VF-111

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The VF-111 Sundowners was a U.S. Navy fighter squadron flying the F-14 Tomcat until disestablished in 1995. The Sundowner tradition lives on in the form of VFC-111 as a adversary squadron flying F-5Ns, it was made official in November 2006.^[1]

1 History
- 1.1 Adversary Squadron
2 Sundowner Aces
3 References
4 Notes

[edit] History

VF-111
VF-111 squadron patch
Active	October 10, 1942 - 1995
Country	United States
Branch	United States Navy
Battles/wars	World War II Korean War Vietnam War

VF-111 began its life as VF-11 at NAS North Island on October 10, 1942 and on October 23 the same year the squadron was on its way to Hawaii with Grumman F4F Wildcats. While stationed at NAS Maui for intensive pre-deployment training, the fighter pilots were adopted by a prosperous Maui couple, Boyd and Maria Von Temsky, who owned a large cattle ranch on the slopes of Mount Haleakala Crater. The pilots appreciated their new home and while there some of them took steps which ensured the future terminology and fighter sprit of the squadron. It was decided that VF-11 should have a squadron insignia and designed one where the Wildcats were shooting a Rising Sun into the ocean. It was with the help of the couple that every one of the squadron’s Wildcats had the insignia stenciled on them. At the time numbers were not allowed on unit insignias so along the bottom the words "Sundowners" were printed. The name refers to the squadron’s job of shooting down Japanese "Suns", but also an old nautical term. A Sundowner was also a ship’s captain who directed his crew towards hard work until the day ended. The term originated from the days of sailing ships when grog was served on ships. A strict captain might withhold the ration until dark, but others allowed the grog to be served at dark. In January 1943 the squadron was at war, stationed at Guadalcanal. From April to July 1943 VF-11 downed 56 enemy aircraft in aerial combat. In October 1944, VF-11 deployed for the first time on USS Hornet (CV-12). After Guadalcanal, the squadron transitioned to the F6F Hellcat and participated in strikes and shot down 102 enemy aircraft and dozens more destroyed on the ground. As a direct result of their combat record, the squadron was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.

In July 1948, the Sundowners were designated VF-111 and transitioned to the F9F-2 Panther. At the start of the Korean War, Lieutenant Commander Amen scored the first US Navy jet kill in aviation history, downing a MiG-15 while flying a Panther from the USS Philippine Sea (CV-47). After Korea, VF-111 had flown the F9F-6 Cougar, FJ-3 Fury, F-11 Tiger and F-8 Crusader from the decks of 5 different carriers.

VF-111 made seven deployments during the Vietnam War, flying 12,500 combat missions. During the 1967-1968 deployment, Lieutenant Tony Nargi shot down a MiG-21 while flying a Crusader. In 1971 VF-111 joined CVW-15 and transitioned to the F-4 Phantom. During this deployment VF-111 shot down a MiG-17 near the Gulf of Tonkin.

In October 1978, VF-111 began the transition to the F-14 Tomcat and made two deployments with the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63). VF-111 also participated in the efforts to free the American hostages in Iran.

In October 1983 VF-111 returned to NAS Miramar following a world cruise on the maiden deployment of the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70). The Sundowners accumulated over 1400 landings and 300 flight hours during the cruise.

An F-14 Tomcat from VF-111 assigned to USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70).

In 1986 VF-111 accumulated over 7000 accident free flight hours and won the COMFITAEWWINGPAC Third Quarter Safety Award. The squadron earned COMCARGRU 3 and COMCARWING 15 endorsements to receive the ADM Joseph C. Clifton Award which designates the recipient as the best fighter squadron in the Navy.

In the spring of 1986 VF-111 began another busy work-up cycle, completing a successful series of training evolution and exercises in preparation for their June 1988 Pacific/Indian Ocean deployment. VF-111's seventeen month work-up was capped by a history making event, FLEETEX 88-2, the first time since World War II that a carrier, USS Carl Vinson and a battleship, USS New Jersey operated as a Battle Fleet.

