RAF Reykjavik
Squadrons
Table:
Sqn
Aircraft
Joined
Departed
From → To
Notes

53
Consolidated Liberator VI & VIII
13 September 1944
1 June 1945
RAF St Eval → RAF St Davids
Squadron move and a detachment sent to RAF Ballykelly.[1]

86
Consolidated Liberator IIIA & V
24 March 1944
1 July 1944
RAF Ballykelly → RAF Tain
Squadron moved with a detachment to RAF Tain.[2]

120
Consolidated Liberator III & V
15 April 1943
24 March 1944
RAF Aldergrove → RAF Ballykelly
Originally detachments from RAF Ballykelly and then RAF Aldergrove before Squadron move and detachment to RAF Aldergrove.[3]

190
Consolidated PBY Catalina IB
17 February 1943
October 1943
RAF Sullom Voe → DB
On detachment before the Squadron was disbanded and then reformed as No. 210 Sqn.[4]

204
Short Sunderland I & II
5 April 1941
15 July 1941
RAF Sullom Voe → RAF Gibraltar
Squadron move and a detachment to RAF Pembroke Dock.[5]

209
Consolidated PBY Catalina I
26 July 1941
10 October 1941
RAF Lough Erne → RAF Pembroke Dock
Squadron move.[6]

210
Short Sunderland I
13 July 1940
28 February 1942
RAF Oban → RAF Sullom Voe
On detachment only.[7]

220
Boeing Fortress II
July 1942
14 February 1943
RAF Ballykelly → RAF Aldergrove
On detachment only.[8]

221
Vickers Wellington IC
2 May 1941
25 December 1941
RAF Limavady → RAF Docking
On detachment initially prior to Squadron move 29 September 1941 (with a detachment at RAF Limavady).[9]

251
Lockheed Ventura I
1 August 1941
30 October 1945
Reformed → Disbanded
After the Ventura the squadron flew: Lockheed Hudson III, Avro Anson I, Boeing Fortress II and Vickers Warwick I.[10]

269
Lockheed Hudson III
6 March 1943
8 January 1944
RAF Kaldadarnes → RAF Davidstow Moor
Squadron move.[11]

279
Hawker Hurricane IIC
February 1945
3 September 1945
RAF Thornaby → RAF Beccles
On detachment only.[12]

280
Vickers Warwick I
23 November 1945
21 June 1946
RAF Thornaby → DB
On detachment only prior to Squadron being disbanded.[13]

330
Northrop N-3PB NOMAD
Catalina III
28 January 1943
12 July 1943
Formed → RAF Oban
This Squadron was formed at RAF Reykjavik on 25 April 1941 before being moved to RAF Oban leaving behind a detachment until their next move to RAF Sullom Voe. The squadron was disbanded 21 November 1945 and transferred to Norwegian control.[14]

612
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley V & VII
1 April 1941
18 August 1942
RAF Wick → RAF Thorney Island
On detachment first then squadron move.[15]

Leveraging the given table as well as the article excerpts provided at the end.

Provide an answer to this question: What year was the squadron disbanded that included the Boeing Fortress aircraft ? Output only the correct answer as {"answer": "YOUR ANSWER"}.

