No. 118 Squadron RAF
| No. 118 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 January 1918 - 7 September 1918 20 February 1941 - 10 March 1946 10 May 1951 - 22 August 1957 1 September 1959 – 31 August 1962 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom
|
| Branch |
 Royal Air Force
|
| Motto(s) |
Latin: Occido redeoque ("I kill and return") |
No. 118 Squadron was a squadron of the British Royal Air Force. Originally formed in 1918, it served as a fighter squadron in the Second World War, flying Spitfires and Mustangs. It flew jet fighters as part of RAF Germany in the 1950s, and Bristol Sycamore helicopters in Northern Ireland before finally disbanding in 1962.
The squadron was formed as No. 118 Squadron Royal Flying Corps at Catterick Airfield, North Yorkshire, on 1 January 1918 with the intention of becoming a night bomber unit. It received a mixture of aircraft for training, including Airco DH.6s, Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2s and Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2bs. The squadron moved to Netheravon on 15 April that year, and again to Bicester Airfield on 7 August, with the intention that it would receive Handley Page O/400 heavy bombers before moving to France. A change of plans meant that it would wait for Vickers Vimys instead of the O/400s, but the squadron received none before being disbanded on 7 September 1918.
On 20 February 1941, No. 118 reformed at RAF Filton, near Bristol, as a No. 10 Group fighter squadron equipped with Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I fighters, soon supplementing them with Spitfire Mk.IIs. On 28 March, convoy patrols began and after moving to RAF Ibsley in April, it started to fly escort missions for anti-shipping strikes, as well as defensive patrols and fighter sweeps over northern France.
...
Wikipedia