# No. 151 Squadron RAF

No. 151 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force.

## History
### World War I

No. 151 squadron was founded at Hainault Farm in Essex on 12 June 1918, and was equipped with Sopwith Camel aircraft. During the five months in which 151 Squadron had taken part in hostilities overseas, the total number of hours flown by night was 1443 hrs 26 mins.
Sixteen enemy aircraft were destroyed at night on the Allies side of the lines, and five were destroyed on the enemy side and confirmed. Another five were unconfirmed, thus making a total of twenty six successful engagements. Of the enemy aircraft destroyed, twenty two were AEGs, Friedrichshafen or Gothas, with two engines and carrying a crew of three or more. Two were giant P 52's with five engines carrying a crew of up to eight or nine.
During all the numerous combats there were very few occasions when the guns jammed or caused trouble, reflecting the devotion to duty of Lt Eggar and his gunnery staff.
   Too much cannot be said for the NCOs and men of the Squadron. The long hours from dawn to dusk and the urgent necessity of getting all machines serviceable during the daytime was evidence of their keen spirit and esprit de corps, and nothing was more gratifying to a pilot on landing after a successful combat than to hear the rousing cheers of the NCOs and men of his Flight, echoed by the Squadron, that greeted him."
The squadron was disbanded on 10 September 1919.

### World War II

On 4 August 1936 the squadron was reformed at RAF North Weald from 'B' Flight of 56 Squadron, as a fighter squadron, flying Gloster Gauntlets. In December 1938 these were exchanged for Hawker Hurricanes, when the squadron came under Squadron Leader Edward Mortlock Donaldson. It operated throughout the Second World War, flying with Hawker Hurricanes, Boulton Paul Defiants and later de Havilland Mosquitoes, disbanding on 10 October 1946 at RAF Weston Zoyland. One of its most successful pilots was Flight Lieutenant Richard Stevens, who destroyed 15 aircraft during 1941 while flying the Hurricane during The Blitz.

### After World War II

The squadron was reformed again at RAF Leuchars, Scotland on 15 September 1951 as a night fighter unit, initially operating De Havilland Vampire NF.10s and later Gloster Meteor NF.11s. It disbanded on 19 September 1961.
On 1 January 1962 the Signals Development Squadron at RAF Watton was redesignated as No. 151 Squadron operating a variety of aircraft on development and training duties. It was joined by the pilots and ground crew from the disbanded No. 97 (Strategic Missile) Squadron from RAF Hemswell on 25 May 1963.
On 18 September 1981 151 Squadron reformed at RAF Chivenor as part of No. 2 Tactical Weapons Unit RAF (2 TWU) operating BAE Hawk T1 & T1A aircraft. When 2 TWU became No. 7 Flying Training School RAF in 1992, 151 Squadron was disbanded and its duties taken over by 92 Squadron.

## Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 151 Squadron RAF, data from :
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
| June 1918 | February 1919 | Sopwith Camel | |
| August 1936 | March 1939 | Gloster Gauntlet | Mk.II |
| December 1938 | June 1941 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.I |
| December 1940 | October 1941 | Boulton Paul Defiant | Mk.I |
| June 1941 | January 1942 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIc |
| September 1941 | July 1942 | Boulton Paul Defiant | Mk.II |
| April 1942 | July 1943 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.II |
| July 1943 | March 1944 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.XII |
| August 1943 | August 1943 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.VI |
| December 1943 | September 1944 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.XIII |
| July 1944 | September 1944 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.VI |
| August 1944 | October 1946 | de Havilland Mosquito | Mk.XXX |
| February 1952 | August 1953 | de Havilland Vampire | NF.10 |
| March 1953 | October 1955 | Gloster Meteor | NF.11 |
| September 1955 | June 1957 | de Havilland Venom | NF.3 |
| June 1957 | September 1961 | Gloster Javelin | FAW.5 |
| January 1962 | April 1963 | Avro Lincoln | B.2 |
| January 1962 | May 1963 | Handley Page Hastings | C.1 & C.2 |
| January 1962 | May 1963 | Vickers Varsity | T.1 |
| January 1962 | May 1963 | English Electric Canberra | B.2 |
| September 1981 | September 1992 | BAE Hawk | T.1 & T.1A |

## Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 151 Squadron RAF, data from :
| From | To | Location | Remark |
| 12 June 1918 | 16 June 1918 | Hainault Farm | Squadron formed |
| 16 June 1918 | 21 June 1918 | Marquise, Pas-de-Calais, France | |
| 21 June 1918 | 25 June 1918 | Fontaine-sur-Maye, France | |
| 25 June 1918 | 2 July 1918 | Famechon, Somme, France | |
| 2 July 1918 | 8 September 1918 | Fontaine-sur-Maye, France | |
| 8 September 1918 | 24 October 1918 | Vignacourt, France | |
| 24 October 1918 | 5 December 1918 | Bancourt, France | |
| 5 December 1918 | 21 February 1919 | Liettres, France | |
| 21 February 1919 | 10 September 1919 | RAF Drem, Scotland | Squadron disbanded |
| 4 August 1936 | 13 May 1940 | RAF North Weald | Squadron reformed |
| 28 February 1940 | 12 May 1940 | RAF Martlesham Heath | Detachment |
| 12 May 1940 | 17 May 1940 | RAF Martlesham Heath | Complete squadron |
| 17 May 1940 | 18 May 1940 | RAF Manston | |
| 18 May 1940 | 20 May 1940 | Vitry-en-Artois, France | |
| 20 May 1940 | 29 August 1940 | RAF North Weald | |
| 29 August 1940 | 1 September 1940 | RAF Stapleford Tawney | |
| 1 September 1940 | 28 November 1940 | RAF Digby | |
| 28 November 1940 | 6 December 1940 | RAF Bramcote | |
| 6 December 1940 | 30 April 1943 | RAF Wittering | |
| 22 April 1941 | 25 January 1942 | RAF Coltishall | Detachment |
| 30 April 1943 | 16 August 1943 | RAF Colerne | |
| 16 August 1943 | 17 November 1943 | RAF Middle Wallop | |
| 17 November 1943 | 24 March 1944 | RAF Colerne | |
| 24 March 1944 | 7 October 1944 | RAF Predannack | |
| 7 October 1944 | 19 November 1944 | RAF Castle Camps | |
| 19 November 1944 | 1 March 1945 | RAF Hunsdon | |
| 1 March 1945 | 17 May 1945 | RAF Bradwell Bay | |
| 17 May 1945 | 1 June 1945 | RAF Predannack | |
| 1 June 1945 | 8 July 1946 | RAF Exeter | |
| 8 July 1946 | 10 October 1946 | RAF Weston Zoyland | Squadron disbanded |
| 15 September 1951 | 17 June 1957 | RAF Leuchars | Squadron reformed |
| 17 June 1957 | 15 November 1957 | RAF Turnhouse | |
| 15 November 1957 | 19 September 1961 | RAF Leuchars | Squadron disbanded |
| 1 January 1962 | 25 May 1963 | RAF Watton | Squadron reformed and renumbered |
| 18 September 1981 | 4 August 1992 | RAF Chivenor | Shadow Squadron reformed and disbanded |

## Commanding officers

data from :
| From | To | Name |
| Jun 1918 | Jul 1918 | Maj M Green, DSO, MC |
| Jul 1918 | Feb 1919 | Maj C J Q Brand, DSO, MC, DFC |
| Aug 1936 | Nov 1938 | Sqn Ldr W V Hyde |
| Dec 1938 | Aug 1940 | Sqn Ldr E M Donaldson, DSO, DFC |
| Aug 1940 | Sep 1940 | Sqn Ldr J A G Gordon |
| Sep 1940 | Sep 1940 | Sqn Ldr G King |
| Sep 1940 | Dec 1940 | Sqn Ldr West |
| Dec 1940 | Oct 1941 | Sqn Ldr Adams, DFC |
| Oct 1941 | Feb 1942 | Sqn Ldr McDougall |
| Feb 1942 | Mar 1943 | Wg Cdr I S Smith, DFC |
| Mar 1943 | May 1943 | Wg Cdr D V Ivins |
| May 1943 | Oct 1943 | Wg Cdr S P Richards, AFC |
| Oct 1943 | Dec 1944 | Wg Cdr G H Goodman DSO, DFC |
| Dec 1944 | 1946 | Sqn Ldr J A Wright DFC |
| 1946 | | Sqn Ldr P S Q Andersen |
| 1951 | 1953 | Sqn Ldr D Boyle |
| 1953 | 1956 | Sqn Ldr D B Ainsworth |
| May 1956 | Oct 1956 | Sqn Ldr I Cosby |
| Oct 1956 | Mar 1958 | Sqn Ldr Boardman |
| Mar 1958 | Oct 1958 | Sqn Ldr J W Frost |
| Oct 1958 | Jan 1961 | Sqn Ldr L C P Martin |
| Jan 1961 | Sep 1961 | Sqn Ldr D O Luke |
| Sep 1981 | Dec 1983 | Sqn Ldr R Bealer |
| Jan 1983 | Feb 1983 | Sqn Ldr D Sharp |
| Feb 1983 | Nov 1984 | Sqn Ldr J A Hall |
| Nov 1984 | Jan 1987 | Sqn Ldr R F Burroughs |
| Jan 1987 | 1992 | Sqn Ldr G P H Croasdale |