No . 53 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron that saw service in both the First and Second World Wars .
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber , designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego , California . It was known within the company as the Model 32 , and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models designated as various LB-30s , in the Land Bomber design category . At its inception , the B-24 was a modern design featuring a highly efficient shoulder-mounted , high aspect ratio Davis wing . The wing gave the Liberator a high cruise speed , long range and the ability to carry a heavy bomb load . Early RAF Liberators were the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic Ocean as a matter of routine . In comparison with its contemporaries , the B-24 was relatively difficult to fly and had poor low-speed performance ; it also had a lower ceiling and was less robust than the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress . While aircrews tended to prefer the B-17 , General Staff favored the B-24 and procured it in huge numbers for a wide variety of roles . At approximately 18,500 units - including 8,685 manufactured by Ford Motor Company - it holds records as the world 's most produced bomber , heavy bomber , multi-engine aircraft , and American military aircraft in history . The B-24 was used extensively in World War II . It served in every branch of the American armed forces as well as several Allied air forces and navies . It saw use in every theater of operations . Along with the B-17 , the B-24 was the mainstay of the US strategic bombing campaign in the Western European theater .
Royal Air Force St. Eval or RAF St. Eval was a strategic Royal Air Force station for the RAF Coastal Command during the Second World War ( situated in Cornwall , England , UK ) . St Eval 's primary role was to provide anti-submarine and anti-shipping patrols off the south west coast . Aircraft from the airfield were also used for photographic reconnaissance missions , meteorological flights , convoy patrols , air-sea rescue missions and protection of the airfield from the Luftwaffe .
Royal Air Force St Davids or more simply RAF St Davids is a former Royal Air Force station , near the city of St Davids , Wales .
RAF Ballykelly was a Royal Air Force station which opened in 1941 in Ballykelly , County Londonderry . It closed in 1971 when the site was handed over to the British Army as Shackleton Barracks . A small part of the base has been used as a refuelling point by army helicopters and small fixed-wing aircraft usually operating out of RAF Aldergrove near the town of Antrim .
No . 86 Squadron RAF was a unit of the Royal Air Force during World War II . Attached to Coastal Command the unit flew reconnaissance and air-sea rescue missions , anti-shipping strikes , and anti-submarine patrols .
RAF Tain is a Ministry of Defence air weapons range on the Moray Firth near Tain in Scotland . Royal Air Force aircrews from RAF Lossiemouth are trained in air weaponry on the range , along with NATO aircrew .
Number 120 Squadron or No . CXX Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Air Force which was established as a Royal Flying Corps unit late in World War I , disbanded a year after the end of the war , then re-established as a RAF Coastal Command squadron during World War II . Although disbanded again a month after Victory in Europe Day , during and after World War II it operated almost continuously , with maritime patrol aircraft ; most recently with the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod , based at RAF Kinloss in Scotland until the type 's withdrawal in March 2010 . The squadron was disbanded again the following year . No . 120 Squadron stood up again in April 2018 at RAF Lossiemouth and became the first squadron to be equipped with the Boeing Poseidon MRA1 anti-submarine warfare ( ASW ) aircraft on 31 October 2019 .
Joint Helicopter Command Flying Station Aldergrove or more simply JHC FS Aldergrove is located 4.4 miles ( 7.1 km ) south of Antrim , Northern Ireland and 18 miles ( 29 km ) northwest of Belfast and adjoins Belfast International Airport . It is sometimes referred to simply as Aldergrove which is the name of a nearby village . The military flying units share the Aldergrove runways but have their own separate facilities and helipad . The site was formerly RAF Aldergrove , a Royal Air Force station which was in operation between 1918 and 2009 .
No 190 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron with a relatively short existence , but a very broad career . It served as a trainer squadron during the first World War and as convoy escort , airborne support and transport squadron during World War II .
