No. 1451 Flight RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 1451 Flight was formed at RAF Hunsdon, Hertfordshire
on 22 May 1941, equipped with Turbinlite
Douglas Boston and Douglas Havoc aircraft. On operations they co-operated at first with Hawker Hurricane
s of No. 1422 Flight RAF
and later with Hurricanes of 3 Squadron
. The flight was replaced with 530 Squadron
on 8 September 1942 (not on 2 September due to administrative reasons) but officially disbanded as late as 25 January 1943.
530 Sqn, which had taken over men and machines, carried on flying the Turbinlite Bostons and Havocs till the system was abandoned on 25 January 1943, when Turbinlite squadrons were, due to lack of success on their part and the rapid development of AI radar, thought to be superfluous.
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
on 22 May 1941, equipped with Turbinlite
Turbinlite
The Helmore/GEC Turbinlite was a 2,700 million candela searchlight fitted in the nose of a number of British Douglas Havoc night fighters during the early part of the Second World War and around the time of The Blitz....
Douglas Boston and Douglas Havoc aircraft. On operations they co-operated at first with Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s of No. 1422 Flight RAF
No. 1422 Flight RAF
No. 1422 Flight was an independent Royal Air Force flight, used to test night fighting techniques and tactics.-History:The unit started originally as No. 422 Flight, formed on 14 October 1940 at RAF Shoreham to study the use of single-seat night fighters That unit went up into No...
and later with Hurricanes of 3 Squadron
No. 3 Squadron RAF
No 3 Squadron of the Royal Air Force operates the Typhoon F2, FGR4 and T3 from RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire.No 3 Squadron, which celebrated its 95th anniversary over the weekend of 11-13 May 2007, is unique in the RAF for having two official crests....
. The flight was replaced with 530 Squadron
No. 530 Squadron RAF
No. 530 Squadron RAF was one of the ten Turbinlite nightfighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.-History:No. 530 Squadron was formed at RAF Hunsdon, Hertfordshire on 8 September 1942, from No. 1451 Flight, as part of No. 11 Group RAF in Fighter Command...
on 8 September 1942 (not on 2 September due to administrative reasons) but officially disbanded as late as 25 January 1943.
530 Sqn, which had taken over men and machines, carried on flying the Turbinlite Bostons and Havocs till the system was abandoned on 25 January 1943, when Turbinlite squadrons were, due to lack of success on their part and the rapid development of AI radar, thought to be superfluous.
Aircraft operated
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.I (Turbinlite) |
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.I |
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.II (Turbinlite) |
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.II |
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Boston | Mk.II (Turbinlite) |
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Boston | Mk.III (Turbinlite) |
Flight bases
| From | To | Base |
|---|---|---|
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | RAF Hunsdon, Hertfordshire Hertfordshire Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and... |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 22 May 1941 | 8 September 1942 | S/Ldr. Squadron Leader Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these... D.C. Hobbis, DFC Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom) The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against... |