14. July 1916

No.41 Sqn formed at RAF Gosport

31. December 1919

No.41 Sqn disbanded at RAF Croydon

1. April 1923

No.41 Sqn reformed at RAF Northolt

31. March 1946

No.41 Sqn renumbered No. 26 Sqn.

1. April 1946

No.41 Sqn reformed at RAF Dalcoss

16. January 1958

No.41 Sqn disbanded at RAF Biggin Hill

16. January 1958

No.41 Sqn reformed at RAF Coltishall by renumbering No.141 Sqn.

31 December 1963

No.41 Sqn disbanded at RAF Wattisham

25. September 1965

No.41 Sqn reformed at RAF West Raynham

 1. July 1970

No.41 Sqn disbanded at RAF West Raynham

1 April 1972

No.41 Sqn reformed at RAF Conningsby

 1916 - 1919

Fort Rowner, Gosport

1. Apr. 1916

15. Oct. 1916

St. Omer, France

15. Oct. 1916

21. Oct. 1916

Abeele. Belgium

21. Oct. 1916

24. May 1917

Hondschoote, France

24. May 1917

15. Jun. 1917

Abeele. Belgium

15. Jun. 1917

3. Jul. 1917

Léalvillers, France

3. Jul. 1917

22. Mar. 1918

Marieux, France

22. Mar. 1918

27. Mar. 1918

Fienvillers, France

27. Mar. 1918

29. Mar. 1918

Alquines, France

29. Mar. 1918

9. Apr. 1918

Savy, France

9. Apr. 1918

11. Apr. 1918

Serny, France

11. Apr. 1918

19. May 1918

Estrée Blanche (Liettres), France

19. May 1918

1 June 1918

Conteville, France

1 June 1918

14. Aug. 1918

St. Omer, France

14. Aug. 1918

20. Sep. 1918

Droglandt, France

20. Sep. 1918

23. Oct. 1918

Halluin East France

23. Oct. 1918

7. Feb. 1919

RAF Tangmere

7. Feb. 1919

8. Oct.1919

RAF Croydon

8. Oct.1919

31. Dec. 1919

 1923 - 1946

 1946 - 1963

Dalcross

1. Apr. 1946

8. Apr. 1946

RAF Wittering

8. Apr. 1946

29. Jun. 1946

B.158 Lübeck

29. Jun. 1946

9. Sep. 1946

RAF Duxford

9. Sep. 1946

30. Sep. 1946

RAF Wittering

30. Sep. 1946

11. Nov. 1946

RAF Acklington

11. Nov. 1946

20. Dec. 1946

RAF Wittering

20. Dec. 1946

17. Apr.1947

RAF Church Fenton

17. Apr.1947

29 Mar. 1951

RAF Biggin Hill

29 Mar. 1951

16. Jan. 1958

 1958 - 1963

RAF Coltishall

16. Jan. 1958

5. Jul. 1958

RAF Wattisham

5. Jul. 1958

31 Dec. 1963

 1965 - 1970

RAF West Raynham

1. Sep 65

 1. Jul. 1970

 1972 - today

RAF Coningsby

1. Apr. 1972

1. Apr. 1977

Coltishall

1. Apr. 1977

13. Aug. 1990

Thumrait AB. Oman

13. Aug. 1990

29. Aug. 1990

Seeb AB Oman

29. Aug. 1990

7 October. 1990

Muharraq Airfiled, Bahrain

7 October. 1990

Sep. 1991

Incirlik AFB, Turkey

Sep. 1991

Aug. 1993

Gioia del Colle AB. Italia

Aug. 1993

Sep. 2002

Incirlik AFB, Turkey

Sep. 2002

1. Apr. 2006

RAF Coningsby

1. Apr. 2006

today

 1916 - 1919

Maj J H A Landon DSO OBE

20. Jul. 1916

 7. Aug. 1917

Maj F J Powell OBE (Captured 2 Feb 1918)

 7. Aug. 1917

2. Feb. 1918

Maj G H Bowman DSO DFC MC

2. Feb. 1918

31 Dec 1919

 1923 - 1946

Sqn Ldr B E Smythies DFC

 1. Apr. 1923

 1. Oct. 1923

Sqn Ldr Raymond Collishaw  DSO, DSC, DFC

 1. Oct. 1923

15. Apr. 1924

Sqn Ldr G W Murlis-Green DSO, MC

15. Apr. 1924

2. Feb. 1926

Sqn Ldr F Sowrey DSO MC AFC

2. Feb. 1926

1. Sep. 1928

Sqn Ldr R S Aitken MC AFC

1. Sep. 1928

6. Feb. 1930

Sqn Ldr Patrick Huskinson MC

6. Feb. 1930

24. Oct. 1931

Sqn Ldr Stanley F Vincent DFC, AFC

24. Oct. 1931

1. May 1933

Sqn Ldr John A Boret MC, AFC

1. May 1933

3. Mar. 1937

Sqn Ldr J S L Adams

3. Mar. 1937

28. Aug. 1939

Sqn Ldr G A G Johnston

28. Aug. 1939

22. Apr. 1940

Sqn Ldr H R L Hood DFC (KIA - 5 Sep 1940)

