No. 533 Squadron RAF was one of the ten Turbinlite nightfighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
No. 533 Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
Active | 8 Sep 1942 – 25 Jan 1943[1] |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | Royal Air Force |
Role | Turbinlite nightfighter squadron |
Part of | No. 10 Group RAF, Fighter Command[2] |
No. 533 Squadron was formed at RAF Charmy Down, Somerset on 8[1] September 1942, from No. 1454 (Turbinlite) Flight,[3][4] as part of No. 10 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, such as in their case with the Hawker Hurricanes of No. 87 Squadron RAF in the Flight,[3] the unit now also flew with their own Hurricanes. It was disbanded at Charmy Down 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]
From | To | Aircraft | Version |
---|---|---|---|
8 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.I (Turbinlite) |
8 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.I (Nightfighter) |
8 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Douglas Boston | Mk.III |
8 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIb |
8 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIc |
From | To | Base |
---|---|---|
8 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | RAF Charmy Down, Somerset |
From | To | Name |
---|---|---|
September 1942 | November 1942 | S/Ldr. D.P. McKeown, AFC |
November 1942 | January 1943 | unknown yet |