The RAF roundel (three concentric circles) over all a
wake knot. Approved by
King Edward VIII in May 1936. The circles represent the RAF and the wake knot is derived from the arms of
Hereward the Wake and indicates the basic role of the unit as a guardian of the Army.[2]
Post 1950 squadron roundel
Squadron Codes
KO (Nov 1939–May 1941) XV (May 1941–1943) OI (Sep 1946–Apr 1951) B (Apr 1951–1955) A–Z (Tornados)
No. 2 Squadron's traditional army co-operation role is reflected in the "AC" of its title, its motto Hereward (Guardian of the Army), and the symbol of a
Wake knot on its crest. Its unofficial nickname is Shiny Two.
From 26 February 1913, the squadron was based at
Montrose Air Station in
Angus, Scotland, the first operational Royal Flying Corps base in the UK. This was established on the instructions of the
First Lord of the Admiralty,
Winston Churchill, to protect the
Royal Navy.[5][6] At Montrose the ghost story of
Desmond Arthur spread around the flying corps. In May 1914, when the Squadron was transferring south from Montrose, five aircraft crashed when they hit a bank of fog just south of the
River Tees. Six of the aircraft had to land, with five of them crash landing, resulting in many injuries and two deaths (a
Lieutenant and a First Class Mechanic) in a field near
Hutton Bonville in the
North Riding of Yorkshire.[7]
No. 2 Squadron was the first to fly the English Channel into France at the start of the
First World War with
H.D. Harvey-Kelly being the first pilot to land his aircraft.[8] The squadron spent the war on reconnaissance duties in France flying, amongst other aircraft, the
B.E.2.[9]
The squadron gained the 'AC' in its title in the inter-war years, flying army co-operation (AC) sorties during the
partition of Ireland in the early 1920s. After time in China during 1927,[12] the squadron re-equipped with the
Armstrong Whitworth Atlas again on army co-operation work.[13]
The squadron spent much of the
Cold War in
West Germany as part of
RAF Germany, flying various fighter types, including the
Supermarine Swift FR.5 and
Hawker Hunter FR.10. No. II (AC) Squadron began to convert to the
McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2 in December 1970,[16] when they received XV485 at
RAF Brüggen.[17] The Hunter No. II (AC) Squadron at
RAF Gütersloh continued to operate in tandem with the Phantom No. II Squadron at Brüggen until 1 March 1971 when conversion to the Phantom was completed.[18]Shiny Two flew their first Phantom reconnaissance sortie on 8 January with XV485. The Phantom-equipped No. II (AC) Squadron relocated to
RAF Laarbruch on 3 May 1971.[17]Shiny Two began to convert to the
SEPECAT Jaguar GR1 in 1976, with XZ101 being delivered on 26 February 1976, with the Phantom FGR.2s being replaced by October the same year.[19]
Tornado era (1988–2015)
No. II (AC) Squadron began to convert to the
Panavia Tornado GR1 on 16 December 1988, when their first Tornados were delivered to RAF Laarbruch.[20] Elements of the squadron were deployed to the 1991
Gulf War.[21] Along with much of the RAF, No. 2 Squadron withdrew from Germany after returning from the Gulf War – moving to
RAF Marham in
Norfolk flying the Panavia Tornado GR1A coming under the control of
RAF Strike Command. These were upgraded to the latest
GR4 standard, with which the Squadron deployed at part of
Operation Telic in
Iraq during 2003. For this operation the squadron received a
battle honour with the right of emblazonment on the Squadron Standard.[22]
The squadron has deployed on several occasions to maintain the Tornado GR4 detachment in Afghanistan. It also saw action over Libya during
Operation Ellamy/
Operation Unified Protector for which it received a further battle honour.[24] The Squadron also operated eight aircraft from
RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus as part of
Operation Shader, the coalition strikes against the extremist group
ISIS.[25]
In December 2013, it was announced that following the squadron's scheduled 2014 deployment to Afghanistan as part of
Operation Herrick, it was to stand down on 31 March 2015 as a Tornado squadron at Marham, and reactivate the following day (1 April 2015) as a
Eurofighter Typhoon squadron at
RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland.[27] However, in October 2014, Prime Minister
David Cameron said that the squadron's disbandment and reformation would be put on hold to allow Tornados to continue supporting strikes against ISIS.[25]
As a consequence of this new plan, the new No. 2 Squadron formed at Lossiemouth on 12 January 2015,[28] with the old No. 2 Squadron at Marham being re-designated as
No. 12 Squadron on 9 January.[29]
During October and November 2016, four No. 2 Squadron Typhoons and support personnel deployed to the
Far East to take part in exercises with
Japan and
South Korea. The Squadron operated from the
Japan Air Self Defense Force base at
Misawa on
Honshu, to take part in Exercise Guardian North 16. Subsequently, the Squadron was based at
Osan Air Base in
South Korea and took part in Exercise Invincible Shield, alongside the
Republic of Korea Air Force and
United States Air Force. It was the first time either Japan or South Korea had hosted exercises with a foreign nation other than the United States.[30][31]
The squadron was awarded the
Freedom of Angus on 26 July 2019, marking 106 years since it was first stationed at Montrose Air Station as part of the Royal Flying Corps. A parade took place in
Montrose, which included a flypast of the squadron's Typhoons.[32]
Butcher, Percy Edwin. Skill and Devotion: A Personal Reminiscence of the Famous No. 2 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Hampton Hill, Middlesex, UK: Radio Modeller Book Division, 1971.
Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988.
ISBN0-85130-164-9.
Heathcott, John (1998). "Unit Heritage: 'Second to None': 'Shiny Two', No. II (AC) Squadron, RAF". Wings of Fame. Vol. 11. London: Aerospace Publishing. pp. 140–157.
ISBN1-86184-017-9.
ISSN1361-2034.
Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 2001.
ISBN1-84037-141-2.
Onderwater, Hans. Second to None: the History of No. II (Army Co-operation) Squadron RAF, 1912–2002. second edition, Airlife Publishing, UK.
ISBN1-84037-408-X.
Raleigh, Walter (1922). The War in the Air: Being the Story of the part played in the Great War by The Royal Air Force: Vol I. History of the Great War. Oxford: The Clarenden Press.
Rawlings, John D. R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd.
ISBN0-7106-0187-5.
Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (new edition 1976, reprinted 1978).
ISBN0-354-01028-X.
The RAF roundel (three concentric circles) over all a
wake knot. Approved by
King Edward VIII in May 1936. The circles represent the RAF and the wake knot is derived from the arms of
Hereward the Wake and indicates the basic role of the unit as a guardian of the Army.[2]
Post 1950 squadron roundel
Squadron Codes
KO (Nov 1939–May 1941) XV (May 1941–1943) OI (Sep 1946–Apr 1951) B (Apr 1951–1955) A–Z (Tornados)
No. 2 Squadron's traditional army co-operation role is reflected in the "AC" of its title, its motto Hereward (Guardian of the Army), and the symbol of a
Wake knot on its crest. Its unofficial nickname is Shiny Two.
From 26 February 1913, the squadron was based at
Montrose Air Station in
Angus, Scotland, the first operational Royal Flying Corps base in the UK. This was established on the instructions of the
First Lord of the Admiralty,
Winston Churchill, to protect the
Royal Navy.[5][6] At Montrose the ghost story of
Desmond Arthur spread around the flying corps. In May 1914, when the Squadron was transferring south from Montrose, five aircraft crashed when they hit a bank of fog just south of the
River Tees. Six of the aircraft had to land, with five of them crash landing, resulting in many injuries and two deaths (a
Lieutenant and a First Class Mechanic) in a field near
Hutton Bonville in the
North Riding of Yorkshire.[7]
No. 2 Squadron was the first to fly the English Channel into France at the start of the
First World War with
H.D. Harvey-Kelly being the first pilot to land his aircraft.[8] The squadron spent the war on reconnaissance duties in France flying, amongst other aircraft, the
B.E.2.[9]
The squadron gained the 'AC' in its title in the inter-war years, flying army co-operation (AC) sorties during the
partition of Ireland in the early 1920s. After time in China during 1927,[12] the squadron re-equipped with the
Armstrong Whitworth Atlas again on army co-operation work.[13]
The squadron spent much of the
Cold War in
West Germany as part of
RAF Germany, flying various fighter types, including the
Supermarine Swift FR.5 and
Hawker Hunter FR.10. No. II (AC) Squadron began to convert to the
McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2 in December 1970,[16] when they received XV485 at
RAF Brüggen.[17] The Hunter No. II (AC) Squadron at
RAF Gütersloh continued to operate in tandem with the Phantom No. II Squadron at Brüggen until 1 March 1971 when conversion to the Phantom was completed.[18]Shiny Two flew their first Phantom reconnaissance sortie on 8 January with XV485. The Phantom-equipped No. II (AC) Squadron relocated to
RAF Laarbruch on 3 May 1971.[17]Shiny Two began to convert to the
SEPECAT Jaguar GR1 in 1976, with XZ101 being delivered on 26 February 1976, with the Phantom FGR.2s being replaced by October the same year.[19]
Tornado era (1988–2015)
No. II (AC) Squadron began to convert to the
