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During February 2018, the squadron participated in ''[[Exercise Red Flag|Exercise Red Flag 18-1]]'', the world's largest and most complex air combat exercise run by the [[United States Air Force|US Air Force]]. For the duration of the exercise the squadron's Typhoons operated from [[Nellis Air Force Base]] in [[Nevada]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://raf-beta-public.org/our-organisation/stations/raf-coningsby/news/raf-typhoons-join-exercise-red-flag-in-nevada/|title=RAF Typhoons join Exercise Red Flag in Nevada|date=2 February 2018|website=Royal Air Force (Beta)|access-date=19 February 2018}}</ref>
During February 2018, the squadron participated in ''[[Exercise Red Flag|Exercise Red Flag 18-1]]'', the world's largest and most complex air combat exercise run by the [[United States Air Force|US Air Force]]. For the duration of the exercise the squadron's Typhoons operated from [[Nellis Air Force Base]] in [[Nevada]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://raf-beta-public.org/our-organisation/stations/raf-coningsby/news/raf-typhoons-join-exercise-red-flag-in-nevada/|title=RAF Typhoons join Exercise Red Flag in Nevada|date=2 February 2018|website=Royal Air Force (Beta)|access-date=19 February 2018}}</ref>


During November 2023, the squadron participated in Exercise Ferocious Falcon V, a Qatari led exercise.<ref name="AFMJAN24-8">{{cite book|title=[[Air Forces Monthly]]|year=January 2024|publisher=[[Key Publishing|Key Publishing Ltd]]|location=[[Stamford, Lincolnshire|Stamford]], [[Lincolnshire]], [[England]]|pages=8}}</ref>
During November 2023, the squadron participated in Exercise Ferocious Falcon V, a Qatari led exercise.<ref name="AFMJAN24-8">{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Air Forces Monthly]]|date=January 2024|publisher=Key Publishing|location=Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK|page=8}}</ref>


== Aircraft operated ==
== Aircraft operated ==

Latest revision as of 21:21, 19 December 2023

No. 11 Squadron RAF
Squadron badge
Squadron badge
Active
  • 14 Feb 1915 – 1 Apr 1918 (RFC)
  • 1 Apr 1918 – 31 Dec 1919 (RAF)
  • 15 Jan 1923 – 31 Mar 1948
  • 15 Sep 1948 – 11 Jan 1957
  • 21 Jan 1959 – 11 Jan 1966
  • 3 Apr 1967 – Oct 2005
  • 29 Mar 2007 – present
Country
Latin for 'Swifter and keener than eagles')[1]
MarchMarching Through Georgia[2]
AircraftEurofighter Typhoon FGR4
Battle honours * Honours marked with an asterisk may be emblazoned on the Squadron Standard
Insignia
Squadron tail badge
Squadron badge heraldryTwo eagles volant in pale, commemorating the unit's First World War operation of two-seater fighter-reconnaissance aircraft, eagles being chosen to symbolise speed and strength. Approved by King George VI in May 1937.
Squadron roundel
Squadron CodesDA-DZ

No. 11 or XI Squadron (sometimes featuring an 'F' to represent its historic fighter role (No. 11(F) or XI(F) Squadron)), is "the world's oldest, dedicated fighter unit"

Tornado F3 until 2005 when it was disbanded. It was reactivated in 2006 to operate the Typhoon F2, receiving its first aircraft (serial number ZJ931) on 9 October 2006.[4]

History

World War I

No. 11 Squadron of the

Vickers Gunbus fighters in June, and deploying to France on 25 July 1915.[5] It was the first squadron solely equipped with fighters to deploy with the RFC,[6] or with any flying service.[7]

The squadron's Gunbusses were soon pressed into service, with Captain

G. S. M. Insall was awarded a Victoria Cross for an action on 7 November 1915 in which he forced down and destroyed a German Aviatik observation aircraft.[8] The Gunbus was already obsolete however, and was initially supplemented by a mixture of Bristol Scouts and Nieuport 16s until replaced by the Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2b of similar layout, but slightly higher performance, in June 1916.[9] These in turn were replaced by Bristol Fighters in August 1917, these being used both for offensive patrols over German-held territory and for ground attack for the remainder of the war. The Squadron was disbanded at the end of 1919.[10]

No. 11 Squadron numbered 19

Stephen Price and Hugh Hay Thomas Frederick Stephenson.[11]

The twin Eagles on the Squadron's crest, awarded in May 1937, represent the two-seated fighters operated in the First World War.[12]

Between the Wars

The Squadron reformed at

RAF Netheravon in May that year. The unpopular Fawns were replaced by Hawker Horsleys in November 1926, in use until December 1928, when the squadron handed the Horsleys to 100 Squadron and was posted to Risalpur in India (now in Pakistan), flying Westland Wapitis in Army co-operation and carrying out punitive air raids against rebelling tribal forces.[10][13] It replaced its Wapitis with Hawker Harts in February 1932, operations continuing as before.[10] On 31 May 1935, an earthquake devastated the city of Quetta and the surrounding area. No. 11 Squadron, along with other RAF squadrons in the region, were used to aid the relief effort following the disaster.[14] The squadron received Blenheim I monoplane bombers in July 1939, moving to Singapore the next month, just before the outbreak of World War II in Europe.[10]

World War II

A Bristol Blenheim of No. 11 Squadron takes off from Colombo's racecourse in Ceylon during the war.

In April 1940 the squadron moved to India, and was briefly based at

Eastern Africa campaign, attacking Italian targets in Italian East Africa.[15][19] In December 1940, the squadron was ordered to move to Egypt to support the upcoming British offensive in the Western Desert, Operation Compass,[20] with the squadron being based at Helwan, near Cairo, with a forward detachment at Fuka to support the offensive.[21]

In January 1941 the squadron was ordered to reinforce the

Greek Campaign against the Italians, partly re-equipping with newer Blenheim IVs from 39 Squadron before leaving for Greece, arriving at Larissa on 28 January.[22][23] On the night of 28 February/1 March 1941, Larissa was hit by a powerful earthquake, badly damaging both the airfield and the town. Personnel of the Larissa-based squadrons spent the rest of the night rescuing people trapped in collapsed buildings.[24] In March, 11 Squadron joined the newly-established 'E' (Eastern) Wing for operations over Thessaliniki.[25] On 6 April 1941, Germany launched an invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece.[26] 11 Squadron's Blenheims were employed on attacks on columns of German troops in Yugoslavia,[27] but by 16 April, the squadron was ordered to withdraw from Almyros to Acharnes to avoid the German advance.[28] The few surviving aircraft and crews were evacuated to Crete and then to Egypt.[29] and from there on to Aqir, Palestine where the squadron rebuilt its strength, becoming operational again on 28 May 1941.[30][31]

After reforming, the squadron served in the

Persian oilfields for the Allies, although it only dropped leaflets.[34] After returning to Egypt the squadron took part in Operation Crusader.[35]

Redeployed to

ground attack role, supporting the Fourteenth Army.[36]

By January 1943, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) personnel, or Australians serving in the RAF, made up almost 90% of the aircrews in the squadron (even though it was not officially an RAAF "Article XV squadron"). At the time, the Australian personnel included the commanding officer, Wing Commander Harley Stumm.[37]

11 Squadron was one of the few RAF squadrons to fight against Italian, German, Vichy French and Japanese forces.[38]

Since 1945

Gloster Javelin FAW.9 of No. 11 Squadron in 1965.
Eurofighter Typhoon F2 of 11 Squadron leads a Tornado F3, formerly of the Squadron, in 2007

The Squadron formed part of the occupation forces in Japan from August 1945 to February 1948, when it disbanded. Reforming in Germany during October 1949, they flew Mosquitos, Vampires and Venoms. The Squadron again disbanded in 1957, but reformed in January 1959 with Meteor night fighters. Javelins replaced the Meteors one year later and the Squadron was based at RAF Geilenkirchen, in West Germany, equipped with this type until another disbandment in 1966.[38]

Reforming in early 1967, No. 11 Squadron spent the next 21 years flying Lightnings, until May 1988.[38] By that time it was one of the last two squadrons equipped with this aircraft and was based at RAF Binbrook in Lincolnshire.[39]

From August 1988 the squadron operated the twin seat

SEAD).[40][41] Following the publication of the Future Capabilities study on 21 July 2004, XI(F) squadron disbanded in October 2005.[36]

The RAF announced that 11 Squadron would be the second front line squadron to re-equip with the Typhoon but would now be based at RAF Coningsby. The Squadron stood up at Coningsby on 29 March 2007, dropping the (F) designation in recognition of its new tasking as the Royal Air Force's lead Typhoon multi-role squadron. In March 2011, 11 Squadron (assisted by some 29(R) Squadron personnel and additional aircraft supplied by 29(R) and 3(F) Squadrons) deployed to Gioia Del Colle, Bari, Italy, to help police the no-fly zone imposed by Resolution 1973 over Libya as part of Operation Ellamy.[42]

