Central Fighter Establishment

The Central Fighter Establishment was a Royal Air Force formation that dealt with the development of fighter aircraft tactics which was formed on 4 September 1944 at RAF Wittering. It also tested new fighter aircraft and equipment, and with the training of squadron and flight commanders.[1] It was formed on 1 October 1944 as part of No. 12 Group RAF, and was disbanded on 1 February 1966 while at RAF Binbrook.[2]

Central Fighter Establishment
CountryUnited Kingdom
BranchRoyal Air Force
Last baseRAF Binbrook

Units

[3][4]

  • Air Fighting Development Squadron (1944-66) became Fighter Command Trials Unit
  • All-Weather Development Squadron (1956-59)
  • All-Weather Fighter Leaders School (1950-58) became All-Weather Fighter Combat School
  • All-Weather Wing (1950-56) became All-Weather Development Squadron
  • Day Fighter Development Wing (1944-??)
  • Day Fighter Leaders School (1944-58) became Day Fighter Combat Squadron
  • Enemy Aircraft Flight (1945)
  • Fighter Combat School (1958-??)
    • Day Fighter Combat Squadron (1958-65)
    • All-Weather Fighter Combat School (1958-62) became Javelin Operational Conversion Squadron
  • Fighter Command Instrument Rating Flight (1956-60) became Fighter Command Instrument Rating Squadron
  • Fighter Command Instrument Rating Squadron (1960-63) became No. 226 Operational Conversion Unit RAF
  • Fighter Command Instrument Training Flight (1948-51) became Fighter Command Instrument Training Squadron
  • Fighter Command Instrument Training Squadron (1951-56) became Fighter Command Instrument Rating Flight
  • Fighter Command Target Facilities Squadron (1961-63) became No. 85 Squadron RAF
  • Fighter Experimental Flight (1944-46)
  • Fighter Interception Development Squadron (1944-50) became Radar Interception Development Squadron
  • Fighter Leaders School (1944-?)[3]
  • Fighter Support Development Squadron (1951-??)
  • Fighter Support Development Unit (1951) became Fighter Support Development Squadron
  • Fighter Weapons School (1955-1958 as part of the Central Gunnery School) (1958-)
  • Javelin Operational Conversion Squadron (1962)
  • Lightning Conversion Squadron (1960-63) became No. 226 Operational Conversion Unit RAF
  • Naval Air Fighting Development Squadron (1945-56)
  • Night All-Weather Wing (1957-??)
  • Night Fighter Development Wing (1944-49) became Night Fighter Wing
  • Night Fighter Leaders School (1945-50) became All-Weather Fighter Leaders School
  • Night Fighter Training Squadron (1945) became Night Fighter Leaders School
  • Night Fighter Wing (1949-50) became All-Weather Wing
  • Radar Interception Development Squadron (1950-53)

Commandant
Commanding Officers and the years they held this appointment[2]
Year(s) Name
1945 Air Commodore Richard Atcherley
1945–1948 Unknown
1948–1950 Air Commodore David Atcherley
1950–1953 Air Commodore W J Crisham
1953–1954 Air Commodore Geoffrey D Stephenson
1954–1957 Air Commodore John Grandy
1957–1958 Air Commodore E L Colbeck-Welch
1958–1962 Air Commodore Hughie Edwards
1962–1964 Air Commodore Geoffrey Millington
1964–1966 Air Commodore E W Tacon

References

Citations
  1. "ESTABLISHMENTS AND INSTITUTES". Flight magazine. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  2. "Other Establishments – Experimental and Administrative". Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation. 3 April 2010. Archived from the original on 1 February 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  3. Lake 1999, p. 43.
  4. Lake 1999, p. 44.

Bibliography
  • Lake, A (1999). Flying units of the RAF. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.
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