B6a RAF Museum Bomber Command cover commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the Royal Flying Corps in 1912. The cover artwork by John Young depicts DH 4s of No 27 Squadron RFC under attack by Fokker D7s of Jasta 19 in January 1918. The cover bears Jersey stamp and postmark for 70th Anniversary of the formation of the RFC. The cover has been flown in Avro Vulcan Mk2 MRR XJ785 of No 27 Squadron and bears a black and white illustration on reverse showing Vulcan XH563 of No 27 Sqn over the Soviet guided missle cruiser KIROV in October 1980.

No 27 Squadron
Formed at Hounslow on 5 November 1915 from a nucleus provided by No. 24 Squadron, No.27 became the first squadron to be fully equipped with the Martinsyde G100 'Elephant'. Although intended as a fighter, the aircraft found itself more suited to reconnaissance and bombing missions after moving to France in March 1916. It was not until the autumn of 1917 that DH4 light bombers replaced the G100s, and these remained with the Squadron for the remainder of the war. In March 1919, the Squadron returned to the UK and disbanded in January 1920.

Within three months, however, No. 99 Squadron in India was renumbered No. 27 and the Squadron assumed air-policing duties over the North West Frontier with DH9s. These were not replaced until 1930 when Wapitis arrived. These aircraft remained on strength until October 1939 by which time the Squadron became a Flying Training School at Risalpur. Operational status was restored a year later with the arrival of Bleheims, and the Squadron moved to Malaya a few months later. This proved to be a short-lived situation as the Squadron was decimated by the advancing Japanese forces and disbanded in February 1942. When the first Beaufighters arrived in India in September 1942, No. 27 Squadron was reformed and began ground attack operations at the turn of the year. During 1944, rocket-firing Beaufighters had arrived, and No. 27, along with No. 47 Squadron, formed an anti-shipping Strike Wing. Ground attack and air-jungle rescue duties in Burma followed, but the Squadron was disbanded in February 1946.

In November 1947, the Squadron was reformed at Oakington with Dakotas and, after taking part in the Berlin Airlift, concentrated on paratrooping and air-supply duties until disbanded once more in November 1950. In June 1953, No. 27 Squadron reformed as a Canberra bomber squadron and took part in Operation Musketeer, the Suez campaign, but was again disbanded on the last day of 1957. In April 1961, the Squadron reformed at Scampton and began a 13-year association with Vulcans in the strike and maritime reconnaissance roles before the type was replaced by Tornados in the bomber role in 1983. No. 27 Squadron relinquished its Tornados in 1993, reforming as No. 27 (Reserve) Squadron, the Chinook/Puma OCU, at Odiham and regained full squadron status in January 1998 solely equipped with Chinooks. In recent years the squadron has seen a number of operational tours, including service in the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq.

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