No. 3 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No 3 Squadron of the Royal Air Force
operates the Typhoon F2, FGR4
and T3 from RAF Coningsby
, Lincolnshire
.
No 3 (F) Squadron, which celebrated its 95th anniversary over the weekend of 11-13 May 2007, is unique in the RAF for having two official crests.
The main crest is the cockatrice
on a monolith ('chicken on a brick'). Then there is the ground crew (Aircraft Engineers) crest having three vertical monoliths and two 'capping' monoliths ('The Wickets'), representing the association of Larkhill with Stonehenge
.
The reasons for this distinction are hotly debated.
) was formed at Larkhill
on 13 May 1912 from No 2 Company of the Air Battalion Royal Engineers
under the command of Major HRM Brooke-Popham. No 3 Squadron was actually the first squadron to receive heavier than air flying machines, hence the motto Tertius primus erit, meaning "The third shall be the first". In 1913, No 3 Squadron deployed to Halton
in Buckinghamshire
to support the land manoeuvres of the Household Division
. A temporary airfield was set up on what later became RAF Halton
's Maitland Parade Square. During the exercise, No 3 Squadron flew a number of reconnaissance sorties and staged the first confrontation between an airship
and an aeroplane.
Sent to France on the outbreak of the Great War First World War
, the squadron initially operated in the reconnaissance role using a variety of aircraft types. The English ace James McCudden
served as a mechanic and later observer with 3 Squadron from June 1913 to January 1916 before leaving to become a pilot. Cecil Lewis
, author of Sagittarius Rising flew Morane Parasols with No 3 Squadron during the Somme offensive in the summer of 1916. Later in October 1917, with the introduction of Sopwith Camel
s, a fighter/scout role was taken on, with 59 enemy aircraft being claimed by the end of the war. The squadron disbanded in October 1919.
There were nine flying aces among its ranks, including Douglas John Bell
, George R. Riley
, Will Hubbard
, Adrian Franklyn
, Hazel LeRoy Wallace, Lloyd Hamilton
, David Hughes
, Neil Smuts
,
and William H Maxted
s, being disbanded again in October 1921. It was immediately reformed at RAF Station Leuchars, Scotland, as a naval observation squadron equipped with the Airco DH.9A
, receiving the Westland Walrus
and Avro Bison
before being disbanded to form two independent flights in April 1923.
It reformed as a fighter squadron with Snipes in April 1924, operating a succession of different types, based in the UK. The only highlight of these years was the 1935 deployment to the Sudan
during the Italian invasion of Abyssinia
.
No 3 Squadron was posted as part of Fighter Command
to RAF Station Biggin Hill
equipped with the Hawker Hurricane
. It briefly deployed to France in support of the British Expeditionary Force
following the German attack on the West
in 1940, being forced to withdraw after 10 days, having claimed 60 German aircraft for the loss of 21 of its own.
On 21 July 1940 "B" flight was detached to form the nucleus of the newly formed No. 232 Squadron. Once back up to strength, No. 3 Squadron was used as air defence for the Royal Naval base at Scapa Flow
, remaining in Scotland until April 1941, based at RAF Station Wick
in Northern Scotland.
The squadron then co-operated with "Turbinlite
" seachlight equipped Douglas Havocs in the night fighter role.
In February 1943 it re-equipped with the Hawker Typhoon
for fighter-bomber and anti-shipping strikes. It re-equipped in March 1944 with the new Hawker Tempest
fighter, operating over the Normandy beach-head and against German V1 flying bombs
, claiming 288 V-1s shot down.
It then deployed across the Channel, flying as part of the 2 TAF
fighting through the low countries and into Germany. Amongst its pilots was F/L Pierre Clostermann
, who flew with 3 Squadron from March 1945 until the end of the war in Europe.
during 1948, in Germany, where it had remained after moving there in the latter stages of the war. Sabres and Hunters
replaced the Vampires during the 1950s, followed by Gloster Javelin
s and then a conversion onto Canberra
bombers. Most of its time with Canberras was spent at RAF Geilenkirchen
moving to RAF Laarbruch
in January 1968.
