No. 1458 Flight RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 1458 Flight was formed at RAF Middle Wallop on 6 December 1941, from elements of No. 93 Squadron RAF
, equipped with Turbinlite
Douglas Boston and Douglas Havoc aircraft. On operations they cooperated with the Hawker Hurricane
s of 245 Squadron
. The flight was replaced with 537 Squadron
on 8 September 1942 (not on 2 September due to administrative reasons) but only officially disbanded as late as 25 January 1943.
537 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.
No. 93 Squadron RAF
No. 93 Squadron RAF was an aircraft squadron of the Royal Air Force during World War II. It operated Turbinlite-equipped Bostons from RAF Burtonwood, making night attacks and towing aerial mine charges with steel cables....
, 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 cooperated with the 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 245 Squadron
No. 245 Squadron RAF
No. 245 Squadron was a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It flew as an anti-submarine squadron during World War I and as a fighter squadron during World War II. After the war it was first a jet-fighter squadron and its last role was as a radar-calibration unit....
. The flight was replaced with 537 Squadron
No. 537 Squadron RAF
No. 537 Squadron RAF was one of the ten Turbinlite nightfighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.-History:No. 537 Squadron was formed at RAF Middle Wallop, Hampshire on 8 September 1942, from No. 1458 Flight, as part of No. 10 Group RAF in Fighter Command...
on 8 September 1942 (not on 2 September due to administrative reasons) but only officially disbanded as late as 25 January 1943.
537 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 December 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.I (Turbinlite) |
| 6 December 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.I |
| 6 December 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.II |
| 6 December 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Boston | Mk.III (Turbinlite) |
Flight bases
| From | To | Base |
|---|---|---|
| 6 December 1941 | 8 September 1942 | RAF Middle Wallop Army Air Corps Middle Wallop Army Air Corps Middle Wallop is a British Army base near the Hampshire village of Middle Wallop. The base hosts 2 Regiment Army Air Corps and the School of Army Aviation. The role of 2 Regiment is training and so AAC Middle Wallop is the base where most Army Air Corps pilots begin their careers... , Hampshire Hampshire Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force... |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 6 December 1941 | May 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... C.R. Stewart |
| May 1942 | 8 September 1942 | S/Ldr. P.L. Burke, AFC Air Force Cross (United Kingdom) The Air Force Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom Armed Forces, and formerly also to officers of the other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying, though not in active operations against the enemy"... |