Fighter Squadron 11 or VF-11 was an aviation unit of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

. It was originally established as VF-5 on 1 February 1927, redesignated as VF-5S on 1 July 1927, redesignated as VF-5B in January 1928, redesignated VB-1B on 1 July 1928, redesignated VF-5B on 1 July 1930, redesignated VF-5S in July 1932, redesignated VF-5B in April 1933, redesignated VF-4 on 1 July 1937, redesignated VF-41 on 15 March 1941, redesignated VF-4 on 4 August 1943, redesignated VF-1A on 15 November 1946, redesignated VF-11 on 2 August 1948 and disestablished on 15 February 1959. It was the second US Navy squadron to be designated VF-11.

Operational history

1920s-30s

Grumman FF-1 9365 VF-5B 5-F-15 Aug36 80-G-466495 (21420119735)

Grumman F3F-1 0232 VF-4 4-F-7 13Jan39 NARA 80-G-414446 (via RJF) (18168977189)

VF-5 was established on 1 February 1927 at Hampton Roads,

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

flying the Curtis F6C-3 Hawk. From 1927 to World War II, the squadron flew various aircraft including the

Boeing The Boeing Company () is an American multinational corporation that designs, manufactures, and sells airplanes, rotorcraft, rockets, satellites, telecommunications equipment, and missiles worldwide. The company also provides leasing and p ...

F3B-1 and F4B-1, the

Grumman The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, later Grumman Aerospace Corporation, was a 20th century American producer of military and civilian aircraft. Founded on December 6, 1929, by Leroy Grumman and his business partners, it merged in 1994 ...

FF-1 and F3F-1 and also held the following designations (designations tended to change based on the mission; e.g., "S" for scout, "B" for bomber): VF-5S, VF-5B, VB-1B, and VF-4.

1940s

F6F-5 Hellcats of VF-4 Red Rippers in flight c1945

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, VF-41 deployed on supported the Allied invasion of Northwest Africa, downing 14

Vichy French Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...

aircraft in the Grumman F4F-3 Wildcat on 8/9 November 1942. The squadron lost 7 F4Fs in action over the same period. In October and November 1943 while operating from USS ''Ranger'', VF-41 attacked targets in German-occupied Norway. The squadron transferred to the Pacific Theatre. VF-4 deployed aboard losing 5 F6Fs in operations off the Philippines in November 1944. VF-4 deployed aboard and participated in the

Battle of Mindoro The Battle of Mindoro ( Filipino: ''Labanan sa Mindoro'') was a battle in World War II between forces of the United States and Japan, in Mindoro Island in the central Philippines, from 13–16 December 1944, during the Philippines Campaign. Tr ...

, attacks on Japanese bases on Formosa and the Battle of Okinawa, losing 28 F6Fs between November 1944 and March 1945. For the fighter-bomber mission the Hellcat was fitted with wingroot pylons, each of which could carry a 1,000 -Ib bomb or a 'Tiny Tim' rocket. Smaller rockets were carried on three zero-length launchers on each wing. VF-11 operating the F8F-1 Bearcat was assigned to Carrier Air Group One (CVG-1) embarked on on a cruise from the U.S. West Coast to the U.S. East Coast from 1 October 1948 to 21 February 1949.

1950s

VF-11 flew the F2H-2 Banshee during the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

as part of Carrier Air Group 101 (CVG-101) deployed on from 11 August 1952 to 17 March 1953. During this deployment VF-11 lost 2 F2H-2s and their pilots to enemy fire. VF-11 was assigned to Carrier Air Group 10 (CVG-10) aboard for a Mediterranean from 13 August 1956 to 11 February 1957. VF-11 operating the F2H-4 was assigned to Air Task Group 201 (ATG-201) aboard for a deployment to the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific from 2 February to 17 November 1958. In the Mediterranean, USS ''Essex'' supported the US Marines landed in Lebanon. In 1959, VF-11 moved to

NAS Jacksonville Naval Air Station Jacksonville (NAS Jacksonville) is a large naval air station located approximately eight miles (13 km) south of the central business district of Jacksonville, Florida, United States., effective 2007-10-25 Location NAS Jack ...

and was disestablished on 15 February 1959, their men and equipment being distributed to other squadrons and activities. The 3rd VF-11, redesignated from VF-43 on 16 February 1959 adopted the insignia and nickname of the disestablished second VF-11.

Home port assignments

* Hampton Roads *

Aircraft Assignment

* F6C-3 Hawk * F3B-1 * F4B-1 * FF-1 * F3F-1 * F4F-3 Wildcat *

F6F Hellcat The Grumman F6F Hellcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft of World War II. Designed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat and to counter the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero, it was the United States Navy's dominant fighter in the second ha ...

F8F Bearcat The Grumman F8F Bearcat is an American single-engine Carrier-based aircraft, carrier-based fighter aircraft introduced in late World War II. It served during the mid-20th century in the United States Navy, the United States Marine Corps, and the ...

* F2H-2/4 Banshee * F3D-2 Skynight

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vf-11 Strike fighter squadrons of the United States Navy