| No. 111 Squadron |
Squadron badge | | Information | | Role | Air Defence | | Aircraft Operated | Panavia Tornado F3 | | Home Station | RAF Leuchars | | Motto | Adstantes - "Standing by (them)". | | History | | Date Founded | August 1 1917 | | Badge | In front of two swords in saltire, a cross potent quadrat, charged with three seaxes fesswise in pale | | Notable Battle Honours | Palestine 1917-1918, Megiddo, Home Defence 1940-1942, France and Low Countries 1940, Dunkirk, Battle of Britain 1940, Fortress Europe 1941-1942, Dieppe, North Africa 1942-1943, Sicily 1943, Italy 1943-1945, Salerno, Anzio and Nettuno, Gustav Line, France and Germany 1944. |
No. 111 (Fighter) Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Panavia Tornado F3 from RAF Leuchars, Scotland.
History
No. 111 Squadron was formed at Dier-el-Belah, Palestine on 1 August 1917 as the first dedicated fighter squadron in the region. Its two main tasks were to restrict enemy reconnaissance flights and counter the increasing German fighter threat over Suez. The Squadron flew a variety of aircraft. As the tide of the War turned, the unit started ground-attack patrols and such was the pilot's skill, that the Squadron was able to turn the Turkish retreat into a rout. 'Treble One' withdrew to Egypt after the end of the War and was renumbered No. 14 Squadron in February 1920.
1 October 1923 saw 111 Squadron reform, this time at Duxford, but again with a variety of types namely Grebes, Snipes and Siskins, the latter eventually equipping the whole Squadron until the arrival of Bulldog in 1931. Five years later, No 111 received Gladiators, and in January 1938 the unit had the distinction of becoming the first Hurricane squadron. The Squadron flew as part of both Nos. 11 and 12 Groups during the Battle of Britain and replaced its Hurricanes with Spitfires in April 1942. In November the Squadron moved to Gibraltar in preparation for Operation Torch - the invasion of North Africa - where it supported the 1st Army through Algeria and Tunisia before moving to Malta in June 1943 to cover the invasion of Sicily. With the Allies advancing through Italy, No 111 moved with them, remaining there until after the cessation of hostilities when it moved to Austria.
The Squadron was again disbanded in May 1947 and did not rejoin the RAF's order of battle until it was reformed once more on 2 December 1953 at RAF North Weald, one of its old Battle of Britain bases, joining the jet age with Meteor F8s. These aircraft were replaced with Hunters in June 1955, with which the Squadron achieved international fame with their ‘Black Arrows’ aerobatic display team, flying a 22 aircraft formation loop. The Squadron moved to RAF Wattisham in 1964 and converted to the all-weather fighter, the Lightning. Ten years later, the Squadron re-equipped again, this time with the Phantom at RAF Coningsby, before moving north to Leuchars on 3 November 1975.
The last Phantom sortie was flown on 30 January 1990 after which No 111(F) Squadron re-equipped again, this time with the Tornado.
Current role Throughout its time at Leuchars the No 111(F) Squadron has been tasked with the maintenance of Quick Reaction Alert, which involves keeping aircraft at a high state of readiness to intercept, identify and, should it be necessary, destroy hostile aircraft approaching UK airspace. In recent years the Squadron has been involved in Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia, Operations Bolton and Resinate in the Middle East and regularly participates in major Air Defence exercises, both in the UK and abroad.
The squadron participated in Operation Telic where it formed part of the Tornado F3 Wing at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia.
RAF Tornado squadrons
GR4
GR4A
See also
Sources This article contains portions of information that originally came from a British Government website (http://www.leuchars.raf.mod.uk), and is subject to Crown copyright. The protected material may be reproduced free of charge subject to the material being reproduced accurately and not being used in a derogatory manner or in a misleading context. Where the material is being published or issued to others, the source and copyright status must be acknowledged. |
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