The squadron was formed at
RAF Acklington on 22 February 1941 and reached operational readiness on 24 April 1941. It was equipped with
Hurricane Mk.Is until July when it received Mk.IIs. The squadron moved south in June and received
Spitfires in October. As with most Fighter Command squadrons it alternated its operations between offensive sweeps from bases in the south and defensive duties whilst based in the North and Midlands. In June 1943 the squadron was allocated to the
2nd Tactical Air Force and moved to
RAF Heston. During the buildup to the
invasion of Normandy the squadron carried out offensive sweeps in preparation for the landings. After the invasion they conducted ground attack operations in support of Allied ground forces, moving to the continent in August. The squadron arrived in
Belgium in October 1944 and
Germany in April 1945, remaining there as part of the occupation forces until disbanding as a Polish fighter unit on 3 January 1947 (it had earlier disbanded as a RAF fighter unit at
RAF Hethel on 18 December 1946). ==Commanding officers==