No. 1312 Flight RAF

No. 1312 Flight Royal Air Force
1312 Flt C-130K Hercules taking-off from RAF Stanley
Active19 Apr 1944 – 21 Jul 1944
14 Sep 1954 – 01 Apr 1957
20 Aug 1983 – present[1][2]
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Typeindependent aircraft flight
RoleTransport
(1944; 1954–1957)
Aerial refuelling and transport
(1983–present)
Sizetwo fixed-wing aircraft
Part ofBritish Forces South Atlantic Islands
Based atRAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands[3]
Motto(s)'Uphold the Right'[1]
Website1312 Flight
Aircraft flown
TransportAirbus A400M Atlas C1[3]
TankerAirbus Voyager KC3[3]

No. 1312 Flight Royal Air Force, commonly abbreviated to 1312 Flt RAF, is an independent aircraft flight of the Royal Air Force (RAF). Currently based at Royal Air Force Station Mount Pleasant (more commonly known as RAF Mount Pleasant, and also known as Mount Pleasant Airport, MPA, and Mount Pleasant Complex)[3][4] in East Falkland, 1312 Flt are supporting at present the defence of the Falkland Islands and other nearby British Overseas Territories.[3]

The Royal Air Force contribution to British Forces South Atlantic Islands (BFSAI) is based at Mount Pleasant; the primary frontline component is No. 1435 Flight, with its four Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4[4] advanced multi-role combat aircraft. 1312 Flight provides aerial refuelling, air transport, search and rescue, and maritime patrol.[3] The latter is an important mission to the Falkland Islands government, as its Airbus A400M Atlas C1 (and its precessor Lockheed C-130K Hercules) verifies that all fishing vessels are licensed; at £1,000 per licence per season - an important source of income. The flight motto is 'Uphold the Right'; the motto of the Falkland Islands is 'Desire the Right'.

No. 1312 Flight history

No 1312 (Transport) Flight was first formed on 19 April 1944 (80 years ago) (1944-04-19), at RAF Llandow,[1] south Wales. It originally operated six Avro Ansons to collect and deliver aircrew involved in the ferrying replacement aircraft to operational squadrons. After June 1944, it was involved in transporting wounded serviceman back to England from France, until it was disbanded on 21 July 1944 (80 years ago) (1944-07-21).[1][5][6]

1312 was re-formed on 14 September 1954 (70 years ago) (1954-09-14), at RAF Abingdon, as No 1312 (Transport Support) Flight;[1] operating the Handley Page Hastings, and later the Vickers Valetta, disbanding on 1 April 1957 (67 years ago) (1957-04-01).[1][2][6]

No 1312 (In Flight Refuelling) Flight re-formed again on 20 August 1983 (41 years ago) (1983-08-20) at RAF Stanley,[1] before moving to the newly opened RAF Mount Pleasant in 1986, where it remains current.[1][3][7] The original task was to operate the Lockheed C-130K Hercules C1K on air-to-air refuelling missions, but this was later replaced by a Vickers VC10 K4[8] (borrowed from 101 Squadron) and C-130K Hercules C1s from the Lyneham Wing.[6] On 31 August 2013, the VC10 was replaced by a Lockheed TriStar K1 from 216 Squadron.

Presently, 1312 Flt utilise aircraft and crew from RAF Brize Norton. Specifically, No. 70 Squadron provide an Airbus A400M Atlas C1, whilst No. 10 and 101 Squadron provide an Airbus Voyager KC3.

Unit badge

Whilst it is common for RAF stations and RAF flying squadrons to be authorised to display an official heraldic badge following Royal approval, historically, it was extremely rare for RAF Flights to be granted authority for such. However, in recent times, the Royal Air Force has been more accommodating in granting Flights with their own unit badge such as the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

The quest for an official heraldic badge for 1312 Flight began sometime 2000. No 1435 Flight's badge contained a Cassin's Falcon (a Peregrine falcon, common in the Falklands), so in keeping with the larger transport aircraft operated by 1312, a larger bird, the Upland Goose was chosen. 'Uphold the Right' was selected as the official motto, in keeping with other MPA units, and the Falkland Island's own motto, 'Desire the Right'.[1] The badge was eventually awarded August 2002, and received its Royal approval in 2003.[1]

Aircraft operated

Mount Pleasant Complex, current home to No 1312 Flight RAF.
aircraft operated by No. 1312 Flight RAF[2][6]
from to aircraft version
19 Apr 1944 21 Jul 1944 Avro Anson MkI
MkX
14 Sep 1954 01 Apr 1957 Handley Page Hastings C1
C2
Feb 1955 01 Apr 1957 Vickers Valetta C1
20 Aug 1983 31 Mar 1996 Lockheed C-130K Hercules C1K
31 Mar 1996 31 Aug 2013 Vickers VC10[4]
Lockheed C-130K Hercules[4]		 K4[8]
C1
31 Aug 2013 Feb 2014 Lockheed TriStar
Lockheed C-130K Hercules		 K1
C1[9]
Feb 2014 Mar 2018
05 Apr 2018		 Airbus Voyager
Lockheed C-130J Hercules[10]		 KC3[11]
C4/C5
Mar 2018 present Airbus Voyager[3]
Airbus A400M Atlas[3]		 KC3
C1

Flight bases

bases and airfields used by No. 1312 Flight RAF[1][2][6]
name from to station location
No 1312 (Transport) Flight 19 April 1944 21 July 1944 RAF Llandow Glamorgan, Wales
No 1312 (Transport Support) Flight 14 September 1954 1 April 1957 RAF Abingdon Oxfordshire, England
No 1312 (In Flight Refuelling) Flight 20 August 1983 1986 RAF Stanley[3] Stanley, Falkland Islands
1986 present RAF Mount Pleasant[3] East Falkland, Falkland Islands

See also

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "No. 1312 Flight — image and description of No. 1312 Flight Royal Air Force unit badge". www.RAFHT.co.uk. RAF Heraldry Trust. 27 June 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Lake 1999, pp. 84–85.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "1312 Flight – Mount Pleasant Complex". www.RAF.MoD.uk. Royal Air Force – Ministry of Defence. 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d "Falklands Garrison still going strong". www.GOV.uk. Ministry of Defence – HM Government. 13 October 2011. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  5. ^ Lake 1999, p. 84.
  6. ^ a b c d e Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 118.
  7. ^ Lake 1999, p. 85.
  8. ^ a b Kingsley-Jones, Max (10 July 2012). "RAF squadron commander details VC10 retirement plans". www.FlightGlobal.com. Flight Global. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  9. ^ "House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 28 Nov 2013 (pt 0002)". publications.parliament.uk.
  10. ^ "The C-130 Hercules leaves Falkland Islands after 36 years – RAF Brize Norton". www.RAF.MoD.uk. Royal Air Force – Ministry of Defence. 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  11. ^ Pocock, Chris. "RAF retires TriStar tankers as Voyager fleet grows". Aviation International News.
Bibliography

Media related to No. 1312 Flight RAF at Wikimedia Commons