The Consolidated PBY Catalina , also known as the Canso in Canadian service , is an American flying boat , and later an amphibious aircraft of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft . It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II . Catalinas served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other nations . During World War II , PBYs were used in anti-submarine warfare , patrol bombing , convoy escort , search and rescue missions ( especially air-sea rescue ) , and cargo transport . The PBY was the most numerous aircraft of its kind , and the last military PBYs served until the 1980s . As of 2014 , nearly 80 years after its first flight , the aircraft continues to fly as a waterbomber ( or airtanker ) in aerial firefighting operations in some parts of the world .
Royal Air Force Station Sullom Voe or more simply RAF Sullom Voe is a former Royal Air Force station near the village of Brae , in the Shetland Isles of Scotland . It was a Flying boat base and was closely associated with the adjacent airfield of RAF Scatsta
No . 204 Squadron was a Royal Air Force unit first formed in March 1915 as No.4 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service .
The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber , developed and constructed by Short Brothers for the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) . The aircraft took its service name from the town ( latterly , city ) and port of Sunderland in North East England . Developed in parallel with the civilian S.23 Empire flying boat , the flagship of Imperial Airways , the Sunderland was developed specifically to conform to the requirements of British Air Ministry Specification R.2/33 for a long-range patrol/reconnaissance flying boat to serve with the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) . As designed , it served as a successor to the earlier Short Sarafand flying boat . Sharing several similarities with the S.23 , it featured a more advanced aerodynamic hull and was outfitted with various offensive and defensive armaments , including machine gun turrets , bombs , aerial mines , and depth charges . The Sunderland was powered by four Bristol Pegasus XVIII radial engines and was outfitted with various detection equipment to aid combat operations , including the Leigh searchlight , the ASV Mark II and ASV Mark III radar units , and an astrodome . The Sunderland was one of the most powerful and widely used flying boats throughout the Second World War . In addition to the RAF , the type was operated by other Allied military air wings , including the Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF ) , Royal Canadian Air Force ( RCAF ) , South African Air Force ( SAAF ) , Royal New Zealand Air Force ( RNZAF ) , French Navy , Norwegian Air Force , and the Portuguese Navy . During the conflict , the type was heavily involved in Allied efforts to counter the threat posed by German U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic . On 17 July 1940 , a RAAF Sunderland ( of No . 10 Squadron ) performed the type 's first unassisted U-boat kill . Sunderlands also played a major role in the Mediterranean theatre , performing maritime reconnaissance flights and logistical support missions .
RAF Gibraltar ( also formerly known as North Front ) is a Royal Air Force station on Gibraltar . No military aircraft are currently stationed there , but RAF , Commonwealth and aircraft of other NATO nations will periodically arrive for transient stopovers , exercises , or other temporary duty . Administered by British Forces Gibraltar , the station is a joint civil-military facility that also functions as the Rock 's civilian airport - Gibraltar Airport , with the civilian airport 's passenger terminal building and apron facilities located on the north side of the runway while the apron and hangar of RAF Gibraltar are located on the south side of the runway .
Royal Air Force Pembroke Dock or more simply RAF Pembroke Dock was a Royal Air Force Seaplane and Flying Boat station located at Pembroke Dock , Pembrokeshire , Wales . The Royal Navy contingent left in 1926 with the Royal Air Force occupying the site from 1 January 1930 . During the initial stages of the Second World War , it became the home of two Dutch flying boats and their squadron personnel as well as hosting RAF , Fleet Air Arm , Canadian , Royal Australian Air Force and United States naval crews . It became the largest Flying Boat station in the world and at one point during the Second World War it was host to 99 aircraft . The station badge showed a Manx Shearwater bird on one of the many islands that lie off the eastern Pembrokeshire coastline . The motto was in Welsh ; Gwylio ' r gorllewin o ' r awyr which translates into English as To watch the west from the air . The badge was approved and issued in January 1948 .
Number 209 Squadron of the British Royal Air Force was originally formed from a nucleus of Naval Eight on 1 February 1917 at Saint-Pol-sur-Mer , France , as No . 9 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service ( RNAS ) and saw active service in both World Wars , the Korean War and in Malaya . The use of the squadron number ceased in 1968 and has not been reused since by an RAF squadron .
RAF Castle Archdale , also known for a while as RAF Lough Erne was a Royal Air Force station used by the RAF and the Royal Canadian Air Force station in County Fermanagh , Northern Ireland .
