No. 185 Squadron
Motto: Ara fejn hu - Look where it is.
One of the few squadrons, if not the only one, whose motto is not in Latin, 185 Squadrons’ contact with Malta started during WWII on 27 April 1941 when it reformed as a fighter unit, equipped with Hurricanes, tasked with the defence of the island. Spitfires began to arrive in February 1942, and by March had replaced the Hurricane.
185 was active in Operation Husky, the allied invasion of Sicily launched from Tunis and Malta. It disbanded at Campoformido on 19 August 1945.
The squadron was eventually reformed on 15 September 1951 with Vampire FB.5s based at Hal-Far, again tasked with air defence duties of Malta. In August of the following year, it relocated to Cyprus then Iraq in October 1952, where it was disbanded on to 1 May 1953.
The following Vampires are known to have served with 185 squadron.