| No. 42 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active |
|
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Type | Operational conversion unit |
| Role | Poseidon and Wedgetail flight crew and engineer training |
| Part of | ISTAR Force |
| Station | RAF Lossiemouth |
| Motto | Fortiter in re (Latin for 'Bravely into action') |
| Aircraft |
|
| Insignia | |
| Tail codes | QD (Apr 1939 – Sep 1939; probably not used)[1][2] AW (Sep 1939 – Jun 1942 and 1943 – Dec 1945)[3][4] QM (Oct 1946 – Oct 1947)[5][6] A (Jun 1952 – 1956)[7][8] |
No. 42 Squadron, also known asNo. 42 (Torpedo Bomber) Squadron orNo. 42 (TB) Squadron, is a squadron of theRoyal Air Force. It reformed atRAF Lossiemouth on 21 September 2023 as theoperational conversion unit for both theBoeing Poseidon MRA1 andBoeing Wedgetail AEW1.[9]
The squadron served during theFirst World War as an army co-operation squadron and during theSecond World War in various roles. Between 1992 and 2010, it was based atRAF Kinloss as the operational conversion unit for theHawker Siddeley Nimrod MR2, until the retirement of the aircraft in March 2010.
Formed on 1 April 1916 (1916-04-01) from crews ofNo. 19 SquadronRoyal Flying Corps atRAF Filton, No. 42 Squadron spent theFirst World War flyingreconnaissance sorties. UsingRoyal Aircraft Factory BE.2 (and laterRoyal Aircraft Factory R.E.8), the squadron spent time on both theWestern Front and theAustro-Italian Front. The squadron was based atLa Gorgue in northern France from 1 September to 8 November 1916.[10]
On returning toEngland after the war, the squadron was disbanded atRAF Netheravon on 26 June 1919.[11][12] On 14 December 1936, 'B' flight ofNo. 22 Squadron was expanded into a new No. 42 Squadron.[11][13]
In 1939, No. 42 Squadron was based atRAF Bircham Newton in Norfolk. Initially the unit was equipped with theVickers Vildebeest before re-equipping with theBristol Beaufort in January 1940.
The squadron also operated as a bomber unit in theBurma campaign flying theBristol Blenheim during 1942 and as a fighter-bomber unit flying theHawker Hurricane during 1943. The squadron disbanded on 30 June 1945, but the following dayNo. 146 Squadron was renumbered to No. 42 Squadron to operate theRepublic Thunderbolts Mk.II.[13] The squadron flew the Thunderbolt until the Burma campaign ended and thereafter disbanded on 30 December 1945 atMeiktela.[11][12]
On 1 October 1946,No. 254 Squadron atRAF Thorney Island in West Sussez was renumbered to No. 42 Squadron. Equipped with theBristol Beaufighter, it was a strike unit inRAF Coastal Command until disbanded on 15 October 1947.[13][12]
On 28 June 1952, No. 42 Squadron was reformed atRAF St. Eval, Cornwall, flying theAvro Shackleton MR.1 in themaritime reconnaissance role.[12] In 1954, the squadron began to re-equip with the Shackleton MR.2.[14] On 11 January 1955, two Shackletons of No. 42 Squadron (WG531 andWL743)disappeared while operating nearFastnet Rock off the south-western coast of Ireland.[15]
No. 42 Squadron Shackletons used to regularly visitRAF Khormaksar inAden before theAden Emergency, undertaking colonial policing.[16][17]
No. 42 Squadron relocated toRAF St. Mawgan in Cornwall in October 1958.[14] In 1961, the squadron deployed to Jamaica to provide support for relief operations afterHurricane Hattie struck the Caribbean andBritish Honduras.[18] It converted to the Shackleton MR.3 in December 1965.[14] In 1966, the squadron deployed toMahajanga,Malagasy Republic, to take part in theBeira Patrol which enforced the blockade of the port ofBeira inMozambique to prevent oil shipments toRhodesia.[18]
In April 1971, No. 42 Squadron began to convert to theHawker Siddeley Nimrod MR.1.[13][12]
No. 42 Squadron was the first Nimrod unit to arrive atWideawake Airfield,Ascension Island, when two Nimrods landed on 6 April 1982, shortly after theinvasion of the Falkland Islands.[19] In October 1984, one of the squadron's crews won theFincastle Trophy atRAAF Base Edinburgh,South Australia.[19] On 29 August 1985, a Nimrod MR2 helped locate the wreck of theVirgin Atlantic Challenger.[19]
In June 1990, No. 42 Squadron won the Fincastle Trophy once again, this time atCFB Greenwood,Nova Scotia.[19] In October 1990, the squadron deployed its crews toSeeb International Airport,Oman, and later in January 1991 toRAF Akrotiri,Cyprus, as part ofOperation Granby.[20] Nimrod MR2XV244 (Battle Star 42) was credited with fourteen mission markings and four ship kills while deployed.[21] 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.[21]
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Disbanded as a front-line unit in October 1992, the unit was later reformed as No. 42 (Reserve) Squadron atRAF Kinloss,Moray, taking over fromNo. 236 OCU as the Nimrodoperational conversion unit (OCU).[20]
No. 42 (R) Squadron made the Nimrod's last visit toGibraltar on 20–21 March 2010 as part ofOperation Active Endeavour.[22] The squadron flew its last Nimrod MR2 flight on 30 March 2010 withXV232 visitingRockall,St. Kilda,RAF St. Mawgan,RAF Valley andRAF Lossiemouth.[22] It was originally expected that the squadron would serve as the OCU for theBAE Systems Nimrod MRA4, however it was cancelled as part of the2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review,[21] with No. 42 (R) Squadron formally disbanding alongside the other Nimrod units on 26 May 2011.[23]
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 theBoeing Poseidon MRA1 andBoeing Wedgetail AEW1. No. 42 (TB) Squadron's first Poseidon sortie was flown on 26 September 2023.[9]
No. 42 Squadron have operated the following aircraft:[11][13][12][24]
Thesquadron's badge features a figure of theGreek mythological figurePerseus, on aterrestrial globe.[25][26] Perseus represents theBristol 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.[25]
The squadron's motto isFortiter in re (Latin for 'Bravely into action').[27][13]
No. 42 Squadron has received the followingbattle honours.[14] Those marked with an asterisk (*) may be emblazoned on thesquadron standard.
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