No. 3 Squadron RAF
| No. 3 Squadron | ||
|---|---|---|
| Information | ||
| Role | Offensive Support | |
| Aircraft Operated | Harrier GR7 | |
| Home Station | RAF Cottesmore | |
| Motto | "Tertius primus erit" | |
| History | ||
| Date Founded | 18 May 1912 (RFC) | |
| Badge | On a monolith, a cockatrice | |
| Notable Battle Honours | Western Front 1914–1918, Mons, Somme 1918, Low Countries 1940, Battle of Britain 1940, Normandy 1944, Arnhem, France and Germany 1944–1945 | |
No. 3 (F) Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Harrier GR7 from RAF Cottesmore, Rutland.
Table of contents |
History
No. 3 Squadron (Royal Flying Corps) was formed at Larkhill in May 1912 from No 2 Company of the Air Battalion, Royal Engineers. 3 Sqn 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". Sent to France on the outbreak of the First World War, the squadron initially operated in the recconaisance role using a variety of aircraft types. Later, with the introduciton of Sopwith Camels, a fighter/scout role was taken on.
The inter-war years saw the squadron operate a variety 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.
World War II began with 3 Sqn in Scotland with the Hawker Hurricane, as part of Fighter Command. The squadron took part in the Battle of Britain, and later in the war, equipped now with Tempests, it shot down several hundred German V1 flying bombs over England.
The squadron moved onto Jets with the Vampires 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 Javelins and then a conversion onto Canberra bombers.
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 succesively at its Gutersloh base, finally receiving the GR7 and relocating to Laarbruch in the 1990s. In the 1999, with the drawdown of the RAF in Germany, 3 Sqn moved back to the UK along with its sister 4 Sqn. The two squadrons have operated at RAF Cottesmore ever since, being joined by the other Harrier operator, 1 Sqn, in 2001.
No. 3 Sqn, as part of Joint Force Harrier, now operated alongside the FAA Sea Harriers, and itself can operate from the Royal Navy aircraft Carriers. Recent operations have included Operation Allied Force over Kosovo in 1999, Operation Basilica over Sierra Leone in 2000 and Operation Telic over Iraq in 2003. In August 2004 it was announced that 6 Harriers will be deployed to Afghanistan in support of NATO forces there, and should be fully deployed by September.
The RAF have announced that No. 3 Sqn will be the first operational front line squadron equipped with the Eurofighter Typhoon. No. 3 Sqn will disband and reform at RAF Coningsby with the Typhoon in 2006, and is to be declared operational in 2007.
Previous Aircraft Operated
Future Typhoon squadrons
- No. 3 Squadron – Reforming at RAF Coningsby (Tranche 1)
- No. 11 Squadron RAF – Current Tornado F3 squadron – Reforming at RAF Leeming (Tranche 1)
- No. 6 Squadron RAF – Current Jaguar GR3 squadron – Reforming at RAF Leuchars (Tranche 2)
Related topics
Categories: Royal Air Force aircraft squadrons