No. 228 Operational Conversion Unit RAF

{{EngvarB|date=April 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}} {{Infobox military unit | unit_name =No. 228 Operational Conversion Unit RAF<BR>[[File:Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg|90px]] | native_name = | image =[[File:De Havilland DH-98 Mosquito ExCC.jpg|250px]] | image_size = | alt = | caption =de Havilland Mosquito | dates = | disbanded = | country = [[United Kingdom]] | countries = | allegiance = | branch = [[Royal Air Force]] | type = | role = Fighter training | size = | command_structure = [[No. 12 Group RAF|12 Group]], [[No. 81 Group RAF|81 Group]], [[No. 11 Group RAF|11 Group]], [[No. 11 Sector RAF|11 Sector]], [[No. 38 Group RAF|38 Group]], [[No. 11 Group RAF|11 Group]] | garrison = | garrison_label = | nickname = | patron = | motto = | colors =  | colors_label =  | march = | mascot = | anniversaries = | equipment = | equipment_label = | battles = | decorations = | battle_honours = | battle_honours_label = | flying_hours = | website =  | commander1 = | commander1_label = | commander2 = | commander2_label = | commander3 = | commander3_label = | notable_commanders =  | identification_symbol = | identification_symbol_label = | identification_symbol_2 = | identification_symbol_2_label = | identification_symbol_3 = | identification_symbol_3_label =  | aircraft_attack = | aircraft_bomber = | aircraft_electronic = | aircraft_fighter = | aircraft_helicopter = | aircraft_helicopter_attack = | aircraft_helicopter_cargo = | aircraft_helicopter_multirole = | aircraft_helicopter_observation = | aircraft_helicopter_transport = | aircraft_helicopter_trainer = | aircraft_helicopter_utility = | aircraft_interceptor = | aircraft_patrol = | aircraft_recon = | aircraft_trainer = | aircraft_transport = | aircraft_tanker = | aircraft_general = }} '''No. 228 Operational Conversion Unit''' was a [[Royal Air Force]] [[Operational conversion unit]]. It was formed in [[No. 12 Group RAF|No. 12 Group]] at [[RAF Leeming]] from Nos. 13 and 54 OTUs in 1947. The tasking of the OCU was the training of [[night fighter]] crews and its aircraft were the [[de Havilland Mosquito]], [[Gloster Meteor]], [[Bristol Brigand]], and [[Gloster Javelin]] over the years.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Laming |first1=Tim |title=The Royal Air Force manual: the aircraft, equipment and organization of the RAF |date=1994 |publisher=Arms and Armour |location=London |isbn=1854091905 |page=114}}</ref> The OCU lasted until 1961 at Leeming when it was disbanded.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Delve|first1=Ken|title=Northern England : Co. Durham, Cumbria, Isle of Man, Lancashire, Merseyside, Manchester, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear, Yorkshire|date=2006|publisher=Crowood|location=Ramsbury|isbn=1-86126-809-2|page=169}}</ref>

The unit's next incarnation saw it again training night fighter crews, this time at [[RAF Leuchars]]. The aircraft was again the Javelin and the training particularly emphasised preparing crews for overseas service, and whilst at Leuchars it took on the [[shadow squadron]] number of No. 11 Squadron.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Watson |first1=Iain Smith |title=Northern 'Q': the history of Royal Air Force Leuchars |date=2017 |publisher=Fonthill |location=Stroud |isbn=9781781556092 |page=89}}</ref> The unit was taken with this role for 18 months in 1965 and 1966 before disbanding again.<ref name=":AL:">{{cite book|last1=Lake|first1=Alan|title=Flying units of the RAF : the ancestry, formation and disbandment of all flying units from 1912|date=1999|publisher=Airlife|location=Shrewsbury|isbn=1-84037-086-6|page=143}}</ref>

Its final incarnation was as a training unit for the [[McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II]] at [[RAF Coningsby]]. The unit was activated there in 1968<ref>{{cite book |last1=Halpenny |first1=Bruce Barrymore |title=Action Stations2: Military Airfields of Lincolnshire and the East Midlands |date=1982 |orig-date=1981|publisher=Patrick Stephens |location=Cambridge |isbn=0-85059-484-7 |page=67}}</ref> and moved to Leuchars during May 1987 - this time with the shadow number of No. 64 Squadron.{{sfn|March|1988|p=74}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Watson |first1=Iain Smith |title=Northern 'Q': the history of Royal Air Force Leuchars |date=2017 |publisher=Fonthill |location=Stroud |isbn=9781781556092 |page=160}}</ref> The OCU fell victim to post-Cold War cutbacks and was permanently disbanded in January 1991.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Watson |first1=Iain Smith |title=Northern 'Q': the history of Royal Air Force Leuchars |date=2017 |publisher=Fonthill |location=Stroud |isbn=9781781556092 |pages=171, 202}}</ref>

==See also== * [[List of conversion units of the Royal Air Force]]

==References== {{reflist}}

*{{cite book |last1=March|first1=Peter R.|title=Royal Air Force Yearbook 1988|year=1988|publisher= Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund|location=[[Fairford]], UK}}

==External links== * [http://www.rafweb.org RAF Web]

[[Category:Royal Air Force night fighter units]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1947]] [[Category:Conversion units of the Royal Air Force]] [[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1961]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1965]] [[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1966]] [[Category:Military units and formations established in 1968]] [[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1992]]