No. 537 Squadron RAF
Military unit
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No. 537 Squadron RAF was one of the ten Turbinlite nightfighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.
United Kingdom
Royal Air Force| No. 537 Squadron RAF | |
|---|---|
| Active | 8 Sep 1942 – 25 Jan 1943[1] |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Air Force |
| Role | Turbinlite nightfighter squadron |
| Part of | No. 10 Group RAF, Fighter Command[2] |
History
No. 537 Squadron was formed at RAF Middle Wallop, Hampshire on 8[1] September 1942, from No. 1458 (Turbinlite) Flight,[3][4] as part of No. 10 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, such as in their case No. 245 Squadron RAF while still 1458 Flight,[3] the unit now also flew with their own Hawker Hurricanes. It was disbanded at Middle Wallop 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
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.I (Nightfigter) |
| 8 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.I (Turbinlite) |
| 8 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.II (Nightfigter) |
| 8 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Douglas Boston | Mk.III (Turbinlite) |
| 8 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIb |
| 8 September 1942 | 25 January 1943 | Hawker Hurricane | Mk.IIc |