Flight (military unit)

Foreign languages equivalents include escadrille (French), escuadrilla (Spanish), esquadrilha (Portuguese), lanka (Ukrainian), patrulă (Romanian), zveno (Russian), and Schwarm (German).The use of the term "flight" originated in the United Kingdom to describe a collection of aircraft (typically four in the early days of aviation), and dates back to around 1912.It has been suggested that the term was coined by technical sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence, which was examining the British air arrangements around the same time.An escadrille (literal translations: "squad" or "small squadron") is the label given to flights in the air forces and navies of some French-speaking countries.An escadrille was a homogeneous unit, armed with a single type of aeroplane, with permanent flying and ground personnel attached, motorised transport and tent hangars.[2] By mid-1915, the Armée de l'air had grown to 119 escadrilles of 10 aircraft each: 14 of fighters, 50 of bombers and the rest reconnaissance, spotter and communications units.The tactical formation, however, is the twoship with hot spare (the English term is used), the third aircraft being released before reaching the target if none of the others had to be sent back earlier.
A flight of four RNZAF Strikemasters
Finger-fourAir force units and formationsSection/elementSchwarmSquadronStaffelGeschwaderRégiment/EscadreAviation regimentBrigade aérienneAir DivisionAviation divisionTactical air forceCommand (USAAF/USAF)Numbered air forceAir armyAir Forcemilitary unitnaval airarmy airmilitary aircraftBattle of Britain Memorial FlightRoyal Air ForceescadrilleFrenchSpanishPortugueseUkrainianRomanianRussianGermanintercontinental ballistic missilesUnited Kingdom Committee of Imperial DefenceUnited KingdomBritish Commonwealthflight lieutenantcaptainlieutenantsquadron leaderlieutenant commanderFleet Air ArmArmy Air Corpsplatoonflying officerpilot officerwarrant officerair traffic controlfirefightingaircraft maintenancemechanical engineeringmedicalsupply and logisticssurface-to-air missilesUnited States Air Forcebasic trainingnon-commissioned officermaster sergeantsenior master sergeantU.S. ArmyU.S. Naval AviationU.S. Army AviationMinuteman intercontinental ballistic missilelaunch control centerWorld War IhangarsArmée de l'airBattle of VerdunWorld War IIUnited StatesgroupeGruppeNaval air squadronJoubert de la Ferté, Air Chief Marshal Sir PhilipLondonThames and HudsonUniversity Press of KentuckyAustralian War Memorial