History

 

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The unit was formed post-war near Hull and was known as 23 Gliding School. The school was controlled by RAF Reserve Command and carried out mainly ground slides, low and high hops in Cadet Mk I and Mk II gliders.


Aircraft numbers during the 1945 to 1950 period include RA 813, 871, 904, 915, 927, 929, 955, 988, TS 303, 311, VF 178, 198, VM 518, 632, 650, VW 499. A Grunau Baby VT 762 also operated during this period.


During the late 1940s, 23 GS moved to RAF Rufforth near York. June 1949 saw the first Slingsby T Mk 21 Sedbergh WB 920 arrive on the unit. This was followed by WB 973 in October 1950 and WB 976 in November 1950. Slingsby T31 Cadet Mk 3s WT904 and 905 were first used in December 1951.


23 GS came under Home Command in 1951 and then in 1955 a restructure designated 23 GS the second gliding school of 64 Group. Thus was 642 Volunteer Gliding School formed. In July 1959 the unit moved to RAF Linton-on-Ouse where it has been based to the present day, with the exception of some brief detachments. These were to RAF Driffield in 1970, RAF Church Fenton in 1985 and RAF Topcliffe in 2007 and were caused by runway resurfacing work at Linton.
Slingsby Venture T Mk 2 motorgliders came to Linton in August 1978. XZ 550 was the first to arrive, followed by XZ 563 in October 1978 and ZA 630 in March 1980. ZA 659 replaced XZ 563.


Grob 109B Vigilant aircraft replaced the Venture in August 1990. ZH 124, 123, 126 and 264 were the first aircraft to arrive. The unit’s title of “School” was changed to “Squadron” in 2006 and in 2009, the squadron celebrated 50 years at RAF Linton-on-Ouse. Today, the squadron continues to provide flying training in accordance with its motto: “Training for the Future”.

 

642 VGS Commanding Officers


1945 – 1951                                                      Flt Lt Jollife
1951 – 1954                                                      Flt Lt P I Phillips
1954 – 1967                                                      Flt Lt J Mawson
1967 – 1969                                                      Flt Lt S Walton
1969 – 1983                                                      Sqn Ldr B J Lamb
1983 – 1998                                                      Sqn Ldr Doughty
1999 – 2006                                                      Sqn Ldr P A Watts
2006 – 2006                                                      Flt Lt D Smith
2006 – Present                                                 Sqn Ldr S Johnston

 

50th Anniversary Promotional Video

 

 

If you have any more images that you feel would be approipriate to use on our history page then please email them to us at 642vgs@aircadets.org