42 Anti-Aircraft Brigade was raised in Glasgow in October 1938. It served in Anti-Aircraft Command for its entire time and was based in Scotland. 42 Anti-Aircraft Brigade was disbanded in Edinburgh in February 1944.
Illustrations of the formation badges under which a unit served or supported are given. This is no guarantee that the unit used this formations badge.
| Oct 38 | Raised Glasgow |  | 3 Anti-Aircraft Division |
| Mar 40 | Scapa Flow | | 3 Anti-Aircraft Division |
| Nov 40 | Glasgow |  | 12 Anti-Aircraft Division |
| Oct 42 | Glasgow |  | 6 Anti-Aircraft Group |
| Feb 44 | Disbanded Edinburgh | | |
Order of Battle 1939
| 74 (City of Glasgow) Anti-Aircraft Regiment (230, 231, 232 Batteries) |
| 83 (Blythswood) Anti-Aircraft Regiment (257, 258, 259 Batteries) |
| 100 Anti-Aircraft Regiment (304, 305 Batteries) |
Order of Battle 1940-41
| 73 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (209, 210, 311 Batteries) – Joined May 1941 |
| 83 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (257, 258, 259 Batteries) – Left Summer 1941 |
| 100 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (304, 305, 321, 406 Batteries) |
| 111 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (347, 355, 256, 389 Batteries) – Left June 1941 |
| 123 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (402, 403, 404, 417 Batteries) – Formed February 1941 |
| 18 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (56, 99, 139, 252 Batteries) – Left May 1941 |
| 60 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (180, 181, 187 Batteries) – Left May 1941 |
Order of Battle September 1941-42
| 59 (Essex Regiment) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (164, 167, 265, 429 Batteries) – Left December 1941 |
| 60 (City of London) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (168, 169, 206, 359 Batteries) – Left May 1942 |
| 100 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (304, 305, 321, 406 Batteries) – Left May 1942 |
| 123 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (402, 403, 404, 417 Batteries) – Left May 1942 |
| 126 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (423, 425, 426 Batteries) – Formed July 1941 |
| 130 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (442, 443, 448, 449 (M) Batteries) – Formed August 1941 |
| 155 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (525, 528, 531, 537 (M) Batteries) – Joined August 1942 |
| 170 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (528, 547, 554, 567, 568 (M) Batteries) – Formed August 1942 |
| 3 AA Z Regiment (103, 107, 115, 118, 191 Batteries) – Left May 1942 |
| 11 AA Z Regiment (134, 136, 146, 147 Batteries) |
Order of Battle 1942-44
| 86 (Honourable Artillery Company) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (273, 274, 383 Batteries) – Joined November 1942 left February 1943 |
| 130 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (442, 443, 448, 449 (M) Batteries) – Left Summer 1943 |
| 135 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (466, 467, 473, 491 (M) Batteries) – Joined Summer 1943 |
| 147 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (423, 425, 426 Batteries) – Left November 1942 |
| 158 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (540, 541, 548, 572 (M) Batteries) – Joined November 1943 |
| 170 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (528, 554, 567, 568 (M) Batteries) – Left April 1943 |
| 180 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (547, 586, 609, 613 (M) Batteries) – Left November 1943 |
| 188 (Mixed) Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment (630, 631 (M) Batteries) – Left May 1943 |
| 81 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (199, 261, 307 Batteries) – Joined November 1943 |
| 57 (8 Cameronians(Scottish Rifles)) Searchlight Regiment (420, 421, 422, 423 Batteries) – Joined November left December 1942 |
| 11 AA Z Regiment (107, 115, 134, 136, 146, 147, 224 Batteries) |
