SQUADRON'S AT
R.A.F. UPWOOD
No. 7 Squadron
Badge: On a hurt seven mullets of six points forming a representation of the constellation Ursa Major.
The constellation Ursa Major has formed part of a device used by the squadron since 1926. The introduction of stars in the form of a constellation in which seven of these appear is appropriate to the squadron bearing this number.
Motto: "Per diem per noctem" ("By day and by night").
Authority: King George VI, June, 1939.
Based at Upwood from: (July 1946 - January 1956).
Type of Aircraft:
Avro Lancaster B.1'S & III's (July 1943 - early 1950)
Avro Lincoln (August 1949 - December 1955)
No. 11(BAT) Flight
11 (BAT) Flight was a Blind Approach Training Flight, which formed at Upwood on 22 September 1941. S/Ldr. R. H. Mclntosh AFC took command on the 10 October with six brand new Oxfords Mk1s. In October 1941 it was redesignated 1511 Beam Approach Training Flight. The squadron left for Greenham on the 28th of April 1943.
No. 17(OTU)
Operational Training Unit
17OTU formed at Upwood on the 4th April 1940, from the resident 35 and 90 squadrons, which were both equipped with Blenheims and Ansons. To allow for expansion , 17OTU was divided into four Flights on 14 May 1940: 'A' (Conversion) Flight; 'B' (Anson) Flight; 'C' (Armament) Flight and 'D' (Operational Training) Flight.
17OTU left from Upwood on 24th April 1943 for Silverstone.
No. 18 Squadron
Badge: A Pegasus rampant.
The Pegasus was chosen to commemorate the unit being the forst to co-operate with the Cavalry Corps on the Somme in the First World War.
Motto: "Animo et Fide" ("With courage and faith").
Authority: King Edward VIII, May, 1936.
Unoffical W.W.2 name: "Gloucester's 'own' squadron".
Based at Upwood from: (May 1955 - January 1957)
Type of Aircraft:
English Electric Canberra B.2.
No. 21 Squadron
Badge: A hand erased at the wrist, holding a dumb-bell.
The dumb-bell was used as a badge by the squadron in 1917 and symbolises strength.
Motto: "Viribus vincimus" ("By strength we conquer").
Authority: King George VI, July, 1938.
Unoffical W.W.2 name: "Norwich's 'own' squadron".
Based at Upwood from: (October 1958 - January 1959)
Type of Aircraft: English Electric Canberra
No. 35 Squadron
Badge: A horse's head winged.
The badge commemorates co-operation with the Calvary during the First World War.
Motto: "uno animo agimus" ("We act with one accord").
Authority: King Edward VIII, October, 1936
Unofficial W.W.2 name: "Shrewsbury's 'own' squadron".
Based at Upwood from: (February 1940 - April 1940)
Type of Aircraft:
Bristol Blenheim Mk. IV (November 1939 - April 1940)
Avro Anson (July 1939 - April 1940)
Canberra B.2.s (April 1954 - September 1961)
No. 40 Squadron
Badge: A broom.
The broom was chosen to immortalise the frequent exhortation of Major Mannock, The famous World War I pilot, who served with the squadron, to "sweep the ------ Huns from the air!"
Motto: "Hostem acoelo expellere" ("To drive the enemy from the sky").
Authority: King George VI, February, 1937.
Unofficial W.W.2 name: "Abingdon's 'own' squadron".
Based at Upwood from: (October 1953 - December 1956)
Type of Aircraft:
English Electric Canberra.
No. 49 Squadron
Badge: A greyhound courant.
The greyhound is indicative of speed.
Motto: "Cave canem" ("Beware of the dog").
Authority: King George VI, April, 1937.
Unofficial W.W. 2 name: "Sheffield's 'own' squadron"
Based at Upwood from: (July 1946 - July 1952)
(February 1954 - August 1955)
Types of Aircraft:
Avro Lancaster B.I's & III's(June 1942 - March 1950)
Avro Lincoln (October 1949 - July 1955)
No. 50 Squadron
Badge: A sword in bend severing a mantle palewise.
This unit formed at Dover and adopted a mantle being severed by a sword to show it's connection with that town, the arms of which include St. Martin and the beggar with whom he divided his cloak. The mantle is also indicative of the protection given to this country by Royal Air Force.
Motto: "Sic fidem servamus" ("Thus we keep faith").
Authority: King George VI, March, 1940.