3 Sqn's association with the Harrier began in the early 1970s with the Harrier GR1. The squadron received the later GR3 and GR5 model Harriers successively at RAF Station Gütersloh, finally receiving the GR7 and relocating to RAF Station Laarbruch in the 1992. In 1999, with the drawdown of the RAF in Germany, the Squadron moved back to the UK along with its sister squadron No IV (AC) Squadron RAF. The two squadrons operated at RAF Station Cottesmore, being joined by the other Harrier operator, No 1 Squadron RAF, in 2001.
As part of Joint Force Harrier
, 3 Squadron operated alongside the Fleet Air Arm
Sea Harriers
, and was capable of deployment from the Royal Navy
aircraft carriers. Operations included Operation Allied Force
over Kosovo
in 1999, Operation Palliser
over Sierra Leone
in 2000 and Operation Telic
over Iraq in 2003. In August 2004, it was announced that 6 Harriers would be deployed to Afghanistan in support of NATO forces.
Its Harrier GR7s were passed to the Fleet Air Arm
to be used by the recommissioned No 800 Naval Air Squadron when 3 Squadron re-equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon
. It became the first operational front line RAF Typhoon squadron on 31 March 2006 and was declared operational in 2007.
In March 2011 3 Squadron deployed to Southern Italy to take part in Operation Ellamy
over Libya following UN Security Council Resolution 1973
.
|-
| width="33%" valign="top" |
{| class="wikitable"
! style="text-align: left;"|Date appointed
! style="text-align: left;"|Name
|-
| 20 May 1912
| Major H R M Brooke-Popham
|-
| 12 Aug 1914
| Major J M Salmond
|-
| April 1915
| Major D S Lewis
|-
| 1 November 1915
| Major E R Ludlow-Hewitt
|-
| January 1916
| Major H D Harvey-Kelly
|-
| September 1916
| Major D E Stodart
|-
| May 1917
| Major E D Horsfall
|-
| June 1917
| Major J A De Courcy
|-
| September 1917
| Major R Raymond-Barker
|-
| April 1918
| Major R St Clair-McClintock
|-
| December 1920
| Squadron Leader
G G A Williams
|-
|}
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
operates the Typhoon F2, FGR4
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
and T3 from RAF Coningsby
RAF Coningsby
RAF Coningsby , is a Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England. It has been commanded by Group Captain Martin Sampson since 10 December 2010.-Operational units:...
, Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
.
No 3 (F) Squadron, which celebrated its 95th anniversary over the weekend of 11-13 May 2007, is unique in the RAF for having two official crests.
The main crest is the cockatrice
Cockatrice
A cockatrice is a legendary creature, essentially a two-legged dragon with a rooster's head. "An ornament in the drama and poetry of the Elizabethans", Laurence Breiner described it...
on a monolith ('chicken on a brick'). Then there is the ground crew (Aircraft Engineers) crest having three vertical monoliths and two 'capping' monoliths ('The Wickets'), representing the association of Larkhill with Stonehenge
Stonehenge
Stonehenge is a prehistoric monument located in the English county of Wiltshire, about west of Amesbury and north of Salisbury. One of the most famous sites in the world, Stonehenge is composed of a circular setting of large standing stones set within earthworks...
.
The reasons for this distinction are hotly debated.
Foundation and First World War
No 3 Squadron (Royal Flying CorpsRoyal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
) was formed at Larkhill
Larkhill
Larkhill is a garrison town in the civil parish of Durrington, Wiltshire, England. It is a short distance west of Durrington village proper and north of the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge. It is about north of Salisbury....
on 13 May 1912 from No 2 Company of the Air Battalion Royal Engineers
Air Battalion Royal Engineers
The Air Battalion Royal Engineers was the first flying unit of the British Armed Forces to make use of heavier-than-air craft. It evolved into the Royal Flying Corps which in turn evolved into the Royal Air Force.-Establishment:...
under the command of Major HRM Brooke-Popham. No 3 Squadron was actually the first squadron to receive heavier than air flying machines, hence the motto Tertius primus erit, meaning "The third shall be the first". In 1913, No 3 Squadron deployed to Halton
Halton, Buckinghamshire
Halton is a small village and is also a civil parish within Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England about 2 miles from Wendover and 5 miles from Aylesbury. It lies just outside the Metropolitan Green Belt so it has not been protected from postwar housing development...
in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
to support the land manoeuvres of the Household Division
Household Division
Household Division is a term used principally in the Commonwealth of Nations to describe a country’s most elite or historically senior military units, or those military units that provide ceremonial or protective functions associated directly with the head of state.-Historical Development:In...
