No. 138 Squadron RAF

No. 138 Squadron RAF
Active 30 Sep 1918 – 1 Feb 1919
25 Aug 1941 – 1 Sep 1950
1 Jan 1955 – 1 Apr 1962[1]
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
Role Fighter
Special Operations
Bomber
Motto(s) For Freedom[2]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry A sword in bend, the point uppermost, severing a reef knot[2]
Squadron Codes NF (Aug 1941 – Mar 1945,
Apr 1947 – Sep 1950)[3][4]
AC (Mar 1945 – Apr 1947)[5]

No. 138 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force that served in a variety of roles during its career, last disbanded in 1962. It was the first 'V-bomber' squadron of the RAF, flying the Vickers Valiant between 1955 and 1962.

History

Formation in World War I as fighter squadron

No. 138 Squadron RAF was originally to be formed as a fighter unit on 1 May 1918, but formation was suspended[6] until officially formed on 30 September 1918 as a fighter-reconnaissance squadron at Chingford, and was disbanded there on 1 February 1919.[2][7][8]

Special Duties in World War II

During World War II, it was reformed in 1941, from No. 1419 Flight, as No. 138 (Special Duties) Squadron.[2] It was based initially at RAF Stradishall, then at RAF Tempsford, and was tasked with dropping agents and equipment of the Special Operations Executive inside occupied territory.[9] Between 1 April 1943 and November 1943 it included Polish Special Duties Flight, as a Flight C.[9] It carried out this role until March 1945 when it was reassigned to Bomber Command, operating under No. 3 Group.[10] It was disbanded on 1 September 1950.[2]

V-Bomber squadron post-war

Vickers Valiant B.1 XD818 – photo taken at RAF Museum Cosford, just prior to going on display with two other 'V bombers', the Handley Page Victor and Avro Vulcan in the Cold War Jets Collection

On 1 January 1955 the squadron was reformed as the first squadron to be equipped with the Vickers Valiant strategic nuclear bomber, based at RAF Gaydon and later moving to RAF Wittering. It flew them from Malta during the Suez Crisis of October 1956, and was finally disbanded on 1 April 1962.[2]

Aircraft operated

From To Aircraft Variant
Sep 1918 Feb 1919 Bristol F.2 Fighter F.2b
Aug 1941 Mar 1942 Westland Lysander Mk.IIIa
Aug 1941 Nov 1942 Armstrong Whitworth Whitley Mk.V
Aug 1941 Aug 1944 Handley Page Halifax Mk.II
Jan 1943 Aug 1944 Handley Page Halifax Mk.V
Jun 1944 Mar 1945 Short Stirling Mk.V
Mar 1945 Sep 1947 Avro Lancaster Mks.I and III
Sep 1947 Sep 1950 Avro Lincoln B.2
Feb 1955 Mar 1962 Vickers Valiant B.1
Mar 1956 May 1961 Vickers Valiant B(PR).1
Mar 1956 Aug 1961 Vickers Valiant B(PR)K.1
Jun 1956 Apr 1962 Vickers Valiant B(K).1

[1][2][7][10]

See also

References

Notes

  1. 1 2 Jefford 2001, p. 63.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Halley 1988, p. 211.
  3. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 76.
  4. ↑ Flintham and Thomas 2003, pp. 91 and 154.
  5. ↑ Bowyer and Rawlings 1979, p. 15.
  6. ↑ Jefford 2001, p. 107.
  7. 1 2 Rawlings 1982, pp. 104–105.
  8. ↑ Rawlings 1978, p. 279.
  9. 1 2 Wacław Król: Polskie dywizjony lotnicze w Wielkiej Brytanii 1940–1945 (Polish air squadrons in Great Britain 1940–1945). Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Ministerstwa Obrony Narodowej, 1982. ISBN 83-11-06745-7. P.110
  10. 1 2 Moyes 1976, pp. 164–165.

Bibliography

  • Bowyer, Michael J.F. and John D.R. Rawlings. Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
  • Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF(Retd.). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Moyes, Philip J.R. Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 2nd edition 1976. ISBN 0-354-01027-1.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Coastal, Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Jane's Publishing Company Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-7106-0187-5.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald & Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (2nd edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
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