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{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name= Fighter Squadron 11
|image=
|caption=
|dates= 1 February 1927 – 15 February 1959
|country= United States
|allegiance=
|branch= [[United States Navy]]
|type=
|role= [[Fighter aircraft]]
|size=
|command_structure= Inactive
|current_commander= 
|garrison= 
|ceremonial_chief=
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|nickname= Red Rippers
|patron=
|motto=  
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=[[World War II]]<br>[[Korean War]]<br>[[1958 Lebanon crisis]]
|aircraft_fighter=[[Curtiss P-1 Hawk|F6C-3 Hawk]]<br>[[Boeing F3B|F3B-1]]<br>[[Boeing P-12|F4B-1]]<br>[[Grumman FF|FF-1]]<br> [[Grumman F3F|F3F-1]]<br>[[Grumman F4F Wildcat|F4F-3 Wildcat]]<br>[[Grumman F6F Hellcat|F6F Hellcat]]<br>[[Grumman F8F Bearcat|F8F Bearcat]]<br>[[McDonnell F2H Banshee|F2H-2/4 Banshee]]<br>[[Douglas F3D Skyknight|F3D-2 Skynight]] 
|anniversaries=
}}
'''Fighter Squadron 11''' or '''VF-11''' was an aviation unit of the [[United States Navy]]. It was originally established as '''VF-5''' on 1 February 1927, redesignated as '''VF-5S''' on 1 July 1927, redesignated as '''VF-5B''' in January 1928, redesignated '''VB-1B''' on 1 July 1928, redesignated '''VF-5B''' on 1 July 1930, redesignated '''VF-5S''' in July 1932, redesignated '''VF-5B''' in April 1933, redesignated '''VF-4''' on 1 July 1937, redesignated '''VF-41''' on 15 March 1941, redesignated '''VF-4''' on 4 August 1943, redesignated '''VF-1A''' on 15 November 1946, redesignated '''VF-11''' on 2 August 1948 and disestablished on 15 February 1959. It was the second US Navy squadron to be designated VF-11.<ref name=Lineage>{{cite vf lineage|access-date=6 October 2016}}</ref>

==Operational history==

===1920s-30s===

[[File:Curtiss F6C-1 (15343270592).jpg|thumb|right|250px|VF-5B [[Curtiss P-1 Hawk|F6C-1]] date unknown]]
[[File:Boeing F4B VF5.jpg|thumb|right|250px|VF-5 [[Boeing P-12|F4B-1]] date unknown]]
[[File:Grumman FF-1 9365 VF-5B 5-F-15 Aug36 80-G-466495 (21420119735).jpg|thumb|right|250px|VF-5B [[Grumman FF|FF-1]] in 1936]]
[[File:Grumman F3F-1 0232 VF-4 4-F-7 13Jan39 NARA 80-G-414446 (via RJF) (18168977189).jpg|thumb|right|250px|VF-4 [[Grumman F3F|F3F-1]] in 1939]]
VF-5 was established on 1 February 1927 at [[Hampton Roads]], [[Virginia]] flying the [[Curtiss P-1 Hawk|Curtis F6C-3 Hawk]].  From 1927 to World War II, the squadron flew various aircraft including the [[Boeing]] [[Boeing F3B|F3B-1]] and [[Boeing P-12|F4B-1]], the [[Grumman]] [[Grumman FF|FF-1]] and [[Grumman F3F|F3F-1]] and also held the following designations (designations tended to change based on the mission; e.g., "S" for scout, "B" for bomber): VF-5S, VF-5B, VB-1B, and VF-4.

===1940s===

[[File:F4F-4 CV-4 11 1942.jpg|thumb|right|250px|VF-41 [[Grumman F4F Wildcat|F4F-4s]] testing their guns on {{USS|Ranger|CV-4|6}} prior to [[Operation Torch]] in November 1942]]
[[File:F6F-5 Hellcats of VF-4 Red Rippers in flight c1945.jpg|thumb|right|250px|VF-4 [[Grumman F6F Hellcat|F6Fs]] c.1945]]
During [[World War II]], VF-41 deployed on {{USS|Ranger|CV-4|6}} supported the [[Operation Torch|Allied invasion of Northwest Africa]], downing 14 [[Vichy France|Vichy French]] aircraft in the Grumman [[F4F Wildcat|F4F-3 Wildcat]] on 8/9 November 1942.<ref>{{cite book|last=Tillman|first=Barrett|title=Wildcat Aces of World War 2|url=https://archive.org/details/wildcatacesworld02till|url-access=limited|publisher=Osprey Publishing|year=1995|isbn=9781855324862|pages=[https://archive.org/details/wildcatacesworld02till/page/n59 60]–1}}</ref> The squadron lost 7 F4Fs in action over the same period.<ref name=Campbell>{{cite book|last=Campbell|first=Douglas|title=Volume I: U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Coast Guard Aircraft Lost During World War II - Listed by Ship Attached|publisher=Lulu.com|year=2011|isbn=9781257822324|page=180}}</ref>{{Self-published inline|date=December 2017}}<ref name=Wordell>{{cite book|last=Wordell|first=M.T.|title="Wildcats" Over Casablanca: US Navy Fighters in Operation Torch|publisher=Little, Brown, and Co.|year=1943|isbn=157488722X|page=304}}</ref> In October and November 1943 while operating from USS ''Ranger'', VF-41 attacked targets in German-occupied Norway.<ref name=Campbell/>{{rp|81}}