In 2013 the squadron deployed to the Mediterranean again, this time RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, as part of 121 EAW providing air defence of Cyprus under the auspices of Operation Luminous.[43]

XI(F) Squadron resumed the use of its '(F)' Fighter status during its centenary year, with celebrations taking place on 7 and 8 May 2015 in the form of a formal dinner with the Squadron Association, and a parade complete with flypast.[44]

During February 2018, the squadron participated in Exercise Red Flag 18-1, the world's largest and most complex air combat exercise run by the US Air Force. For the duration of the exercise the squadron's Typhoons operated from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.[45]

During November 2023, the squadron participated in Exercise Ferocious Falcon V, a Qatari led exercise.[46]

Aircraft operated

List of aircraft operated by No. 11 Squadron:[47]

A selection of aircraft previously operated by No. 11 Squadron

See also

References

Citations

  1. ISBN 0-7100-9339-X
    .
  2. ^ "XI Squadron Song". XI Squadron Association. Archived from the original on 5 February 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  3. ^ "XI (F) Squadron". raf.mod.uk/. Royal Air Force. Retrieved 15 August 2020. The world's oldest, dedicated fighter unit
  4. ^ "100th Typhoon arrives at RAF Coningsby". raf.mod.uk. Royal Air Force. 9 October 2006. Archived from the original on 23 October 2006. Retrieved 26 October 2006.
  5. ^ Ashworth 1989, pp. 51–52
  6. ^ Jones 1928, p. 123
  7. ^ a b Bruce 1980, p. 63
  8. ^ Guttman 2009, pp. 19–20
  9. ^ Franks 2000, p. 28
  10. ^ a b c d Ashworth 1989, p. 52
  11. ^ Shores, Franks & Guest 1990, pp. 30, 316
  12. ^ Ashworth 1989, p. 51
  13. ^ Lewis 1959, p. 17
  14. ^ Delve 1985, p. 50
  15. ^ a b c d Moyes 1964, p. 25
  16. ^ Shores 1996, pp. 13–14
  17. ^ Shores 1996, pp. 17, 22
  18. ^ Shores 1996, p. 24
  19. ^ Shores 1996, pp. 27, 31, 40, 54–57, 59
  20. ^ Shores 1996, p. 80
  21. ^ Shores, Massimello & Guest 2012, pp. 81, 84
  22. ^ Shores, Massimello & Guest 2012, pp. 114–115
  23. ^ Shores, Cull & Malizia 1987, p. 72
  24. ^ Shores, Cull & Malizia 1987, pp. 96–97
  25. ^ Shores, Cull & Malizia 1987, p. 114
  26. ^ Dear 1995, p. 104
  27. ^ Shores, Cull & Malizia 1987, pp. 235, 238
  28. ^ Shores, Cull & Malizia 1987, pp. 256–257
  29. ^ Shores, Cull & Malizia 1987, pp. 276, 288
  30. ^ Halley 1980, p. 33
  31. ^ Shores 1996, pp. 183–184, 192–194
  32. ^ Shores 1996, pp. 204, 218, 224, 225
  33. ^ Shores 1996, p. 224
  34. ^ Shores 1996, p. 274
  35. ^ "Notes from the Receiving End". The Crusader Project. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  36. ^ a b c "No 11 - 15 Squadron Histories". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  37. ^ George Odgers, 1968 (orig. 1957), Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 3 – Air: Volume II – Air War Against Japan, 1943–1945, Canberra, Australian War Memorial, p. 256.
  38. ^ a b c "11 Squadron Page". RAF Website. Archived from the original on 6 October 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  39. ^ "The last last Lightning show... [sic]". Air-Scene UK. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2016.
  40. ^ Hunter 2004, p. 60
  41. ^ "Tornado F3". Armed Forces. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  42. ^ "Ellamy Update" (PDF). One to One. 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  43. ^ "XI Squadron Update - OnetoOne Online". onetooneonline.co.uk. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  44. ^ "XI Squadron Centenary Celebrations - OnetoOne Online". onetooneonline.co.uk. Retrieved 10 June 2019.
  45. ^ "RAF Typhoons join Exercise Red Flag in Nevada". Royal Air Force (Beta). 2 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  46. ^ Air Forces Monthly. Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK: Key Publishing. January 2024. p. 8. {{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  47. ^ "No.11 Squadron". National Cold War Exhibition. Royal Air Force Museum. Retrieved 4 February 2018.

Bibliography

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to No. 11 Squadron RAF.
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