Below is a list of the wartime squadrons that operated the Lancaster. Several other squadrons operated the Lancaster in post war years only - click here to visit the page that deals with those squadrons.
|
SQN NO. |
SQN CODES |
OPERATIONAL DATES |
WARTIME BASES |
NOTES AND POST WAR BASES |
MARK OPERATED |
|
7 |
MG, XU |
5.43 to 1.50 |
Oakington |
Mepal 7.45; Upwood 7.46 |
I, III |
|
9 |
WS |
8.42 to 7.46 |
Waddington; Bardney 14.4.43; |
Waddington 7.45; Salbani 1.46; Binbrook 4.46 |
I, III, VII |
|
12 |
PH, GZ |
11.42 to 8.46 |
Wickenby |
Binbrook 9.45; Waddington 7.46 |
I, III |
|
15 |
LS, DJ |
12.43 to 3.47 |
Mildenhall |
Wyton 8.46 |
I, III |
|
35 |
TL |
3.44 to 10.49 |
Graveley |
Stradishall 9.46; Mildenhall 2.49 |
I, III |
|
44 |
KM |
12.41 to 9.47 |
Waddington; Dunholme Lodge 31.5.43; Spilsby 30.9.44; |
Mepal 7.45; Mildenhall 8.45; Wyton 8.46 |
I, III |
|
49 |
EA |
7.42 to 3.50 |
Scampton; Fiskerton 2..43; Fulbeck 16.10.44 |
Mepal 9.45; Upwood 7.46 |
I, III |
|
50 |
VN |
5.42 to 11.46 |
Skellingthorpe; Swinderby 20.6.42; Skellingthorpe 17.10.42 |
Sturgate 6.45; Waddington 1.46 |
I, III |
|
57 |
DX, QT |
9.42 to 5.46 |
Scampton; East Kirkby 28.8.43 |
Elsham Wolds 11.45; Scampton 12.45; Lindholme 5.46 |
I, III |
|
61 |
QR |
6.42 to 5.46 |
Syerston; Skellingthorpe 16.11.43; Coningsby 1.2.44; Skellingthorpe 15.4.44 |
Sturgate 6.45; Waddington 1.46 |
I, II, III |
|
75 |
AA, JN |
3.44 to 10.45 |
Mepal |
Spilsby 7.45 |
I, III |
|
83 |
OL |
5.42 to 7.46 |
Scampton; Wyton 15.8.42; Coningsby 18.4.44 |
I, III |
|
|
90 |
WP, XY |
5.44 to 12.47 |
Tuddenham |
Wyton 11.46 |
I, III |
|
97 |
OF, ZT |
1.42 to 7.46 |
Coningsby; Woodhall Spa 2.3.42; Bourn 18.4.43; Coningsby 18.4.44 |
I, III |
|
|
100 |
HW, FZ |
12.42 to 5.46 |
Grimsby (Waltham); Elsham Wolds 1.4.45 |
Scampton 3.12.45 |
I, III |
|
101 |
SR, MW |
10.42 to 8.46 |
Holme-in-Spalding Moor; Ludford Magna 15.6.43 |
Binbrook 1.10.45 |
I, III |
|
103 |
PM |
11.42 to 11.45 |
Elsham Wolds |
I, III |
|
|
106 |
ZN |
5.42 to 2.46 |
Coningsby; Syerston 1.10.42; Metheringham 11.11.43 |
I, III |
|
|
109 |
HS |
8.42 to 10.42 |
Wyton |
Only a few Lancasters were allocated to this squadron, and remained in use there for only a short time. |
I |
|
115 |
KO, IL, A4 |
3.43 to 1.50 |
East Wretham; Little Snoring 6.8.43; Witchford 26.11.43; |
Graveley 9.45; Stradishall 9.46; Mildenhall 2.49 |
I, II, III |
|
138 |
NF, AC |
3.45 to 9.47 |
Tuddenham |
Wyton 11.46 |
I, III |
|
149 |
OJ, TK |
8.44 to 11.49 |
Methwold |
Tuddenham 4.46; Stradishall 11.46; Mildenhall 2.49 |
I, III |
|
150 |
IQ, JN |
11.44 to 11.45 |
Hemswell |
I, III |
|
|
153 |
P4 |
10.44 to 9.45 |
Scampton |
I, III |
|
|
156 |
GT |
1.43 to 9.45 |
Warboys; Upwood 5.3.44 |
Wyton 6.45 |
I, III |
|
166 |
AS |
9.43 to 11.45 |
Kirmington |
I, III |
|
|
170 |
TC |
10.44 to 11.45 |
Dunholme Lodge; Hemswell 29.11.44 |
I, III |
|
|
186 |
XY |
10.44 to 7.45 |
Tuddenham; Stradishall 17.12.44 |
I, III |
|
|
189 |
CA |
10.44 to 11.45 |
Bardney; Fulbeck 2.11.44; Bardney 8.4.45 |
Metheringham 10.45 |
I, III |
|
195 |
A4, JE |
10.44 to 8.45 |
Witchford; Wratting Common 13.11.44 |
I, III |
|
|
207 |
EM |
3.42 to 8.49 |
Bottesford; Langar 20.9.42; Spilsby 12.10.43; |
Methwold 10.45; Tuddenham 4.46; Stradishall 11.46; Mildenhall 2.49 |
I, III |
|
218 |
HA, XH |
8.44 to 8.45 |
Methwold; Chedburgh 5.12.44 |
I, III |
|
|
227 |
9J |
10.44 to 9.45 |
Balderton; Strubby 5.4.45 |
Graveley 6.45 |
I, III |
|
300 |
BH |
4.44 to 10.46 |
Faldingworth |
I, III |
|
|
405 RCAF |
LQ |
8.43 to 11.55 |
Gransden Lodge |
Linton-on-Ouse 5.45; Greenwood (Novia Scotia) 3.51 |
III, VI, X |
|
408 RCAF |
EQ |
8.43 to 9.45 |
Linton-on-Ouse |
II, X |
|
|
419 RCAF |
VR |
