Royal Air Force Operational Training Units (OTUs) were training units that prepared
aircrew for operations on a particular type or types of aircraft or roles.
The Unit was formed in 1940 as part of
RAF Coastal Command at
RAF Silloth for training aircrew on coastal command patrol aircraft types until it was disbanded on 19 October 1943.[1]
2 OTU was formed in 1940 as part of
Coastal Command at
RAF Catfoss for training aircrew on coastal command twin-engined fighter and strike aircraft types until it was disbanded 15 February 1944.[1]
4 OTU was formed in 1941 as part of
Coastal Command at
RAF Stranraer for training aircrew on coastal command flying boats until it was disbanded, when it became
235 OCU in 1947.[1]
7 OTU was formed in 1940 as part of
Fighter Command at
RAF Hawarden to train fighter pilots. During the
Battle of Britain in September 1940, it flew operational flights over north west England, claiming three enemy aircraft shot down. It was re-designated
No. 57 OTU on 1 November 1940.[1]
8 OTU was formed on 18 May 1942 at
RAF Fraserburgh, by merging the Photographic Reconnaissance Conversion Flight of 3 School of General Reconnaissance,
RAF Squires Gate and 'K' (Photographic Reconnaissance Advanced Training) Flight of 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (1PRU),
RAF Detling.[4] It was part of
No. 17 GroupCoastal Command. It trained aircrew on a wide range of photo-reconnaissance aircraft, including the
Supermarine Spitfire and
de Havilland Mosquito. It was disbanded when it became
237 OCU in 1947.[5][1]
11 OTU was formed in 1940 as part of
No. 6 GroupRAF Bomber Command at
RAF Bassingbourn to train night bomber aircrew. During 1942, it operated seven operational night bombing missions. In September 1942, it moved to
RAF Westcott and its satellite station
RAF Oakley. It was disbanded on 18 September 1945.[1]
12 OTU was formed in April 1940 as part of
No. 1 GroupRAF Bomber Command at
RAF Benson to train light bomber aircrew; absorbed
No. 52 Squadron RAF on 8 April 1940.[6] During 1942, 12 OTU carried out operational night bombing missions. The Unit was disbanded on 22 June 1945.[1]
18 OTU was formed in June 1940 from the Polish Training Unit as part of
No. 6 GroupRAF Bomber Command to train light bomber crews for the Polish
Boulton Paul Defiant squadrons at
RAF Hucknall. Converted to the
Vickers Wellington in 1942, and carried out six operational sorties as part of No. 91 Group. Disbanded in January 1945.[1]
19 OTU was formed in May 1940 at
RAF Kinloss to train night bomber crews using the
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley. In June 1942, twelve Whitleys took part in a raid against Bremen. Re-equipped with the
Vickers Wellington from August 1944 until it was disbanded in June 1945.[1]
23 OTU was formed in April 1941 at
RAF Pershore as part of
No. 6 GroupRAF Bomber Command to train night bomber crews using the
Vickers Wellington. Carried out operational sorties during 1942, and was disbanded in March 1944, with most of the aircraft moving to No. 22 OTU.[1]
32 OTU was formed at
West Kirby, Liverpool, the personnel then moved by ship to
Patricia Bay,
British Columbia, as part of No. 4 Training Command. Tasked to train general reconnaissance crews, and the first
Avro Ansons arrived in September 1941, and
Bristol Beaufighters arrived in October 1942. With the start of the war in the Pacific, the unit was declared an operational squadron to protect the Canadian coast from Japanese raids and re-designated No. 32 Operational Squadron on 15 December 1941. After a few days mounting patrols, it became clear that the Japanese were unlikely to attack Canada, and it reverted to an Operational Training Unit on 29 December 1941. Re-designated
No. 6 Operational Training Unit RCAF in June 1944.[1]
34 OTU was formed in April 1942 in the United Kingdom, the personnel then moved by ship to
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, as part of No. 3 Training Command to train general reconnaissance crews. The first
