The Fighting Cocks

In April 1916, a group of early aviators gathered in the fields beneath the crags and ramparts of Stirling Castle to form what was to become one of the Royal Air Force’s most distinguished fighter squadrons.

Few squadrons can match the history of 43 Squadron, including being the first squadron to undertake ground attack operations during the First World War, shooting down the first enemy aircraft over England in the Second World War, and achieving the remarkable double of shooting down 6 enemy aircraft in one day in both World Wars. Its distinctive emblem of the Fighting Cock embodies the spirit and resilience of a fighter squadron that has been in the vanguard of RAF operations for almost a century. Perhaps the Fighting Cocks’ finest period occurred during the Battle of Britain when its Hurricanes destroyed 60 enemy aircraft with a further thirteen ”probables” and twenty-five more damaged.

With the advent of the jet age, 43 Squadron became the first unit to fly the Hunter, seeing operational duties in Aden, before re-equipping with the Phantom until the end of the Cold War. This new edition of the Fighting Cocks’ history brings the story up to date and covers its 20 years of service with the Tornado F3, including the Gulf War, NATO operations over Bosnia, and the Iraq War.