No. 87 Squadron RAF

At the outbreak of the Second World War, the squadron was part of the air element of the British Expeditionary Force in France, equipped with Hawker Hurricanes.

[7] On 23 July Flt Lt AWG Le Hardy (Tony) took command before being sent on Special Operations as the Air Liaison Officer to the Military Mission to Marshal Tito on the island of Vis off the Dalmatian coast of Croatia.

8 Wing SAAF (the other being RAF 185 Squadron) and began fighter-bomber operations supporting the fighting in Italy as well as taking part in offensive sweeps across the Balkans from its detached Italian bases.

[8] 87 Squadron was again re-formed as part of the 2nd Tactical Air Force in Germany on 1 January 1952 at RAF Wahn with the Gloster Meteor NF11, with the main tasking being the defence of the Ruhr.

After five years it moved to RAF Bruggen, and was equipped with the Gloster Javelin as an all-weather interceptor force until it was disbanded on 3 January 1961.

A Sopwith Dolphin of No.87 Squadron in France, 1918 – the squadron's "lazy-S" unit insignia of that time is painted in white.
Two 87 Squadron Hawker Hurricane Mark IIC night fighters at RAF Charmy Down
No. 87 CO Sqn Ldr Denis Smallwood , in his Hurricane IIC, in early 1942
Blue plaque on Walton House, Northleach , Gloucestershire , commemorating its use as billets by pilots of No. 87 Squadron during the Battle of Britain, probably while it was stationed at RAF Bibury nearby; includes squadron's heraldic 'serpent' badge.