. A temporary airfield was set up on what later became RAF Halton
RAF Halton
RAF Halton is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Halton.-History:...
's Maitland Parade Square. During the exercise, No 3 Squadron flew a number of reconnaissance sorties and staged the first confrontation between an airship
Airship
An airship or dirigible is a type of aerostat or "lighter-than-air aircraft" that can be steered and propelled through the air using rudders and propellers or other thrust mechanisms...
and an aeroplane.
Sent to France on the outbreak of the Great War First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the squadron initially operated in the reconnaissance role using a variety of aircraft types. The English ace James McCudden
James McCudden
James Thomas Byford McCudden VC, DSO & Bar, MC & Bar, MM was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for valour in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces...
served as a mechanic and later observer with 3 Squadron from June 1913 to January 1916 before leaving to become a pilot. Cecil Lewis
Cecil Lewis
Cecil Arthur Lewis MC was a British fighter pilot who flew in World War I. He went on to co-found the BBC and enjoy a long career as a writer....
, author of Sagittarius Rising flew Morane Parasols with No 3 Squadron during the Somme offensive in the summer of 1916. Later in October 1917, with the introduction of Sopwith Camel
Sopwith Camel
The Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
s, a fighter/scout role was taken on, with 59 enemy aircraft being claimed by the end of the war. The squadron disbanded in October 1919.
There were nine flying aces among its ranks, including Douglas John Bell
Douglas John Bell
Captain Douglas John Bell was a World War I fighter ace credited with 20 aerial victories. He was one of the first fighter pilots to successfully engage an enemy multi-engine bomber. He became the leading ace of the nine in No. 3 Squadron RAF....
, George R. Riley
George R. Riley
Lieutenant George Raby Riley was a World War I flying ace credited with thirteen aerial victories. He was an ace balloon buster, as well as an ace over enemy aircraft....
, Will Hubbard
Will Hubbard
Captain Will Hubbard was a World War I flying ace credited with ten aerial victories.Among the aces with whom he cooperated in scoring his victories were William Tipton, Douglas John Bell, Lloyd Hamilton, and Adrian Franklyn.-Honors and awards:...
, Adrian Franklyn
Adrian Franklyn
Lieutenant Adrian Winfrid Franklyn was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories, including a Fokker DR1 triplane and a Fokker DVII - the best aircraft used in the First World War....
, Hazel LeRoy Wallace, Lloyd Hamilton
Lloyd Hamilton (aviator)
First Lieutenant Lloyd Andrews Hamilton was a World War I flying ace credited with ten aerial victories. During five months of 1918 he became an ace with the Royal Flying Corps and then again with the United States Air Service...
, David Hughes
David Hughes (aviator)
Captain David James Hughes was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.When Hughes completed pilot's training, he became an instructor for a while. He was then assigned to 3 Squadron to operate a Sopwith Camel...
, Neil Smuts
Neil Smuts
Captain Neil Ritz Smuts was a World War I flying ace credited with five aerial victories.Smuts was credited with an Albatros D.V and four Fokker D.VIIs driven down out of control from 6 April 1918 until 4 October 1918.-References:Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units...
,
and William H Maxted
Inter War
It reformed in India in 1920 as a fighter squadron equipped with Sopwith SnipeSopwith Snipe
The Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force . It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War, and came into squadron service a few weeks before the end of that conflict, in late 1918.The Snipe was not a fast aircraft...
s, being disbanded again in October 1921. It was immediately reformed at RAF Station Leuchars, Scotland, as a naval observation squadron equipped with the Airco DH.9A
Airco DH.9A
The Airco DH.9A was a British light bomber designed and first used shortly before the end of the First World War. Colloquially known as the "Ninak" , it served on in large numbers for the Royal Air Force following the end of the war, both at home and overseas, where it was used for colonial...
