No. 18 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit RAF explained

Unit Name:	No. 18 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit
Dates:	1940-1945
Country:	United Kingdom
Role:	Training
Garrison:	RAF Church Lawford
Garrison Label:	Last home

No. 18 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit was formed on 27 October 1942 at RAF Church Lawford. The unit was previously 2 Central Flying School which was founded on 15 June 1941 which then turned into 1 Flying Instructors School (FIS) on 13 January 1942 and then finally No. 18 (P)AFU.^[1]

Bases used

• RAF Church Lawford from 27 October 1942
• RAF Snitterfield firstly as a relief landing ground (RLG) from 7 May 1944 until 3 April 1945 then permanently until the unit disbanded on 29 May 1945.^[2]
• RAF Warwick
• RAF Southam
• RAF Hockley Heath.

Aircraft operated

The majority of the flying training took place using an Airspeed Oxford, which was good, as most of the students had come from overseas training programs where they were mainly using single-engined airplanes.^[3] However Boulton Paul Defiants^[1] and Miles Magisters ^[4] were also used.

References

Bibliography

Notes and References

1. http://www.aviationarchaeology.org.uk/marg/flying_units.htm Aviation Archaeology - Flying Units
2. http://www.rafweb.org/Stations/Stations-S.htm#Snitterfield RAF WEB - RAF Snitterfield
3. http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/collections/aircraft/aircraft-history/69-A-909%20Airspeed%20Oxford.pdf RAF Museum - Aircraft History
4. http://www.aviationarchaeology.org.uk/marg/crashes1944.htm Aviation Archaeology - Crashes within the south-west midlands during 1944