 The first sorties were as bomber escorts and until the invasion in June the squadron carried out deep penetration missions using 90 gallon drop tanks.During the landings themselves, the squadron provided low level fighter cover and on 15 June it moved to France in the close-support and armed reconnaissance role.It was now heavily involved in ground attack sorties and continued to move forward following the Allied advance through Belgium and into the Netherlands to maintain its close air support of the ground forces.