Avro Ansons arrived in May 1942. Disbanded in May 1944.[1]
Previously designated No. 6 OTU, formed in March 1940 at
RAF Sutton Bridge and re-numbered in November 1940 to 56 OTU, where it remained at RAF Sutton Bridge until relocating in March 1942 to
RAF Tealing.[2][3]
No. 57 Operational Training Unit RAF (57 OTU)
57 OTU was formed in November 1940 at
RAF Hawarden to train single-seat fighter pilots.[1]
58 OTU was formed in December 1940 at
RAF Grangemouth to train day fighter pilots.[1] No. 58 OTU was re-formed in March 1945 at
RAF Poulton with Spitfires.[1]
59 OTU was formed in December 1940 at
RAF Turnhouse to train single-seat fighter pilots.[1] No. 59 OTU was re-formed in February 1945 at
RAF Acklington to train fighter-bomber pilots using the
Hawker Typhoon.[1]
60 OTU was formed in April 1941 at
RAF Leconfield to train night fighter crews using the Blenheim and Defiant, subsequently moving to
RAF East Fortune and converting to Beaufighter training.[1] In November 1942, it transferred to Coastal Command, and was renumbered 132 OTU. No. 60 OTU was re-formed in May 1943 at
RAF High Ercall to train intruder crews using the
de Havilland Mosquito.[1]
71 OTU was formed in June 1941 at
RAF Ismailia for desert training.[1] "From June to September 1941 it was providing night defence of the Canal Zone (Suez Canal), and then in September it moved to Gordon's Tree near Khartoum in the Sudan."[9] Among aircraft operated was the Tomahawk.
No. 72 Operational Training Unit RAF (72 OTU)
72 OTU was formed in November 1941 at
RAF Carthago to train light bomber crews in tropical conditions.[1] By April 1942 the unit had moved from Wadi Gazouza in Sudan to
RAF Nanyuki in Kenya.
74 OTU was formed in October 1941 at
RAF Aqir for army co-operation training, and to teach tactical reconnaissance skills in the desert, using the
Hawker Hurricane.[1]
Lake, Alan (1999). Flying Units of the RAF – the ancestry, formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912. Airlife Publishing.
ISBN1-84037-086-6.
Royal Air Force Operational Training Units (OTUs) were training units that prepared
aircrew for operations on a particular type or types of aircraft or roles.
The Unit was formed in 1940 as part of
RAF Coastal Command at
RAF Silloth for training aircrew on coastal command patrol aircraft types until it was disbanded on 19 October 1943.[1]
2 OTU was formed in 1940 as part of
Coastal Command at
RAF Catfoss for training aircrew on coastal command twin-engined fighter and strike aircraft types until it was disbanded 15 February 1944.[1]
4 OTU was formed in 1941 as part of
Coastal Command at
RAF Stranraer for training aircrew on coastal command flying boats until it was disbanded, when it became
235 OCU in 1947.[1]
7 OTU was formed in 1940 as part of
Fighter Command at
RAF Hawarden to train fighter pilots. During the
Battle of Britain in September 1940, it flew operational flights over north west England, claiming three enemy aircraft shot down. It was re-designated
No. 57 OTU on 1 November 1940.[1]
8 OTU was formed on 18 May 1942 at
RAF Fraserburgh, by merging the Photographic Reconnaissance Conversion Flight of 3 School of General Reconnaissance,
RAF Squires Gate and 'K' (Photographic Reconnaissance Advanced Training) Flight of 1 Photographic Reconnaissance Unit (1PRU),
RAF Detling.[4] It was part of
No. 17 GroupCoastal Command. It trained aircrew on a wide range of photo-reconnaissance aircraft, including the
Supermarine Spitfire and
de Havilland Mosquito. It was disbanded when it became
237 OCU in 1947.[5][1]
11 OTU was formed in 1940 as part of
No. 6 GroupRAF Bomber Command at
RAF Bassingbourn to train night bomber aircrew. During 1942, it operated seven operational night bombing missions. In September 1942, it moved to
RAF Westcott and its satellite station
RAF Oakley. It was disbanded on 18 September 1945.[1]
12 OTU was formed in April 1940 as part of
No. 1 GroupRAF Bomber Command at
RAF Benson to train light bomber aircrew; absorbed
