▁was ▁dis band ed ▁at ▁Neg hel li ▁in ▁Eth iop ia ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁and ▁its ▁six teen ▁Haw ker ▁Hart be es ▁aircraft ▁were ▁handed ▁over ▁to ▁ 4 1 ▁Squadron ▁at ▁Y av ello ▁on ▁ 2 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁ ▁North ▁Africa ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁after ▁a ▁brief ▁period ▁back ▁in ▁South ▁Africa , ▁the ▁squad ron ' s ▁ ▁personnel ▁were ▁flow n ▁to ▁Egypt ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁Des ert ▁Air ▁Force . ▁Until ▁new ▁aircraft ▁arrived , ▁the ▁Squadron ▁operated ▁at ▁Burg - el - A rab ▁as ▁an ▁Advanced ▁Main ten ance ▁Unit . ▁ ▁In ▁this ▁period , ▁six ▁pil ots ▁were ▁attached ▁to ▁ 2 0 8 ▁Squadron ▁R AF ▁for ▁oper ational ▁experience ▁in ▁modern ▁mon op lane ▁f igh ters . ▁The ▁squad ron ▁became ▁fully ▁oper ational ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁flying ▁the ▁Haw ker ▁H urr icane ▁M k . I ▁adapted ▁for ▁desert ▁conditions . ▁ ▁It ▁fle w ▁T ac . R s ▁and ▁Ph oto ▁Rec ce ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁XIII ▁Corps , ▁British ▁E ighth ▁Army . ▁ ▁The ▁squad ron ' s ▁pil ots ▁soon ▁lear nt ▁to ▁operate ▁in ▁pairs ▁and ▁to ▁stay ▁out ▁of ▁range ▁of ▁small ▁arms ▁fire ▁from ▁the ▁ground , ▁to ▁reduce ▁cas ual ties ; ▁however , ▁as ▁Er win ▁R omm el ' s ▁A frika ▁Kor