VF-43

Fighter Squadron 43
Active 1 May 1945-1 July 1994
Country United States
Branch United States Navy
Part of Inactive
Nickname(s) Mach Busters
Challengers
Aircraft F4U-5 Corsair
F8F Bearcat
F-9F8 Cougar
FJ-3 Fury
F-11 Tiger
T-2 Buckeye
A-4F Skyhawk
T-38 Talon
F-21A Kfir
F-16N Viper

VF-43 was a Fighter Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was originally established as Fighter Squadron 74A (VF-74A) on 1 May 1945, it was redesignated Fighter Squadron 74 (VF-74) on 1 August 1945, redesignated VF-1B on 15 November 1946, redesignated VF-21 on 1 September 1948, redesignated as Attack Squadron 43 (VA-43) Challengers on 1 July 1959 and Fighter Squadron 43 (VF-43) on 1 June 1973. It was disestablished on 1 July 1994.[1]

Operational history

VF-1B F4U-4 on USS Midway c.1947
VF-21 F-11Fs in 1959
VA-43 A-4D lands on USS Antietam in 1959
VF-43 T-38 Talons with VF-142 F-14As in 1977
VF-43 F-21A Kfir in 1985
VF-43 T-2 Buckeye taking off from NAS Oceana in 1989
VF-43 F-16N Vipers taking off from NAS Oceana in 1989

VF-1B was assigned to Carrier Air Group One (CVBG-1), aboard USS Midway and was embarked on Midway's first deployment from 29 October 1947 to 11 March 1948 to the Mediterranean.

VF-21 was assigned to Carrier Air Group Six (CVG-6) and deployed to the Mediterranean aboard USS Midway from 9 January to 5 May 1952.

VF-21 was assigned to Air Task Group 181 (ATG-181) aboard USS Forrestal from 24 January to 31 March 1956 during her shakedown cruise in the Atlantic, and aboard USS Bennington for a Western Pacific deployment from 15 October 1956 to 22 May 1957.

VF-21 was assigned to Carrier Air Group 8 (CVG-8) aboard the USS Ranger in 1957 and served on Ranger's shakedown cruise from 4 October to 6 December 1957. This would be VF-21's last deployment. On 1 July 1959 VF-21 was redesignated VA-43 Challengers and became a fleet replacement squadron.

Home port assignments

The squadron was assigned to these home ports:

Aircraft Assignment

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Fighter Squadron Lineage". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
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