No. 148 Squadron RAF

No. 148 Squadron RAF
148 Squadron Halifax loaded with supplies reading for dropping to Yugoslav Partisans, at Brindisi, Italy
Active	1918-19 1937-1940 1940 1940-42 1943-46 1946-55 1956-65
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Motto(s)	Trusty
Insignia
Identification symbol	Two battle axes in saltire. The battle axes were selected as being well-tried and formidable weapons.

No. 148 Squadron of the Royal Air Force has been part of the RAF since the First World War.

The squadron was formed at Andover Aerodrome on 10 February 1918, it moved to Ford Junction Aerodrome on 1 March 1918 where it was equipped with the Royal Aircraft Factory FE.2b and moved to France on 25 April 1918. It returned to the UK on 17 February 1919 and disbanded at Tangmere on 4 July 1919.

It was reformed at RAF Scampton on 7 June 1937 with the Hawker Audax and the Vickers Wellesley and moved twice before being disbanded and merged into No. 15 Operational Training Unit on 8 April 1940.

As No. 148 (SD) Squadron it was reformed as a special duties squadron in 1943 and part of the Balkan Air Force in the Second World War. It dropped men and material behind enemy lines in the occupied countries such as Yugoslavia, Poland etc.

No. 148 operated the Vickers Valiant nuclear bomber out of RAF Marham, Norfolk from 1 July 1956 until 1 May 1965.

Date of introduction of aircraft into 148 squadron: