#1663 East Midlands UAS Tutor print
Description
Squadron Prints Lithograph No. 1663 - G-BYUX, Tutor, East Midlands UAS, RAF Cranwell.
The Squadron was initially formed as Nottingham University Air Squadron on 26 February 1941 with a Headquarters in the city at Beeston and an airfield base at RAF Newton. During the war years it was actively involved in pre-entry training of students for the Royal Air Force and, despite having only one Tiger Moth for air experience flying, the Squadron produced no fewer than 216 aircrew recruits. Fifteen members also joined the Technical Branch and a further nineteen enlisted in the Fleet Air Arm. In 1946 the unit aircraft strength was increased to five and Chipmunks replaced the Tiger Moths in 1951. From October 1952 to April 1957 the Squadron also operated a Harvard for advanced training. In November 1967 the unit was re-titled East Midlands Universities Air Squadron in recognition of the support received from Loughborough and Leicester Universities. A further expansion subsequently included students from Nottingham Trent, Lincoln and De Montfort Universities. In 1974 the Scottish Aviation Bulldog entered service and replaced the venerable Chipmunk. No. 7 Air Experience Flight became an integral part of EMUAS in September 1995 tasked with flying some 3,500 ATC and CCF cadets per year. Exactly five years later the Unit’s Bulldogs were replaced by the Grob 115E Tutor with the Squadron finally departing its much-loved grass airfield at RAF Newton and moving to RAF Cranwell. The Squadron Badge, which was granted by HM King George VI in February 1947, marks the association with the City of Nottingham and, thereby, Robin Hood. The “Quiver Full of Arrows” is not only symbolic of that link but also the “Strength in Reserve” which is the Squadron motto.