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No. 43 Squadron of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts....
 operates the Panavia Tornado
Panavia Tornado

The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine combat aircraft, which was jointly developed by the United Kingdom, West Germany and Italy. There are three primary Panavia Tornado variants of the Tornado; the Tornado IDS Ground attack aircraft, the electronic warfare Tornado ECR and the Panavia Tornado ADV Interceptor aircraft....
 F3 from RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars

RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews....
, Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
.

Squadron was formed at Stirling
Stirling

Stirling is a City status in the United Kingdom and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling .The city is clustered around a large Stirling Castle and medi?val old-town....
 on 15 April 1916, from No. 18 Reserve Squadron as a unit of the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts....
, equipped with various types, which it used for training until December 1916 when Sopwith 1½ Strutters
Sopwith 1½ Strutter

The Sopwith 1? Strutter was a United Kingdom one or two-seat biplane multi-role aircraft of the First World War. It is significant as the first British-designed two seater tractor configuration fighter, and the first British aircraft to enter service with a interrupter gear machine gun....
 arrived. These were taken to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)

Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Empire army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France....
 the following month, where it operated as an Army squadron carrying out fighter reconnaissance duties.






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No. 43 Squadron of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts....
 operates the Panavia Tornado
Panavia Tornado

The Panavia Tornado is a family of twin-engine combat aircraft, which was jointly developed by the United Kingdom, West Germany and Italy. There are three primary Panavia Tornado variants of the Tornado; the Tornado IDS Ground attack aircraft, the electronic warfare Tornado ECR and the Panavia Tornado ADV Interceptor aircraft....
 F3 from RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars

RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews....
, Scotland
Scotland

conventional_long_name = ScotlandAlba|common_name= Scotland|image_flag = Flag of Scotland.svg|flag_width = 130px...
.

History


In World War I

The Squadron was formed at Stirling
Stirling

Stirling is a City status in the United Kingdom and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling .The city is clustered around a large Stirling Castle and medi?val old-town....
 on 15 April 1916, from No. 18 Reserve Squadron as a unit of the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts....
, equipped with various types, which it used for training until December 1916 when Sopwith 1½ Strutters
Sopwith 1½ Strutter

The Sopwith 1? Strutter was a United Kingdom one or two-seat biplane multi-role aircraft of the First World War. It is significant as the first British-designed two seater tractor configuration fighter, and the first British aircraft to enter service with a interrupter gear machine gun....
 arrived. These were taken to the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)

Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Empire army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France....
 the following month, where it operated as an Army squadron carrying out fighter reconnaissance duties. In September 1917, Camels
Sopwith Camel

The Sopwith Camel was a British World War I single-seat fighter aircraft biplane, famous for its manoeuvrability....
 arrived and ground attack replaced the reconnaissance duties and the squadron continued in the vain until the end of the war. Snipes
Sopwith Snipe

The Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a United Kingdom single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force . It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the World War I....
 began to be received in August 1918 and conversion was completed in October but the Armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)

The armistice treaty between the Allies and German Empire was signed in a railway carriage in Compi?gne Forest on 11 November 1918, and marked the end of the World War I on the Western Front ....
 prevented these playing a major part in the conflict, instead they were taken to Germany for occupation duties until August 1919 when the squadron moved to RAF Spitalgate
RAF Spitalgate

RAF Spitalgate was a Royal Air Force base, located close to Grantham, Lincolnshire, England....
 where it disbanded on 31 December 1919.

Between the wars

The squadron was re-formed at RAF Henlow
RAF Henlow

RAF Henlow is a Royal Air Force station in Bedfordshire, England, equidistant from Bedford, Luton and Stevenage. It houses the Centre of Aviation Medicine, the RAF Signals museum and the 616 Volunteer Gliding Squadron....
 on 1 July 1925 (or 1 July 1923), again with Snipes
Sopwith Snipe

The Sopwith 7F.1 Snipe was a United Kingdom single-seat biplane fighter of the Royal Air Force . It was designed and built by the Sopwith Aviation Company during the World War I....
. In 1926 the Squadron converted to Gamecocks
Gloster Gamecock

The Gloster Gamecock was a biplane fighter aircraft of the Royal Air Force, a development of the Mk III Gloster Grebe, that first flew in February 1925....
, thus inspiring the Squadron badge and the nickname 'The Fighting Cocks'. The black and white checkered markings also date from this era. The Squadron flew Siskins
Armstrong Whitworth Siskin

The Armstrong Whitworth Siskin was a United Kingdom biplane single-seat fighter aircraft of the 1920s produced by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. The Siskin was one of the first Royal Air Force fighters designed after the World War I; it was noted for its Aerobatics qualities....
 from 1928 and received the first production Hawker Fury Mk.I
Hawker Fury

The Hawker Fury was a United Kingdom biplane fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force in the 1930s. It was originally named the Hornet and was the counterpart to the Hawker Hart light bomber....
 in May 1931.

