No. 18 Group RAF
| No. 18 Group RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1918 - 1919 1938 - 1996 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 Royal Air Force
|
| Part of | RAF Coastal Command, RAF Strike Command |
| Headquarters | Pitreavie Castle, Northwood Headquarters |
| Motto(s) | Constant Endeavour |
| Engagements | Battle of the Atlantic |
No. 18 Group of the Royal Air Force was a group active from 1918 to 1919, and from 1938 to 1996.
The Group was initially formed on 1 April 1918 in No 4 Area. It was transferred to North-Eastern Area, 8 May 1918. Disbanded 18 Oct 1919.
The group was reformed on 1 September 1938 as No. 18 (Reconnaissance) Group of Coastal Command for operations with the Royal Navy's Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth, and the Orkney & Shetlands Naval Command. Its headquarters were established at Rosyth.
Of the three groups forming Coastal Command's planned dispositions on the outbreak of war, 18 Group was the only one with a fully operational Navy/Air Force Area Combined Headquarters (ACHQ). It covered much of the North Sea and areas to the north and west of Scotland, north of a line running north west from the Mull of Kintyre.
By October 1946, after the war ended, it was headquartered at Pitreavie Castle and its front-line strength consisted of Nos 120 and No. 203 Squadrons operating from RAF Leuchars flying Lancaster GR.3s. However, by 1954 its strength had grown to five squadrons of Avro Shackletons, and Neptunes (Nos 120, 204, 217, 240, and 269) at RAF Ballykelly, RAF Kinloss, and RAF Aldergrove as well as No. 202 Squadron RAF flying Handley Page Hastings on meteorological reconnaissance missions from RAF Aldergrove.
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