Number 71 Squadron was formed as part of the RAF's Fighter Command on 19 September 1940 at Church Fenton. It was staffed completely by volunteers from the American Air Force, but led by an Englishman, Squadron Leader W. M. Churchill. The squadron was declared operational on 8 October 1940 and assigned the squadron code of XR. On 24 October the squadron received its first airplanes - three Brewster Buffaloes. The pilots hated the Buffaloes and they were soon trashed "accidentally" by ground looping them!. The squadron started receiving Hurricane Is by 7 November, and then moved to Kirton-in-Lindsey on 21 November where training began in earnest. By January 1941 the squadron was declared combat ready and began flying convoy escort over the North Sea, during which time Squadron Leader Churchill was taken ill and replaced by W. Taylor. On 9 April the squadron was moved to Martlesham Heath, under the command of 11 Group and saw sporadic action against the Germans. May brought the arrival of Hurricane IIAs and further convoy patrol duties. On 23 June another move materialised, this time to North Weald, and H. Woodhouse replaced W. Taylor as Squadron Leader. The three squadrons based at North Weald flew as a Wing and by this time the fight was shifting from a purely defensive role to one taking the fight to the Germans in Northern France. During August 1941 the squadron started taking delivery of Spitfire IIAs, which received unanimous approval from their American pilots, and also there was two changes of leadership in the month, with E. R. Bitmead replacing H. Woodhouse as C.O. of the unit on 13 August and himself being replaced by Stanley Meares on 22 August.
Early in September 1941 the squadron began the transition to Spitfire VBs and by October were the leading squadron in terms of kills throughout the whole RAF. On 15 November Squadron Leader Meares was killed in a collision and Chesley Peterson took over, making the sqaudron an all-American outfit, and by 14 December the unit moved back to Martlesham Heath. Bad weather during the first three months of 1942 resulted in little action for 71 Squadron. In April they flew 661 missions, mostly bomber escort and fighter sweeps over France. On 2 May the squadron moved to Debden and both May and June were busy months flying a variety of missions over France with the most action coming on 1 June over Bruges, Belgium. During July, the squadron flew only 73 operational missions, primarily because they were preparing to go to the Soviet Union, but this move was eventually called off. The squadron took part in the Dieppe raid of 19 August and this proved to be their last operation of any significance. On 29 September 1942 No. 71 Squadron was disbanded and most of its members joined the USAAF and were attached to the 334th Fighter Squadron, Fourth Fighter Group.
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