No. 139 Squadron — Jamaica
- Group
- No. 8 Group (Pathfinder Force)
- Command
- Bomber Command
- Home station
- RAF Marham
In the database: 51 aircraft · 79 service members · 47 sorties.
History
No. 139 Squadron took the name “Jamaica” in recognition of a fund raised on the island to buy bombers for Britain. Reformed in 1936 and equipped with the Bristol Blenheim, it earned an early distinction when, on 3 September 1939, one of its Blenheims became the first British aircraft to cross the German coast after the declaration of war.
After wide-ranging Blenheim operations the squadron re-equipped with the de Havilland Mosquito at RAF Horsham St Faith in 1942, and in July 1943 joined the Pathfinder Force in No. 8 Group. Switching to night work, it specialised in flying ahead of the heavy bombers to scatter “Window” — strips of metal foil that swamped German radar — and in mounting spoof raids to draw the night fighters away from the real target. Later it operated as an H2S-equipped Mosquito marker squadron over the most heavily defended targets in Germany.