, receiving the Westland Walrus
Westland Walrus
|-References:...
and Avro Bison
Avro Bison
-See also:...
before being disbanded to form two independent flights in April 1923.
It reformed as a fighter squadron with Snipes in April 1924, operating a succession of different types, based in the UK. The only highlight of these years was the 1935 deployment to the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
during the Italian invasion of Abyssinia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
.
Second World War
At the start of the Second World WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
No 3 Squadron was posted as part of Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command
RAF Fighter Command was one of three functional commands of the Royal Air Force. It was formed in 1936 to allow more specialised control of fighter aircraft. It served throughout the Second World War, gaining recognition in the Battle of Britain. The Command continued until 17 November 1943, when...
to RAF Station Biggin Hill
London Biggin Hill Airport
London Biggin Hill Airport is an airport at Biggin Hill in the London Borough of Bromley, located south southeast of Central London, United Kingdom...
equipped with the Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
. It briefly deployed to France in support of the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
following the German attack on the West
Battle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
in 1940, being forced to withdraw after 10 days, having claimed 60 German aircraft for the loss of 21 of its own.
On 21 July 1940 "B" flight was detached to form the nucleus of the newly formed No. 232 Squadron. Once back up to strength, No. 3 Squadron was used as air defence for the Royal Naval base at Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
, remaining in Scotland until April 1941, based at RAF Station Wick
Wick Airport
Wick Airport is located north of the town of Wick in Caithness at the north-eastern extremity of the mainland of Scotland. It is owned and maintained by Highlands and Islands Airports Limited....
in Northern Scotland.
The squadron then co-operated with "Turbinlite
Turbinlite
The Helmore/GEC Turbinlite was a 2,700 million candela searchlight fitted in the nose of a number of British Douglas Havoc night fighters during the early part of the Second World War and around the time of The Blitz....
" seachlight equipped Douglas Havocs in the night fighter role.
In February 1943 it re-equipped with the Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
for fighter-bomber and anti-shipping strikes. It re-equipped in March 1944 with the new Hawker Tempest
Hawker Tempest
The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....
fighter, operating over the Normandy beach-head and against German V1 flying bombs
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
, claiming 288 V-1s shot down.
It then deployed across the Channel, flying as part of the 2 TAF
RAF Second Tactical Air Force
The former RAF Second Tactical Air Force was one of three tactical air forces within the Royal Air Force during and after the Second World War...
fighting through the low countries and into Germany. Amongst its pilots was F/L Pierre Clostermann
Pierre Clostermann
Pierre Clostermann was a French flying ace, author, engineer, politician and sporting fisherman. Over his flying career he was awarded the Grand-Croix of the French Légion d'Honneur, French Croix de Guerre, British DFC and bar, Distinguished Service Cross , Silver Star , and the Air Medal .-Early...
, who flew with 3 Squadron from March 1945 until the end of the war in Europe.
Post War
The squadron moved onto jets with the De Havilland VampireDe Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
during 1948, in Germany, where it had remained after moving there in the latter stages of the war. Sabres and Hunters
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
replaced the Vampires during the 1950s, followed by Gloster Javelin
Gloster Javelin
The Gloster Javelin was an "all-weather" interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s...
s and then a conversion onto Canberra
English Electric Canberra
The English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
bombers. Most of its time with Canberras was spent at RAF Geilenkirchen
RAF Geilenkirchen
The former Royal Air Force Station Geilenkirchen, more commonly known as RAF Geilenkirchen, was a Royal Air Force military air field in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany, built by the British who used the facility mainly as an airfield for RAF fighter squadrons from May 1953 until 21...
moving to RAF Laarbruch
RAF Laarbruch
The former Royal Air Force Station Laarbruch, more commonly known as RAF Laarbruch ICAO EDUL was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, located in Germany on its border with the Netherlands...
in January 1968.
3 Sqn's association with the Harrier began in the early 1970s with the Harrier GR1. The squadron received the later GR3 and GR5 model Harriers successively at RAF Station Gütersloh, finally receiving the GR7 and relocating to RAF Station Laarbruch in the 1992. In 1999, with the drawdown of the RAF in Germany, the Squadron moved back to the UK along with its sister squadron No IV (AC) Squadron RAF. The two squadrons operated at RAF Station Cottesmore, being joined by the other Harrier operator, No 1 Squadron RAF, in 2001.
