NO. 43 SQUADRON RAF

'No. 43 Squadron' of the Royal Air Force operates the Panavia Tornado F3 from RAF Leuchars.

Contents

History

Current role

RAF Tornado squadrons

GR4

GR4A

See also

History

43 Squadron was formed on 15 April 1916 as part of the Royal Flying Corps. Prior to the outbreak of World War II the squadron re-equipped with Hawker Hurricanes, it was with these aircraft that the squadron covered the Dunkirk retreat and fought in the Battle of Britain. In November 1942 43 Sqn moved to North Africa, now flying Supermarine Spitfires. The squadron ended the war in Austria and was disbanded in 1947.
In February 1949 No. 266 Squadron was renumbered No. 43 Squadron, now flying Gloster Meteors at RAF Tangmere. The squadron moved to Leuchars in 1950 and in 1954 began to receive the Hawker Hunter. During much of the 1960s the Squadron operated from Cyprus and was disbanded in 1967. 43 Sqn reformed at Leuchars in 1969 with the F-4 Phantom which it flew until its replacement by the Tornado F3 in 1990.
The Sqn was awarded the "Freedom of the city" of Stirling (43 F Sqn was Stirling's home sqn long ago) in 2005.
Currently, the Sqn still operates the Tornado F3 and will do until the Typhoon replaces the F3 as the UKs operational fighter aircraft (circa 2011)
The Sqn flagship, ZG757 (GF) Has a gloss black spine and tail and 90th anniversary emblem on the tail.

Current role

With the F3 the squadron participated in the 1991 Gulf War and maintained a presence in the Iraqi no-fly zones. 43 Sqn crew and personnel are tasked with the duty of QRA,both in Fife, and in the Falklands as part of 1435 Flight and participated in Operation Telic. The Sqn are currently not on any operational taskings and merely fly daily training sorties through the week all year round.

RAF Tornado squadrons

===F3===

★ No. 25 Squadron - RAF Leeming

★ 'No. 43 Squadron' - RAF Leuchars

★ No. 56 (Reserve) Squadron - RAF Leuchars

★ No. 111 Squadron - RAF Leuchars

★ No. 1435 Flight - RAF Mount Pleasant

GR4

★ No. 9 Squadron - RAF Marham

★ No. 12 Squadron - RAF Lossiemouth

★ No. 14 Squadron - RAF Lossiemouth

★ No. XV (Reserve) Squadron - RAF Lossiemouth

★ No. 31 Squadron - RAF Marham

★ No. 617 Squadron - RAF Lossiemouth

GR4A

★ No. II Squadron - RAF Marham

★ No. 13 Squadron - RAF Marham

See also

★ List of Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons