92 (East India) Sqn

RAF Wildenrath
01 Apr 1977 - 05 Jul 1991

Formed at London Colney as a fighter unit on 1 September 1917, it operated a variety of types for training until receiving its main equipment in January 1918, SE5As. It took these to France in July 1918 and until the end of the war it flew both fighter and ground-attack missions. Becoming part of the Army of Occupation, it disbanded at Eil on 7 August 1919.

Reforming at Tangmere on 10 October 1939, it was intended to become a Blenheim fighter unit, but in March 1940, these were replaced by Spitfires, becoming operation in May. It spent the early part of the Battle of Britain on defensive duties in South Wales, operating from Pembrey. It eventually arrived in No 11 Group on 8 September as part of the Biggin Hill Sector. It remained in the south, going over to the offensive in 1941 until September of that year, when it moved to Digby.

However, in February 1942, the squadron embarked for the Middle East, arriving in Egypt in April. Unfortunately, on arrival it found there were no aircraft available to equip it and it had to undertake maintenance duties, although some of the pilots flew with No 80 Squadron. Spitfires arrived in August and with these it carried out escort and fighter sweeps in defence of the El Alamein area. Following the break out, it followed the 8th Army until the Axis forces capitulated.

June 1943 saw the squadron re-located to Malta, from where it covered the Operation Husky, the Allied landings in Sicily. Moving to Sicily in July 1943 and Italy in September , it continued to act in the fighter role until becoming a fighter-bomber unit in July 1944. It remained on the Italian Front in this role for the remainder of the war and in September 1946, it became part of the occupation forces in Austria, where it disbanded on 30 December 1946.

As stated in the previous entry, No 91 Squadron was disbanded on 31 January 1947 at Acklington by being re-numbered No 92. Equipped with Meteor F Mk 3s, it moved to Duxford on 15 February 1947 and then in October 1949 to Linton-on-Ouse in Yorkshire. Further moves followed to Middleton St George, Thornaby, back to Middleton St George before the squadron arrived at Leconfield in May 1961. During this period it was successively equipped with Meteor F Mk 8s, Sabre F Mk 4s and Hunters, F Mk 4s from April 1956 and F Mk 6s from February 1957.

Having moved into Leconfield, the squadron took over the role of RAF Aerobatic Display Team from 'Treble One', 92's team was named 'Blue Diamonds', their all blue Hunters being a familiar sight to the author as they practised over the local area. The Hunters were replaced by Lightning F Mk 2s in 1963 and for at least one season the 'Blue Diamonds' operated these aircraft. However, in December 1965, No 92, was reallocated to RAF Germany. Initially based at Geilenkirchen, the squadron moved to Gutersloh in January 1968, where it remained until 31 March 1977 when the squadron disbanded.

In January 1977 No 92 (Designate) Squadron had begun training as a Phantom air defence unit at Wildenrath and on 1 April this unit formally adopted the 92 numberplate. The squadron continued to fly the Phantom from Wildenrath until 5 July 1991 when, owing to the rundown of RAF Germany following the collapse of the Eastern Bloc, it disbanded. Just over a year later No 92 (Reserve) Squadron was reformed as part of No 7 FTS at Chivenor. It was now involved in weapons training being equipped with the Hawk, however, when No 7 FTSs role was transferred to No 4 FTS at Valley, No 92 was disbanded on 1 October 1994 but in November 2008 it was allocated to Tactics and Training Wing of the Air Warfare Centre at RAF Waddington.