4.44 to 9.45 |
Middleton St. George |
X |
|
|
420 RCAF |
PT |
5.45 to 9.45 |
Tholthorpe |
Debert (Novia Scotia) 6.45 |
X |
|
424 RCAF |
QB |
1.45 to 10.45 |
Skipton-on-Swale |
I, III |
|
|
425 RCAF |
KW |
5.45 to 9.45 |
Tholthorpe |
Debert (Novia Scotia) 6.45 |
X |
|
426 RCAF |
OW |
6.43 to 5.44 |
Linton-on-Ouse |
II |
|
|
427 RCAF |
ZL |
3.45 to 5.46 |
Leeming |
I, III |
|
|
428 RCAF |
NA |
6.44 to 9.45 |
Middleton St. George |
X |
|
|
429 RCAF |
AL |
3.45 to 5.46 |
Leeming |
I, III |
|
|
431 RCAF |
SE |
10.44 to 9.45 |
Croft |
Debert (Novia Scotia) 6.45 |
X |
|
432 RCAF |
QO |
10.43 to 2.44 |
Eastmoor |
II |
|
|
433 RCAF |
BM |
1.45 to 10.45 |
Skipton-on-Swale |
I, III |
|
|
434 RCAF |
IP, WL |
12.44 to 3.45 |
Croft |
Dartmouth (Novia Scotia) 6.45 |
I, X |
|
460 RAAF |
UV, AR |
10.42 to 10.45 |
Breighton; Binbrook 14.5.43 |
East Kirkby 7.45 |
I, III |
|
463 RAAF |
JO |
11.43 to 9.45 |
Waddington |
Skellingthorpe 7.45 |
III |
|
467 RAAF |
PO |
11.42 to 9.45 |
Scampton; Botesford 24.11.42; Wadington 13.11.43 |
Metheringham 6.45 |
I, III |
|
514 |
A2, JI |
9.43 to 8.45 |
Waterbeach |
I, II, III |
|
|
550 |
BQ |
10.43 to 10.45 |
Grimsby (Waltham); North Killingholme 3.1.44 |
I, III |
|
|
576 |
UL |
11.43 to 9.45 |
Elsham Wolds; Fiskerton 31.10.44 |
I, III |
|
|
582 |
6O |
4.44 to 9.45 |
Little Staughton |
I, III |
|
|
617 |
AJ, YZ, KC |
3.43 to 9.46 |
Scampton; Coningsby 30.8.43; Woodhall Spa 10.1.44 |
Waddington 6.45; Digri 1.46; Binbrook 4.46 |
I, III, VII |
|
619 |
PG |
4.43 to 7.45 |
Woodhall Spa; Coningsby 9.1.44; Dunholme Lodge 17.4.44; Strubby 28.9.44 |
Skellingthorpe 6.45 |
I, III |
|
622 |
GI |
12.43 to 8.45 |
Mildenhall |
I, III |
|
|
625 |
CF |
10.43 to 10.45 |
Kelstern; Scampton 5.4.45 |
I, III |
|
|
626 |
UM |
11.43 to 10.45 |
Wickenby |
I, III |
|
|
630 |
LE |
11.43 to 7.45 |
East Kirkby |
I, II |
|
|
635 |
F2 |
3.44 to 9.45 |
Downham Market |
I, III, VI |
As well as the operational squadrons, there were the Heavy Conversion Units, Lancaster Finishing Schools, and several other wartime units that operated the Lancaster, and a summary of those units can be found below:-
HCU NUMBER UNIT CODE BASES 1651 BS, QQ Woolfox Lodge 1653 A3, H4 Lindholme, North Luffenham 1654 UG, JF Wigsley, Woolfox Lodge 1656 EK, BL Lindholme 1659 FD, RV Topcliffe 1660 TV, YW Swinderby 1661 GP, KB Waddington; Scampton; Winthorpe 1662 KF, PE Blyton 1666 ND, QY Dalton 1667 GG, LR Lindholme; Faldingworth; Sandtoft 1668 J9, 2K Balderton; Syerston; Bottesford; Cottesmore 1669 not known Langar 1678 SW East Wretham; Foulsham 1679 not known East Moor
LANCASTER FINISHING SCHOOLS (LFS)
LFS UNIT CODE BASES 1 LFS 3C Lindholme; Faldingworth; Hemswell 3 LFS A5 Feltwell 5 LFS CE, RC Syerston 6 LFS not known Ossington
OTHER LANCASTER UNITS OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR
Many other units and establishments operated the Lancaster during the war, and below is a list of the ones that i am aware of. If you know of any other unit that operated the Lancaster, please e-mail me (please replace the "AT" with an "@" before sending your email) with as many details as you can. Thank you.
Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment
Air Photography Development Unit
Bomber Command Film Unit
Bombing Development Unit
Bomber Command Instructors School
Central Flying School
Central Gunnery School
Central Navigation School
Central Photographic Establishment
Empire Air Navigation School
Electronic Countermeasures Development Unit
Empire Test Pilots School
G-H Training Flight
Pathfinder Force Navigation Training Unit
Blind Landing Experimental Unit
Royal Aircraft Establishment
No.1 Ferry Unit
No.16 Ferry Unit
Central Signals Establishment