The squadron transferred to the [[Asiatic-Pacific Theater|Pacific Theatre]]. VF-4 deployed aboard {{USS|Bunker Hill|CV-17|6}} losing 5 [[Grumman F6F Hellcat|F6Fs]] in operations off the Philippines in November 1944.<ref name=Campbell/>{{rp|34}} VF-4 deployed aboard {{USS|Essex|CV-9|6}} and participated in the [[Battle of Mindoro]], attacks on Japanese bases on Formosa and the [[Battle of Okinawa]], losing 28 F6Fs between November 1944 and March 1945.<ref name=Campbell/>{{rp|70–1}} For the fighter-bomber mission the Hellcat was fitted with wingroot pylons, each of which could carry a 1,000 -Ib bomb or a 'Tiny Tim' rocket. Smaller rockets were carried on three zero-length launchers on each wing.

VF-11 operating the [[Grumman F8F Bearcat|F8F-1 Bearcat]] was assigned to [[Carrier Air Wing One|Carrier Air Group One (CVG-1)]] embarked on {{USS |Tarawa|CV-40|6}} on a cruise from the U.S. West Coast to the U.S. East Coast from 1 October 1948 to 21 February 1949.

===1950s===

[[File:F2H2 F2H2P over Korea 1953.jpeg|thumb|right|250px|VF-11 [[McDonnell F2H Banshee|F2H-2]] escorts a [[VAP-61|VC-61]] F2H-2P over Korea in 1953]]
[[File:F2H-4 Banshees VF-11 in flight 1958.jpg|thumb|right|250px|VF-11 F2H-4s in 1958]]
VF-11 flew the [[McDonnell F2H Banshee|F2H-2 Banshee]] during the [[Korean War]] as part of Carrier Air Group 101 (CVG-101) deployed on {{USS|Kearsarge|CV-33|6}} from 11 August 1952 to 17 March 1953. During this deployment VF-11 lost 2 F2H-2s and their pilots to enemy fire.<ref>{{cite book|last=Campbell|first=Douglas|title=U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and MATS Aircraft Lost During the Korean War|publisher=Lulu.com|year=2013|isbn=9781304610737|page=121}}</ref>{{Self-published inline|date=December 2017}}

VF-11 was assigned to Carrier Air Group 10 (CVG-10) aboard {{USS|Coral Sea|CV-43|6}} for a Mediterranean from 13 August 1956 to 11 February 1957.{{Cn|date=October 2024}}

VF-11 operating the F2H-4 was assigned to Air Task Group 201 (ATG-201) aboard {{USS|Essex|CV-9|6}} for a deployment to the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific from 2 February to 17 November 1958. In the Mediterranean, USS ''Essex'' supported the [[1958 Lebanon crisis|US Marines landed in Lebanon]].{{Cn|date=October 2024}}

In 1959, VF-11 moved to [[NAS Jacksonville]] and was disestablished on 15 February 1959, their men and equipment being distributed to other squadrons and activities. The [[VFA-11|3rd VF-11]], redesignated from '''VF-43''' on 16 February 1959 adopted the insignia and nickname of the disestablished second VF-11.<ref name=Lineage/>

==Home port assignments==
*[[Naval Station Norfolk|Hampton Roads]]
*[[NAS Jacksonville]]

==Aircraft assignment==
*[[Curtiss P-1 Hawk|F6C-3 Hawk]]
*[[Boeing F3B|F3B-1]]
*[[Boeing P-12|F4B-1]]
*[[Grumman FF|FF-1]]
*[[Grumman F3F|F3F-1]]
*[[Grumman F4F Wildcat|F4F-3 Wildcat]]
*[[Grumman F6F Hellcat|F6F Hellcat]]
*[[Grumman F8F Bearcat|F8F Bearcat]]
*[[McDonnell F2H Banshee|F2H-2/4 Banshee]]
*[[Douglas F3D Skyknight|F3D-2 Skynight]]

==See also==
*[[VFA-11]]
*[[History of the United States Navy]]
*[[List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons]]
*[[List of United States Navy aircraft squadrons]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{US Navy navbox}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vf-11}}
[[Category:Strike fighter squadrons of the United States Navy]]