Coastal Command Anti U-Boat Devices School RAF

The Coastal Command Anti U-Boat Devices School RAF was formed on 20 April 1945 at RAF Limavady. It operated the Vickers Wellington GR VIII, a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber, until August 1945 and disbanded at RAF Limavady.[2]

No. 7 Operational Training Unit

The School was initially No. 7 Operational Training Unit RAF which was formed on 15 June 1940 at RAF Hawarden operating a variety of aircraft including Supermarine Spitfire, a British single-seat fighter aircraft and Fairey Battle, a British single-engine light bomber aircraft. The unit was initially disbanded on 1 November 1940 to become No. 57 OTU.[3]

No. 7 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit

The unit reformed on 1 April 1942 at RAF Limavady as No. 7 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF using Vickers Wellington, long-range medium bomber aircraft and Avro Anson a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft.[3]

It started at half strength with a focus on training Vickers Wellington aircrew especially in torpedo training, and then in December 1942 the unit increased to full strength. The requirement around torpedo training had vastly reduced by August 1943, which meant the units size was decreased and in the November the unit lost its Preliminary Signals Training Flight to No. 12 Radio School RAF.[4]

No. 7 (C) OTU moved to RAF Haverfordwest on 4 January 1944 from RAF Limavady. The unit was tasked with both ASV Radar, and Reconnaissance training.[5] It operated with numerous types and variants of aircraft:[3]

• Vickers Wellington IA, IC, VIII, XI, XIII & XIV
• Avro Anson I
• Westland Lysander III & IIIA
• Miles Magister
• de Havilland Tiger Moth II
• Miles Martinet I

The OTU was disbanded on 16 May 1944 at RAF Haverfordwest and was immediately redisignated No. 4 Refresher Flying Unit.[3]

No. 4 Refresher Flying Unit

No. 4 Refresher Flying Unit was a short lived unit formed at RAF Haverfordwest on 16 May 1944. The newly formed unit had a secondary role on top of that of RAF Coastal Command aircrew training, the unit also moved aircraft around the UK to numerous other Coastal Command units.[5] No. 4 RFU operated Vickers Wellington aircraft, operating variants: III, X, XI, XIII and XIV. The unit disbanded at RAF Mullaghmore on 5 October 1944 to become the Loran Training Unit.[6]

Loran Training Unit

The United States built LORAN navigation system was at that time entering service with RAF Coastal Command. The Loran Training Unit was formed at RAF Mullaghmore by redesignating No. 4 Refresher Flying Unit on 5 October 1944. It operated Vickers Wellington XIII medium bomber aircraft, but was disbanded six months later, on 20 April 1945, to become the Coastal Command Anti U-Boat Devices School RAF.[7]