No. 187 Squadron RAF

No. 187 Squadron RAF
Active	1 April 1918–1919; 1 February 1945 – 1 Dec 1946; 1 February 1953 – 2 Sept 1957
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Motto(s)	Versatile[1]
Insignia
Squadron Badge	A buzzard carrying a propeller in its claws
Squadron codes	PU (Feb 1945 - Dec 1946)

No. 187 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a transport unit towards the end of World War II.

History

Formation in World War I

The squadron formed on 1 April 1918 as a night training unit and disbanded in 1919 without acquiring its own aircraft.

Formation in World War II

The squadron reformed on 1 February 1945 at RAF Merryfield and equipped with Halifax transport aircraft. It then equipped with Dakotas for trooping flights to India and then destinations in Europe including Bari, Italy. The squadron disbanded in Austria on 1 November 1946 upon renumbering as No. 53 Squadron RAF.

Postwar period

The squadron reformed on 1 February 1953 when the No.2 Home Ferry Unit was numbered as 187 Squadron and it ferried aircraft in the UK and to Germany before it was finally disbanded on 2 September 1957.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by No. 187 Squadron RAF[2]
From	To	Aircraft	Variant
Feb 1945	Mar 1945	Handley Page Halifax	III
Mar 1945	Oct 1946	Douglas Dakota	II
Feb 1953	Sep 1957	Avro Anson	C.19
Mar 1955	Sep 1957	Vickers Varsity	T.1
Apr 1955	Sep 1957	Avro Anson	C.12

References

Pine, LG (1983). A Dictionary of mottoes. London: Routledge & K. Paul. p. 249. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.
C.G.Jefford (1988). RAF Squadrons. UK Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.

External links

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[1] Pine, LG (1983). A Dictionary of mottoes. London: Routledge & K. Paul. p. 249. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X.

[Jefford-2] C.G.Jefford (1988). RAF Squadrons. UK Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.