22. Apr. 1940

 5. Sep. 1940

Sqn Ldr R C F Lister

 8. Sep. 1940

14. Sep. 1940

Sqn Ldr D O Finlay DFC, AFC

14. Sep. 1940

9. Aug. 1941

Sqn Ldr L M Gaunce DFC

9. Aug. 1941

21. Sep. 1941

Sqn Ldr Abrahams

21. Sep. 1941

27. Sep. 1941

Sqn Ldr L M Gaunce DFC (KIA - 19 Nov 1941)

27. Sep. 1941

19. Nov. 1941

Sqn Ldr P H Hugo DSO, DFC

24. Nov. 1941

12. Apr. 1942

Sqn Ldr J C Fee

12. Apr. 1942

28. Jul. 1942

Sqn Ldr G C Hyde (KIA - 19 Aug 1942)

28. Jul. 1942

19 Aug 1942

Sqn Ldr T F Neil DFC, AFC

3. Sep. 1942

25. Jul. 1943

Sqn Ldr B Ingham DFC

25. Jul. 1943

20. Nov. 1943

Sqn Ldr I G S Matthew DFC

20. Nov. 1943

26. Jan. 1944

Sqn Ldr G A Glen DFC

26. Jan. 1944

28. May 1944

Sqn Ldr R H Chapman

28. May 1944

28. Aug. 1944

Sqn Ldr D I Benham DFC AFC

28. Aug. 1944

 8. Apr. 1945

Sqn Ldr J B Shepherd DFC (KIA - 22 Jan 1946)

 8. Apr. 1945

22. Jan. 1946

Sqn Ldr H Ambrose DFC

28. Jan. 1946

31. Mar. 1946

 1946 - 1958

Sqn Ldr P W Lovell

1. Apr. 1946

20. Jan. 1948

Sqn Ldr W Hoy DFC, AFC

20. Jan. 1948

13. Oct. 1948

Sqn Ldr H H Moon

13. Oct. 1948

7. Nov. 1949

Sqn Ldr James Wallace DSO, DFC;

