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  IX(B) Squadron Royal Air Force
Per Noctem Volamus - 'Throughout the night we fly'

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> Units and Formations

Flying Squadrons
5 Sqn
6 Sqn
8 Sqn
9 Sqn
10 Sqn
11 Sqn
12 Sqn
15 Sqn
18 Sqn
21 Sqn
22 Sqn
23 Sqn
25 Sqn
27 Sqn
29 Sqn
33 Sqn
35 Sqn
39 Sqn
41 Sqn
43 Sqn
44 Sqn
46 Sqn
49 Sqn
50 Sqn
51 Sqn
54 Sqn
56 Sqn
57 Sqn
61 Sqn
64 Sqn
65 Sqn
68 Sqn
69 Sqn
70 Sqn
71 Sqn
73 Sqn
75 Sqn
81 Sqn
83 Sqn
85 Sqn
88 Sqn
90 Sqn
92 Sqn
97 Sqn
100 Sqn
101 Sqn
103 Sqn
104 Sqn
106 Sqn
109 Sqn
110 Sqn
111 Sqn
112 Sqn
113 Sqn
116 Sqn
121 Sqn
133 Sqn
136 Sqn
139 Sqn
141 Sqn
142 Sqn
143 Sqn
144 Sqn
148 Sqn
149 Sqn
150 Sqn
151 Sqn
153 Sqn
154 Sqn
166 Sqn
170 Sqn
189 Sqn
198 Sqn
199 Sqn
203 Sqn
206 Sqn
207 Sqn
209 Sqn
210 Sqn
211 Sqn
214 Sqn
222 Sqn
227 Sqn
228 Sqn
229 Sqn
235 Sqn
236 Sqn
248 Sqn
249 Sqn
251 Sqn
253 Sqn
254 Sqn
255 Sqn
256 Sqn
264 Sqn
266 Sqn
280 Sqn
288 Sqn
300 Sqn
301 Sqn
302 Sqn
303 Sqn
305 Sqn
307 Sqn
309 Sqn
310 Sqn
349 Sqn
350 Sqn
401 Sqn
402 Sqn
404 Sqn
407 Sqn
409 Sqn
410 Sqn
411 Sqn
412 Sqn
415 Sqn
416 Sqn
420 Sqn
421 Sqn
430 Sqn
438 Sqn
439 Sqn
441 Sqn
442 Sqn
443 Sqn
452 Sqn
455 Sqn
460 Sqn
463 Sqn
467 Sqn
486 Sqn
503 Sqn
504 Sqn
527 Sqn
528 Sqn
532 Sqn
538 Sqn
542 Sqn
550 Sqn
576 Sqn
601 Sqn
609 Sqn
613 Sqn
616 Sqn
617 Sqn
619 Sqn
625 Sqn
626 Sqn
627 Sqn
630 Sqn

Heavy Conversion Units
1654 HCU
1656 HCU
1660 HCU
1661 HCU
1662 HCU
1665 HCU
1667 HCU
1668 HCU
21 HGCU

Advanced Flying Schools
201 AFS

Advanced Flying Units
12 AFU
15 AFU

Flying Training Schools
1 FTS
2 FTS
3 FTS
6 FTS
7 FTS
12 FTS
1 Lancaster Finishing School
Central Flying School

Operational Training/
Conversion Units
(Fighter)
6 OTU
53 OTU

56 OTU

(Bomber)
228 OCU
230 OCU

Air Armament Schools
1 AAS
2 AAS
Empire Central AS

Other schools
1 Gp Aircrew School
1 Ground Defence School
1 Air Observers School
Central Gunnery School
5 Gp Anti Air School

Other units
Bomber Command
Coastal Command
Fighter Command
HQ No 5 Group
HQ No 23 Group
1485 Gunnery Flight
2782 Defence Sqn
178 Support Unit
399 Signals Unit
Nationality based Sqns

Updated: 6 Jul 06

Formed: 8 Dec 1914, St Omer

Disbanded: Mar 1915

Reformed: Apr 1915

Disbanded: 1919

Reformed: 1 Apr 1924

Disbanded: 1959

Reformed: 1962

Disbanded: Apr 1982

Reformed: Aug 1982

Sqn Code: WS

Squadron was based at:

Saint Omer :: 1914 -

RAF Upavon :: 1924 -

RAF Scampton :: Oct 1936 -

RAF Manston :: - 1939

RAF Honington :: 1939 - Sep 1942

RAF Waddington :: Sep 1942 - Apr 1943

RAF Bardney :: 14 Apr 1943 - Jul 1945

RAF Waddington :: Jul 1945 - Jan 1946

Salbani :: Jan 1946 - Apr 1946

RAF Binbrook :: Apr 1946 -

RAF Cottesmore :: 1964 - 1969

RAF Aktrotiri :: 1969 - 1975

RAF Waddington :: 1975 - Apr 1982

RAF Honington :: Aug 1982 - 1986

RAF Bruggen :: 1986 - 17 Jul 2001

RAF Marham :: Jul 2001 -

Aircraft operated:

BE2C :: Mar 1915 -

RE8 :: - 1919

Vickers Vimy :: 1924 - 1925

Virginia :: Jan 1925 - 1936

Heyford :: 1936 - 1939

Wellington :: 1939 - 1942

Lancaster Mk I, Mk III, Mk VII :: Aug 1942 - Jul 1946

Lincoln :: Jul 1946 - 1952

Canberra :: 1952 - 1959

Vulcan B2 :: 1962 - Apr 1982

Tornado GR1 :: Jun 1982 - 1999

Tornado GR4 :: 1999 -

9 Sqn was formed at St Omer in France by then Capt Hugh Dowding on 8 Dec 1914 by renaming the Wireless Flight of RFC Headquarters (part of 4 Sqn RFC). A core RFC duty in the early stages of the Great War was to help range artillery onto its targets. Klaxons and Semaphore were impractical amidst the noise and smoke of the battlefield and finally the airborne wireless was proposed as a solution. Thus the flight of 4 Sqn was increased and reformed at St Omer as 9 Squadron RFC.

The Sqn disbanded in Mar 1915, being absorbed into other RFC Squadrons. In Apr 1915 it reformed at Brooklands committing to France with BE2C and subsequently RE8 on reconnaissance duties. After participating in the occupation of Germany it disbanded in 1919.

9 Sqn reformed on 1 Apr 1924 at RAF Upavon with the Vickers Vimy night bomber, moving to RAF Manston. In Jan 1925 it began to re-equip to the Virginia, then the Heyford in 1936. 148 Sqn was reformed in Jun 1937 at RAF Scampton from C Flt of 9 Sqn.

In Feb 1939 9 Sqn moved to RAF Honington, equipped with the Wellington and employed this type in anti-shipping sorties in the early stages of World War II. In Sep 1942 the Sqn operated Lancaster bomber and became part of Bomber Command’s strategic offensive against German targets from RAF Waddington.

Re-basing at RAF Bardney, 9 Sqn specialised in dropping large bombs, most notably the the 12 000 lb Tallboy. During 1944 9 Sqn had been in the lead in an earlier bombing development, as only one of two sqns to operate with the 12 000 lb Tallboy bomb. Successful targets with the Tallboy included the Dortmund-Ems canal bridges in Jan 1945 and the Tirpitz in 1944.

9 Squadron’s Wellington aircraft and crews were the first to hit the enemy, the first to get into a dogfight, the first to shoot down an enemy aircraft, the first to be shot down by one and, towards the end of the war, the first to hit the battleship Tirpitz with the Tallboy 12,000 pound bomb - an achievement by the crew of a Lancaster on her 102nd Op with the squadron - find out more in 9 Sqn books.

9 Sqn was equipped with the Lancaster, Avro Lincoln and Canberra before disbanding in 1959. It was involved in both Malaya and Suez during 1956 with the Canberra.

On reforming in Mar 1962 it was equipped with the Vulcan B2, which it manned until Apr 1982. After a two month disbandment it reformed to be the first RAF Sqn operating the new Tornado GR1. In 1991 it dropped JP 233 and 1000 lb bombs during the Gulf War. It followed previous RAF operational firsts by becoming the first front-line GR4 squadron in 1999.

During Lancaster ops from RAF Bardney, 9 Sqn had lost 85 of the type. The Sqn is commemorated in the RAF Bardney memorial.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9 Sqn memorial at RAF Bardney

Photos of 9 Sqn memorial at RAF Bardney

IX(B) Sqn Association

9 Sqn Assoc website

9 Sqn history on RAF Website

A navigator's story on 97 Sqn website (also on 9 Sqn)

Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire
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