No. 42 Squadron RAF

No. 42 (TB) Squadron RAF
No. 42 Squadron badge
Active1 April 1916 – 1 April 1918 (RFC)
1 April 1918 – 26 June 1919 (RAF)
14 December 1936 – 30 June 1945
1 July 1945 – 30 December 1945
1 October 1946 – 15 October 1947
28 June 1952 – 26 May 2011
21 September 2023 – present
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
TypeOperational Conversion Unit
RoleCrew training
Part ofNo. 1 Group
Home stationRAF Lossiemouth
Motto(s)Fortiter in re (Latin for 'Bravely into action')[1][2]
AircraftBoeing Poseidon MRA1 and Boeing Wedgetail AEW1 (from 2024)
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryOn a terrestrial globe, a figure of Perseus[1][2]
No. 42 Squadron was the 1st to use the Bristol Perseus engine and this accounts for the presence of Perseus in the badge; he was known always to achieve his object and destroy his enemies and he stands in front of a globe to signify his activities over many lands and seas[1]
Squadron CodesQD (Allocated Apr 1939 – Sep 1939, but probably not used)[3][4]
AW (Sep 1939 – Jun 1942
1943 – Dec 1945)[5][6]
QM (Oct 1946 – Oct 1947)[7][8]
A (Jun 1952 – 1956)[9][10]
42 (1956–1968)

Number 42 Squadron, also known as No. 42 (Torpedo Bomber) 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.[11]

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.

  1. ^ a b c Rawlings 1982, p. 65.
  2. ^ a b Halley 1988, p. 95.
  3. ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 12.
  4. ^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 51.
  5. ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 18.
  6. ^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 63.
  7. ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 86.
  8. ^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 155.
  9. ^ Bowyer & Rawlings 1979, p. 126.
  10. ^ Flintham & Thomas 2003, p. 192.
  11. ^ "Number 42 Squadron reforms at RAF Lossiemouth". RAF. Retrieved 1 November 2023.