No. 188 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 188 Squadron RAF was a Royal Flying Corps
and Royal Air Force
Squadron that was a night training unit towards the end of World War I
.
on 20 December 1917 to train night-fighter pilots and was equipped with Avro 504
s. It also trained pilots to fly the Sopwith Camel
and Sopwith Pup
at night. It disbanded on 1 March 1919 and never reformed in later years, however a squadron code was allocated to it in 1939.
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
and Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
Squadron that was a night training unit towards the end of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Formation in World War I
The squadron formed at Throwley AerodromeThrowley Aerodrome
Throwley Aerodrome was a Royal Flying Corps First World War airfield at Throwley near Faversham, Kent, England.-History:Land situated between Bells Forstal and Throwley Forstal, including Dodds Willows and the Bells Forstal farmhouse was acquired by the Royal Flying Corps in 1916 for use as a...
on 20 December 1917 to train night-fighter pilots and was equipped with Avro 504
Avro 504
The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during...
s. It also trained pilots to fly the Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
and Sopwith Pup
Sopwith Pup
The Sopwith Pup was a British single seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristics and good maneuverability, the aircraft proved very...
at night. It disbanded on 1 March 1919 and never reformed in later years, however a squadron code was allocated to it in 1939.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 1917 | Mar 1919 | Avro 504 Avro 504 The Avro 504 was a World War I biplane aircraft made by the Avro aircraft company and under licence by others. Production during the War totalled 8,970 and continued for almost 20 years, making it the most-produced aircraft of any kind that served in World War I, in any military capacity, during... |
K |
| Jun 1918 | Mar 1919 | Sopwith Camel Sopwith Camel The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult... |
|
| Jun 1918 | Mar 1919 | Sopwith Pup Sopwith Pup The Sopwith Pup was a British single seater biplane fighter aircraft built by the Sopwith Aviation Company. It entered service with the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service in the autumn of 1916. With pleasant flying characteristics and good maneuverability, the aircraft proved very... |