1.
No. 101 Squadron RAF
–
No.101 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Airbus Voyager in the air-to-air refuelling and transport roles from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. 101 Squadron RFC was formed at Farnborough on 12 July 1917 operating the Royal Aircraft Factory FE2b, two weeks later it moved to France to operate as a night bomber squadron. In March 1919 the squadron returned to the UK and it was disbanded on 31 December 1919, the squadron was reformed in March 1928 at RAF Bircham Newton as a day bomber squadron. In 1938 the squadron was equipped with the Bristol Blenheim, in 1941 the squadron changed to a medium-bomber squadron with the Vickers Wellington. These were replaced the year with the Avro Lancaster. They sat in a curtained off area towards the rear of the aircraft and located and jammed German fighter controllers broadcasts, the aircraft fitted with the system were distinctive due to the two large vertical antennae rising from the middle of the fuselage. In October 1945, the moved to RAF Binbrook, Lincolnshire. These aircraft were deployed in conducting raids against the Quteibi tribe at Thumier in Aden in October 1947. On 25 May 1950, the squadron took delivery of its first English Electric Canberra B2 thereby becoming the RAF’s first jet bomber unit, without a training unit in existence, conversion to type was achieved by the squadron itself with assistance from English Electric test pilots. Most of the service trials were flown by the squadron and, by the end of 1950. Out of the pool of type-qualified crews, a wing of five squadrons had been formed by August 1952 at Binbrook, in June 1954, the squadron became the first to receive the B.6 variant of the Canberra. After full conversion to the type, the Binbrook Wing of five squadrons undertook a training programme in readiness for staged detachments to Malaya as support for Operation Firedog. This was a large-scale counter-insurgency campaign, on-going in Malaya since 1948 against communist guerrillas,101 Squadron became the first RAF jet bomber squadron to serve in the Far East when four Canberras arrived at Changi on 11 February 1955. The first bomb drop by an RAF jet bomber occurred when the squadron, over a period of two months operating from Butterworth, ninety-eight raids were made before the squadron returned to Binbrook on 21 June 1955. A final deployment to the base from June to August 1956 signified the last Canberra participation in the Malayan operation. Also in 1956, the squadron flew bombing raids against Egyptian airfields from their base at Hal Far. With the entry service of the V bombers, Canberras in the bomber role were becoming outmoded. Consequently,101 Squadron was temporarily disbanded on 1 February 1957 and its aircraft were now the upgraded Vulcan B1A fitted with the ECM tailpod
2.
101st Intelligence Squadron
–
From its creation in 1921 to its mission change in 2008, the 101st was the mainstay of aerospace defence for the Northeastern United States. The 101st was deployed during the Berlin Crisis to France and was deployed to Panama during Operation Coronet Nighthawk. It also participated in Operation Northern Watch, during the September 11 attacks, the 101st was the first Air Force unit to send aircraft toward New York City, but they arrived too late to help stop the attacks. It is one of three Air National Guard wings that works with the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, the squadron has its origins at Kelly Field, Texas, being organized as the 101st Aero Squadron on 22 August 1918. During September 1917, it was necessary to transfer many of its men. Altogether,113 men were transferred out and 32 transferred in, in October, the squadron was again filled up to a required total of 150 recruits. After basic indoctrination into the military, on 29 October, the squadron was ordered to service, being ordered to report to the Aviation Concentration Center, Garden City. Arrived at Camp Mills on 3 November, a wave of measles and mumps plagued the squadron, and it was placed in the Quarantine barracks for several weeks. It received orders to report to the Port of Entry, Philadelphia for immediate transport to France in mid-December 1917, sailing on the SS Northland on 4 December. It arrived in Liverpool, England on Christmas Day, after spending a week at Halifax, Nova Scotia, at St. Maixent, the 101st was re-organized according to the vocations of the men. As a consequence, many changes were made with transfers in and it was designated as a Service Squadron, and assigned to the 3d Air Instructional Center, Issoudun Aerodrome. It was assigned to the field initially, before being moved to Field Five to take up the duties of the Engineering department. Its primary duty became the reparing and maintaining the conditions of the used in the instructional classes. The squadron remained at 3d AIC until after the Armistice with Germany in November 1918, arrived at Michel Field where the squadron members were demobilized and returned to civilian life. After World War I ended, there was a general interest in organizing aviation assets for the National Guard system, at the time, in the US force structure aircraft were organized into infantry units in a fashion similar to other weapons, like artillery. Guard units without their own aircraft units would need units from other forces to be sent to operate with them, in Massachusetts, the Archie Club, composed of former Army Air Service pilots, lobbied for the formation of an air unit for the Massachusetts National Guard. The state had earlier been allotted the entire 26th Guard Division, the 101st built its own air base on land-filled tidal flats at Jeffries Point, East Boston. The 101 flew its Curtiss JN-4 Jenny aircraft throughout New England at air shows, county fairs, in addition, the 101st attended two-week summer camps that simulated forward deployments
3.
