64(R) Sqn

RAF Coningsby
29 Jul 1970 - 28 Apr 1987

RAF Leuchars
29 Apr 1987 - 31 Jan 1991

No. 64 squadron was formed at Sedgeford on 1 August 1916 as a training unit with FE.2bs and Farmans but in June 1917 received fighter types in preparation for operations in France. In October 1917, the sqaudron moved to the Western Front for fighter patrol and ground attack duties for the rest of the war. In February 1919, it returned to the UK and disbanded on 31 December 1919.

On 1 March 1936, No. 64 reformed at Heliopolis, although for political reasons it was announced as having formed at henlow. Its Demons had already been sent out to Egypt where they formed D Flights in 6 and 208 squadrons which were transferred during March to 64 squadron. With the Abyssinian crisis still on, the squadron's duties were to carry out attacks on enemy airfields and act as cover for bombers being refuelled at advance landing grounds. In August 1936, the squadron embarked for the UK to form part of the fighter defences of London. In February 1938, Demons with turrets were received and by the end of the year these had been replaced by Blenheim fighters at Church Fenton. On the outbreak of war, the squadron was engaged in patrols off the East Coast and in December 1939 provided fighter defence for the Home Fleet from Evanton for a month. In April 1940, conversion to Spitfires took place in time for the squadron to help cover the evacuation from Dunkirk and later to take part in the Battle of Britain. In May 1941, No. 64 Squadron moved up to Scotland for air defence duties but moved back south in November to take part in sweeps over northern France, until March 1943 when it moved back up to Scotland again. Then in August 1943 it moved back south again to resume offensive operations and in June 1944, moved to Cornwall for 2 months before beginning long-range escort missions from East Anglia. In November 1944 the Squadron received Mustangs and flew these for the rest of the war in support of Bomber Command's daylight raids on Germany. In March 1946 No. 64 received Hornet twin-engined fighters and moved to Linton - On - Ouse in August. In March 1951 it converted to Meteors but in August 1956 it began to replace it single-seater fighters with the night-fighter version of the Meteor. In August 1951 the Squadron had moved to Duxford where it remained for 10 years and in September 1958 it became a Javelin Squadron. No. 64 then moved to Singapore in 1964 until it was disbanded on 16 June 1967.

Resurrected as a reserve Sqn in July 1970 it became the operational side of No 228 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Coningsby. Training all the RAF F4 Phantom crews the unit stayed here until moving to RAF Leuchars in April 1987 where it continued training Phantom crews until disbanding on 31st January 1991.