No.149 Squadron
- Badge
- A horseshoe and a flash of lightning interlaced
- Motto
- Fortis nocte - Strong by night
- Formed
- 03 March 1918
- Disbanded
- 31 August 1956
This night bomber unit was formed at Ford on 3 March 1918. It soon moved to France where in undertook operations against German bases in Belgium and northern France. In March 1919 it moved to Ireland. It disbanded on 1 August 1919.
On 12 April 1937, B Flight of No 99 Squadron was redesignated No 149 Squadron at RAF Mildenhall. In the early months of the Second World War the unit took part in raids on the German fleet and harbour installations. In May 1940 the squadron turned to night bombing. No 149 Squadron remained a strategic bomber unit until it disbanded on 1 March 1950.
The squadron reformed on 14 August 1950 at RAF Marham being the first RAF unit to equip with Boeing B-29 Washington aircraft. In April 1955 it converted to Canberra bombers, which it took to Germany the following year. The unit disbanded on 31 August 1956.
AIRCRAFT
FE2b/d 1918 - 1919
Heyford 1937 - 1939
Wellington I 1939 - 1941
Stirling 1941 - 1944
Lancaster I/III 1944 - 1949
Lincoln 1949 - 1950
Washington 1950 - 1953
Canberra 1953 - 1956
Reference Sources
The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force
James J Halley Air Britain (Historians) Ltd 1988
RAF Squadrons
Wg Cdr C G Jefford Airlife 2001
Bomber Squadrons of the RAF and their aircraft
Phillip J R Moyes Macdonald & Jane’s 1976
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