No. 158 Squadron RAF
Active	9 May 1918 – 20 Nov 1918 14 Feb 1942 – 31 Dec 1945
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Bomber Squadron Transport Squadron
Part of	No. 4 Group RAF,Bomber Command (Feb 42 – Jun 45)[1] No. 4 Group RAF,Transport Command (Jun 45 – Dec 45)[2]
Motto	Strength in unity[3][4]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	A circular chain of seven links[3][4] The chain is indicative of the combined strength and co-operation of aircrews[3]
Squadron Codes	NP (Apr 1942 – Jun 1945)[5][6] DK (Jul 1945 – Dec 1945)[7][8]
Tail markings	Two diagonal yellow stripes (Apr 1945 – May 1945)[9]
Aircraft flown
Bomber	Vickers Wellington Handley Page Halifax
Transport	Short Stirling

No. 158 Squadron RAF was a World War I proposed ground attack squadron that did not become operational in time to see action, and a World War II bomber squadron. After World War II had ended in Europe the squadron operated in the transport role until disbandment in December 1945.

No. 158 Squadron RAF was first formed on 9 May 1918, and the squadron was originally to be equipped withSopwith Snipe fighters, but this was postponed and the squadron eventually formed atUpper Heyford on 4 September 1918, equipped withSopwith Salamanderground attack aircraft. The squadron arrived too late to see action during the war, and disbanded on 20 November 1918.

The squadron reformed atRAF Driffield on 14 February 1942, via the renumbering ofNo. 104 Squadron, which was equipped with theVickers Wellington medium bomber, and 158 sqn used these on night raids toGermany and occupiedFrance.^[10] In June 1942 the squadron re-equipped with theHalifax B.Mk.II heavy bomber and moved toRAF East Moor. On 6 November 1942 the squadron moved toRAF Rufforth, followed by a move toRAF Lissett on 28 February 1943. In January 1944 the squadron had re-equipped with the Halifax B.Mk.III and 'C' flight was used to formNo. 640 Squadron atLeconfield. By 7 May 1945 theSecond World War in Europe had finished and the squadron was transferred toRAF Transport Command, re-equipping with theShort Stirling Mk.V. The squadron moved toStradishall on 17 August 1945, where it disbanded on 31 December 1945.

One of the 158 Squadron aircraft, a Halifax B.Mk.III, serial no. LV907, coded NP-F and nicknamed "Friday the 13th", completed 128 operational missions and was scrapped after being displayed on Oxford Street inLondon.^[3] A section of the nose from the aircraft was saved and is exhibited at theRAF Museum Hendon. The Halifax that is displayed at theYorkshire Air Museum is made up of parts of various aircraft and painted as LV907, in honour of the aircraft and its crew. On 11 November 1945 a Stirling C.5 operated by the squadron was departing for the United Kingdom when it crashed on take off fromRAF Castel Benito inLibya after the wing caught fire; 21 soldiers and five crew were killed, one person survived.^[11]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toNo. 158 Squadron RAF.

• 158 Squadron association
• Rickard, J (22 March 2007), No. 158 Squadron (RAF): Second World War
• RAF Lissett history
• International Bomber Command Centre
• Flight Officer Norman Tilston DFC RCAF 158 Squadron Tribute website

• Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
• Military units and formations established in 1918
• Aircraft squadrons of the Royal Air Force in World War II
• 1918 establishments in the United Kingdom

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use dmy dates from August 2015
• Use British English from August 2015
• All Wikipedia articles written in British English
• Commons category link is on Wikidata