No.74 Squadron
- Badge
- A tiger’s face
- Motto
- I fear no man
- Formed
- 01 July 1917
- Disbanded
- 22 September 2000
No 74 Squadron was formed at Northolt on 1 July 1917 as a fighter unit.
In March 1918 it moved to France. In February 1919 the unit returned
to the UK and disbanded on 3 July 1919.
On 13 September 1935 the
squadron reformed on board the transport Neuralia before sailing for
Malta. For security reason the unit was known as ‘Demon Flights’ until
14 November 1935 when it was officially numbered No 74 Squadron. In
July 1936 the unit began its return to the UK. No 74 Squadron
re-assembled at RAF Hornchurch on 21 September 1936. At the beginning
of the war the unit flew defensive patrols before providing air cover of
the Dunkirk evacuation beaches in May/June 1940. The squadron was
involved in the first and last parts of the Battle of Britain. In April
1942 the squadron moved to the Middle East but due to a lack of
aircraft it did not function as an operational squadron until December
1942. In May 1943 it moved from Palestine to Egypt. In October of that
year it took part in the abortive attempt by the British to occupy
certain Aegean islands. It returned to the UK in April 1944.
In
April 1944 the squadron began fighter sweeps over France. Later that
year it became involved in fighter-bomber attacks of German targets in
France and the Low Countries. In May 1945 it returned from its
continental bases to convert to jet-fighters in the UK. The squadron
remained a part of the UK air Defence forces until June 1967 when it was
transferred to the Far East. The unit disbanded on 31 August 1971.
On
19 October 1984 the squadron reformed with F-4J/F3 Phantoms acquired
from US Navy stocks. The unit disbanded on 1 October 1992. On 5
October 1992 the reserve number-plate was taken over by Hawk aircraft
operating within No 4 Flying Training School. No 74 (Reserve) Squadron
was laid up on 22 September 2000.
AIRCRAFT
Various types 1917 - 1918
SE5A 1918 - 1919
Demon 1935 - 1937
Gauntlet 1937 - 1939
Spitfire I/II/V 1939 - 1942
Hurricane II 1942 - 1943
Spitfire V/IX/XVI 1943 - 1945
Meteor 3/4/8 1945 - 1957
Hunter 4/6 1957 - 1960
Lightning 1/3/6 1960 - 1971
Phantom 2/3 1984 - 1992
Hawk 1992 - 2000
Reference Sources
The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force James J Halley Air Britain (Historians) Ltd 1988
RAF Squadrons Wg Cdr C G Jefford Airlife 2001
Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their aircraft John D R Rawlings Crecy Books 1993
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