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XXV (Fighter) Squadron

Feriens Tego – Striking I defend.

On a gauntlet a hawk rising affrontée.
Approved by HRH King Edward VIII in October 1936.
Developed from an early unofficial badge which had been devised when the unit was based at Hawkinge.

About

  • Provides advanced fast jet training (AFJT) to RAF and Royal Navy student pilots
  • Part of the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) joint enterprise and 4 Flying Training School (4 FTS)
  • Pilots move from XXV(F) Squadron to continue their tactical and weapons training with IV(AC) Squadron at RAF Valley, before progressing to their frontline aircraft type
  • Previous aircraft flown include the Sopwith Snipe, Hawker Fury, Gloster Gladiator, Meteor and Javelin, Bristol Blenheim, de Havilland Mosquito, Panavia Tornado F3

History

1915 - Formed from 6 Reserve Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, at Montrose. Moved to France with the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b in February 1916; squadron pilots shot down German ace Max Immelmann on 18 June. Switched primarily to bombing from late 1916; re-equipped with Airco DH.4 from mid-1917. Disbanded January 1920

1920 - Re-formed in April on the Snipe, briefly serving as the only home-based fighter squadron. Moved to Constantinople, for policing duties, in 1922, returning in 1923. Re-equipped with the Gloster Grebe in 1924 and Armstrong Whitworth Siskin in 1929

1932 - Re-equipped with the Fury, using it for tied-together team aerobatics at the 1933, 1934 and 1935 Hendon Pageants. Converted onto the Hawker Demon in 1937 and Gladiator in June 1938

1938 - No. 25 Squadron became a Blenheim IF night-fighter unit from December. Later also operating the Blenheim IVF, it became a pioneer of radar-guided night-fighting, employing air intercept (AI) radar from mid-1940. Bristol Beaufighter IF arrived from September 1940, Douglas Havoc from July 1941 and Mosquito from October 1942

1944 - By now flying the Mosquito NFXVII, 25 Squadron switched its primary effort from bomber support and night intruder missions to nocturnal anti-flying bomb patrols

1951 - Re-equipped with the de Havilland Vampire NF10 in July; Meteor NF12 and 14 arrived in 1954

1958 - Disbanded in June, re-formed in July by renumbering 153 Squadron. Now a Javelin FAW7 and, later, FAW9 operator. Disbanded 1962

1963 - XXV(F) Squadron re-formed, equipped with the Bloodhound surface-to-air missile system for the protection of various locations in the UK and West Germany

1989 - In October, XXV(F) Squadron disbanded and immediately re-formed as a nascent Tornado F3 operator at RAF Leeming. Became operational in January 1990, subsequently deploying for the 1991 Gulf War, Operation DENY FLIGHT over the former Yugoslavia, Operations BOLTON (SOUTH) and RESINATE (SOUTH) over Iraq, and maintaining its commitment to UK and Falkland Islands QRA and the Baltic Air Policing mission. Disbanded 4 April 2008

2018 - XXV(F) Squadron re-formed at RAF Valley on 8 September as a Hawk T2 operator alongside IV(AC) Squadron

Based at

RAF Valley

Battle honours

Home Defence 1916

Western Front 1916 – 1918*

Somme 1916

Arras

Ypres 1917*

Cambrai 1917*

Somme 1918*

Lys

Hindenburg Line

Channel and North Sea 1939 – 1941

Battle of Britain 1940*

Fortress Europe 1943 – 1944*

Home Defence 1940 – 1945*

France and Germany 1944 – 1945*

Flying

Hawk T2

Contact

Please contact the Station Media Communications team for more information or to contact the Squadron

Media enquiries details for RAF Valley