No. 162 Squadron (RAF): Second World War

Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books

No.162 Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as a radar calibration squadron in the Middle East and second as a Mosquito squadron in the Light Night Striking Force.

The squadron was reformed at Kabrit on 4 January 1942 around a detachment of Wellingtons from No.109 Squadron. For the first few weeks of its existence the squadron was referred to as the Signals Squadron until its number was officially allocated.

The squadron had a mix of roles. A flight of Blenheims was provided for radar calibration, while the Wellingtons were used to locate enemy radar stations and to jam enemy tank radios. These duties meant that the squadron had to operate in small detachments from a large number of airfields.

The squadron had a short period on bombing operations, starting on 24 May 1942 during Rommel's last advance, up to the Egyptian border at El Alamein. During the second battle of El Alamein the squadron was used over the battlefield to jam enemy tank radios.

After El Alamein the squadron returned to its calibration duties. The Blenheims were replaced with Baltimores from September 1943, and in March 1944 the squadron was given the Wellington D.W.I Minesweepers of No.1 GRU. The squadron was disbanded on 24 September 1944 and its duties were taken over by No.26 AACU.

The squadron reformed on 18 December 1944 at Bourn as a Mosquito squadron in the Light Night Striking Force and spent the rest of the war carrying out night raids over Germany.

In July 1945 the squadron transferred to Transport Command and operated a mail service to bases in Europe, before being disbanded on 14 July 1946.

Aircraft
January 1942-March 1944: Vickers Wellington IC
March-July 1942: Bristol Blenheim IV
July 1942-March 1944: Bristol Blenheim V
September 1943-May 1944: Vickers Wellington III
September 1943-September 1944: Martin Baltimore III
October 1943-January 1944: One de Havilland Mosquito VI
May-September 1944: Vickers Wellington X
December 1944-July 1946: de Havilland Mosquito XX and 25

Location
January 1942: Kabrit
January-April 1942: Shallufa
April 1942-April 1943: Bilbeis
April-August 1943: LG.91
August 1943-April 1944: LG.91
April-September 1945: Idku

December 1944-July 1945: Bourn
July 1945-July 1946: Blackbushe

Squadron Codes: Z, B, L, Z, CR

Duty
1942-1944: Calibration Squadron
1944-1945: Mosquito squadron, Light Night Striking Force

Part of:
27 October 1942: HQ R.A.F. Middle East
10 July 1943: HQ R.A.F. Middle East; Mediterranean Air Command
From July 1945: Transport Command

Books

 Mosquito Bomber/ Fighter-Bomber Units of World War 2, Martin Bowman. The first of three books looking at the RAF career of this most versatile of British aircraft of the Second World War, this volume looks at the squadrons that used the Mosquito as a daylight bomber, over occupied Europe and Germany, against shipping and over Burma. [see more]  
cover cover cover

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How to cite this article: Rickard, J (5 January 2010), No. 162 Squadron (RAF): Second World War, http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RAF/162_wwII.html

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