No 163 Squadron

Badge: None authorised

No 163 Squadron was formed at Suez, Egypt, on 10th July 1942, as a transport squadron, and later in the year, after having moved to Eritrea and equipped with Lockheed Hudson aircraft, operated shuttle air mail services between Asmara and Khartoum, and Khartoum and Lagos. It was reduced to a cadre in December 1942, and in June 1943, disbanded.

In January 1945, the squadron re-formed at Wyton, Hunts. as a Mosquito XXV light-bomber unit in No 8 (Pathfinder) Group's Light Night Striking Force and, during the remainder of the European war, was principally engaged in night nuisance raids against industrial targets in Germany. Its favourite target was Berlin and during one month (March) its Mosquitos visited that city on no less than 24 nights. On more than one occasion - the first was 1st/2nd January - aircraft of the squadron made two trips to Berlin in a single night.

Bomber Command WWII Bases: Re-formed 25.1.45 as No 163(B) Sqn at

• Wyton : Jan 1945 onwards

Bomber Command WWII Aircraft:

• de Havilland Mosquito B.XVI and B.XXV : Jan 1945 onwards

Code Letters:

• Not Known

First Bombing Mission in WWII:

• 28/29th January 1945 : 4 Mosquitos bombed Mainz &, during outward journey, dropped Window.

Last Operational Mission in WWII:

• 2nd/3rd May 1945 : 16 Mosquitos, operating in 2 waves of 8, bombed Kiel.

 

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