As most students of aviation history, particularly the WW2 period, the RAF's Eagle Squadrons were manned by American pilots who joined up prior to USA's entry into the war in December 1941 and many of these air combat experienced pilots later transferred to the US Army Air Corps when the first elements arrived in UK in May 1943., when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth welcomed a nucleus of the 78th Fight Group, with their P-47 Thunderbolts to RAF Duxford. To commemorate that arrival a group of current historic warbird operators recently recreated 'The Eagle Squadron' to perform at UK air shows during this years summer season, commencing with the Imperial War Museum's Spring Air Show, flying aircraft representative of those operated by members of the original Eagle Squadrons' and the USAAC during the period. These include Hawker Hurricane Mk.X, Supermarine Spitfire Mk.I, Republic P-47G, and North American P-51 Mustang, plus Boeing B-17.
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