| Unit Name: | No. 138 Squadron RAF |
| Dates: | 30 Sep 1918 – 1 Feb 1919 25 Aug 1941 – 1 Sep 1950 1 Jan 1955 – 1 Apr 1962[1] |
| Branch: | Royal Air Force |
| Role: | Fighter Special Operations Bomber |
| Motto: | For Freedom[2] |
| Identification Symbol: | A sword in bend, the point uppermost, severing a reef knot |
| Identification Symbol Label: | Squadron Badge heraldry |
| Identification Symbol 2: | NF (Aug 1941 – Mar 1945, Apr 1947 – Sep 1950)[3] [4] AC (Mar 1945 – Apr 1947)[5] |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | Squadron Codes |
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. 138 Squadron RAF was originally to be formed as a fighter unit on 1 May 1918, but formation was suspended[6] until officially formed on 30 September 1918 as a fighter-reconnaissance squadron at Chingford, and was disbanded there on 1 February 1919.[2] [7] [8]
During World War II, it was reformed in 1941, from the expansion of No. 1419 Flight, and was the first squadron of the Royal Air Force Special Duty Service.[2] In February 1942 the squadron's Lysander flight and a number of its Whitleys were hived off to make the nucleus of 161 (Special Duty) Squadron. Based initially at RAF Stradishall, in March 1942, 138 Squadron moved to its permanent home at the clandestine airfield at RAF Tempsford. The squadron dropped supplies and agents for the SIS and the SOE to Axis occupied territory. From October 1941 there served several all-Polish volunteer crews.[9] Between 1 April 1943 and November 1943 the squadron included Polish Special Duties Flight, as C Flight.[10] It carried out this role until March 1945 when it was reassigned to Bomber Command, operating under No. 3 Group.[11] It was disbanded on 1 September 1950.[2]
On 1 January 1955 the squadron was reformed as the first squadron to be equipped with the Vickers Valiant strategic nuclear bomber, based at RAF Gaydon and later moving to RAF Wittering. It flew them from Malta during the Suez Crisis of October 1956, and was finally disbanded on 1 April 1962.[2]
| From | To | Aircraft | Variant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1918 | Feb 1919 | Bristol F.2 Fighter | F.2b | |
| Aug 1941 | Mar 1942 | Westland Lysander | Mk.IIIa | |
| Aug 1941 | Nov 1942 | Armstrong Whitworth Whitley | Mk.V | |
| Aug 1941 | Aug 1944 | Handley Page Halifax | Mk.II | |
| Jan 1943 | Aug 11 1944 | Handley Page Halifax | Mk.V | |
| Aug 28 1944 | Mar 1945 | Short Stirling | Mk.V | |
| Mar 1945 | Sep 1947 | Avro Lancaster | Mks.I and III | |
| Sep 1947 | Sep 1950 | Avro Lincoln | B.2 | |
| Feb 1955 | Mar 1962 | Vickers Valiant | B.1 | |
| Mar 1956 | May 1961 | Vickers Valiant | B(PR).1 | |
| Mar 1956 | Aug 1961 | Vickers Valiant | B(PR)K.1 | |
| Jun 1956 | Apr 1962 | Vickers Valiant | B(K).1 |