No . 210 Squadron was a Royal Air Force unit established in World War I . Disbanded and reformed a number of times in the ensuing years , it operated as a fighter squadron during World War I and as a maritime patrol squadron during the Spanish Civil War , World War II and the Cold War before it was last deactivated in 1971 .
RAF Oban is a former Royal Air Force ( RAF ) flying boat base located at the northern end of the island of Kerrera , in Ardantrive Bay west of Oban , Argyll and Bute , Scotland during the Second World War .
No . 220 Squadron of the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) was founded in 1918 and disbanded in 1963 after four separate periods of service . The squadron saw service in both the First and Second World Wars , as a maritime patrol unit , and finally as part of Britain 's strategic nuclear deterrent .
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress is a four-engined heavy bomber developed in the 1930s for the United States Army Air Corps ( USAAC ) . Competing against Douglas and Martin for a contract to build 200 bombers , the Boeing entry ( prototype Model 299/XB-17 ) outperformed both competitors and exceeded the air corps ' performance specifications . Although Boeing lost the contract ( to the Douglas B-18 Bolo ) because the prototype crashed , the air corps ordered 13 more B-17s for further evaluation . From its introduction in 1938 , the B-17 Flying Fortress evolved through numerous design advances , becoming the third-most produced bomber of all time , behind the four-engined B-24 and the multirole , twin-engined Ju 88 . The B-17 was primarily employed by the USAAF in the daylight strategic bombing campaign of World War II against German industrial and military targets . The United States Eighth Air Force , based at many airfields in central , eastern and southern England , and the Fifteenth Air Force , based in Italy , complemented the RAF Bomber Command 's nighttime area bombing in the Combined Bomber Offensive to help secure air superiority over the cities , factories and battlefields of Western Europe in preparation for the invasion of France in 1944 . The B-17 also participated to a lesser extent in the War in the Pacific , early in World War II , where it conducted raids against Japanese shipping and airfields . From its prewar inception , the USAAC ( by June 1941 , the USAAF ) promoted the aircraft as a strategic weapon ; it was a relatively fast , high-flying , long-range bomber with heavy defensive armament at the expense of bombload . It developed a reputation for toughness based upon stories and photos of badly damaged B-17s safely returning to base . The B-17 dropped more bombs than any other U.S. aircraft in World War II . Of approximately 1.5 million tons of bombs dropped on Nazi Germany and its occupied territories by U.S. aircraft , over 640,000 tons were dropped from B-17s . In addition to its role as a bomber , the B-17 was also employed as a transport , antisubmarine aircraft , drone controller , and search-and-rescue aircraft .
No . 221 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron that saw service in both the First and Second World Wars . Its motto was From sky to sea .
The Vickers Wellington is a British twin-engined , long-range medium bomber . It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge , Surrey . Led by Vickers-Armstrongs ' chief designer Rex Pierson ; a key feature of the aircraft is its geodetic airframe fuselage structure , which was principally designed by Barnes Wallis . Development had been started in response to Air Ministry Specification B.9/32 , which was issued in the middle of 1932 . This specification called for a twin-engined day bomber capable of delivering higher performance than any previous design . Other aircraft developed to the same specification include the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley and the Handley Page Hampden . During the development process , performance requirements such as for the tare weight changed substantially , and the engine used was not the one originally intended . The Wellington was used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War , performing as one of the principal bombers used by Bomber Command . During 1943 , it started to be superseded as a bomber by the larger four-engined heavies such as the Avro Lancaster . The Wellington continued to serve throughout the war in other duties , particularly as an anti-submarine aircraft . It holds the distinction of having been the only British bomber that was produced for the duration of the war , and of having been produced in a greater quantity than any other British-built bomber . The Wellington remained as first-line equipment when the war ended , although it had been increasingly relegated to secondary roles .
Royal Air Force Station Limavady or more simply RAF Limavady is a former Royal Air Force station , also known as Aghanloo airfield , near the city of Derry , Northern Ireland .
