Royal Naval Air Service 17 October 1914 – 1 April 1918 Royal Air Force 1 April 1918 – 22 January 1920 9 April 1920 – 16 May 1921 1 January 1929 – 12 June 1945 1 October 1946 – 31 July 1964 1 September 1964[1] – 18 February 2016
It previously operated the Sea King HAR3 in the search and rescue role at three stations in the northern half of the United Kingdom. It was originally formed as one of the first aeroplane squadrons of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) before it became part of the RAF.
History
Formation and the First World War
No. 202 Squadron was formed along with the entire RAF on 1 April 1918 by renumbering No. 2 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS).[11] It was originally formed as one of the first aeroplane squadrons of the RNAS on 17 October 1914.[2][12] It served on the Western Front during the First World War, carrying out reconnaissance and bombing missions from bases in Belgium and France before being disbanded on 22 January 1920.[3][12]
The interbellum
The squadron was reformed for a brief period between 9 April 1920 and 16 May 1921 as a fleet co-operation unit.[2] In 1929, it was reformed when No. 481 Flight, operating the Fairey IIIfloatplane in Malta was re-numbered as No. 202 Squadron, continuing to fly patrols over the Mediterranean Sea throughout the 1930s, being re-equipped with Supermarine Scapaflying boats in 1935.[3][13]
The primary role of RAF search and rescue was the recovery of downed military aviators, however in peacetime, its aircraft were available for use in civilian distress incidents. Over 95% of the rescues carried out by the squadron were civilian incidents. Rescues included a wide variety of incidents involving casualties from aircraft, fishing trawlers, ferries, oil rigs, mountainous terrain, cliffs and the waters surrounding the UK.[16]
In 2006, the government announced its intentions to privatise the search and rescue helicopter service in the UK. A ten-year contract worth £1.6 billion was signed in March 2013 with Bristow Helicopters who would run the service from 2015 with new AgustaWestland AW189 and Sikorsky S-92 helicopters. SAR helicopter operations ceased in staged handovers from March through September 2015.[17] 'A' Flight at Boulmer ceased flying in October 2015,[18] 'B' Flight at RAF Leconfield in March 2015[19][20] and 'D' Flight at Lossiemouth in April 2015.[21]
Reformation
A Jupiter HT.1 currently operated by 202 Squadron.
In May 2016, the Search and Rescue Training Unit (SARTU) was renumbered 202 Squadron[22] as the maritime and mountains training element of the Defence Helicopter Flying School based at RAF Valley and operating the Bell Griffin HT1 helicopter.[10] After a brief pause in operations in January 2018, No. 202 Squadron was again reformed in March 2018 as the 'maritime and mountains' training Squadron of the DHFS (a UK MFTS venture) and re-equipped with the Airbus Jupiter HT1.[23]
^"202 Squadron". Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 6 October 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
Bibliography
Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN0-85059-364-6.
Cotter, Jarrod (2008). Royal Air Force celebrating 90 years. Stamford, UK: Key Publishing Ltd. ISBN978-0-946219-11-7.
Halley, James J. Famous Maritime Squadrons of the RAF, Volume 1. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Hylton Lacy Publishers Ltd., 1973. ISBN0-85064-101-2.
Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN0-85130-164-9.
Jackson, Paul. "The Hastings...Last of a Transport Line". Air Enthusiast. Issue Forty, September–December 1989. Bromley, Kent: Tri-Service Press. pp. 1–7, 47–52.
Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife Publishing, 2001. ISBN1-84037-141-2.
Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN0-7106-0187-5.