No. 539 Squadron RAF was one of the ten Turbinlite nightfighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
No. 539 Squadron RAF | |
---|---|
Active | 2 Sep 1942 – 25 Jan 1943[1] |
Country | United Kingdom |
Branch | 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 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]
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 (Nightfighter) |
2 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIc |
From | To | Base |
---|---|---|
2 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | RAF Acklington, Northumberland |
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