VF-111's eventful 1988 deployment began in June and ended in December. It included operations in the Northern/Western Pacific, Arabian Sea, and Indian Ocean, providing support of tanker escorts in the Persian Gulf and included a transit of the Bering Sea, the fourth such transit in four deployments. Interoperability with U.S. and foreign air assets was stressed through exercises with the USAF Alaskan Air Command and Air Forces of Malaysia, Japan and Thailand.

In preparation for another deployment in 1990, VF-111 deployed aboard USS Carl Vinson from September to November 1989 as participants in PACEX 89. This landmark exercise had the Sundowners operating in the Bering Sea, the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan as a part of the largest naval exercise since World War II.

The Sundowners next deployment began in early February 1990 and ended in late July 1990. While deployed, VF-111 participated in a Battle Group Evaluation in Hawaiian waters, multi-national interoperability exercises in the Sea of Japan during Team Spirit 1990 and intensive Air Combat Maneuvering with VC-5 in Cubi Point, Philippines. This was followed by a two and a half month period in the Indian Ocean and North Arabian Sea while undergoing training exercises with the Air Forces of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and a successful Weapons Week off Diego Garcia.

The squadron accumulated over 2200 hours and 1000 arrested landings and proved its readiness by scoring direct hits on all five missile firing exercises undertaken during the six month period. The completion of this highly successful deployment ended a 3 year period during which the squadron was either deployed or on detachment sixty-five percent of the time.

In recognition of the squadron's success in missile firings, VF-111 received the 1990 Boola Boola award. As a TARPS squadron, VF-111 again proved its combat readiness by winning the 1990 TARPS derby, awarded to the best Tactical. Air Reconnaissance squadron on the west coast. Throughout the first 9 months of 1991, the squadron sent four detachments to Nellis Air Force Base to work with the Air Force Fighter Weapons School and the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron. To stay current in the carrier environment, the squadron participated in carrier qualifications aboard USS Ranger (CVA-61) and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72). The squadron continued the pace it set in 1990 by executing eight consecutive and successful missile firings.

On October 15, 1991 VF-111 returned to the familiar flight deck of USS Kitty Hawk. Departing NAS Norfolk, Virginia, VF-111 and USS Kitty Hawk began a two month cruise "around the horn" of South America to Naval Air Station North Island, California the new home for the USS Kitty Hawk. Port visits during the deployment included St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, Mar Del Plata, Argentina and Valparaiso, Chile. Multi-national exercises with Venezuela, Argentina and Chile were conducted in various air-to-air and strike scenarios. The Sundowners returned to NAS Miramar in December 1991. Until December 1991 VF-111 (as with VF-51) were scheduled to become the first deployable units to operate the F-14D Super Tomcat, but in the end the honor went to VF-11 and VF-31.

In 1993, VF-111 deployed to the Pacific, Indian Ocean and the Persian Gulf and flew in support off Operation Provide Relief and Operation Southern Watch. In 1994 VF-111 deployed to the Pacific and in March 1995 the squadron was disestablished.

[edit] Adversary Squadron

In November 2006 the Sundowners was revived as VFC-111 Sundowners, now an US Navy Adversary Squadron flying the F-5. The offical word from COMNAVAIRESFOR (Commander Naval Air Reserve Forces):

"In November, VFC-13 Detachment Key West was redesignated as VFC-111. The air wing and squadron were honored to revive and carry on the Sundowner's rich legacy. VFC-111 operates 12 F-5N aircraft. The squadron's unique location eliminates costly adversary detachments and provides the lion's share of adversary support to the F/A-18 fleet replacement squadrons (FRS) -- VFA-106, VFA-106(E/F), VFA-122 and VFA-125. These professional adversaries leverage years of veteran fleet experience to train our future war fighters. In its first year VFC-111 completed 14 FRS fighter detachments and flew over 3,300 hours in adversary support."^[2]