RAF Docking was a RAF Station of the Second World War a few miles from Bircham Newton in Norfolk . It was a satellite airfield for the RAF Coastal Command station at RAF Bircham Newton and was mostly used for overflow from there . A grass airfield , with eight blister hangars and one A1 hangar , was laid out soon after the outbreak of war and the first squadron to operate from there was No . 235 Squadron RAF using Bristol Blenheims for convoy escort and anti-shipping operations in the North Sea . These were then replaced by the Lockheed Hudson . A meteorological observation unit No . 405 Flight of Bomber Command was set up as part of the effort to gain important weather information . When Coastal Command took over all the meteorological units this became No . 1401 ( Met ) Flight and received a greater variety of aircraft . As well as Blenheims it operated Spitfires , Gloster Gladiator biplanes and Hawker Hurricanes . These aircraft were all used to take measurements of temperature and humidity ; from 40,000 ft downwards in precise areas . In August 1942 the Flight was made into a Squadron - No .
No . 251 Squadron was a Royal Air Force Squadron which operated during the First World War and the Second World War . The Squadron was disbanded in 1945 and remains inactive .
The Lockheed Ventura is a twin engine patrol bomber designated PV-1 by the United States Navy ( US Navy ) . The bomber was also used by the United States Army Air Forces ( USAAF ) , which designated it the Lockheed B-34 ( Lexington ) and B-37 . The Ventura was a medium bomber of World War II , used by United States and British Commonwealth forces in several guises , including antishipping and antisubmarine search and attack . The Ventura was developed from the Lockheed Model 18 Lodestar transport , as a replacement for the Lockheed Hudson bombers then in service with the Royal Air Force . Used in daylight attacks against occupied Europe , they proved to have weaknesses and were removed from bomber duty and some used for patrols by Coastal Command . After USAAF monopolization of land-based bombers was removed , the US Navy ordered a revised design which entered service as the PV-2 Harpoon for anti-submarine work .
The Avro Anson is a British twin-engined , multi-role aircraft built by the aircraft manufacturer Avro . Large numbers of the type served in a variety of roles for the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) , Fleet Air Arm ( FAA ) , Royal Canadian Air Force ( RCAF ) and numerous other air forces before , during , and after the Second World War . Initially known as the Avro 652A , the Anson was developed during the mid-1930s from the earlier Avro 652 airliner in response to a request for tenders issued by the British Air Ministry for a maritime reconnaissance aircraft . Having suitably impressed the Ministry , a single prototype was ordered , which conducted its maiden flight on 24 March 1935 . Following an evaluation in which the Type 652A bettered the competing de Havilland DH.89 , it was selected as the winner , leading to Air Ministry Specification 18/35 being written around the type and an initial order for 174 aircraft being ordered in July 1935 . The Type 652A was promptly named after British Admiral George Anson . The type was placed into service with the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) and was initially used in the envisioned maritime reconnaissance operation alongside the larger flying boats . After the outbreak of the Second World War the Anson was soon found to have become obsolete in front line combat roles . Large numbers of the type were instead put to use as a multi-engined aircrew trainer , having been found to be suitable for the role , and became the mainstay of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan . The type continued to be used in this role throughout and after the conflict , remaining in RAF service as a trainer and communications aircraft until 28 June 1968 . During the post-war climate , the Anson was increasingly produced for the civil market , being used as a light transport and executive aircraft . By the end of production in 1952 , a total of 8,138 Ansons had been constructed by Avro in nine variants ; in addition , a further 2,882 aircraft were manufactured by Federal Aircraft Ltd in Canada from 1941 .
No . 269 Squadron RAF was a maritime patrol unit of the Royal Air Force that saw service in World War I , World War II , and the Cold War .
The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter . The Hudson was a military conversion of the Lockheed Model 14 Super Electra airliner , and was the first significant aircraft construction contract for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation - the initial RAF order for 200 Hudsons far surpassed any previous order the company had received . The Hudson served throughout the war , mainly with Coastal Command but also in transport and training roles as well as delivering agents into occupied France . They were also used extensively with the Royal Canadian Air Force 's anti-submarine squadrons and by the Royal Australian Air Force .
Royal Air Force Station Kaldadarnes or more simply RAF Kaldadarnes is a former Royal Air Force station , near the town of Selfoss , Iceland .