Based at Upwood from: (January 1956 - October 1959)
Type of Aircraft:
English Electric Canberra B.2 (December 1955 - October 1959)
No. 52 Squadron
Badge: A lion rampant guardant holding in the fore-paws a flash of lighting.
The personnel of this squadron were originally recruited from the district of Hounslow, Heston and Isleworth, so the Lion has been introduced which appears in the arms of Heston and Isleworth and in those which were used by Hounslow Abbey. The flash of lighting refers to the marking used by this squadron during the First World War.
Motto: "Sudore quam sanguine" ("By sweat and blood").
Authority: King George VI, June, 1939.
Based at Upwood from: (March 1937 - September 1939)
Type of Aircraft:
Hawker Hind (January 1937 - late 1937)
Fairey Battle (November 1937 - April 1940)
No. 53 Squadron
(ex 102 Squadron) Upwood's transport Squadron began on 15 February 1946 when 102 Squadron's Liberators arrived from Bassingbourn and set about there task of repatriating troops from India. On the 1st March 1946 102 squadron was renamed 53 squadron. The squadron disbanded on 25th June 1946.
No. 61 Squadron
Badge: The Lincoln Imp.
The Lincoln Imp associates the squadron with the district in which it was re-formed in 1937
Motto: "Per purum tonantes" ("Thundering through the clear air").
Authority: King George VI, March, 1940.
Unofficial W.W. 2 name: "Hull's 'own' squadron".
Based at Upwood from: (June 1955 - March 1958)
Type of Aircraft:
English Electric Canberra.
No. 63 Squadron
Badge: A dexter arm in bend couped below the elbow grasping in the hand a battle axe.
This squadron chose a battle axe held by a strong arm as being indicative of leading into battle---a sentiment by the motto.
Motto: "Pone nos ad hostem" ("Follow us to find the enemy").
Authority: King George VI, December, 1938
Based at Upwood from: (March 1937 - September 1939)
Type of Aircraft:
Hawker Audax (March 1937 - late 1937)
Fairey Battle (June 1937 - April 1940)
No. 76 Squadron
76 Squadron arrived at Upwood from Hemswell on the 17th July 1958. 76 squadron was deeply involved in the Christmas Island nuclear tests, flying with Canberra B.2. The squadron disbanded on the 31st December 1960.
No. 90 Squadron
Badge: A hind salient.
The Hind--"representative of vigilance and great speed"--commemorates the fact that, at one time, the squadron was equipped with Hind aircraft.
Motto: "Celer" ("Swift").
Authority: King George VI, July, 1938.
Based at Upwood from: (September 1939 - April 1940)
Type of Aircraft:
Bristol Blenheim (May, 1937 - April 1940)
No.102 Squadron
Upwood's transport Squadron began on 15 February 1946 when 102 Squadron's Liberators arrived from Bassingbourn and set about there task of repatriating troops from India. On the 1st March 1946 102 squadron was renamed 53 squadron. The squadron disbanded on 25th June 1946.
No. 105 Squadron
Badge: A battle axe.
The battle axe, "a powerful weapon", commemorates the fact that at one time the squadron was equipped with Battle aircraft. The handle is emerald green, to commemorate the squadron's service in Ireland.
Motto: "Fortis in proeliis" ("Valiant in battles").
Authority: King George VI, January, 1938.
Unofficial W.W.2 name: "Hereford's 'own' Squadron".
Based at Upwood from: (June 1945 - February 1946)
Type of Aircraft:
de Havilland Mosquito (November 1941 - January 1946)
No. 139 (Jamaica) Squadron
Badge: In front of a crescent a fasces.
The fasces is taken from the badge of No. 28 Squadron to which the necleus flight of No. 139 Squadron was originally attached for a short period following it's arrival in Italy (from England) where No. 28 was then based. This flight was later transferred to No. 34 Squadron (in whose badge a crescent appears) and operated with No. 34 until July, 1918, when together with another flight it became No. 139 Squadron. The bulk of the personnel for No. 139 Squadron was supplied by No. 34 Squadron.
Motto: "Si placet necamus" ("We destroy at will").
Authority: King George VI, December, 1938.
Based at Upwood from: (February 1944 - February 1946)
Type of Aircraft:
de Havilland Mosquito (Late 1942 - November 1953)
No. 148 Squadron
Badge: Two battle axes in saltire.
The battle axes were selected as being well-tried and formidable weapons.
Motto: "Trusty".
