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

1. April 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.

6. December 1963

No.41 Sqn disbanded at RAF Wattisham

RAF Biggin Hill

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31. January 1958

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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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