No. 131 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF

No. 131 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit
No. 131 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit
Active	20 July 1942 - 28 June 1945
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Type	Operational Training Unit
Role	Aircrew Training
Part of	RAF Coastal Command; No. 15 Group RAF (1942); No. 17 Group RAF (1942 - 1945)

No. 131 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF, was a training unit of the Royal Air Force, initially within No. 15 Group RAF, then transferring to No. 17 Group RAF, both were part of RAF Coastal Command. The unit was established during July 1942 and disbanded during June 1945.^[1]

History

No. 131 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF was formed on 20 July 1942 at RAF Killadeas, located near Killadeas, County Fermanagh in Northern Ireland.^[1] RAF St Angelo, located near the village of Trory on the southern tip of Lower Lough Erne, also initially acted as parent HQ and was still used by support aircraft once the HQ moved to RAF Killadeas. The unit was tasked with training aircrew to use Consolidated Catalina, a US flying boat and amphibious aircraft. When formed it started out in No. 15 Group RAF, but in December 1942 the unit transferred to No. 17 Group RAF.^[2] In October 1943 the unit received No 4 (C) OTU‘s Consolidated Catalina flying boats and took over the units aircrew training on Catalina aircraft.^[3] Short Sunderland, a British flying boat patrol bomber, were added to the unit’s inventory during May 1944. They remained with No 131 (C) OTU for around nine months and were then transferred to No 4 (C) OTU on 13 February 1945. The Consolidated Catalina was withdrawn from RAF service,^[2] and the unit was disbanded on 28 June 1945.^[1]

Aircraft operated

No. 131 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF was equipped with numerous types and variants of aircraft:^[1]

Consolidated Catalina I, IB, II, IIA, IIIA, IVA & IVB flying boat and amphibious aircraft
Short Sunderland III & V flying boat patrol bomber
Avro Anson I multi-role aircraft
Airspeed Oxford I & II training aircraft
Miles Martinet I target tug aircraft

References

Citations

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Lake 1999, p. 152.
^ ^a ^b "OTUs 101 - 152". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
^ "OTUs 1 - 23". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 8 September 2023.

Bibliography

Lake, Alan (1999). Flying Units of the RAF. Shrewsbury UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-086-6.

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[FOOTNOTELake1999152-1] Lake 1999, p. 152.

[authority-Operational_Training_Units_101-152-2] "OTUs 101 - 152". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 8 September 2023.

[authority-Operational_Training_Units_1-23-3] "OTUs 1 - 23". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 8 September 2023.

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