7. Nov. 1949

19. Mar. 1951

Sqn Ldr R B Hesselyn MBE, DFC, DFM

19. Mar. 1951

2. Apr. 1951

Sqn Ldr A F Osborne DFC

2. Apr. 1951

15. Jul. 1951

Sqn Ldr John Miller DFC, AFC

15. Jul. 1951

15. Jun. 1953

Sqn Ldr Maxwell Scannell DFC, AFC

15. Jun. 1953

12. Sep. 1955

Sqn Ldr J Castagnola DSO, DFC

12. Sep. 1955

16. Jan. 1958

 1958 - 1963

Sqn Ldr J Castagnola DSO, DFC

16. Jan. 1958

1. Feb. 1958

Wg Cdr J W J Leggett QCVSA

1. Feb. 1958

26. Oct. 1959

Wg Cdr D W Hutchinson-Smith AFC

26. Oct. 1959

24. Nov. 1961

Wg Cdr J F Pinnington

24. Nov. 1961

31 Dec 1963

 1965 - 1970

Wg Cdr  W Kent AFC

25. Sep. 1965

 6. Dec. 1965

Wg Cdr H E Angell DFC

 6. Dec. 1965

31. Aug. 1968

Wg Cdr G H Dodd

31. Aug. 1968

 1. Jul. 1970

 1972 - today

Wg Cdr Brian J Lemon MBE, AFC

1. Apr. 1972

22. Mar. 1974

Wg Cdr Peter D L Gover MBE, AFC, BSc

22. Mar. 1974

14. Jul. 1976

Wg Cdr Charles J Thomson AFC

14. Jul. 1976

 4. Dec. 1978

Wg Cdr C Granville-White

 4. Dec. 1978

 8. Mar. 1982

Wg Cdr H H Moses MBE

 8. Mar. 1982

Nov. 1984

Wg Cdr  David K Norriss QCVSA

Nov. 1984

22. Mar. 1987

Wg Cdr D H Milne-Smith

22. Mar. 1987

 1. Sep. 1989

Wg Cdr G W Pixton DFC, AFC

 1. Sep. 1989

28. Mar. 1992

Wg Cdr D S Griggs AFC, BA

28. Mar. 1992

17. Oct. 1994

Wg Cdr Christopher N Harper

17. Oct. 1994

3. Jan. 1997

Wg Cdr J P Moloney MA

3. Jan. 1997

23. Aug. 1999

Wg Cdr Graham A Wright BSc

23. Aug. 1999

11. Mar. 2002

Wg Cdr Mark W G Hopkins MBE, MA, MSc

11. Mar. 2002

22. Aug. 2004

Wg Cdr Richard M J MacCormac MA

22. Aug. 2004

 1. Apr. 2006

Wg Cdr Gary M Waterfall

 1. Apr. 2006

 8. Jun. 2007

Wg Cdr Andrew M Myers MBE, MA

 8. Jun. 2007

 1. Nov. 2009

Wg Cdr Richard A Davies MA

 1. Nov. 2009

6. Jun. 2012

Wg Cdr Mark O Rodden

6. Jun. 2012

 5. Dec. 2014

Wg Cdr Steven A Berry MBE, MEng

 5. Dec. 2014

15. Sep. 2017

Wg Cdr James J McMeeking

15. Sep. 2017

 1. Apr. 2020

Wg Cdr Lee P R Gordon

 1. Apr. 2020

16. Aug. 2022

Wg Cdr Attila Batu BSc

16. Aug. 2022

27. Mar. 2025

Wg Cdr Laura Frowen MBE

27. Mar. 2025

Originally formed in June 1916, this unit was almost immediately re-numbered No 27 (Reserve) Squadron and it was not until 14 July the No 41 actually came into existence at Gosport.  It moved across to the Western Front  in October equipped with FE8s, retaining them until July 1917 when DH5s were received.  SE5As arrived in November 1917 and it flew theses on fighter patrols, ground attack and escort missions for the remainder of the war.  The squadron returned to Britain as a cadre in January 1919 and disbanded at Croydon on 31. December 1919.

It reformed on 1. April 1923 as a single flight fighter squadron equipped with Snipes at Northolt.  A second flight was added in April 1924, whilst at the same time the squadron re-equipped with Siskins and a third flight in July 1925.  Bulldogs replaced the Siskins in October 1931 and then in July 1934, the squadron converted to the two-seat fighter role when it received Demons.

In October 1935, during the Abyssinian Crisis the squadron moved to Aden until August 1936 when it returned to Britain and also reverted back to single seat fighters by re-equipped with Furies at Catterick.  Spitfires arrived in January 1939, with which it flew defensive patrols until joining No 11 Group in May 1940.  Throughout the Battle of Britain the squadron alternated between Hornchurch and Catterick, finally settling at the latter until Jul 1941 when it moved south.  Offensives sweeps over France now became the norm but in August 1942 the squadron moved to Longtown and then Llanbedr to carry out patrols over the Irish Sea.

In February 1943 the squadron became the first in the RAF to operate a Griffon powered Spitfire when it received the first Mk XIIs.  These were used to combat the latest spate of low level attacks by bomb carrying FW190s and Bf109s as well as the usual shipping patrols and bomber escorts.  From April to June 1944 it operated against targets in northern France and from June was involved in 'Operation Crossbow' defending the South-East against V1 flying bombs.  Re-equipping with the Spitfire XIV in September the squadron moved to the continent in October as part of No 125 Wing.  It flew armed reconnaissance missions as part of 2nd TAF for the remainder of the war and was disbanded at Wunstorf by being re-numbered No 26 Squadron on 1. April 1946.

The same day No 122 Squadron at Dalcross was re-numbered No 41.  Moving to Wittering, the squadron was equipped with Spitfire F21s, but in August 1947 it became the 12 Group Instrument Training Unit and re-equipped with Oxfords and Harvards.  Reverting to an operational role in June 1948, it re-equipped with Hornets and remained at Church Fenton until re-equipping with Meteors in January 1951 and moving to Biggin Hill in March.  Meteors remained its main equipment until  August 1955 when Hunters arrived and from 11. February 1949 until 15. April 1955, the squadron had been linked with No 253 Squadron.  The squadron disbanded on 31. January 1958.

The following day No 141 was re-numbered No. 41 Squadron and was now a Javelin all-weather fighter unit at Coltishall, moving to Wattisham in July, where it remained until 6. December 1963 when the squadron disbanded again.  A new 41 Squadron appeared on 1. September 1965, this time equipped with Bloodhound surface-to-air missiles at West Raynham and lasted until 18. September 1970.  The squadron's current incarnation began on 1. April 1972 when it was reformed at Coningsby as a Phantom FGR Mk 2 equipped fighter-reconnaissance unit.  However, the Phantom was only seen as a temporary measure in this role and on 1. October 1976, No 41 (Designate) Squadron equipped with the new Sepecat Jaguar GR Mk 1 began forming, taking over the numberplate of 41 on 1. April 1977, the Phantom unit have disbanded the previous day.  The squadron continued to operate in the low level tactical reconnaissance role from its base at Coltishall, until 3 April 2006, when its numberplate and standard were handed over to the Fast Jet and Weapons OEU at RAF Coningsby.  In early 2010 the squadron was redesignated as a Test and Evaluation Squadron and took over duties previously carried out by the Fast Jet Testing Squadron at Boscombe Down.  In April 2013 it took over responsibility for the Typhoon from No 17 Squadron, which was tasked with testing and evaluating the Joint Strike Fighter, Lightning II, at Edwards Air Force Base in the USA.

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