No. 240 Operational Conversion Unit RAF
No. 240 Operational Conversion Unit RAF is a former Royal Air Force Operational conversion unit which was formed by a series of mergers, it then became No. 27 Squadron RAF in 1993. 240 OCU. 240 OCU was formed on 5 January 1948 by merging 1333 Transport Support Training Unit and 1382 (Transport) Conversion Unit at RAF North Luffenham. It was disbanded for the first time on 16 April 1951 and merged with 241 OCU to become 242 OCU. 240 OCU was then reformed 20 or so years later for helicopter training. Air Training Squadron  The Air Training Squadron was formed at RAF Odiham on 1 May 1971 using Westland Wessex's and Westland Pumas until 1 January 1972, when it was used to reform 240 OCU. Helicopter Operational Conversion Unit The Helicopter Operational Conversion Unit was formed at RAF Odiham on 1 July 1967 with the Wessex and Puma until 1 May 1971 when it became the ATS. Short Range Conversion Unit The Short Range Conversion Unit was formed on 5 August 1964 at RAF Odiham and used both fixed wing and rotary aircraft such as the Scottish Aviation Twin Pioneer and the Wessex . It was disbanded on 1 July 1967 to become the HOCU. Previous identities. No. 1333 Transport Support Training Unit. 1333 Transport Support Training Unit RAF was previously No. 1333 (Transport Support) Conversion Unit RAF, that unit was previously 107 OTU. 133 (TS) CU was formed on 12 March 1945 at Leicester East, it was similar to 107 OTU and renamed to 1333 TSTU on 6 July 1946. 1333 TSTU was disbanded on 5 January 1948 to become 240 OCU. No. 107 OTU 107 OTU was formed at RAF Leicester East on 3 May 1944 and primarily used Douglas Dakotas to  train crews. It was disbanded on 12 March 1945 to become 1333 (TS) CU. No. 1385 (Heavy Transport Support) Conversion Unit 1385 (HTS)CU was formed at RAF Wethersfield on 1 April 1946 by redesignating the Operational and Refresher Training Unit. The conversion used transport aircraft and gliders to train transport crews for operational missions. It was disbanded on 6 June 1946 and absorbed by the 1333 (Transport Support) Conversion Unit. Operational and Refresher Training Unit ORTU was formed at RAF Thruxton on 1 December 1943 by redesignating the Glider Pilot Exercise Unit which used a variety of aircraft including Supermarine  Spitfires, de Havilland Tiger Moths and Hadrian gliders to train glider and transport pilots. It was disbanded on 1 April 1946. Glider Pilot Exercise Unit GPEU was formed at Netheravon Airfield on 12 August 1942 by redesignating No. 296B Squadron, it operated Hawker Harts, Hawker Hinds and Airspeed Horsas amongst others until 1 December 1943 when it was disbanded to become the ORTU. No. 1382 (Transport) Conversion Unit. 1382 (Transport) Conversion Unit was previously 108 OTU, it was formed at RAF Wymeswold on 10 August 1945 and was similar to the previous unit. It disbanded on 5 January 1948 to  become 240 OCU. No. 108 OTU 108 OTU was formed at RAF Wymeswold on 10 October 1944, it was used Miles Magisters and Douglas Dakotas to train personnel until 10 August 1945 when it was disbanded to become 1382 (T)CU.