No.77 Squadron
- Badge
- A thistle
- Motto
- Esse potius quam videri - To be, rather that seen
- Formed
- 01 October 1916
- Disbanded
- 10 July 1963
No 77 Squadron was formed at Edinburgh on 1 October 1916 as a home defence unit for the south east of Scotland. On 13 June 1919 the unit disbanded.
On 14 June 1937 the unit reformed at RAF Finningley as a bomber squadron. It began World War Two undertaking leaflet raids. It undertook bombing operations from March 1940 to May 1942 when it transferred to Devon for anti-submarine operations. In October 1942 it returned to Bomber Command and bombing operations for the rest of the war. On 8 May 1945 the squadron moved to Transport Command. It moved to India in October as a general transport unit. On 1 November 1946 the unit was renumbered No 31 Squadron.
On 1 December 1946 No 271 Squadron was renumbered No 77 Squadron. The squadron was heavily committed to the 1948 Berlin Airlift. On 1 June 1949 the squadron disbanded. On 1 September 1958 the unit reformed as a ballistic missile unit at RAF Feltwell. The squadron finally disbanded on 10 July 1963.
AIRCRAFT
BE2c/e 1916 - 1918
BE12/12a 1916 - 1918
504K 1918 - 1919
Audax 1937 - 1937
Wellesley 1937 - 1938
Whitley I/III/V 1938 - 1942
Halifax II/V/III/VI 1942 - 1945
Dakota III/IV 1945 - 1949
Thor 1958 - 1961
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
Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their aircraft John D R Rawlings Crecy Books 1993
Coastal Support and Special Squadrons of the RAF and their aircraft John D R Rawlings Jane’s Publishing 1982
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