No. 179 Squadron RAF

No. 179 Squadron RAF
Active	1 September 1942 – 30 September 1946
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Motto(s)	Latin: Delentum deleo (I destroy the destroyer)
Insignia
Squadron Badge	A lantern in front of a harpoon
Squadron code	OZ (Nov 1944 – Sept 1946)

No. 179 Squadron RAF was a Royal Air Force Squadron that was a maritime patrol/anti-submarine warfare unit in World War II.

History

Formation in World War II

The Squadron was supplied with Leigh light equipped Wellingtons from a flight of No. 172 Squadron RAF on 1 September 1942. It was then stationed at Gibraltar, before operating patrols from airfields in the United Kingdom including RAF Chivenor, RAF Benbecula, RAF Predannack and RAF St Eval in Cornwall.

In November 1944 the squadron converted to Warwick aircraft and in February 1946 one element of the squadron (179X) converted to Lancasters, while 179Y retained the Warwicks before it was renumbered No. 210 Squadron RAF. No 179 squadron was finally disbanded on 30 September 1946.

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 179 Squadron RAF

From	To	Aircraft	Variant
Sep 1942	Sep 1943	Vickers Wellington	VIII
Aug 1943	Nov 1944	Vickers Wellington	XIV
Nov 1944	May 1946	Vickers Warwick	V
Feb 1946	Sep 1946	Avro Lancaster	ASR 3

External links

• History of No.'s 176–180 Squadrons at RAF Web
• 179 Squadron history on the official RAF website