View source for No. 231 Operational Conversion Unit RAF

{{Short description|Former Royal Air Force operational conversion unit}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2017}}
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{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name =No. 231 Operational Conversion Unit RAF<BR>[[File:Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg|90px]]
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| dates = 15 March 1947 - 4 December 1949<br>1 December 1951 - 23 April 1993
| disbanded = 23 April 1993
| country = {{UK}}
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| branch = {{Air force|UK}}
| type = [[Operational conversion unit]]
| role = [[Bomber]] [[Military education and training|training]]
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| garrison = [[RAF Wyton]]
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'''No. 231 Operational Conversion Unit''' was a [[Royal Air Force]] [[Operational conversion unit]] that disbanded during April 1993. It was active twice, initially between March 1947 and December 1949, before reforming in December 1951.

==Operational history==
[[File:EE Canberra PR.3 WE139 231 OCU ABIN 15.06.68 edited-2.jpg|thumb|right|EE Canberra PR.3 of 231 OCU in 1968]]
[[File:EE Canberra T.4 WJ870 Rt 231 OCU COTT13.06.70 edited-3.jpg|thumb|right|[[English Electric Canberra]]T.4 of 231 OCU at its [[RAF Cottesmore]] base in 1970]] 

231 OCU first formed in the aftermath of the [[World War II|Second World War]] during on 15 March 1947 at [[RAF Coningsby]]. Initially the OCU was formed from a nucleus provided by No. 16 OTU and was tasked with training crews of the "wooden wonder", the [[de Havilland Mosquito]], in the light bomber and photo reconnaissance roles. Initial operational equipment was provided by Mosquito III and Mosquito B.XVI aircraft. In this role the unit lasted nearly three years before disbanding on 4 December 1949.{{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|Halley|1997|p=232}}

In keeping with its previous role when the OCU reformed on 1 December 1951 it was to train [[light bomber]] [[aircrew]]s by redesignating [[No. 237 Operational Conversion Unit RAF|237 OCU]]. The aircraft used during the rest of the unit's operational service was the [[English Electric Canberra]], a British first-generation, jet-powered [[medium bomber]] and most operational versions of that versatile aircraft were flown by the unit. It was reformed at [[RAF Bassingbourn]] in [[Cambridgeshire]] and it moved around various stations, including RAF Bassingbourn, [[RAF Cottesmore]] Rutland and [[RAF Marham]] in [[Norfolk]], during its operational existence. It was redesignated the ''Canberra Standardisation Training Flight'' on 15 December 1990, but reverted to 231 OCU on 13 May 1991.{{sfn|Sturtivant|Hamlin|Halley|1997|p=232}}

'D' Squadron was previously '''No. 204 Advanced Flying School''' at Bassingbourn which was disbanded on 13 February 1952.{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=10}} 204 AFS was previously '''No. 204 Crew Training Unit''' which was formed on 28 February 1947 at Cottesmore by redesignating an element of No. 16 OTU. 204 CTU was disbanded on 15 March 1947 at Cottesmore.{{sfn|Lake|1999|p=56}}

==Disbandment==
231 OCU was disbanded at [[RAF Wyton]], [[Huntingdonshire]] on 23 April 1993, by which time it had trained for a variety of roles more than 8,000 aircrew from 17 different nations.

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

==References==
===Citations===
{{reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*{{cite book |last1=Lake |first1=A |title= Flying units of the RAF |year=1999 |publisher= Airlife |location= [[Shrewsbury]] |isbn= 1-84037-086-6 }}
*{{cite book |last1=Sturtivant|first1=R|last2=Hamlin|first2=J|last3=Halley|first3=J|title=Royal Air Force flying training and support units |year=1997 |publisher= Air-Britain (Historians)|location= UK|isbn=0-85130-252-1}}

==External links==

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

{{Royal Air Force}}
{{RAF Conversion units}}

[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1947]]
[[Category:Conversion units of the Royal Air Force]]