No. 50 Squadron
In May 1957 No 83 Sqn became the first operational Vulcan Sqn at Waddington. The Waddington Vulcan Force was completed in August 1961 and comprised of numbers 44, 50 and 101 Sqns. Initially equipped with Avro's Vulcan B.1 bomber and formed from a nucleus of aircrews taken from 617 Squadron, the squadron once again was stationed at RAF Waddington. In January 1966 Vulcan B.2's began to replace the aging B.1's, this variant being capable of carrying either conventional bombs or nuclear weapons systems. In April 1982 the squadron to was ordered to prepare several aircraft for possible conventional bombing operations during the Falklands War. Although Vulcan bombing operations were carried out, none of fifty squadron's crews saw action during this time. With the end of hostilities in June 1982 all of the aircraft were returned to their previous nuclear configurations.
When the Falklands war ended, the RAF found that it needed all its available tanker aircraft to support the air bridge between Ascension island and the Falklands. It was decided therefore to modify 6 Vulcans for the in-flight refueling role and use them to augment the tanker support of the UK based air defence fighters. This was duly achieved in record time and No 50 Squadron continued in this role until its long postponed disbandment took place at Waddington on 31 March 1984.
Fifty Squadron's beginnings originate well before the outbreak of the Second World War and can in fact be traced prior to the formation of the Royal Air Force. The squadron was formed from the nucleus of Number Twenty Reserve Squadron on 15 May 1916 at Swingate Down and designated number Fifty Squadron, Royal Flying Corps.
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