First World War (1916–1918) Formed on from crews of
No. 19 Squadron Royal Flying Corps at
RAF Filton, No. 42 Squadron spent the
First World War flying
reconnaissance sorties. Using
Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2 (and later
Royal Aircraft Factory R.E.8), the squadron spent time on both the
Western Front and the
Austro-Italian Front. The squadron was based at
La Gorgue in northern France from 1 September to 8 November 1916.
Interwar period (1919–1938) On returning to
England after the war, the squadron was disbanded at
RAF Netheravon on 26 June 1919. On 14 December 1936, 'B' flight of
No. 22 Squadron was expanded into a new No. 42 Squadron. of No. 42 Squadron at
Blackbushe Airport, September 1956No. 42 Squadron Shackletons used to regularly visit
RAF Khormaksar in
Aden before the
Aden Emergency, undertaking colonial policing. No. 42 Squadron relocated to
RAF St. Mawgan in Cornwall in October 1958. It converted to the Shackleton MR.3 in December 1965. In October 1984, one of the squadron's crews won the
Fincastle Trophy at
RAAF Base Edinburgh,
South Australia. One of the squadron's crews were credited with having achieved the highest number of assisted kills – six, achieved operating in a high air threat environment.
21st century (2000– present) No. 42 (R) Squadron made the Nimrod's last visit to
Gibraltar on 20–21 March 2010 as part of
Operation Active Endeavour. It was originally expected that the squadron would serve as the OCU for the
BAE Systems Nimrod MRA4, however it was cancelled as part of the
2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review,
Poseidon and Wedgetail The unit was reformed as No. 42 (Torpedo Bomber) Squadron on 21 September 2023 at RAF Lossiemouth, Moray. The squadron is the operational conversion unit for both the
Boeing Poseidon MRA1 and
Boeing Wedgetail AEW1. No. 42 (TB) Squadron's first Poseidon sortie was flown on 26 September 2023. ==Aircraft operated==