Authority: King George VI, February, 1938.
Based at Upwood from: (November 1946 - July 1955)
Type of Aircraft:
Avro Lancaster B.I. (November 1946 - February 1950)
Avro Lincoln (January 1950 - June 1955)
No. 156 Squadron
Badge: A figure of Mercury holding a torch.
The figure of Mercury holding a torch in indicative of the function of the unit as pathfinders.
Motto: "We light the way".
Authority: King George VI, July, 1943.
Based at Upwood from: (March 1944 - June 1945)
Type of Aircraft:
Avro Lancaster (January 1943 - September 1945)
No.190 Squadron
190 Squadron was (Night) Training and the second earliest unit to be based at Upwood. Arriving from Newmarket Heath on 5th October 1918 mainly equipped with Avro 504K's. The squadron saw little activity and disbanded on 1st May 1919
No. 191 Squadron
Arriving from Marham on July 1918 equipped with BE2d and BE2e and DH.6 aircraft was 191 (Night) Training Squadron. Under the command of Major J.L. Griffiths the aircraft converted to FE2b's, but the First world war ended and 191 squadron went into a period of decline until being disbanded on 26th June 1919.
No. 214 Squadron
Badge: A nightjar volant affrontee.
The nightjar was chosen because "it is a bird which is active at night and is indicative of the role of this squadron".
Motto: "Ultor in umbris" ("Avenging in the shadows").
Authority: King George VI, March, 1938.
Based at Upwood from: (November 1946 - December 1954)
Type of Aircraft:
Avro Lancaster (November 1946 - March 1950)
Avro Lincoln (February 1950 - December 1954)
No. 230 (OCU)
OPERATIONAL CONVERSION UNIT/LINCOLN CONVERSION FLIGHT
Lincoln conversion elements at Waddington and Upwood merged to form 230 OCU on the 1st August 1953. The squadron renamed Lincoln CF on the 1st February 1955.
No. 542 Squadron
542 Squadron arrived at Upwood from Hemswell on 17th July 1958, this was the second Canberra Squadron to move to Upwood from Hemswell. The Squadron was equipped with five Canberra B.2. On the 1st October 1958 542 Squadron was renamed 21 Squadron.
No. 1409(MET) Flight
1409 Flight moved to Upwood from Wyton on the 4th July 1945, the flight was continuing routine work when a serious tragedy happerend, on the 27th August one of the Mosquitos crashed on take-off from runway 06 and burst into flames. The aircraft had been setting off on a 'Cook's Tour' with an LAC as passenger. This unfortunate airmen suffered severe damage to an arm, which had to be amputated at RAF hospital Ely, while the pilot and navigator both escaped with slight burns. 1409 MET Flight joined 47 Group Transport Command and re-equipped with Liberators for a different role on the 10th of October 1945 and moved to Lyneham.
No. 1511(BAT) Flight
11 Flight was a Beam Approach Training Flight, which formed at Upwood on 22 September 1942. S/Ldr. R. H. Mclntosh AFC took command on the 10 October with six brand new Oxfords Mk1s. The Squadron renamed 1511 on the 11th November. The squadron left for Greenham Common on the 28th of April 1943.
1552(BABS) Flight
1552 (BABS) is No. 4 Mobile Radio Aids Training Flight Detachment which came to Upwood from Melbourne on the 4th March 1946 with it's task of training the crews of 53 Squadron. The detachment used four Oxford aircraft, crewed by seven instructional teams - pilot and navigator - who were supported by two link Trainer instructors, one SNCO and thirty other ranks. On the 22nd May 1946 the detachment left for its Melbourne home after a happy and comfortable stay at Upwood.
PPF NTU (HQ)
PATHFINDER FORCE NAVIGATION TRAINING UNIT arrived at Upwood from Gransden Lodge on the 17th June 1943. The training unit moved to Warboys on the 5th March 1944.
BC FILM FLIGHT
The Bomber Command Film Flight unit arrived at Upwood on 15th October 1945 equipped with four Lancasters and some Mosquito's. There task was air-to-ground and air-to-air photography. The (BCFFU) disbanded on December 1945
RADAR RECCE FLIGHT
One of the lesser-known units at Upwood, the Radar reconnaissance Flight arrived from Benson in March 1952. Equipped with four Lincoln's. It's task was to carry out research into airborne radar. The flight moved to Wyton on the 12 July 1953.
Last updated 30/12/10