The Squadron was formed at Northolt on 1st July 1917, the squadron saw action in France the following year with SE5as. One of the first flight commanders was Captain Mick Mannock, by then already a legendary fighter ace. Disbandment followed in July 1919, and it was to be sixteen years before the unit would re-form, the expansion period of the middle thirties requiring many squadrons to re-appear. It was an unusual place to do it, being the transport ship 'Neuralia' which was en route to Malta in response to the crisis in Abyssinia. Initially known as 'Demon Flight', the squadron of Hawker Demons was officially christened 74 Squadron on 14th November 1935. A return to the UK the following year brought a change of mount to Gauntlets in 1937, based at Hornchurch in Essex, where they later converted to Spitfires just prior to the outbreak of the Second World War.

Later in the Battle of Britain, the squadron was withdrawn temporarily to regroup, returning in the latter stages with a move to Coltishall in September. This meant participation in Douglas Bader's 'Big Wing', the unit claiming six enemy aircraft downed on the 11th. 1941 would see action staged from Acklington, Llanbedr & Long Kesh, flying defensive patrols. Much of the squadron's life has been based overseas and this trend was continued with deployment to the Middle East in 1942, operating from Egypt with Hurricanes. Conversion back to Spitfires happened in September 1943 while in Cyprus and the squadron remained in theatre until April 1944 when it returned to North Weald to prepare for Operation Overlord. Fighter sweeps followed the D-Day landings, supporting the Army as it swept across France towards Berlin, finally ending with the push through Germany in April 1945.