13. May 1912

No.3 Sqn formed at RAF Larkhill

27. October 1919

No.3 Sqn disbanded at Dover

February 1920

No.3 Sqn reformed at Ambala India

1. October 1921

No.3 Sqn disbanded at RAF Leuchars

1. April 1924

No.3 Sqn reformed at RAF Manston

15. June 1957

No.3 Sqn disbanded at RAF Geilenkirchen

21. January 1959

No.3 Sqn reformed at RAF Geilenkirchen

RAF Geilenkirchen, Germany

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15. June 1957

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Formed from No.2 (Aeroplane) Company of the Air Battalion on 13. May 1912 at Larkhill, it moved to France in support of the BEF in August 1914.  Operating as a Corps reconnaissance squadron with Morane Parasols from 1916, the squadron re-equipped with Camels in September 1917, becoming a fighter unit. Returning to the UK in February 1919, the squadron disbanded on 27. October 1919.  Reforming in India on 1. April 1920 it operated as a fighter unit with Snipes until 30. September 1921.

A change of role followed, when the next day the mobile flight of No 205 Squadron at Leuchars was re-numbered No 3.  Initially equipped with DH9As it later used the Westland Walrus for fleet co-operation work before disbanding into No's 421 and 422 Flights on 1. Apr 1923.

Exactly a year later, it reformed with Snipes at Manston, but soon moved to Upavon.  Successively equipped with Woodcocks, Gamecocks and Bulldogs it remained at Upavon until October 1935 when it was deployed to the Sudan as a result of the Abyssinian crisis.  Returning to UK in August 1936 it moved to Kenley where it converted to Hurricanes in 1938, but Kenley was too small for these aircraft, so it reverted to biplanes in the form of Gladiators.  A move to Biggin Hill brought back the Hurricanes in 1939 and the squadron remained there on the outbreak of war.

However, setbacks in France soon led the No 3 to be sent to France as reinforcements for the Air Component of the BEF.  Evacuated back to Britain it moved to Scotland to 'recuperate', remaining there to defend Scapa Flow until April 1941.  It then became a night fighter/intruder unit until February 1943 when the first Typhoons arrived.  It continued fighter bomber operations over Northern France until March 1944 when it received the Hawker Tempest, just in time to take part in anti V1 (Diver) operations.

In September 1944 the squadron joined 2TAF and supported the Army all the way to Germany where it remaining after the war as part of BAFO.  Conversion to Vampires followed in April 1948, Sabres in May 1953 and Hunters in May 1956.  However, the squadron disbanded on 15. June 1957 at Geilenkirchen to where it had moved on 21. July 1953 from Wildenrath.  Less than two years later on 21. January 1959, it was reformed by re-numbering No 96 Squadron, again in RAF Germany but this time at Geilenkirchen operating Javelins until 31 December 1960 when it was again disbanded.  The next day No 59 Squadron, also at Geilenkirchen, was re-numbered and No 3 became a Canberra intruder unit until re-equipping with the Harrier GR1 in 1972.

With the Harrier, the unit moved to Wildenrath, Gutersloh and finally Laarbruch, from November 1992, having  re-equipped with the GR5 version in March 1989.  With the closure of Laarbruch  the unit, now equipped with the Harrier GR7 (from November 1990), returned to the UK and joined the RAF/RN 'Joint Force Harrier' as part of No 3 Group based at RAF Cottesmore. On 31. March 2006, the squadron became the first operational unit to operate the Typhoon F Mk 2, when it moved to RAF Coningsby.

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