No. 2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF

No. 2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (2 (C)OTU), was a training unit of the Royal Air Force, within No. 17 Group RAF, which was part of RAF Coastal Command. The unit started operating from late 1940 and disbanded during early 1944.

History
No. 2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF was formed on 1 October 1940 at RAF Catfoss. Its role was training strike and twin-engined fighter aircrew. The unit was initially equipped with Bristol Blenheim, a British light bomber aircraft and Avro Anson a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft, before these were eventually replaced by Bristol Beaufighter a British multi-role aircraft, in 1942.

Other airfields including RAF Driffield, RAF Sherburn-in-Elmet, RAF Hutton Cranswick and RAF Lissett were all occasionally used as relief landing grounds during training sorties. Aircrew were not only trained for squadrons operating within the European theatre, but also for squadrons operating in both the Middle East theatre and the Far East theatre. When the demand for the Bristol Beaufighter aircrew reduced the training was transferred to No. 132 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF and the unit was disbanded on 15 February 1944 at RAF Catfoss.

Aircraft operated
No. 2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit was equipped with numerous types and variants of aircraft:


 * Avro Anson I
 * Fairey Battle
 * Bristol Blenheim I, IV, V
 * Bristol Beaufort I, II
 * Airspeed Oxford I, II
 * de Havilland Tiger Moth II
 * de Havilland Moth Minor
 * Westland Lysander III, IIIA
 * Handley Page Hampden I
 * Bristol Beaufighter IC, VI
 * Miles Master II
 * Miles Martinet I
 * Bristol Blenheim IV

Officer Commanding

 * Note: The ranks shown are the ranks held at the time of holding the appointment of commanding officer, No. 2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF.

Airfields used
The main airfield for the unit was RAF Catfoss however a number of different airfields were also used as relief landing grounds.


 * Main operating base
 * RAF Catfoss.


 * Used as relief landing grounds
 * RAF Driffield.
 * RAF Sherburn-in-Elmet.
 * RAF Hutton Cranswick.
 * RAF Lissett.