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'No. 84 Squadron' of the Royal Air Force is a Search and Rescue Squadron based at RAF Akrotiri, it uses the Bell Griffin HAR2 helicopter.

Contents

History

Trivia

References

See also

External links

History

No. 84 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed in January 1917 and moved to France in September 1917. It flew the SE.5 over the Western front until it returned to the UK in August 1919. The squadron was disbanded in January 1920.
The squadron was reformed in 1920 in Iraq before moving to Egypt in September 1940. It later operated in Greece, Iraq, and the Western Desert before moving briefly to the Far East.
No. 84 Squadron flew the Vultee Vengeance dive bomber from Assam in North-East India during the Second World War.
The squadron re-equipped with the Mosquito in February 1945 and in September 1945 with the Bristol Beaufighter. In 1949 No. 84 Squadron flew Bristol Brigands during Operation Firedog.
The squadron was disbanded in 1953 but No. 204 Squadron was renumbered as 84 Squadron in that year. The squadron was the transport squadron for the RAF in the Middle east till 1971.
The squadron was reformed in the Search and Rescue role in 1972 using the Westland Whirlwind. It later replaced the Whirlwind with the Westland Wessex.
Since January 2003 the squadron has been assigned to British Forces Cyprus at RAF Akrotiri in the search and rescue role using the Bell Griffin HAR2.

Trivia

★ It was the last RAF squadron to use the Westland Wessex, which it finished using in January 2003, and transferred to the Bell Griffin HAR2. During its work-up on the Griffin, 84 Squadron's SAR responsibilities in Cyprus were covered by 203(Reserve) Squadron.

★ 84 Squadron is the only serving squadron never to have been based in the United Kingdom.

★ The squadron's badge, approved by George VI in December 1936 is the scorpion, and its motto is ''Scorpiones pungunt'', Latin for "Scorpions sting". As a result, they keep pet scorpions as mascots at RAF Akrotiri.

★ In addition to their airframe serials the 4 Griffin's are also identified as either Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds or Spades.

★ 84 Squadron aircraft are also used for UN duties in maintaining the "Green Line" separating "free" Cyprus from their neighbours in the Turkish Rebublic of Northern Cyprus. In recognition of this role the aircraft are always unarmed and carry a light blue band around their tail, matching the blue berets of UN peacekeepers.

★ The squadron is allocated the ICAO designator 'AKG' and the callsign 'GRIFTER'.

References

See also

;Former members of the squadron

★ William Sholto Douglas, World War I ace

★ Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor, World War I ace

External links

★ http://www.raf.mod.uk/squadrons/h84.html

★ Helicopter History site unit section for 84 Squadron