No. 52 Squadron RAF on 8 April 1940.[6] During 1942, 12 OTU carried out operational night bombing missions. The Unit was disbanded on 22 June 1945.[1]
18 OTU was formed in June 1940 from the Polish Training Unit as part of
No. 6 GroupRAF Bomber Command to train light bomber crews for the Polish
Boulton Paul Defiant squadrons at
RAF Hucknall. Converted to the
Vickers Wellington in 1942, and carried out six operational sorties as part of No. 91 Group. Disbanded in January 1945.[1]
19 OTU was formed in May 1940 at
RAF Kinloss to train night bomber crews using the
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley. In June 1942, twelve Whitleys took part in a raid against Bremen. Re-equipped with the
Vickers Wellington from August 1944 until it was disbanded in June 1945.[1]
23 OTU was formed in April 1941 at
RAF Pershore as part of
No. 6 GroupRAF Bomber Command to train night bomber crews using the
Vickers Wellington. Carried out operational sorties during 1942, and was disbanded in March 1944, with most of the aircraft moving to No. 22 OTU.[1]
32 OTU was formed at
West Kirby, Liverpool, the personnel then moved by ship to
Patricia Bay,
British Columbia, as part of No. 4 Training Command. Tasked to train general reconnaissance crews, and the first
Avro Ansons arrived in September 1941, and
Bristol Beaufighters arrived in October 1942. With the start of the war in the Pacific, the unit was declared an operational squadron to protect the Canadian coast from Japanese raids and re-designated No. 32 Operational Squadron on 15 December 1941. After a few days mounting patrols, it became clear that the Japanese were unlikely to attack Canada, and it reverted to an Operational Training Unit on 29 December 1941. Re-designated
No. 6 Operational Training Unit RCAF in June 1944.[1]
34 OTU was formed in April 1942 in the United Kingdom, the personnel then moved by ship to
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, as part of No. 3 Training Command to train general reconnaissance crews. The first
Avro Ansons arrived in May 1942. Disbanded in May 1944.[1]
Previously designated No. 6 OTU, formed in March 1940 at
RAF Sutton Bridge and re-numbered in November 1940 to 56 OTU, where it remained at RAF Sutton Bridge until relocating in March 1942 to
RAF Tealing.[2][3]
No. 57 Operational Training Unit RAF (57 OTU)
57 OTU was formed in November 1940 at
RAF Hawarden to train single-seat fighter pilots.[1]
58 OTU was formed in December 1940 at
RAF Grangemouth to train day fighter pilots.[1] No. 58 OTU was re-formed in March 1945 at
RAF Poulton with Spitfires.[1]
59 OTU was formed in December 1940 at
RAF Turnhouse to train single-seat fighter pilots.[1] No. 59 OTU was re-formed in February 1945 at
RAF Acklington to train fighter-bomber pilots using the
Hawker Typhoon.[1]
60 OTU was formed in April 1941 at
RAF Leconfield to train night fighter crews using the Blenheim and Defiant, subsequently moving to
RAF East Fortune and converting to Beaufighter training.[1] In November 1942, it transferred to Coastal Command, and was renumbered 132 OTU. No. 60 OTU was re-formed in May 1943 at
RAF High Ercall to train intruder crews using the
de Havilland Mosquito.[1]
71 OTU was formed in June 1941 at
RAF Ismailia for desert training.[1] "From June to September 1941 it was providing night defence of the Canal Zone (Suez Canal), and then in September it moved to Gordon's Tree near Khartoum in the Sudan."[9] Among aircraft operated was the Tomahawk.
No. 72 Operational Training Unit RAF (72 OTU)
72 OTU was formed in November 1941 at
RAF Carthago to train light bomber crews in tropical conditions.[1] By April 1942 the unit had moved from Wadi Gazouza in Sudan to
RAF Nanyuki in Kenya.
74 OTU was formed in October 1941 at
RAF Aqir for army co-operation training, and to teach tactical reconnaissance skills in the desert, using the
Hawker Hurricane.[1]
Lake, Alan (1999). Flying Units of the RAF – the ancestry, formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912. Airlife Publishing.
ISBN1-84037-086-6.