19(F) Sqn

RAF Wildenrath
30 Dec 1976 - 09 Jan 1992

19(F) Sqn

Formed at Castle Bromwich on 1 September 1915. It moved to France in July 1916. Although it was designated a fighter unit its equipment was wholly inadequate and it simply undertook patrolling duties. In December 1916 it was re-equipped with French Spads and now undertook fighter and ground-attack missions. The squadron returned to the UK in February 1919 and disbanded on the last day of that year having destroyed 281 enemy aircraft during the war.

No 19 Squadron reformed at RAF Duxford on 1 April 1923. Initially it was a single flight training unit providing single-seat fighter training for No 2 Flying Training School but at the end of June it became independent and was brought up to full strength. On 4 August 1938 the first Spitfire in RAF service was handed over to No 19 Squadron. In May/June 1940 the unit provided defensive patrols over the Dunkirk evacuation beaches. It was also deeply involved in the Battle of Britain including the operation of cannon armed Spitfires for a short time. The unit continued to provide fighter support for the next three years. It joined Second TAF and provided close air support for the Allied invasion forces in June 1944. It moved to Scotland in February 1945 to provide long range escort cover for strike wings operating in Norwegian waters. By the end of the Second World War, the Sqn had accounted for some 145 enemy aircraft destroyed with 24 probable’s and 57 damaged.

Spitfires were flown for a few months in 1946 before the squadron’s first twin-engined aircraft were taken on charge at RAF Wittering in October. No 19 Squadron received Lightning F2s in November 1962 and became part of No 2 Allied Tactical Air Force in September 1965 when it moved to RAF Gütersloh, Germany. The squadron took part in Operation Desert Storm when it defended the Sovereign Base areas of Cyprus from August 1990 until the cease-fire in February 1991.

The demise of the Phantom in September 1992 saw 19 Squadron revert to reserve status, the number plate transferring to Hawk training involved in the Instructor Training, Refresher and Overseas Conversion roles of the Advanced Tactical Training Unit, No 4 Flying Training School, RAF Valley.

No 19 Squadron disbanded at RAF Valley on 24th November 2011.

  • 19(F) Sqn Crest

  • 19(F) Sqn Aircrew Ops Patch

  • 19(F) Sqn Montage

  • 19(F) Sqn Grondcrew Patch from mid 80's. (Designed by Dave Blackmore-Heal for the 19/92 trip to Copper Flag, USA).

    Supplied by Mick Slorance

  • The 19(F) Sqn 2 ATAF Patch....

  • ......and the Zap.

    Supplied by Mick Slorance

  • The Sqn's Phantom Phixer Shield Patch

  • The Sqn's Phantom Phixer Roundal Patch

  • The 19/92 Copper Flag Zap from 1986

    Supplied by Mick Slorance

  • The Sqn's Red Flag Zap.

    Supplied by John Lovegrove

  • 19(F) Sqn Dolphin Keeper Patch

    Supplied by Bob Gaff

  • 19(F) Sqn Armourer's Patch

    Supplied by Mark Jones (PPG)

  • 19 Sqn's Red Flag Patch

    Supplied by Jan-Toine van Hooft

  • 19(F) Sqn Groundcrew Patch from the late 80's

    Supplied by Robbie Yorkshades

  • "Death by Disbandment" The final 19(F) Sqn Groundcrew Patch

    Supplied by Bob Gaff

  • The oldest t-shirt I have! All the way from APC 1981 out in Akrotiri.

    Supplied by Den Rayner

  • A T-shirt design from the 1989 Red Flag trip. Guess they were the bad guys!

    Supplied by Robbie Yorkshades

  • 19(F) Sqn hosting a detachment at Wildenrath from 332 Sqn RDAF in 1978.

    Supplied by Graeme Parry

  • 19(F) Sqn group during a det to St Mawgan in May 1978.

    Supplied by Graeme Parry

  • Taken at Jever in 1982.

    Supplied by Dave Easy

  • Taken outside the Line Hut at Decimmommanu around 1982.
    L-R
    Mick Hill, Ian Simpson, Nos Wilson, Les Goss, Terry Scannel and Sean Turner.

    Supplied by Den Rayner

  • Here's a right band of reprobates on det at RAF Valley on MPC in 1978:
    Back Row: Stu Mitchell, Robby Butler, Kev Roe.
    Front Row: Ron Pithie, Taff Jewell and Andy Garton.

    Supplied by Taff Jewell

  • 19(F) Sqn picture taken around 1983/84.

    Supplied by John Malone

  • 19(F) Sqn taken between 1984 and 1987 on the HAS site at Wildenrath. The larger image is just about big enough to pick out faces.

    Supplied by John Lovegrover

  • Ken Stevens, Bob Ross, and Gavin Barley fixing the Equipment Conditioning on "C" in Akrotiri during APC 1986.

    Supplied by Mick Slorance

  • A see-off of a 19 Sqn jet during a det to Grosetto in Italy. I am reliably informed that Shaun Donnelly (on the bottles) did pick the noddy cap up!

    Supplied by Paul McClumpha

  • Some Sqn SNCOs having a well deserved break on the beach in Deci during the 1987 det.
    Rod Plummer, Jow Keenan and Steve Hawkins.

    Supplied by Mick Slorance

  • The fairly well known low pass in front of Akrotiri Tower during the 80's.

    Supplied by Kipper Watt

  • Looking down the line at Golf Dispersal in Akrotiri sometime in the 80's.

    Supplied by Mick Slorance

  • XV491 in 19(F) Sqn markings just after landing. (The original was permenantly borrowed from 19's PBF!)

    Supplied by Mick Slorance

  • A site most of us have seen.... Early morning at Akrotiri getting the jets ready for first wave, this one of 19 Sqn jets around 1981/82.t

    Supplied by Les Goss

  • Head on view in Cyprus of "K" all prepped up to return to RAFG with full tank fit.

    Supplied by John Lovegrove

  • 19 and 92 on their way to Red Flag at Nellis in 1987. A close look at "J" shows that it was an aircrew turnround at Kinloss on the way!

    Supplied by Mick Slorance

  • XT899 "B" painted in all blue annivesary scheme at Wildenrath.

    Supplied by John Lovegrove

  • XV439 undergoing some night reheat runs.

  • XV468 coming back to earth at RAF Wildenrath.

    Supplied by Mick Slorance

  • This picture was taken by Dutch Photographer Lieuwe Hofstra, who states:
    "I was expecting this 19 sqn Phantom to hit the public road, but as I took this picture the pilot pushed to full throttle and missed the airfield fence by inches.....I was a little shaky and deaf after this experience. (I took this photo with a 50mm lens...that's why)."

    John Lovegrove says, "I was with 19(F) at Gilze-Rijen on Tactical Air Meet in 1984 when this picture was taken, however I had no idea until I saw this photograph how close we came to loosing this aircraft at that time, the aircrew never let on to the ground crew. They kept it to them selves or maybe they were not aware how close they came to certain disaster!"

    Supplied by Lieuwe Hofstra

  • "AA" XV419 outside a Sqn HAS at RAF Wildenrath.

    Supplied by John Lovegrove