Formed:
1917, Spitalgate
Disbanded:
1919, RAF Fermoy
Reformed: Jun 1938, RAF Abingdon
Squadron
was based at:
Spitalgate : 1917 -
RAF Fermony :: - 1919
RAF Abingdon :: Jun 1938 -
RAF Thornaby :: - Sep 1939
RAF Cottesmore :: Sep 1939 - Oct 1939
RAF Finningley :: Oct 1939 -
RAF
Coningsby :: 23 Feb 1941 - 1 Oct 1942
RAF Syerston :: 1
Oct 1942 - 11 Nov 1943
RAF
Metheringham :: 11 Nov 1943 - Feb 1946
RAF Bardney :: 1959
- 1963
Squadron
code:
XS (prior to Sep 1939), ZN
Aircraft
operated:
Hampden :: May
1939 - Mar 1942
Manchester ::
Feb 1942 -
Lancaster Mk
I, Mk
III
106 Sqn was reformed in Jun 1938 from a flight crew of 15
Sqn at RAF
Abingdon.
In Feb 1941 Wg Cdr Guy Gibson took command of 106 Sqn.
On the Sqn's most famous operations was to take part in the bombing
of Cologne in May 1942. Within a week of moving to RAF Metheringham the
Sqn was undertaking operations in the Battle of Berlin. From Jul 1959 to May 1963 106 (SM) Sqn was based at RAF Bardney
as a missile
operating
squadron, with
3 Thor IRBM launchers. Each missile
was armed with a one-megaton nuclear warhead,
controlled
by the US Air Force under so-called dual-key arrangements.
In
the Middle of Nowhere: The History of RAF Metheringham (Richard Bailey,
1999)
A detailed
account of the history of RAF Metheringham and 106 Sqn during World
War II.
Buy it on Amazon
(UK)
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