First World War During the First World War,
No. 17 Group was formed at the start of April 1918, within No. 4 Area. It was transferred to North-Eastern Area on 8 May 1918, with Training being added to the name on 8 August 1918. On 1 October 1919,
No. 20 Group was absorbed into No. 17 Group, but just over two weeks later the group was disbanded, on 18 October 1919. Almost two months afterwards No. 3 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit was formed at
RAF Chivenor on 27 November 1940. It was initially tasked with training
aircrew for
Avro Anson, from No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit. •
RAF Silloth •
No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF operated with various aircraft •
RAF Squires Gate •
No. 3 School of General Reconnaissance RAF operated with
Blackburn Botha reconnaissance and torpedo bomber •
RAF Stranraer •
No. 4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF operated with various aircraft During 1941 Air Commodore A.W. Mylne took command of No. 17 Group, with Air Commodore T.E.B. Howe retiring. Then on 17 November 1941, Air Commodore
H. G. Smart, CBE,
DFC, AFC, was appointed Air Officer Commanding of No. 17 Group. Air Commodore Mylne moved to HQ Balloon Command. No. 9 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF was formed in June 1942 at
RAF Aldergrove, and its role was to train up long range fighter aircrew. It was initially equipped with Bristol Beaufighter, a British multi-role aircraft, Bristol Beaufort, a British twin-engined torpedo bomber, and Airspeed Oxford, a twin-engine monoplane trainer aircraft. The training unit relocated to
RAF Crosby-on-Eden in September 1942. No. 132 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit formed on 24 November 1942 at
RAF East Fortune by redesignating
No. 60 Operational Training Unit RAF. It was initially equipped with Bristol Blenheim and Bristol Beaufighter aircraft. The unit was tasked with pilot training for long range fighter and strike aircraft. No. 304 Ferry Training Unit was formed at
RAF Port Ellen and No. 306 Ferry Training Unit was formed at
RAF Templeton, both on 31 December 1942. The former was equipped with Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle twin-engine transport aircraft, Bristol Blenheim and de Havilland Mosquito, and the latter was equipped with Bristol Beaufort I & IIA, and Bristol Beaufighter X aircraft. In January 1943 it began the training and preparation of aircrew for long distance ferry flights. On 23 March 1943 No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit moved to
RAF Thornaby and the unit also took on training aircrew for
Consolidated Liberator, an American
heavy bomber,
Boeing Fortress an American four-engined
heavy bomber, and
Handley Page Halifax a British four-engined heavy bomber. •
Group Headquarters Mackenzie Hotel located in Edinburgh •
RAF Aldergrove •
No. 4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF operated with Short Sunderland flying boat patrol bomber •
No. 1674 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF operated with Consolidated Liberator heavy bomber •
RAF Crosby-on-Eden •
No. 9 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF aircrew training for Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber and Bristol Beaufighter multi-role aircraft • No. 1674 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF (det) operated with Handley Page Halifax heavy bomber •
RAF East Fortune •
No. 132 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF operated with Bristol Beaufighter multi-role aircraft, Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber and de Havilland Mosquito multi-role combat aircraft •
RAF Haverfordwest •
No. 4 Refresher Flying Unit RAF operated with Vickers Wellington long-range medium bomber •
RAF Killadeas •
No. 131 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF operated with Consolidated Catalina flying boat and amphibious aircraft •
No. 12 Flying Instructors School RAF operated with Vickers Wellington long-range medium bomber, Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber and de Havilland Mosquito multi-role combat aircraft •
RAF Oban •
No. 302 Ferry Training Unit RAF operated with Consolidated Catalina flying boat and amphibious aircraft and Short Sunderland flying boat patrol bomber •
RAF Silloth •
No. 6 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF operated with Vickers Wellington long-range medium bomber •
RAF Squires Gate •
No. 3 School of General Reconnaissance RAF operated with Avro Anson multi-role aircraft •
RAF Turnberry •
No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF operated with Vickers Warwick maritime reconnaissance, air-sea rescue and transport aircraft, Lockheed Ventura maritime patrol aircraft, Bristol Beaufighter multi-role aircraft and Lockheed Hudson light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft •
RAF Turnhouse • No. 17 Group Communication Flight RAF operated with various aircraft During the Autumn and Winter of 1944 through to Spring 1945, more unit reductions took place. No. 9 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit disbanded on 11 August 1944 at RAF Crosby-on-Eden, and was absorbed by
No. 109 (Transport) Operational Training Unit RAF, with its aircrew training for its overseas obligation moving to
No. 79 Operational Training Unit RAF. No. 1674 Heavy Conversion Unit disbanded its Boeing Fortress training during September 1944, and No. 4 Refresher Flying Unit disbanded at
RAF Mullaghmore on 5 October 1944. No 131 (C) OTUs Short Sunderland flying boat were transferred to No 4 (C) OTU on 13 February 1945, and with the Consolidated Catalina being withdrawn from RAF service, the unit was disbanded on 28 June 1945. By mid summer 1945, No. 17 Group was down to operating from seven Royal Air Force stations with nine units.
Structure in Summer 1945 •
No. 17 Group RAF (T), Air Officer Commanding: Air Vice-Marshal H. G. Smart, CBE, DFC, AFC, •
Group Headquarters Mackenzie Hotel located in Edinburgh •
RAF Aldergrove •
No. 1674 Heavy Conversion Unit RAF operated with Consolidated Liberator heavy bomber and Handley Page Halifax heavy bomber •
RAF Alness •
No. 4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF operated with Short Sunderland flying boat patrol bomber •
No. 302 Ferry Training Unit RAF operated with Consolidated Catalina flying boat and amphibious aircraft, and Short Sunderland flying boat patrol bomber •
RAF East Fortune •
No. 132 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF operated with Bristol Beaufighter multi-role aircraft, Bristol Beaufort torpedo bomber and de Havilland Mosquito multi-role combat aircraft •
RAF Silloth •
No. 6 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF operated with Vickers Wellington long-range medium bomber •
RAF Squires Gate •
No. 3 School of General Reconnaissance RAF operated with Avro Anson multi-role aircraft •
No. 1510 (BABS) Flight RAF operated with Avro Anson multi-role aircraft •
RAF Turnberry •
No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF operated with Vickers Warwick maritime reconnaissance, air-sea rescue and transport aircraft, Bristol Beaufighter multi-role aircraft, and Lockheed Hudson light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft •
RAF Turnhouse •
No. 17 Group Communication Flight RAF operated with various aircraft
17 Group Communications Flight No. 17 Group Communications Flight RAF formed at RAF Gosport during August 1938. It operated various types and marks of aircraft: •
Avro Tutor a two-seat British biplane basic trainer •
Miles Magister a two-seat monoplane basic trainer •
Miles Mentor a British single-engined three-seat monoplane training and communications aircraft •
Airspeed Envoy a twin-engined light transport aircraft •
Parnall Heck a British four-seat cabin monoplane •
Percival Proctor III a British radio trainer and communications aircraft •
Avro Anson I a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft The flight disbanded at RAF Turnhouse on 18 September 1945.
Disbandment No. 17 Group disbanded on 1 September 1945. The requirements for needing the group no longer existed. The active units were moved into
No. 18 Group RAF as a temporary measure, until their futures were resolved. == Air Officer Commanding ==