No. 626 Squadron RAF was a heavy bomber squadron of the Royal Air Force from 1943 to 1945.
History
The squadron was formed on 7 November 1943 at RAF Wickenby from C Flight of No. 12 Squadron. It operated in the strategic bombing role with the Avro Lancaster. It was disbanded on 14 October 1945, having spent the last months of the war on food droppings (Operation Manna) and transport duties (Operation Exodus), repatriating former prisoners of war and bringing British troops home from Italy.
First operational mission 10/11 November 1943 7 Lancasters bombed Modane
Last operational mission 25 April 1945 14 Lancasters bombed Obersalzberg
Last mission before V.E. day 7 May 1945 19 Lancasters dropped supplies to the Dutch in Rotterdam
The squadron flew 2,728 sorties during the Second World War for the loss of 49 aircraft.
Aircraft operated +Aircraft operated by No. 626 Squadron RAFFromToAircraftVariant November 1943 October 1945 Avro Lancaster Mks. I & III
Squadron bases +Base used by No. 626 Squadron RAFFromToName November 1943 October 1945 RAF Wickenby, Lincolnshire
Notable personnel Michael Bentine – Intelligence Officer Colin Tapley – Flying Control Officer Eric Simms – bomb-aimer Jack Currie, Lancaster (later Mosquito) pilot, writer, broadcaster and artist
Stewart Jacques - Flight Sergeant
See also List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
References
Notes
Bibliography
Further reading Currie, Jack. Lancaster Target: The Story of a Crew Who Flew from Wickenby. Goodall Publications Ltd., 1997. . Smith, Ron. Rear Gunner Pathfinder. Manchester, UK: Goodall Publications Ltd./Crécy, 1998. . Ward, Cris. Royal Air Force Bomber Command Squadron Profiles, Number 122: 626 Squadron, "To Strive and Not to Yield". Berkshire, UK: Ward Publishing, 1998. West, Dennis. To Strive and Not to Yield: No. 626 Squadron and the Battle of Berlin . Woodfield Publishing, 2002. .
External links Tom Bint – 626 Squadron & RAF Wickenby 626 Squadron on RAF website History of No.'s 621–650 Squadrons at RAF Web