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.

Operational history

First World War

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.

The squadron re-equipped with Spitfire Mk Vbs in September 1941, continuing to fly escort for anti-shipping strikes over the English Channel and for bombing raids. On 12 February it took part in the unsuccessful attempts to intercept the German battleships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen when they sailed through the Channel, escorting bombers searching for the German squadron. In August 1942, the Ibsley-based fighter wing, including 118 Squadron, moved to RAF Tangmere to support the Dieppe Raid. The squadron flew four missions during the day of the raid, claiming two Dornier Do 217 bombers destroyed.

The squadron moved to RAF Zeals in Wiltshire on 24 August and to RAF Coltishall in East Anglia on 17 January 1943, operating over Belgium, the Netherlands and the North Sea.

The Squadron moved to RAF Peterhead in Aberdeenshire on 20 September to carry out defensive duties over northern Scotland, with a detachment at RAF Skeabrae in the Orkney Islands, moving to RAF Castletown in Caithness in October. In February 1944 the Squadron, by now equipped with more modern Spitfire IXs, moved to RAF Detling in Kent where it became part of Second TAF, but on 10 March it moved back to Skeabrae, remaining in Orkney for four months.

It moved south again in July 1944, flying escort missions over Normandy from RAF Detling until August. The Squadron moved to RAF Westhampnett in Sussex at the end of August, and to RAF Manston in September, flying escort missions for Bomber Command's heavy bombers during daylight raids. In all it claimed 29 enemy aircraft destroyed during the war, with a further nine probably destroyed and 27 damaged. On 10 March 1946, the Squadron was disbanded.

On 1 September 1959, as a response to a campaign of attacks by the IRA, a detached Search and rescue flight of No. 228 Squadron at RAF Aldergrove equipped with three Bristol Sycamore helicopters was re-designated 118 Squadron on 1 September 1959. It flew its Sycamores in support of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), carrying out short range transport and reconnaissance missions. On 31 August 1962, with the threat from the IRA ended by a ceasefire, the Squadron was disbanded.

  • Supermarine Spitfire IIA - March 1941 to September 1941.
  • Supermarine Spitfire VB - September 1941 to January 1944.
  • Miles Martinet - at least one operated as target tug in January 1943.