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]
No. 12 Operational Training Unit RAF (12 OTU)
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]
No. 19 Operational Training Unit RAF (19 OTU)
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]
RAF 20 Operational Training Unit memorial, located at Bogs of Mayne (former RAF Elgin), Morayshire, Scotland.
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]
31 OTU was formed in May 1941 at Debert, Nova Scotia, as part of No. 3 Training Command, to general reconnaissance crews using the Lockheed Hudson and Avro Anson. Carried out operational patrols in the Western Atlantic from Dartmouth. Operated the de Havilland Mosquito from May 1944, and it was disbanded in July 1944 when it was replaced by No. 7 Operational Training Unit RCAF.[1]
No. 32 Operational Training Unit RAF (32 OTU)
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]
No. 34 Operational Training Unit RAF (34 OTU)
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]
No. 36 Operational Training Unit RAF (36 OTU)
36 OTU was formed in February 1942 in the United Kingdom, the personnel then moved by ship to Greenwood, Nova Scotia, as part of No. 3 Training Command to train general reconnaissance crews using the Lockheed Hudson. Later became No. 8 Operational Training Unit RCAF.[1]
No. 41 Operational Training Unit RAF (41 OTU)
41 OTU was formed in September 1941 at RAF Old Sarum to train tactical reconnaissance pilots.[1]
No. 42 Operational Training Unit RAF (42 OTU)
42 OTU was formed in July `1941 at RAF Andover to train army support crews.[1]
55 OTU was formed in November 1940 at RAF Aston Down to train fighter pilots.[1]
No. 56 Operational Training Unit RAF (56 OTU)
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]
No. 58 Operational Training Unit RAF (58 OTU)
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]
No. 59 Operational Training Unit RAF (59 OTU)
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]
No. 60 Operational Training Unit RAF (60 OTU)
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]
No. 61 Operational Training Unit RAF (61 OTU)
61 OTU was formed in June 1941 at RAF Heston to train single-seat fighter pilots.[1]
No. 62 Operational Training Unit RAF (62 OTU)
62 OTU was formed in August 1942 at RAF Usworth to train observers / radio operators in the Air Intercept role.[1]
No. 63 Operational Training Unit RAF (63 OTU)
63 OTU was formed in August 1943 at RAF Honiley to train night fighter crews.[1]
No. 70 (Middle East) Operational Training Unit RAF (70 OTU)
70 (Middle East) OTU was formed in December 1949 for training in middle east conditions at RAF Ismailia.[1]
No. 71 Operational Training Unit RAF (71 OTU)
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.
No. 73 Operational Training Unit RAF (73 OTU)
No.73 OTU was formed in November 1941 at RAF Sheikh Othman, Aden, for training in desert conditions, initially using two Mohawks and a Hurricane.[1]
No. 74 Operational Training Unit RAF (74 OTU)
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]
No. 75 Operational Training Unit RAF (75 OTU)
75 OTU was formed in December 1942 at RAF Gianaclis to train general reconnaissance crews using the Lockheed Hudson.[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.