Panavia Tornado GR1 on 16 December 1988, when their first Tornados were delivered to RAF Laarbruch.[20] Elements of the squadron were deployed to the 1991
Gulf War.[21] Along with much of the RAF, No. 2 Squadron withdrew from Germany after returning from the Gulf War – moving to
RAF Marham in
Norfolk flying the Panavia Tornado GR1A coming under the control of
RAF Strike Command. These were upgraded to the latest
GR4 standard, with which the Squadron deployed at part of
Operation Telic in
Iraq during 2003. For this operation the squadron received a
battle honour with the right of emblazonment on the Squadron Standard.[22]
The squadron has deployed on several occasions to maintain the Tornado GR4 detachment in Afghanistan. It also saw action over Libya during
Operation Ellamy/
Operation Unified Protector for which it received a further battle honour.[24] The Squadron also operated eight aircraft from
RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus as part of
Operation Shader, the coalition strikes against the extremist group
ISIS.[25]
In December 2013, it was announced that following the squadron's scheduled 2014 deployment to Afghanistan as part of
Operation Herrick, it was to stand down on 31 March 2015 as a Tornado squadron at Marham, and reactivate the following day (1 April 2015) as a
Eurofighter Typhoon squadron at
RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland.[27] However, in October 2014, Prime Minister
David Cameron said that the squadron's disbandment and reformation would be put on hold to allow Tornados to continue supporting strikes against ISIS.[25]
As a consequence of this new plan, the new No. 2 Squadron formed at Lossiemouth on 12 January 2015,[28] with the old No. 2 Squadron at Marham being re-designated as
No. 12 Squadron on 9 January.[29]
During October and November 2016, four No. 2 Squadron Typhoons and support personnel deployed to the
Far East to take part in exercises with
Japan and
South Korea. The Squadron operated from the
Japan Air Self Defense Force base at
Misawa on
Honshu, to take part in Exercise Guardian North 16. Subsequently, the Squadron was based at
Osan Air Base in
South Korea and took part in Exercise Invincible Shield, alongside the
Republic of Korea Air Force and
United States Air Force. It was the first time either Japan or South Korea had hosted exercises with a foreign nation other than the United States.[30][31]
The squadron was awarded the
Freedom of Angus on 26 July 2019, marking 106 years since it was first stationed at Montrose Air Station as part of the Royal Flying Corps. A parade took place in
Montrose, which included a flypast of the squadron's Typhoons.[32]
Butcher, Percy Edwin. Skill and Devotion: A Personal Reminiscence of the Famous No. 2 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Hampton Hill, Middlesex, UK: Radio Modeller Book Division, 1971.
Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988.
ISBN0-85130-164-9.
Heathcott, John (1998). "Unit Heritage: 'Second to None': 'Shiny Two', No. II (AC) Squadron, RAF". Wings of Fame. Vol. 11. London: Aerospace Publishing. pp. 140–157.
ISBN1-86184-017-9.
ISSN1361-2034.
Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 2001.
ISBN1-84037-141-2.
Onderwater, Hans. Second to None: the History of No. II (Army Co-operation) Squadron RAF, 1912–2002. second edition, Airlife Publishing, UK.
ISBN1-84037-408-X.
Raleigh, Walter (1922). The War in the Air: Being the Story of the part played in the Great War by The Royal Air Force: Vol I. History of the Great War. Oxford: The Clarenden Press.
Rawlings, John D. R. (1982). Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd.
ISBN0-7106-0187-5.
Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (new edition 1976, reprinted 1978).
ISBN0-354-01028-X.