As part of Joint Force Harrier
Joint Force Harrier
Joint Strike Wing, previously known as Joint Force Harrier, was the British military formation which controlled the STOVL Harrier aircraft of the Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm...
, 3 Squadron operated alongside the Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
Sea Harriers
BAE Sea Harrier
The British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a naval VTOL/STOVL jet fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft, a development of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier. It first entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980 as the Sea Harrier FRS1 and became informally known as the "Shar"...
, and was capable of deployment from the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
aircraft carriers. Operations included Operation Allied Force
Operation Allied Force
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
over Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
in 1999, Operation Palliser
Operation Palliser
Operation Palliser was a British Armed forces operation in Sierra Leone in 2000 under the command of Brigadier David Richards.Initially, its scope was limited to evacuation of non-combatants only....
over Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
in 2000 and Operation Telic
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
over Iraq in 2003. In August 2004, it was announced that 6 Harriers would be deployed to Afghanistan in support of NATO forces.
Its Harrier GR7s were passed to the Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
to be used by the recommissioned No 800 Naval Air Squadron when 3 Squadron re-equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole combat aircraft, designed and built by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986...
. It became the first operational front line RAF Typhoon squadron on 31 March 2006 and was declared operational in 2007.
In March 2011 3 Squadron deployed to Southern Italy to take part in Operation Ellamy
Operation Ellamy
Operation Ellamy was the codename for the United Kingdom participation in the 2011 military intervention in Libya. The operation was part of an international coalition aimed at enforcing a Libyan no-fly zone in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973 which stipulated...
over Libya following UN Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, on the situation in Libya, is a measure that was adopted on 17 March 2011. The Security Council resolution was proposed by France, Lebanon, and the United Kingdom....
.
Aircraft operated
- Sopwith CamelSopwith CamelThe Sopwith Camel was a British First World War single-seat biplane fighter introduced on the Western Front in 1917. Manufactured by Sopwith Aviation Company, it had a short-coupled fuselage, heavy, powerful rotary engine, and concentrated fire from twin synchronized machine guns. Though difficult...
September 1917-February 1919 - Sopwith SnipeSopwith SnipeThe Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a British single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force . It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the First World War, and came into squadron service a few weeks before the end of that conflict, in late 1918.The Snipe was not a fast aircraft...
April 1920-October 1921; April 1924-October 1925 - Airco DH.9AAirco DH.9AThe Airco DH.9A was a British light bomber designed and first used shortly before the end of the First World War. Colloquially known as the "Ninak" , it served on in large numbers for the Royal Air Force following the end of the war, both at home and overseas, where it was used for colonial...
October 1921-October 1922 - Westland WalrusWestland Walrus|-References:...
January 1922-April 1923 - Hawker Woodcock IIHawker Woodcock-See also:-Bibliography:* Jackson, A.J. British Civil Aircraft since 1919, Volume 1, 2nd Edition. London: Putnam, 1973. ISBN 0-370-10006-9.* Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1992. ISBN 1-55750-082-7.* Mason, Francis K. Hawker Aircraft...
July 1925-September 1928 - Gloster Gamecock IGloster Gamecock|-See also:-Bibliography:* Green, William and Swanborough, Gordon. "The Era-Ending Gamecock". Air Enthusiast, Number 21, April-July 1983.Bromley, Kent:Pilot Press. p. 1-8, 58-62. ISSN 0143-5450....
August 1928-July 1929 - Bristol Bulldog IIBristol Bulldog|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Andrews, C.F. The Bristol Bulldog . Leatherhead, Surrey, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1965.* Barnes, C.H. Bristol Aircraft Since 1910. London: Putnam, 1964....
May 1929-December 1932 - Bristol Bulldog IIA February 1931-January 1932; December 1932-June 1937
- Gloster Gladiator IGloster GladiatorThe Gloster Gladiator was a British-built biplane fighter. It was used by the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy and was exported to a number of other air forces during the late 1930s. It was the RAF's last biplane fighter aircraft and was rendered obsolete by newer monoplane designs even as it...
