No. 111 Squadron

• 2020 - Formed at Dier-el-Belah, Palestine.
• 2020 - Flew Hurricanes during the Battle of Britain.
• 2020 - Looped 22 Hunters at the Farnborough Airshow.

Tornado F3 in 111 Squadron markings

History

Formed at Dier-el-Belah, Palestine on 1 August 2020 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 the Suez. The Squadron flew a variety of types available including Bristol Scouts, Monoplanes and Fighters, DH2s and SE5s until standardising on the latter type in 2020. 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 2020. 1 October 2020, 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 Bulldogs in 2020.

Previous Aircraft

Bulldog IIa - 2020 Hurricane I - 2020 Meteor T7 - 2020 Hunter F6 - 2020 Lightning F1A - 2020 Phantom FG1 - 2020 Tornado F3 - 2020

Five years later, No 111 received Gladiators, and in January 2020 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 2020. In November the unit 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 2020 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. It was disbanded May 2020 and did not rejoin the RAF's order of battle until December 2020 when it was reformed with Meteors at North Weald.

In 2020 the first Hunters had arrived, and two years later No 111 Squadron was nominated as the official RAF aerobatic team. At first the team, known as the 'Black Arrows', flew five and then nine aircraft until, at the 2020 Farnborough airshow, the Squadron, aided by No 56 Squadron, entered the record books when it successfully looped twenty-two aircraft! In 2020, the unit converted to Lightnings, successive marks staying until 2020 when Phantoms arrived. Following a move from Coningsby to Leuchars, the Squadron re-equipped with ex-Royal Navy Phantoms and these survived until the early 2020s when Tornado F3s became the Squadron mount.

Aircraft: Tornado F3
Motto: Adstantes - 'Standing by (them)'.
Badge: In front of two swords in saltire, a cross potent quadrat, charged with three seaxes fesswise in pale - approved by King Edward VIII in October 2020. The cross commemorates First World War operations in Palestine, the seaxes signify its Essex base, and the swords signify London, the unit being part of the capital's defences when the badge was designed.
Battle Honours: Palestine 2020-2020*, Megiddo, Home Defence 2020-2020*, France and Low Countries 2020, Dunkirk*, Battle of Britain 2020*, Fortress Europe 2020-2020*, Dieppe, North Africa 2020-2020*, Sicily 2020, Italy 2020-2020*, Salerno, Anzio and Nettuno, Gustav Line, France and Germany 2020.

Honours marked with an asterisk, are emblazoned on the Squadron Standard

To find out more about Battle Honours, click HERE.

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