VFA-101
–
Fighter Squadron 101, also known as the Grim Reapers, was a United States Navy Fleet Replacement Squadron based at NAS Oceana in Virginia. After the West Coast FRS for the F-14 Tomcat, VF-124, was disestablished in the mid-1990s, with the retirement of the F-14, VF-101 was deactivated in 2005. Two distinct squadrons have called the Grim Reapers, VF-10 and later VF-101. Officially, the US Navy does not recognize a lineage with disestablished squadrons if a new squadron is formed with the same designation or nickname. Often, the new squadron will assume the nickname, insignia, on 1 May 1952, VF-101 was commissioned at NAS Cecil Field, Florida. This new squadron assumed the nickname and traditions of the previous Grim Reapers, later in 1952, VF-101 received the jet-powered F2H-2 Banshee. The squadron was assigned to Carrier Air Group 1 aboard the USS Midway, in 1956, VF-101 transitioned to the F4D-1 Skyray, their first radar-equipped aircraft. The squadron was only deployed for a short time during NATO Operation Strikeback from 3 September to 22 October 1957. In April 1958, VF-101 was merged with the Fleet All Weather Training Unit Atlantic, in becoming part of the training structure, VF-101 became part of Readiness Attack Carrier Air Wing 4 and ceased to be a deployable unit. In June 1960, VF-101 established “Detachment A” at NAS Oceana which operated the F4H-1 Phantom II, by the end of 1962, the Skyray and the Demon had been phased out in favor of the F-4. Detachment A was disestablished and F-4 training moved to NAS Key West, the Key West unit concentrated on air-to-air combat, missile firing and radar intercept techniques. In August 1967, VF-101 received the F-4J, vF-101’s administrative command, Readiness Attack Carrier Air Wing 4, was disestablished on 1 June 1970, with VF-101 shifting control of Command to Fleet Air Key West. This moved lasted only a year, and the squadron moved from NAS Key West to NAS Oceana under the command of Commander Fighter Wing One, a detachment remained at Key West until the 2000s. From 6 July to 16 December 1971, VF-101 Det.66 was assigned to Carrier Air Wing 8 aboard the USS America for a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, in January 1976, VF-101 began operating and instructing aircrews and maintainers in the F-14 Tomcat. In 1975 and 1976 the squadron was awarded the CNO Aviation Safety Award, VF-101 continued to train F-14 crews. In 1986, VF-101 had completed 3 years of accident free operations earning them another Safety Citation, the new fuel economy gave the F-14B one third more time on-station and sixty percent more range. Following a year of dedicated efforts, led primarily by VF-24 at NAS Miramar, California. Following that, on 12 September 1990, a VF-101 Tomcat dropped bombs from an aircraft for the first time on the east coast
4.
101st Rescue Squadron
–
The 101st Rescue Squadron is a unit of the New York Air National Guard 106th Rescue Wing stationed at Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base, Westhampton Beach, New York. The squadron is equipped with the HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter, configured for combat search, subsequently reverted to Air Combat Command. The squadron maintains, supports and operates the HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters of the 106th Rescue Wing and this article incorporates public domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency website http, //www. afhra. af. mil/. New York ANG, Francis Gabreski ANGB
5.
101 Squadron (Israel)
–
101 Squadron of the Israeli Air Force, also known as the First Fighter Squadron, is Israels first fighter squadron, formed on May 20,1948, six days after Israel declared its independence. Initially flying the Avia S-199, it has operated the Supermarine Spitfire, North American Mustang, Dassault Mystere IV, Dassault Mirage IIICJ, IAI Nesher. It currently operates out of Hatzor Airbase, flying the F-16C Fighting Falcon, four of these flew the squadrons first mission on May 29, strafing the Egyptian ground forces near Ad Halom, in the prelude to Operation Pleshet. During these initial operations, the squadron operated with a few planes versus almost complete Arab theater Air supremacy and it was all destiny - One of the last surviving founders of IAF recalls mission that stopped Egypt from advancing on Tel Aviv