March 1937-March 1939; July 1938-July 1939 - Hawker Hurricane IHawker HurricaneThe Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
March–July 1938; July 1939-April 1941 - Hawker Hurricane IIA/IIB April–November 1941
- Hawker Hurricane IIC April 1941-May 1943
- Hawker Typhoon IBHawker TyphoonThe Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
February 1943-April 1944 - Hawker Tempest VHawker TempestThe Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....
February 1944-April 1948 - De Havilland Vampire F.1De Havilland VampireThe de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
April 1948-May 1949 - De Havilland Vampire FB.5 May 1949-May 1953
- North American Sabre F.1/F.4F-86 SabreThe North American F-86 Sabre was a transonic jet fighter aircraft. Produced by North American Aviation, the Sabre is best known as America's first swept wing fighter which could counter the similarly-winged Soviet MiG-15 in high speed dogfights over the skies of the Korean War...
May 1953-June 1956 - Hawker Hunter F.4Hawker HunterThe Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
May 1956-June 1957 - Gloster Javelin FAW.4Gloster JavelinThe Gloster Javelin was an "all-weather" interceptor aircraft that served with Britain's Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and most of the 1960s...
January 1959-December 1960 - English Electric Canberra B(I).8English Electric CanberraThe English Electric Canberra is a first-generation jet-powered light bomber manufactured in large numbers through the 1950s. The Canberra could fly at a higher altitude than any other bomber through the 1950s and set a world altitude record of 70,310 ft in 1957...
January 1961-January 1972 - Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1A, T.2 January 1972-March 1977
- Harrier GR.3, T.4 March 1977-May 1989
- BAE Harrier GR.5, T4RAF Harrier IIThe British Aerospace/McDonnell Douglas Harrier II is a second-generation vertical/short takeoff and landing jet aircraft used previously by the Royal Air Force and, between 2006–2010, the Royal Navy. Derived from the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, which was a development of the Hawker...
May 1989-February 1992 - BAE Harrier GR7, T10 February 1992- March 31st 2006
- BAE Harrier GR7A 2004-March 31st 2006
- Eurofighter Typhoon F2 1st April 2006-present
- Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4 June 2011 - present
- Eurofighter Typhoon T3 June 2011 - present
Commanders
{||-
| width="33%" valign="top" |
{| class="wikitable"
! style="text-align: left;"|Date appointed
! style="text-align: left;"|Name
|-
| 20 May 1912
| Major H R M Brooke-Popham
Robert Brooke-Popham
Air Chief Marshal Sir Henry Robert Moore Brooke-Popham, GCVO, KCB, CMG, DSO, AFC, was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force. During World War I he served in the Royal Flying Corps as wing commander and senior staff officer...
|-
| 12 Aug 1914
| Major J M Salmond
John Salmond
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Maitland Salmond, GCB, CMG, CVO, DSO and Bar was a British military officer who rose to high rank in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I...
|-
| April 1915
| Major D S Lewis
|-
| 1 November 1915
| Major E R Ludlow-Hewitt
Edgar Ludlow-Hewitt
Air Chief Marshal Sir Edgar Rainey Ludlow-Hewitt GCB, GBE, CMG, DSO, MC, DL was a senior Royal Air Force commander.-World War I:...
|-
| January 1916
| Major H D Harvey-Kelly
H.D. Harvey-Kelly
Major Hubert Dunsterville Harvey-Kelly was a World War I pilot who was credited with being the first RFC pilot to land in France in the war, and of being the first RFC pilot to down an enemy aircraft....
|-
| September 1916
| Major D E Stodart
|-
| May 1917
| Major E D Horsfall
|-
| June 1917
| Major J A De Courcy
|-
| September 1917
| Major R Raymond-Barker
Richard Raymond-Barker
Major Richard Raymond-Barker was a World War I flying ace credited with six aerial victories. He became Manfred von Richthofen's penultimate victim.-Early service:...
|-
| April 1918
| Major R St Clair-McClintock
|-
| December 1920
| Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
G G A Williams
|-
|}