No. 11 Squadron RFC
| No. 11 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | 14 February 1915 -1919 1923 – February 1948 1949–1957 1956–1966 1967–2005 29 March 2007 – |
| Role | Air Defence, Air Interdiction, Close Air Support, Ground Attack |
| Garrison/HQ | RAF Coningsby |
| Motto(s) |
Latin: Ociores acrioresque aquilis ("Swifter and keener than eagles") |
| Equipment | Typhoon FGR4 |
| Battle honours | Western Front 1915–1918, Loos, Somme 1916, Arras, Cambrai 1917, Somme 1918, Amiens, Hindenburg Line, North-West Frontier 1930–1931, North-West Frontier 1935–1939, East Africa 1940, Egypt and Libya 1940–1942, Greece 1941, Syria 1941, Ceylon April 1942, Arakan 1943–1944, North Burma 1943–1944, Manipur 1944, Burma 1944–1945. |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | Two eagles volant in pale |
| Squadron roundel |  |
No. 11 or XI Squadron is a Royal Air Force fighter squadron. The squadron operated the 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.
No. 11 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps was formed at Netheravon in Wiltshire on 14 February 1915 for "fighting duties", receiving two seat pusher Vickers Gunbus fighters in June, and deploying to France on 25 July 1915. Since all previous squadrons (Royal Flying Corps or other nations) were reconnaissance or army co-operation units, 11 can make a claim to be the oldest dedicated fighter squadron in the world. The squadron has had the honour of having two Victoria Cross winners serve in the unit.
The squadron's Gunbusses were soon pressed into service, with Second Lieutenant G. S. M. Insall being awarded a Victoria Cross for an action on 7 November 1915 in which he forced down and destroyed a German Aviatik observation aircraft. The Gunbus was already obsolete however, and was replaced by Royal Aircraft Factory F.E.2 fighters of similar layout, but higher performance, in June 1916. 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.
No. 11 Squadron numbered 19 flying aces in its ranks during the war. Among them were Victoria Cross winner Lionel Rees, as well as Andrew Edward McKeever, future Air Commodore John Stanley Chick, Eugene Coler, Albert Ball VC, Frederick Libby, Ronald Maudit, John Quested, Herbert Sellars, Donald Beard, Stephen Price, Hugh Hay, and Encyclopedia of Modern Royal Air Force SquadronsThomas Frederick Stephenson.
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