[2] Equipped with the American Chance Vought F4U-1 known as the Corsair I in British service the squadron moved to the US Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine in August 1943 before shipping back to the United Kingdom in October 1943 on board the escort carrier HMS Trumpeter.

On 30 December 1943 Illustrious sailed for the Indian Ocean to join the British Pacific Fleet.

The personal of the two fighter squadrons were retained on-board, although the aircraft were disembarked in Australia, until the ship returned to the UK in June 1945.

[11] In 1947 the squadron was reformed at HMS Gamecock near Bramcote, Warwickshire as one of the first four units of the RNVR Air Branch.

[12] Initially equipped with piston-engined aircraft such as the Supermarine Seafire and the Hawker Sea Fury,[13] latterly the squadron was equipped with jet aircraft, the de Havilland Sea Vampire and the Supermarine Attacker.