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]
Commanders
Commanding OfficerS/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[edit]

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[edit]

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 (Nightfighter)
2 September 1942 25 January 1943 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc

Squadron bases[edit]

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[edit]

Notes[edit]

  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 & Hamlin 2007, p. 123.
  5. ^ a b c Halley 1988, pp. 402–404.

Bibliography[edit]

  • Delve, Ken (1994). The Source Book of the RAF. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing. ISBN 1-85310-451-5.
  • Flintham, Vic; Thomas, Andrew (2003). Combat Codes: A Full Explanation and Listing of British, Commonwealth and Allied Air Force Unit Codes since 1938. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-84037-281-8.
  • Halley, James J. (1988). The Squadrons of the Royal Air Force & Commonwealth, 1918–1988. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-164-9.
  • Jefford, C.G. (2001). RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912 (2nd ed.). Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
  • Rawlings, John (1978) [1969]. Fighter Squadrons of the RAF and their Aircraft (Revised ed.). London: Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-354-01028-X.
  • Sturtivant, Ray, ISO; Hamlin, John (2007). RAF Flying Training And Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links[edit]

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