No. 529 Squadron RAF was a radar calibration unit of the 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...

 during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. The unit had the distinction to be the only RAF unit to fly autogyros and helicopters operationally during World War II.

History

No. 529 Squadron was formed on 15 June 1943 from No. 1448 Flight at RAF Halton

RAF Halton

RAF Halton is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Halton.-History:...

. This flight had pioneered radar calibration using Autogyro

Autogyro

An autogyro , also known as gyroplane, gyrocopter, or rotaplane, is a type of rotorcraft which uses an unpowered rotor in autorotation to develop lift, and an engine-powered propeller, similar to that of a fixed-wing aircraft, to provide thrust...

s and light aircraft and the squadron continued to do this until after the end of World War II. On 16 August 1944 the squadron moved to a field at Crazies Farm, Henley-on-Thames and on that field the became the first RAF squadron to fly a helicopter for operational use, when they received their first Vought-Sikorsky Hoverfly

Sikorsky R-4

The Sikorsky R-4 was a two-place helicopter designed by Igor Sikorsky with a single, three-bladed main rotor and powered by a radial engine. The R-4 was the world's first large-scale mass-produced helicopter and the first helicopter to enter service with the United States Army Air Forces, Navy, and...

. It was disbanded on 20 October 1945 at RAF Henley-on-Thames

RAF Henley-on-Thames

RAF Henley-on-Thames is a former World War II grass-strip airfield in Berkshire, England, located near Henley-on-Thames. It was also known by a variety of other names: Cockpole Green, Upper Culham Farm, Crazies Hill, or Crazies Hill Farm....

.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 529 Squadron, data from

From	To	Aircraft	Version
June 1943	October 1945	Avro Rota	Mk.Ia
June 1943	October 1945	de Havilland Hornet Moth
June 1943	July 1944	Avro Rota	Mk.II
September 1944	October 1945	Airspeed Oxford Airspeed Oxford The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a twin-engine aircraft used for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery during the Second World War.-Design and development:...	Mks.I, II
May 1945	October 1945	Vought-Sikorsky Hoverfly Sikorsky R-4 The Sikorsky R-4 was a two-place helicopter designed by Igor Sikorsky with a single, three-bladed main rotor and powered by a radial engine. The R-4 was the world's first large-scale mass-produced helicopter and the first helicopter to enter service with the United States Army Air Forces, Navy, and...	Mk.I

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 529 Squadron RAF, data from

From	To	Base
15 June 1943	16 August 1944	RAF Halton RAF Halton RAF Halton is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Halton.-History:... , Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
16 August 1944	20 October 1945	RAF Henley-on-Thames RAF Henley-on-Thames RAF Henley-on-Thames is a former World War II grass-strip airfield in Berkshire, England, located near Henley-on-Thames. It was also known by a variety of other names: Cockpole Green, Upper Culham Farm, Crazies Hill, or Crazies Hill Farm.... , Oxfordshire Oxfordshire Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....