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.

History

Formation in World War I

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

Reformation and World War II

Halifax nose art Friday the 13th IWM CH 14589

The squadron reformed at

RAF Driffield Royal Air Force Driffield or RAF Driffield is a former Royal Air Force station in the East Riding of Yorkshire, in England. It lies about south-west of Driffield and north-west of Beverley. It is now operated by the Defence Infrastructure Org ...

on 14 February 1942, via the renumbering of No. 104 Squadron, which was equipped with the

Vickers Wellington The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson; a key feature of the aircraft is its ...

medium bomber and 158 sqn used these on night raids to

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...

and occupied

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. In June 1942 the squadron re-equipped with the Halifax B.Mk.II heavy bombers and moved to

RAF East Moor Royal Air Force East Moor or RAF East Moor is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located north of York, North Yorkshire and south-east of Easingwold, North Yorkshire, England. The airfield was initially controlled by the Royal Air Fo ...

. On 6 November 1942 the squadron moved to

RAF Rufforth Royal Air Force Rufforth or RAF Rufforth is a former Royal Air Force station located near Rufforth in North Yorkshire, England. It was used by only one operational squadron on long-range bombing missions during the Second World War, with most f ...

, followed by a move to

RAF Lissett Royal Air Force Station Lissett or more simply RAF Lissett is a former Royal Air Force station located south west of Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. History Originally required as satellite airfield for RAF Catfoss the land ...

on 28 February 1943. In January 1944 the squadron had re-equipped with the Halifax B.Mk.III and 'C' flight was used to form No. 640 Squadron at Leconfield. By 7 May 1945 the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

in Europe had finished and the squadron was transferred to

RAF Transport Command RAF Transport Command was a Royal Air Force command that controlled all transport aircraft of the RAF. It was established on 25 March 1943 by the renaming of the RAF Ferry Command, and was subsequently renamed RAF Air Support Command in 1967 ...

, re-equipped with the Short Stirling Mk.V. The squadron moved to

Stradishall Stradishall is a village and civil parish in West Suffolk in the English county of Suffolk. The civil parish includes a number of hamlets including Farley Green. The Royal Air Force operated an airfield near Stradishall, RAF Stradishall Ro ...

on 17 August 1945, where it disbanded on 31 December 1945. Halifax Bomber Yorkshire Air Museum

One of the 158 Squadron aircraft, a Handley page Halifax B.Mk.III, serial no. LV907, coded NP-F and nicknamed "Friday the 13th", completed a remarkable 128 operational missions. Incredibly this precious aircraft was not saved from the scrapheap after being displayed on Oxford street in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

. Only a section of the nose from the aircraft was saved and is exhibited at the

RAF Museum Hendon The Royal Air Force Museum London (also commonly known as the RAF Museum) is located on the former Hendon Aerodrome. It includes five buildings and hangars showing the history of aviation and the Royal Air Force. It is part of the Royal Air Forc ...

. The Halifax that is displayed at the

Yorkshire Air Museum The Yorkshire Air Museum & Allied Air Forces Memorial is an aviation museum in Elvington, York on the site of the former RAF Elvington airfield, a Second World War RAF Bomber Command station. The museum was founded, and first opened to the pu ...

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 from RAF Castel Benito in

Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Suda ...

after the wing caught fire, 21 soldiers and five crew were killed, one person survived.The Times (London, England), Thursday, 15 November 1945; pg. 4; Issue 50300

Aircraft operated

Squadron bases

Commanding officers

References

Notes

Bibliography

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External links

158 Squadron association

* ttps://archive.today/20070518154556/http://www.oldairfields.fotopic.net/c874786.html RAF Lissett history
International Bomber Command Centre

Flight Officer Norman Tilston DFC RCAF 158 Squadron Tribute website
{{DEFAULTSORT:No. 158 Squadron Raf 158 Squadron Military units and formations established in 1918 Aircraft squadrons of the Royal Air Force in World War II 1918 establishments in the United Kingdom