| No. 243 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 20 Aug 1918 - 15 Mar 1919 12 Mar 1941 - 20 Jan 1942 1 Jun 1942 - 31 Oct 1944 15 Dec 1944 - 15 Apr 1946 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Air Force |
| Motto(s) | Swift in pursuit |
| Insignia | |
| Squadron Badge heraldry | A seahorse holding a sword erect |
| Squadron Codes | NX (Apr 1939 - Sep 1939) SN (Jun 1942 - Oct 1944) |
No. 243 Squadron was a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force. Originally formed in August 1918 from two flights that had been part of the Royal Naval Air Service, the squadron conducted anti-submarine patrols during the final stages of World War I. The squadron was later re-raised during World War II, operating initially as a fighter squadron in Malaya and Singapore during 1941–42. It was briefly disbanded just prior to the fall of Singapore, and was re-formed in mid-1942, again as a fighter squadron, and fought in the Tunisian and Italian campaigns in 1942–44, before being disbanded in October 1944. In 1945, after training on transport aircraft in Canada, the squadron moved to Australia where it operated in support of the British Pacific Fleet before disbanding in mid-1946.