No. 42 Squadron, also known as No. 42 (Torpedo Bomber) Squadron or No. 42 (TB) Squadron, is a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It reformed at RAF Lossiemouth on 21 September 2023 as the operational conversion unit for both the Boeing Poseidon MRA1 and Boeing Wedgetail AEW1.

The squadron served during the First World War as an army co-operation squadron and during the Second World War in various roles. Between 1992 and 2010, it was based at RAF Kinloss as the operational conversion unit for the Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2, until the retirement of the aircraft in March 2010.

History

First World War (1916–1918)

Formed on from crews of No. 19 Squadron Royal Flying Corps at RAF Filton, No. 42 Squadron spent the First World War flying reconnaissance sorties. Using Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2 (and later Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8), the squadron spent time on both the Western Front and the Austro-Italian Front. The squadron was based at La Gorgue in northern France from 1 September to 8 November 1916.

Interwar period (1919–1938)

On returning to England after the war, the squadron was disbanded at RAF Netheravon on 26 June 1919. On 14 December 1936, 'B' flight of No. 22 Squadron was expanded into a new No. 42 Squadron.thumb|An [[Avro Shackleton|Avro Shackleton MR.2 of No. 42 Squadron at Blackbushe Airport, September 1956]]No. 42 Squadron Shackletons used to regularly visit RAF Khormaksar in Aden before the Aden Emergency, undertaking colonial policing.

No. 42 Squadron relocated to RAF St. Mawgan in Cornwall in October 1958. It converted to the Shackleton MR.3 in December 1965. In October 1984, one of the squadron's crews won the Fincastle Trophy at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia. One of the squadron's crews were credited with having achieved the highest number of assisted kills – six, achieved operating in a high air threat environment.

21st century (2000– present)

No. 42 (R) Squadron made the Nimrod's last visit to Gibraltar on 20–21 March 2010 as part of Operation Active Endeavour. It was originally expected that the squadron would serve as the OCU for the BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4, however it was cancelled as part of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review,

Poseidon and Wedgetail

The unit was reformed as No. 42 (Torpedo Bomber) Squadron on 21 September 2023 at RAF Lossiemouth, Moray. The squadron is the operational conversion unit for both the Boeing Poseidon MRA1 and Boeing Wedgetail AEW1. No. 42 (TB) Squadron's first Poseidon sortie was flown on 26 September 2023.

  • Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2d (April 1916 – August 1916)
  • Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2e (April 1916 – April 1917)
  • Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8 (April 1917 – February 1919)
  • Vickers Vildebeest Mk.III (December 1936 – December 1937)
  • Vickers Vildebeest Mk.I (January 1937 – March 1937)
  • Vickers Vildebeest Mk.IV (March 1937 – April 1940)
  • Vickers Vildebeest Mk.III (September 1939 – April 1940)
  • Bristol Beaufort Mk.I (April 1940 – January 1942)
  • Bristol Beaufort Mk.II (January 1942 – February 1943)
  • Bristol Blenheim Mk.V (February 1943 – October 1943)
  • Hawker Hurricane Mk.IV (October 1943 – June 1945)
  • Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc (September 1944 – December 1944)
  • Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc (April 1945 – June 1945)
  • Republic Thunderbolt Mk.II (July 1945 – December 1945)
  • Bristol Beaufighter TF.10 (October 1946 – October 1947)
  • Avro Shackleton MR.1/1A (June 1952 – July 1954)
  • Avro Shackleton MR.2 (January 1953 – January 1966)
  • Avro Shackleton MR.3 (November 1965 – September 1971)
  • Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR.1 (April 1971 – August 1984)
  • Hawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2 (August 1983 – April 2011)
  • Boeing Poseidon MRA1 (September 2023 – present)

Heritage

The squadron's badge features a figure of the Greek mythological figure Perseus, on a terrestrial globe. Perseus represents the Bristol Perseus engine, which No. 42 Squadron was the first to use. He was known always to achieve his objective and destroy his enemies and stands in front of a globe to signify his activities over many lands and seas.

Battle honours

No. 42 Squadron has received the following battle honours. Those marked with an asterisk (*) may be emblazoned on the squadron standard.

  • Somme (1916)
  • Western Front (1916–1918)*
  • Arras (1917)
  • Ypres (1917)
  • Italian Front & Adriatic (1917–1918)*
  • Lys
  • Channel & North Sea (1939–1942)*
  • Biscay (1940)*
  • Baltic (1941)*
  • Fortress Europe (1941)
  • Eastern Waters (1943)*
  • Arakan (1943–1944)*
  • Pacific (1943–1945)
  • Manipur (1944)*
  • Burma (1944–1945)*
  • South Atlantic (1982)
  • Gulf (1991)

See also

  • List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

References

Notes

Bibliography