while based at RAF Croydon, pioneering dangerous head-on attacks against the Luftwaffe bomber streams. However after suffering heavy losses in August 1940, the unit was rotated north in September to RAF Drem. Claims included 47 aircraft shot down for 18 Hurricanes lost. 1941–1945 The squadron replaced its Hurricanes with Supermarine Spitfires in April 1941. In November, Treble One again relocated to RAF Gibraltar for support of Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. In a similar role it moved to Malta in June 1943 to support Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily. No. 111 (F) Squadron moved through Italy with the advancing Allied ground forces and remained there until the end of the war, after which it moved to Austria. The squadron disbanded in May 1947. 269 aircraft were claimed shot down, making the squadron one of the top RAF scorers for the war. Cold War The squadron was not reactivated until 2 December 1953 when it received Gloster Meteor F.8s at RAF North Weald. The Meteors were soon replaced with Hawker Hunters and Treble One moved to RAF Wattisham, Suffolk. They achieved international acclaim with their ‘Black Arrows’ aerobatic display team using the Hawker Hunter, under the command of Squadron Leader Roger Topp. The squadron received the all-weather English Electric Lightning fighter in 1962 which it operated for 12 years. In 1965, under Squadron Leader George Black (later AVM) and fully equipped with Lightning F3's, it was chosen to provide a combined display with the Red Arrows for the Paris Air Show in June of that year. During the 2 to 3 months workup of the Diamond Nine formation plus a solo aerobatics Lightning, the squadron fielded 10 aircraft per day, a remarkable achievement for what was a somewhat difficult aircraft to service. In 1974, the squadron moved from RAF Wattisham after almost 18 years and re-equipped with the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.2 at RAF Coningsby, before moving north to RAF Leuchars on 3 November 1975. Tornado F.3 (1990–2011) The squadron began to re-equip with the Tornado F.3 in 1990. Throughout its time at Leuchars the No. 111 (F) Squadron was tasked with the maintenance of Quick Reaction Alert, which involves keeping aircraft at a high state of readiness to intercept, identify and, should it be necessary, destroy hostile aircraft approaching UK airspace. The squadron was involved in Operation Deny Flight and Operation Deliberate Force over Bosnia, Operations Bolton