Caption: USAAF Republic P-47D Thunderbolt RAF 73OTU in Egypt

RAF No 73 Squadron

RAF No 73 Operational Training Unit

Formed at Sheikh Othman in Aden under the control of No 207 Group on 20 November 1941, although it was January 1942 before sufficient personnel were available to begin training. The unit operated Mohawks and Hurricanes and was tasked with training fighter pilots in desert conditions. From April 1942 the unit also operated a defence flight, equipped with Mohawks, however, on 24 November 1942 it was reduced to cadre and ended training. It then moved to Abu Sueir via Rougal in Knenya and El Ballah, where it began operating in February 1943 as a fighter-bomber training unit. It came under No 203 Group on 10 May 1943 and moved to Fayid in June 1944, disbanding there on 25 September 1945.

Aircraft Operated by RAF No. 73 Squadron

From	To	Aircraft	Version
Oct 1941	Aug 1943	Westland Lysander	Mk.IIIa
Dec 1941	Feb 1945	Supermarine Walrus	Mks.I, II
May 1942	Aug 1943	Boulton Paul Defiant	Mks.I, Ia
Jan 1943	Apr 1943	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.Vb
Mar 1943	Aug 1944	Avro Anson	Mk.I
Apr 1944	Feb 1945	Supermarine Spitfire	Mk.Vb
Apr 1953	Sep 1959	Bristol Sycamore	HR.13, HR.14
Jan 1954	Aug 1954	Taylorcraft Auster	AOP.5
Feb 1954	May 1955	Hiller	HTE-2
Jul 1954	Mar 1956	de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk	T.10
Jul 1954	Sep 1959	Avro Anson	T.21
Mar 1959	Sep 1959	Westland Whirlwind	HAR.2, HAR.4

Squadron Bases Operated by RAF No. 73 Squadron

From	To	Name	Remark
15 Oct 1941	14 Apr 1944	RAF Valley	Formed here
30 Nov 1941	25 Apr 1944	RAF Andreas	Detachment
30 May 1943	14 Apr 1944	RAF Eglinton	Detachment
14 Apr 1944	7 Aug 1944	RAF Warmwell
7 Aug 1944	18 Oct 1944	RAF Bolt Head
7 Aug 1944	15 Feb 1945	RAF Portreath	Detachment
18 Oct 1944	10 Jan 1945	RAF Exeter
18 Oct 1944	15 Feb 1945	RAF Bolt Head	Detachment
10 Jan 1945	15 Feb 1945	RAF Harrowbeer	Disbanded here
1 Mar 1953	18 Nov 1954	RAF Linton-on-Ouse	Re-formed here
18 Nov 1954	9 Oct 1957	RAF Thornaby
9 Oct 1957	1 Sep 1959	RAF Leconfield	Disbanded here