[2] On 21 July, a flight of four Hurricanes from the squadron embarked on the carrier Furious to take part in a raid on the ports of Kirkenes in Norway and Petsamo in Finland.

[6] In July 1942, Indomitable, with 880 Squadron aboard, returned to Britain to prepare for Operation Pedestal, a plan to run a convoy carrying vital fuel, supplies and food to besieged Malta.

[2][10] Indomitable was damaged during the Sicily operations, and in August, 880 Squadron joined the Escort carrier Stalker, helping to provide a Combat Air Patrol over the landings at Salerno, Italy, in September 1943.

[16] In June 1945, 880 Squadron took part in Operation Inmate, an attack on the isolated Japanese base at Truk atoll by Implacable and supporting ships.

Implacable's Seafires (from 880 and 801 Squadrons) dive-bombed oil tanks and spotted for the cruisers of the task force as they shelled targets on the atoll.

[16] The squadron, which regularly deployed aboard the carrier Magnificent, re-equipped with Grumman TBM-3E Avengers and was renamed VS 880 following the USN naming convention in November 1952.

[13] In September 1957, VS 880 first embarked on Canada's new carrier, Bonaventure,[19] and the squadron began to re-equip with Grumman CS2F-1 Trackers in October 1957, flying its last flight with the Avenger on 13 December that year.

[23] Duties included fisheries protectionpollution and wildlife surveys and ice patrols over Canada's Arctic coasts, with the aircraft receiving new radar and communications equipment in 1978, and adding the ability to carry CRV7 rockets from 1982.