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No. 539 Squadron RAF

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No. 539 Squadron RAF
Active 2 Sep 1942 – 25 Jan 1943[1]
Country United Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Ensign of the Royal Air Force Royal Air Force
Role Turbinlite nightfighter squadron
Part of No. 13 Group RAF, Fighter Command[2]
Commanders
Commanding Officer S/Ldr. J.S. Morton, DFC[3]

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

References[]

Notes[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Jefford 2001, p. 97.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 www.rafcommands.com
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Rawlings 1978, p. 466.
  4. ↑ Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 123.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 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.

External links[]


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