4 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 19 Group Armament
Practice Camp
RAF Carew Cheriton5 November 1941Westland Lysander IIIA
Fairey Battle
Miles Master II
Miles Martinet I
1 September 1945RAF Talbenny
No. 11 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 12 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 13 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 14 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 15 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 16 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 17 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 18 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 20 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 21 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 22 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 23 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 24 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 25 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 26 Armament
Practice Camp
No. 27 Armament
Practice Camp
Armament Practice Camp,
Butterworth
Armament Practice Camp
Armament Practice Camp,
Sylt

Armament Practice Station
UnitPrevious nameFormed atFormedAircraftDisbandedDisbanded atHistory
Armament Practice Station, Lübeck
Armament Practice Station, Spilsby
Armament Practice Station, Sylt
No. 1 Armament Practice Station RAF
No. 2 Armament Practice Station RAF
No. 3 Armament Practice Station RAF

Armament Training Camp
UnitPrevious nameFormed atFormedAircraftDisbandedDisbanded atHistory
No. 1 Armament Training Camp, Kuantan
No. 1 Armament Training Camp RAF
No. 2 Armament Training Camp RAF
No. 3 Armament Training Camp RAF
No. 4 Armament Training Camp RAF
No. 5 Armament Training Camp RAF
No. 6 Armament Training Camp RAF
No. 7 Armament Training Camp RAF
No. 8 Armament Training Camp RAF

Armament Training Station
UnitPrevious nameFormed atFormedAircraftDisbandedDisbanded atHistory
No. 1 Armament Training Station RAF
No. 1 Armament Training Station RAF
No. 2 Armament Training Station RAF
No. 3 Armament Training Station RAF
No. 4 Armament Training Station RAF
No. 5 Armament Training Station RAF
No. 6 Armament Training Station RAF
No. 7 Armament Training Station RAF
No. 8 Armament Training Station RAF
No. 9 Armament Training Station RAF

B

Beach units

C

Command level units

Conversion Units

The RAF have now granted all OCUs Reserve squadron status.

E

Establishments

Ferry units

Ferry Units
Ferry Crew Pools
Ferry Pilots Pools
Ferry Pools
Ferry Training Units
Other Ferry Units

Operational Training Units (OTU)

OTUs were created during World War II to take the pressure off Operational squadrons, which previously would have had training Flights. Post war they became OCUs

Other Units

Pools
Photographic Reconnaissance
Other units

Refresher Flying Units

Signals Units

Training Wings