No. 241 Squadron (RAF): Second World War

Aircraft - Locations - Group and Duty - Books

No.241 Squadron was reformed in 1940 as an army co-operation squadron, but saw most of its active service as a ground attack and reconnaissance squadron in North Africa and Italy.

The squadron was reformed on 25 September at Inverness by the re-designation of A Flight, No.614 Squadron. The new squadron used its Lysanders for exercises and for some coastal patrols, and also carried out some dive-bombing demonstrations with the Blackburn Roc during November 1940.

In July 1941 the first Tomahawks arrived and the squadron began training in tactical reconnaissance. The last Lysanders left in March 1942, and by April the squadron was fully equipped with Mustangs.

These didn't stay for long. In November 1942 the squadron moved to North Africa with Hawker Hurricanes. It used its Hurricanes for ground attack and tactical reconnaissance missions until the end of the Tunisian campaign.

In December 1943 the squadron converted to the Spitfire. It took these aircraft to Italy, where it remained to the end of the war. The squadron carried out a wide range of duties in Italy, including tactical and maritime reconnaissance, bomber escort and ground attack. It was disbanded on 14 August 1945.

Aircraft
September 1940-March 1942: Westland Lysander II and III
November-December 1940: Blackburn Roc I
July 1941-April 1942: Curtiss Tomahawk I and IIA
March-November 1942: North American Mustang I
November 1942-December 1943: Hawker Hurricane IIB
February-March 1944: Supermarine Spitfire VB and VC
December 1943-August 1945: Supermarine Spitfire IX
January 1944-August 1945: Supermarine Spitfire VIII

Location
September 1940-April 1941: Inverness
April-July 1941: Bury St. Edmunds
July-October 1941: Bottisham
October 1941: Weston Zoyland
October 1941-May 1942: Bottisham
May-November 1942: Ayr

November-December 1942: Maison Blanche
December 1942-January 1943: Souk-el-Arba
January-May 1943: Souk-el-Khemis
May-June 1943: Ariana
June-October 1943: Bou Ficha
October 1943-January 1944: Philippeville
January 1944: Palata
January-February 1944: Madna
February-April 1944: Canne
April-June 1944: Trigno
June 1944: Sinello
June 1944: San Veto
June-July 1944: Tortoretto
July 1944: Fermio
July-August 1944: Falconara
August 1944: Chiaravalle
August-September 1944: Piagiolino
September 1944: Cassandro
September-November 1944: Rimini
November-December 1944: Fano
December 1944-May 1945: Bellaria
May-August 1945: Treviso

Squadron Codes: RZ

Duty
1940-1941: Army co-operation
1941-1942: Tactical reconnaissance, home based
1942-1945: Ground attack and tactical reconnaissance North Arica and Italy

Part of
10 July 1943: Tactical Bomber Force; North Africa Tactical Air Force; Northwest African Air Forces; Mediterranean Air Command

Books

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