In World War II

Prior to the outbreak of World War II the squadron re-equipped with Hurricanes
Hawker Hurricane

The Hawker Hurricane is a United Kingdom single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft. Some production of the Hurricane was carried out in Canada by the Canada Car and Foundry....
, it was with these aircraft that the squadron covered the Dunkirk
Battle of Dunkirk

The Battle of Dunkirk during the World War II was the defence and evacuation of British and Allied forces in Europe from May 26 to June 4, 1940....
 retreat and fought in the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain

The Battle of Britain is the name given to the sustained strategic effort by the Luftwaffe during the summer and autumn of 1940 to gain air superiority over the Royal Air Force , especially RAF Fighter Command....
. In November 1942, 43 Squadron moved to North Africa
North Africa

North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, separated by the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa.Geopolitically, the United Nations subregion of Northern Africa includes the following seven countries or territories:...
, now flying Spitfires
Supermarine Spitfire

The Supermarine Spitfire is a United Kingdom single-seat fighter aircraft used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allies of World War II countries through the Second World War and on into the 1950s as a frontline fighter and in secondary roles....
. The squadron ended the war in Austria
Austria

Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It borders both Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west....
 and was disbanded in 1947.

Entering the jet age

In February 1949 No. 266 Squadron
No. 266 Squadron RAF

No. 266 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force....
 was renumbered to No. 43 Squadron, now flying Gloster Meteors
Gloster Meteor

The Gloster Aircraft Company Meteor was the first United Kingdom jet aircraft Fighter aircraft and the Allies of World War II first operational jet aircraft....
 from RAF Tangmere
RAF Tangmere

RAF Tangmere was a Royal Air Force station famous for its role in the Battle of Britain, located at Tangmere village about 3 miles east of Chichester in West Sussex, England....
. The squadron moved to RAF Leuchars
RAF Leuchars

RAF Leuchars is the most northerly air defence station in the United Kingdom. It is located in Leuchars, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland, near to the university town of St Andrews....
 in 1950 and in 1954 began to receive the Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter

The Hawker Hunter was a jet fighter aircraft of the 1950s and 1960s. The Hunter served for many years with the Royal Air Force and was widely exported, serving with 19 air forces....
. During much of the 1960s the Squadron operated from Cyprus
Cyprus

Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is an island country situated in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, east of Greece, west of Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, south of Turkey and north of Egypt....
 and was disbanded on 7 November 1967. 43 Squadron reformed at Leuchars on 1 September 1969 with the McDonnell Douglas Phantom
F-4 Phantom II

The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a two-seat, twin-engined, all-weather, long-range supersonic interceptor jet fighter/fighter-bomber originally developed for the United States Navy by McDonnell Aircraft....
 which it flew until its replacement by the Tornado F.3 in September 1989.

Current role

With the F3 the squadron participated in the 1991 Gulf War
Gulf War

"Persian Gulf War" and "First Gulf War" redirect here. For other uses, see Persian Gulf War .The Persian Gulf War was a United Nations-authorized military conflict between Iraq and a Coalition of Gulf War from 34 nations commissioned with expelling Iraqi forces from Kuwait after Iraq's Invasion of Kuwait of Kuwait in August 1990....
 and maintained a presence in the Iraqi no-fly zones
Iraqi no-fly zones

The Iraqi no-fly zones are two separate no-fly zones , and were proclaimed by the United States, United Kingdom and France after the Gulf War to protect humanitarian operations in northern Iraq and Shiite Muslims in the south....
. 43 Sqn crew and personnel are tasked with the duty of QRA, both in Fife, and in the Falklands as part of 1435 Flight
No. 1435 Flight RAF

No. 1435 Flight is a unit of the Royal Air Force based in the Falkland Islands.While the United Kingdom officially does not foresee any threat to the Falkland Islands, it maintains significant military forces as a deterrent against any aggressor....
 and participated in Operation Telic
Operation Telic

Operation TELIC is the codename under which all United Kingdom operations of the 2003 2003 invasion of Iraq and after are being conducted....
. When the Sqn are not on operational taskings they fly daily training sorties through the week all year round. In April 2008 the squadron absorbed 56 (Reserve) Squadron
No. 56 Squadron RAF

Number 56 Squadron is one of the oldest and most successful squadrons of the Royal Air Force, with battle honours from many of the significant air campaigns of both World War I and World War II....
 and are now the F3 OCU
OCU

OCU may mean:* Oklahoma City University* Operational Conversion Unit, a unit in an air force* Operational Command Unit, a unit in a police force...
, as well as an operational squadron, 56 Sqn having reformed in the ISTAR role. The Squadron was awarded the "Freedom of the city" of Stirling
Stirling

Stirling is a City status in the United Kingdom and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling .The city is clustered around a large Stirling Castle and medi?val old-town....
 (43 Fighter Squadron was Stirling's home sqn long ago) in 2005. Currently, the Squadron still operates the Tornado F3 and will do until the Eurofighter Typhoon
Eurofighter Typhoon

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine Canard -delta wing Multirole combat aircraft aircraft. It is being designed and built by a consortium of three separate partner companies: Alenia Aeronautica, BAE Systems, and EADS working through a holding company Eurofighter GmbH which was formed in 1986....
 replaces the F3 as the UKs operational fighter aircraft (circa 2011). The squadron flagship, ZG757, has a gloss black spine and tail and 90th anniversary emblem on the tail.

See also

  • List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons
    List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons

    Squadrons are the main form of flying unit of the Royal Air Force . These include Royal Flying Corps and Royal Naval Air Service squadrons incorporated into the RAF when it was formed on 1 April 1918, during the First World War....


Bibliography

  • Beedle, J. 43 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps - Royal Air Force: The History of the Fighting Cocks, 1916-66. London: Beaumont Aviation Literature, 1966
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1980. ISBN 0-85130-083-9.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Rawlings, John. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd., 1969 (second edition 1976). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
  • Saunders, Andy. No 43 ‘Fighting Cocks’ Squadron. Botley, Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84176-439-9.


External links