No. 112 Squadron RAF

No. 112 Squadron
1943: A Kittyhawk Mark III of 112 Squadron, taxiing through scrub at Medenine, Tunisia. The "erk" sitting on the wing is directing the pilot, who cannot see past the aircraft's nose.
Active	30 July 1917 – 13 June 1919 16 May 1939 – 30 December 1946 12 May 1951 – 31 May 1957 1 August 1960 – 31 March 1964 2 November 1964 – 1 July 1975
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Nickname(s)	"The Shark Squadron"
Motto(s)	"Swift in Destruction"
Battle honours	Home Defence 1917–1918, Egypt 1940, Greece 1941, Western Desert 1941–43, Italy 1943
Commanders
Notable commanders	Clive Caldwell; Billy Drake
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldry	"A cat sejant".
Squadron codes	XO May–Sep 1939 RT 1940 – Jun 1941 GA Jun 1941 – Dec 1946 T May 1951 – Jul 1953 A Jul 1953 – Jan 1954

No. 112 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It served in both the First World War and Second World War and was active for three periods during the Cold War. It is nicknamed "The Shark Squadron", an allusion to the fact that it was the first unit from any Allied air force to use the famous "shark mouth" logo on Curtiss P-40s.

The squadron was formed as No. 112 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps on 30 July 1917 at Throwley Aerodrome, Kent, England for air defence duties protecting the London area. It was equipped initially with Sopwith Pups and received Sopwith Camels in 1918. One of its first commanding officers was Major Quintin Brand (who would become a group commander with RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain). Following the end of the war, the squadron was disbanded on 13 June 1919.

The squadron was re-formed 16 May 1939, on board the aircraft carrier HMS Argus for service in Egypt. It was based initially at RAF Helwan at Helwan, Cairo Governorate. On 26 May, "B" Flight was detached and sent to Sudan. The squadron did not receive its aircraft, obsolescent Gloster Gladiator biplane fighters, until June. After Italy entered the war on 10 June 1940, the squadron was soon in action, defending Egypt from Italian bombers. "B" Flight became part of No. 14 Squadron RAF on 30 June.