10 January 1915 – 1 April 1918 (RFC) 1 April 1918 – 31 December 1919 (RAF) 1 April 1924 – 19 April 1946 1 September 1946 – 5 January 1982 1 January 1990 – 1 June 2011 26 October 2012 – present
The unit had reformed at RAF Kenley on 1 April 1924 and inter-war years saw the squadron operate from various UK bases equipped with a variety of aircraft types including the Bristol F.2, Armstrong Whitworth Atlas, Hawker Audax and Hawker Hector for army cooperation.[5] By January 1939 the squadron was equipped with Westland Lysanders and moved to France on 2 October until late May 1940 when it withdrew to UK bases following the Fall of France.[6]
In May 1941 No. XIII Squadron changed role and theatre, flying a variety of bomber aircraft including the Bristol Blenheim and Douglas Boston light bombers in the Mediterranean until the end of the war,[7] disbanding on 19 April 1946.[8]
Cold War (1946–1982)
Canberra PR.9XH130 of No. 13 (Photographic Reconnaissance) Squadron in 1964
During the 1956 Suez Crisis, the squadron flew reconnaissance flights over Syria from Cyprus, which resulted in one Canberra being shot down by the Syrian Air Force.[10]
In 1978, the squadron moved to RAF Wyton near Huntingdon in the UK, flying Canberra PR.7 and PR.9s, built by Short Brothers, until the unit disbanded on 1 January 1982.[7]
Panavia Tornado (1990–2011)
RAF Honington & Gulf War (1990–1994)
The squadron reformed at RAF Honington on 1 January 1990 equipped with reconnaissance Tornado GR.1A aircraft. These aircraft were equipped with the new and somewhat embryonic reconnaissance equipment designed to exploit the night, all-weather capability of the Tornado by using a unique system of infra-red sensors and video recorders. The complete system is carried and allows the Navigator to either view the imagery in real time or later in the mission. As the Allied Coalition began to deploy forces to the Gulf in the latter part of 1990, it quickly became apparent that the unique night reconnaissance capability of the Tornado GR.1A could provide vital intelligence to the Allied commanders. As a result, on 15/16 January 1991, immediately before hostilities commenced, 6 aircraft were deployed to Saudi Arabia. During the first nights of the War, the Reconnaissance Wing successfully discovered several of the elusive Scud sites.[11]
The majority of sorties were however, tasked into Central and Eastern Iraq to identify the disposition of the various Iraqi ground forces in preparation for the ground offensive. Although the rest of the Coalition Air Forces moved to medium level operations after the first few nights of the air war, the GR.1As operated at night and at low-level for the duration of the conflict. The Squadron was also fundamental to the success of the Tornado/TIALD (Thermal Imaging And Laser Designation) combination. 4 XIII Squadron crews began the work-up from mid-January and, after encouraging results, four aircraft flew to Tabuk.[12]
After the war, the Squadron continued its peacetime training role at RAF Honington as well as taking part in Operation Jural, the monitoring of a No-Fly Zone in the South of Iraq below the 32nd parallel north.[13]
RAF Marham (1994–2011)
Tornado GR.4A ZG712 of No. 13 Squadron as seen at the 2007 CIAF air show in the Czech Republic
On 1 February 1994, No. XIII Squadron moved to RAF Marham. Since that time, the Squadron has taken part in a number of successful exercises around the world from Yuma in America to Penang, Malaysia. Deployments to operational theatres have continued to be a major feature of the squadron's life having deployed on Operation Warden and Operation Bolton to monitor both the Northern and Southern No-Fly Zones in Iraq. XIII Squadron crews joined the Ali Al Salem Combat Air Wing (Composite RAF Squadron formed from the Tornado GR4 Force for Gulf War 2) in early 2003 and flew Scud Hunting missions in the Western Desert of Iraq during the Iraq War of 2003. The squadron also flew the last sortie by a Tornado in support of Operation Telic in 2009.[4]
At the disbandment parade of XIII (Tornado) Squadron in May 2011, the Chief of the Air Staff announced the formation of a second unit operating the MQ-9 Reaper RPAS, which would receive the XIII Squadron numberplate. XIII (Reaper) Squadron was reformed on 26 October 2012 at RAF Waddington.[14][15] Subsequently, the Squadron flew the first remote operational mission from UK soil towards the end of April 2013[16] and conducted its first remote weapons strike a few days later.[17]
The squadron will re-equip with Protector RG Mk1 when that comes into service around 2024.[18]
A selection of aircraft operated by No. 13 Squadron
Lysander of No. 13 Squadron provides aiming practice for members of the Home Guard at the Western Command Weapons Training School, Altcar, Lancashire, September 1940.
Fitters, armourers and mechanics of No. 13 Squadron prepare Bristol Blenheim Mark VD C for a sortie at Canrobert, Algeria during the Second World War.
Martin Baltimore Mk V, FW332 'R' "Redwing", of No. 13 Squadron, taxies out for a night sortie over the Gothic Line at Cecina, Italy during the Second World War.
Halley, J.J., The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988, 1988, Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd, ISBN0-85130-164-9
Jefford, C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN1-85310-053-6.
^ abc"No.13 Squadron". National Cold War Exhibition. Royal Air Force Museum. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
^"No 13 Squadron". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
^Nicolle, David; Nordeen, Lon (1996). Phoenix over the Nile: a history of Egyptian air power, 1932-1994. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. p. 346. ISBN978-1560986263.
