 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations .(February 2012) |
| No. 199 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1917-1919 1942-1945 1951-1958 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Motto(s) | "Let tyrants tremble" [1] |
No. 199 Squadron was a Royal Air Force aircraft squadron that operated during the Second World War and later in the 1950s as a radar countermeasures squadron.
No. 199 Squadron was formed at Rochford on 1 June 1917 with Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2e biplanes to teach pilots advanced bomber training. Renumbered as No. 99 (Depot Training) Squadron RFC the squadron moved to RFCS Harpswell, Lincolnshire in 1918, as a night bomber training unit, where it was disbanded on 13 June 1919.
The squadron reformed at RAF Blyton on 7 November 1942 equipped with the Vickers Wellington, after a few months the squadron moved to RAF Lakenheath and was re-equipped with the Short Stirling heavy-bomber. Between February 1943 and June 1943 the squadron was based at RAF Ingham in Lincolnshire training for maritime mine laying over The Wash. Following training the squadron returned to RAF Lakenheath for marine operations over the English Channel and North Sea.
In July 1943 the squadron commenced mine laying duties using the Stirling and from February 1944 performed supply drops for the Special Operations Executive.
In May 1944 the squadron was moved from 3 Group to No. 100 (Radio Countermeasures) Group and from RAF Lakenheath to RAF North Creake. It was equipped with new Short Stirling IIIs fitted with Mandrel and Shiver radar jamming equipment and the Gee navigation aid to perform radar jamming operations during the landings in Normandy. While Mandrel had already been used with Bomber Command's 'Main Force' on heavy bomber raids over Germany and by 515 Squadron, 199 Squadron were to create a solid screen of jamming for the main force. This entailed pairs of aircraft flying circuits about 10 miles long perpendicular to the enemy coast; the two aircraft covering the full spectrum of the enemy radar between them. [2] In 1945 the Stirlings were exchanged for the Handley Page Halifax until the squadron was disbanded on 29 July 1945 at RAF North Creake. [3] Over the months, the squadron refined their technique and with two other squadrons could form a screen from Sussex north east and out over the North Sea about level with the Humber. C Flight was split off from 199 to form 171 Squadron, eventually receiving Halifax bombers with Mandrel.
In 1951 the squadron was formed again at RAF Watton as part of No. 90 Signals Group to operate in the electronic countermeasures role with the Avro Lincoln and de Havilland Mosquito. [4] The Mosquitos were replaced by the English Electric Canberra and the squadron operated with other pathfinder Canberra squadrons at RAF Hemswell. The Lincolns were replaced by the Vickers Valiant in 1957. The squadron was disbanded on 15 December 1958 with the Valiants of C Flight becoming 18 Squadron at RAF Finningley. [5]
| Dates | Aircraft | Variant |
|---|---|---|
| 1917–1919 | Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2 | BE.2e |
| 1942–1943 | Vickers Wellington | III and X |
| 1943–1945 | Short Stirling | III, and a few converted IV [6] |
| 1945 | Handley Page Halifax | III |
| 1951–1957 | Avro Lincoln | B2 |
| 1952–1953 | de Havilland Mosquito | NF36 |
| 1954–1958 | English Electric Canberra | B2 |
| 1957–1958 | Vickers Valiant | B1 |
Royal Air Force Lakenheath or RAF Lakenheath is a Royal Air Force station near the village of Lakenheath in Suffolk, England, UK, 4.7 miles (7.6 km) north-east of Mildenhall and 8.3 miles (13.4 km) west of Thetford. The base also sits close to Brandon.
No. 7 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook HC6 from RAF Odiham, Hampshire.
No. 18 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Boeing Chinook from RAF Odiham. Owing to its heritage as a bomber squadron, it is also known as No. 18 (B) Squadron.
No. 100 Group was a special duties group within RAF Bomber Command. The group was formed on 11 November 1943 to consolidate the increasingly complex business of electronic warfare and countermeasures in one organisation. The group was responsible for the development, operational trial and use of electronic warfare and countermeasures equipment. It was based at RAF stations in East Anglia, chiefly Norfolk.
No. 149 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron between 1918 and 1956. Formed 1918 in the Royal Flying Corps as a night-bomber unit, it remained in that role for the rest of its existence which spanned three periods between 1918 and 1956.
No. 75 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operated as a bomber unit in World War II, before being transferred to the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1945. This remains the only time in RAF’s history that a squadron was gifted to another commonwealth Air Force.
No. 148 Squadron of the Royal Air Force has been part of the RAF since the First World War.
No. 90 Squadron RAF is a squadron of the Royal Air Force.
No. 138 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force that served in a variety of roles during its career, last disbanded in 1962. It was the first 'V-bomber' squadron of the RAF, flying the Vickers Valiant between 1955 and 1962.
No. 515 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force formed during the Second World War. It ushered in Electronic countermeasures (ECM) warfare, jamming enemy radar installations from October 1942 as the only such squadron in the RAF initially. Later in the war 515 Sqn was joined by other squadrons as part of No. 100 Group RAF. The squadron disbanded after VE day, when the need for such a specialised squadron had reduced.
No. 214 Squadron is a former unit of the Royal Air Force.
Royal Air Force Watton or more simply RAF Watton is a former Royal Air Force station located 9 mi (14 km) southwest of East Dereham, Norfolk, England.
Royal Air Force North Creake or more simply RAF North Creake is a former Royal Air Force station located 3.3 miles (5.3 km) southwest of Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk and 5.7 miles (9.2 km) northwest of Fakenham, Norfolk, England.
No. 192 Squadron was a Royal Air Force squadron operational during the First World War as a night training squadron and during the Second World War as a radar countermeasure unit. After the war the squadron served again in the Electronic Intelligence role, until disbanded in 1958.
Number 207 Squadron is a historic bomber squadron and, latterly, a communications and flying training squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was announced on 5 July 2017 that No. 207 Squadron will again reform to become the Operational Conversion Unit for the UK F-35B Lightning Force and will return to RAF Marham in Norfolk where it was last based in 1965. No. 207 Squadron arrived at RAF Marham with six F-35Bs on 16 July 2019 before officially standing up on 1 August.
No. 109 Squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force.
No. 103 Squadron was a Royal Air Force bomber squadron during World War I, World War II and the Cold War, switching to helicopters in the late 1950s until it was disbanded for the last time in 1975.
Royal Air Force Warboys or more simply RAF Warboys is a former Royal Air Force heavy bomber station, situated just outside the village of Warboys in Huntingdonshire, England.
No. 98 Squadron was a Royal Air Force bomber squadron during World War I and World War II. It flew fighter-bombers post-war, and converted to fighters in 1955. Reformed as a ballistic missile unit between 1959 and 1963, its final incarnation was as a radar calibration unit. It was disbanded in 1976.
No. 171 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a coastal reconnaissance and radio countermeasures unit in World War II.
