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No. 539 Squadron RAF

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No. 539 Squadron RAF
Active2 Sep 1942 - 25 Jan 1943[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleTurbinlite nightfighter squadron
Part ofNo. 13 Group RAF, Fighter Command[2]

No. 539 Squadron RAF was one of the ten Turbinlite nightfighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

History

No. 539 Squadron was formed at RAF Acklington, Northumberland on 2[1] September 1942, from No. 1460 (Turbinlite) Flight[3][4], as part of No. 13 Group RAF in Fighter Command. Instead of operating only Turbinlite and -rudimentary- Airborne Intercept (AI) radar equipped aircraft (Havocs and Bostons) and working together with a normal nightfighter unit, the unit now also flew with their own Hawker Hurricanes. It was disbanded at Acklington on 25 January 1943[1], when Turbinlite squadrons were, due to lack of success on their part and the rapid development of AI radar, thought to be superfluous.[5]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 539 Squadron RAF, data from[1][3][5]
From To Aircraft Version
2 September 1942 25 January 1943 Douglas Havoc Mk.I (Turbinlite)
2 September 1942 25 January 1943 Douglas Havoc Mk.II (Turbinlite)
2 September 1942 25 January 1943 Douglas Boston Mk.III (Turbinlite)
2 September 1942 25 January 1943 Douglas Boston Mk.I (Nightfigter)
2 September 1942 25 January 1943 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 539 Squadron RAF, data from[1][2][3][5]
From To Base
2 September 1942 25 January 1943 RAF Acklington, Northumberland

Commanding Officers

Officers commanding no. 539 Squadron RAF, data from[3]
From To Name
8 September 1942 25 January 1943 S/Ldr. J.S. Morton, DFC

References

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e Jefford 2001, p. 97.
  2. ^ a b www.rafcommands.com
  3. ^ a b c d Rawlings 1978, p. 466.
  4. ^ Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 123.
  5. ^ a b c Halley 1988, pp. 402-404.

Bibliography

  • Delve, Ken. The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1994. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
  • Flintham, Vic and Andrew Thomas. Combat Codes: A full explanation and listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied air force unit codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd., 2003. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth 1918-1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd., 1988. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, Wing Commander C.G., MBE, BA, RAF(Retd.). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988 (second edition 2001). ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Rawlings, John D.R. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft. London: Macdonald & Jane's (Publishers) Ltd., 1969 (2nd edition 1976, reprinted 1978). ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
  • Sturtivant, Ray, ISO and John Hamlin. RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd., 2007. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.

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