No. 538 Squadron RAF was one of the ten
Turbinlite
The Helmore/ GEC Turbinlite was a 2,700 million candela (2.7 Gcd) 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. The ...
nightfighter squadrons of the
Royal Air Force during the
Second World War.
History
No. 538 Squadron was formed at
RAF Hibaldstow
Royal Air Force Hibaldstow or more simply RAF Hibaldstow is a former Royal Air Force satellite station located south of Hibaldstow in Lincolnshire and south east of Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, England.
The airfield was built with greater things ...
,
Lincolnshire on 2
September 1942, from
No. 1459 (Turbinlite) Flight,
as part of
No. 9 Group RAF
No. 9 Group RAF was a group of the Royal Air Force.
History
The group was first formed on 1 April 1918 in No. 2 Area. The next month it was transferred to South-Western Area and then disbanded on 15 May 1919.
Its next incarnation was as part ...
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
No. 253 Squadron RAF
No. 253 (Hyderabad State) Squadron was a flying squadron of the Royal Air Force between 1918 and 1947. Originally formed in 1918, it served in WW1 flying coastal reconnaissance and anti-submarine patrols. Later in WW2 it took part in the Battle ...
while still 1458 Flight,
the unit now also flew with their own
Hawker Hurricanes. It was disbanded at Hibaldstow 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
Squadron bases
Commanding officers
References
Notes
Bibliography
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External links
Squadron.cfm 538 Squadron history on MOD site
{{DEFAULTSORT:No. 538 Squadron Raf
No. 538 Squadron
Military units and formations established in 1942
Military units and formations disestablished in 1943
1942 establishments in England
1943 disestablishments in England