Royal Air Force Davidstow or more commonly RAF Davidstow Moor is a former Royal Air Force station located 2.9 miles ( 4.7 km ) north east of Camelford , Cornwall and 11.5 miles ( 18.5 km ) west of Launceston , Cornwall , England . It was used from late 1942 until 1954 and despite a few periods of intense activity it was one of Coastal Command 's lesser used airfields .
No 279 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force air-sea rescue squadron of World War II . The squadron was formed on 16 November 1941 and disbanded on 10 March 1946 .
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1930s-40s that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd. for service with the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) . It was overshadowed in the public consciousness by the Supermarine Spitfire 's role during Battle of Britain in 1940 , but the Hurricane inflicted 60 percent of the losses sustained by the Luftwaffe in the engagement , and fought in all the major theatres of the Second World War . The Hurricane originated from discussions between RAF officials and aircraft designer Sir Sydney Camm about a proposed monoplane derivative of the Hawker Fury biplane in the early 1930s . Despite an institutional preference for biplanes and lack of interest from the Air Ministry , Hawker refined their monoplane proposal , incorporating several innovations which became critical to wartime fighter aircraft , including retractable landing gear and the more powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin engine . The Air Ministry ordered Hawker 's Interceptor Monoplane in late 1934 , and the prototype Hurricane K5083 performed its maiden flight on 6 November 1935 . In June 1936 , the Hurricane went into production for the Air Ministry ; it entered squadron service on 25 December 1937 . Its manufacture and maintenance was eased by using conventional construction methods so that squadrons could perform many major repairs without external support . The Hurricane was rapidly procured prior to the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939 , when the RAF had 18 Hurricane-equipped squadrons in service . The aircraft was relied on to defend against German aircraft operated by the Luftwaffe , including dogfighting with Messerschmitt Bf 109s in multiple theatres of action . The Hurricane was developed through several versions , into bomber-interceptors , fighter-bombers , and ground support aircraft as well as fighters . Versions designed for the Royal Navy known as the Sea Hurricane had modifications enabling operation from ships . Some were converted as catapult-launched convoy escorts .
Royal Air Force Thornaby or more simply RAF Thornaby was a former Royal Air Force Station located in the town and Borough of Thornaby-on-Tees , North Yorkshire , England . Fighter Command , Bomber Command and Coastal Command all operated from the base over its history , but its stint under Coastal Command is what the base was notable for , particularly in the air-sea rescue environment and the development of the Thornaby Bag . This was an emergency bag dropped to downed aircrew at sea and contained food , cigarettes and drink .
Beccles Airfield , also known as Beccles Airport or Beccles Aerodrome ( ICAO : EGSM ) , is located in Ellough , 2 NM ( 3.7 km ; 2.3 mi ) southeast of Beccles in the English county of Suffolk . Built during the second world war , it has operated as a heliport servicing the North Sea oil and gas industry and currently operates as a base for private flights , flight training and parachuting . Beccles Aerodrome has a CAA Ordinary Licence ( Number P837 ) that allows flights for the public transport of passengers or for flying instruction as authorised by the licensee ( RainAir ( Beccles ) Limited ) . The aerodrome is not licensed for night use . The current airstrip consists of around 450 metres of the original wartime concrete surface with 150 metres of grass airstrip .
No . 280 Squadron was a Royal Air Force air-sea rescue squadron during the second world war .
The Vickers Warwick was a multi-purpose twin-engined British aircraft developed and operated during the Second World War . In line with the naming convention followed by other RAF heavy bombers of the era , it was named after a British city or town , in this case Warwick . The Warwick was the largest British twin-engined aircraft to see use during the Second World War . The Warwick was designed and manufactured by Vickers-Armstrongs during the late 1930s . It was intended to serve as a larger counterpart to the Vickers Wellington bomber . The two aircraft share similar construction and design principles but unlike the smaller Wellington bomber , development of the Warwick was delayed by a lack of suitable high-powered engines . The maiden flight occurred on 13 August 1939 but delays to its intended powerplant , the Napier Sabre engine , led to alternatives being explored in the form of the Bristol Centaurus and Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp radial engines . By the time adequate engines were available , rapid advances in the field of aviation had undermined the potency of the design in the face of Luftwaffe fighters . The Warwick entered quantity production during 1942 and squadron service with the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) shortly thereafter , it had been superseded as a bomber and barely a dozen aircraft were built as bombers . The type was used by the RAF in RAF Transport Command and by RAF Coastal Command as an air-sea rescue and maritime reconnaissance aircraft . The Warwick was also adopted by the Polish Air Forces in exile in Great Britain and the South African Air Force . A civil operator , the British Overseas Airways Corporation ( BOAC ) , also operated a handful of Warwicks .
