RAF Patch b 51 Squadron Royal Air Force Crest Nimrod R1 Elint EW

RAF 51 Squadron Crest Patch Royal Air Force 1980 Nimrod R1 Electronic Warfare Intelligence Elint Applique embroidered on twill black back 109mm by 78mm four and one quarter inches by three and one sixteenth inches.

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Badge A goose volant approved by King George VI in December 1937. It was chosen as a play on the word Anson which the Squadron was flying when the badge was being designed and Anser the Latin word for Goose and it was felt that a heavy wild fowl was appropriate for a bomber squadron

Motto Swift And Sure

Squadron History

Following its wartime service participating in the strategic bombing offensive against Germany under Bomber Command 51 Squadron re-equipped with Stirlings and later Yorks assigned to Transport Command transporting men and material to and from India and the Far East. The Squadron took part in the Berlin Airlift in 1948 and disbanded in 1950.

51 Squadron was reactivated on 21 August 1958 at RAF Watton with Comets and Canberras in the Special Duties role on the renumbering of 192 Squadron carrying on its secret signals intelligence task encompassing both Electronic Intelligence Elint and Communications Intelligence Comint. The Squadron relocated to RAF Wyton in April 1963 and replaced its Comets with specially modified Nimrod R1s in 1974. At the same time three of the Squadrons Canberras were retired from service with the final Canberra leaving in 1976.

The Squadron has been deployed on most of the operations carried out by the British armed forces including the Falklands War the first Gulf War and operations in the former Yugoslavia.

51 Squadron relocated to RAF Waddington in 1995 with its support organisations EWOSE Electronic Warfare Operational Support Establishment EWAD Electronic Warfare and Avionics Detachment and EWTU Electronic Warfare Training Unit following the closure of RAF Wyton for flying operations. 51 Squadron continued its tasking deploying to operations in Iraq Afghanistan and Africa.

With the procurement of Boeing RC-135V W Rivet Joint aircraft the Squadron retired its Nimrod R1 on 28 June 2011 with Squadron personnel undertaking Conversion Training at Offutt Air Force Base Nebraska USA. Qualified 51 Squadron personnel are Co-Manning alongside their US counterparts on US Rivet Joint operational missions during the transition period with UK Rivet Joint aircraft due to enter service with 51 Squadron by December 2013.

This RAF 51 Squadron Crest patch dates from 1980.