[3] In May 1941 the squadron was formed again at RAF Turnhouse in Scotland with Supermarine Spitfires, assigned to provide escorts and shipping patrols along the Scottish east coast and the Forth Estuary.

[3] The squadron was moved to the Persian Gulf and was re-equipped with Hawker Hurricanes, assigned to protect Iranian oilfields against attack.

[3] Six months later the squadron moved into the Western Desert of Egypt to undertake convoy patrols,[3] equipped again with Spitfires.

[3] The squadron did manage to keep hold a number of Hurricanes into 1944 when it was moved again to India in the Chittagong area.

[3] It was a busy time for the squadron with ground-attack sorties and bomber escorts and in June 1944 it re-equipped with the American Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, and continued in support of the Army operations and escorting Douglas Dakotas on supply missions behind Japanese lines.