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.

Operational history

VF-1B F4U-4 on USS Midway c.1947

File:F11F-1s VF-21 NAN1-61.jpg

VF-21 F-11Fs in 1959

File:A4D-1 of VA-43 on USS Antietam (CVS-36).jpg

VA-43 A-4D lands on USS Antietam in 1959

File:T-38 Talons of VF-43 in flight with VF-142 F-14A Tomcats over Arizona 1977.jpg

VF-43 T-38 Talons with VF-142 F-14As in 1977

VF-43 F-21A Kfir in 1985

File:T-2C VF-43 taking off NAS Oceana 1989.JPEG

VF-43 T-2 Buckeye taking off from NAS Oceana in 1989

File:F-16N Vipers of VF-43 taking off from NAS Oceana in 1990.JPEG

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:

• NAS Oceana

Aircraft Assignment

• 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 - 1985-88
• F-16N Viper - 1987-1994

See also

• List of inactive United States Navy aircraft squadrons
• History of the United States Navy