Aircraft: Tornado F3
Motto: Gloria finis - 'Glory is the end'. The motto of the Brook family, Sqn Ldr AF Brook being the Squadron Commander from July 1925 to January 1928.
Badge: A black gamecock - approved by HRH King Edward VIII in July 1936. The badge was developed from an unofficial design produced in 1926 when the Squadron was equipped with the Gloster Gamecock.
Battle Honours: Western Front 1917-1918*, Arras, Ypres 1917*, Cambrai 1917, Somme 1918*, Lys, Amiens, Dunkirk*, Battle of Britain 1940*, Home defence 1940-1942, Fortress Europe 1942, Dieppe, North Africa 1942-1943*, Sicily 1943, Salerno, Italy 1943-1945, Anzio and Nettuno*, Gustav Line, France and Germany 1944*, Gulf 1991

Honours marked with and asterisk, are emblazoned on the Squadron Standard

Formed at Stirling from a nucleus provided by No 19 Reserve Squadron, it took almost year for No 43 Squadron to reach the Western Front in France. By this time their Sopwith 1½-Strutters were only suitable for reconnaissance work. Following re-equipment with Sopwith Camels in September 1917, the Squadron began to forge an excellent reputation for itself. This was typified by the events of 12 April 1918, when two of the Squadron's pilots, Captain JL Trollope and Captain HW Woollett, both scored six confirmed victories in a day. After the war, the Squadron moved to Germany briefly, returning to the UK in August 1919 prior to disbandment at the end of the year. No 43 Squadron reformed at Hendon on 1 July 1925. Now part of the UK fighter defences, it was equipped with Snipes, Gamecocks (1926), Siskins (1928) and Furys (1931). During the 1930s a healthy rivalry developed between Tangmere-based Nos 43 and 1 Squadrons, with the former gaining an outstanding reputation for formation aerobatics at the annual Hendon displays. By September 1939, the Squadron was flying Hurricanes, and during the Battle of Britain formed part of No 11 Group until, after two months in the frontline, it was moved north to regroup. The Squadron returned south in mid-1942, and took up fighter sweeps flights over France. In November, the Squadron departed for North Africa, stopping off in Gibraltar en-route. After their arrival, Spitfires replaced the Hurricanes, and the unit played a leading role in the air battles over Sicily and Italy before moving on to Austria as the War ended. The Squadron was disbanded in Italy in May 1947. In February 1949, Meteor-equipped No 266 Squadron at Tangmere was renumbered No 43. In 1954, four years after moving to Leuchars, the first Hunters to enter RAF service were received and these remained on strength until disbanded in October 1967. By this time, the Squadron was based in the Middle East, having moved overseas during 1961. The introduction of Phantoms into RAF service saw No 43 Squadron reform at Leuchars in September 1969, flying this remarkable aircraft until Tornado F3s replaced them in 1990.

Phantom FG1 in special 43 Squadron display markings

Tornado F3 in 43 Squadron markings

Information provided by www.raf.mod.uk