No . 330 Squadron RNoAF ( Norwegian : 330 skvadron ) is a helicopter unit of the Royal Norwegian Air Force ( RNoAF ) and is Norway 's military search and rescue service . The squadron operates ten Westland Sea King helicopters based at six airbases along the coast . Headquartered at Sola Air Station , the squadron has detachments at Rygge , Florø , Ørland , Bodø and Banak . The unit 's primary duty is search and rescue ( SAR ) , with secondary duties consisting of air ambulance , disaster relief and special operations support . The squadron has its roots in the No . 330 Squadron RAF , which conducted maritime surveillance , Arctic convoy escort and anti-submarine warfare during the Second World War . It was established on Iceland on 25 April 1941 , where it operated Northrop N-3PB and Consolidated PBY Catalina seaplanes . It relocated to RAF Oban in Scotland on 23 January 1943 and adopted Short Sunderland flying boats in the same role . It relocated to Sola in June 1945 , where it operated mostly as an airline until December , when it was deactivated . The unit was reactivated between 20 July 1953 and 5 July 1958 to operate the Republic F-84G Thunderjet fighters , first based at Gardermoen Air Station and from 1956 at Rygge . It was again reactivated from 1 March 1962 to 1 October 1968 to carry out maritime surveillance and anti-submarine operations from Sola , using the Grumman HU-16 Albatross .
The Northrop N-3PB Nomad was a single-engined American floatplane of the 1940s . Northrop developed the N-3PB as an export model based on the earlier Northrop A-17 design . A total of 24 were purchased by Norway , but were not delivered until after the Fall of Norway during the Second World War . Exiled Norwegian forces used them from 1941 , operating from Iceland , for convoy escort , anti-submarine patrols , and training purposes from Little Norway in Canada . Within two years of delivery , the design was effectively obsolete in its combat role , and the remaining N-3PBs were replaced by larger aircraft in 1943 .
No . 612 Squadron RAF was originally formed in 1937 as an Army Co-operation unit , and flew during the Second World War in the General Reconnaissance role . After the war the squadron was reformed and flew in the Day Fighter role until disbanded in 1957 . At present the squadron has a non-flying role as a RAF Medical Reserves unit .
The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.38 Whitley was one of three British twin-engined , front line medium bomber types that were in service with the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) at the outbreak of the Second World War . Alongside the Vickers Wellington and the Handley Page Hampden , the Whitley was developed during the mid-1930s according to Air Ministry Specification B.3/34 , which it was subsequently selected to meet . In 1937 , the Whitley formally entered into RAF squadron service ; it was the first of the three medium bombers to be introduced . Following the outbreak of war in September 1939 , the Whitley participated in the first RAF bombing raid upon German territory and remained an integral part of the early British bomber offensive . In 1942 it was superseded as a bomber by the larger four-engined heavies such as the Avro Lancaster . Its front line service included maritime reconnaissance with Coastal Command and the second line roles of glider-tug , trainer and transport aircraft . The type was also procured by British Overseas Airways Corporation as a civilian freighter aircraft . The aircraft was named after Whitley , a suburb of Coventry , home of one of Armstrong Whitworth 's plants .
Wick John O ' Groats Airport ( IATA : WIC , ICAO : EGPC ) is located 1 nautical mile ( 1.9 km ; 1.2 mi ) north of the town of Wick in Caithness at the north-eastern extremity of the mainland of Scotland . It is owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited . The airport provides air travel connections for Caithness , with scheduled services to Aberdeen Airport and Edinburgh Airport , and is regularly used by helicopters servicing local offshore oil operations and the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm . It also serves as a stop-over for light aircraft ferry flights between Europe and North America via Iceland .
RAF Thorney Island is a former Royal Air Force station located 6.6 miles ( 10.6 km ) west of Chichester , West Sussex , England and 7.1 miles ( 11.4 km ) east of Portsmouth , Hampshire .