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No. 534 Squadron RAF

No. 534 Squadron RAF was one of the ten Turbinlite nightfighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

No. 534 Squadron RAF
Active2 Sep 1942 – 25 Jan 1943[1]
CountryUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch Royal Air Force
RoleTurbinlite nightfighter squadron
Part ofNo. 11 Group RAF, Fighter Command[2]

History

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CWGC headstone of a member of 534 Squadron who died in the first month of its operation. WO2 Douglas Jardine was on secondment from the Royal Canadian Air Force and is buried at Chichester in England

No. 534 Squadron was formed at RAF Tangmere, Sussex on 2[1] September 1942, from No. 1455 (Turbinlite) Flight,[3][4] as part of No. 11 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 Tangmere 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

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Aircraft operated by No. 534 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.I (Nightfighter)
2 September 1942 25 January 1943 Douglas Boston Mk.III (Turbinlite)
2 September 1942 25 January 1943 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIc

Squadron bases

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Bases and airfields used by No. 534 Squadron RAF, data from[1][3][5]
From To Base
2 September 1942 25 January 1943 RAF Tangmere, Sussex

Commanding officers

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Officers commanding No. 534 Squadron RAF, data from[3]
From To Name
2 September 1942 25 January 1943 S/Ldr. K. Matthews

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e Jefford 2001, p. 97.
  2. ^ "www.rafcommands.com". Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d Rawlings 1978, p. 465.
  4. ^ Sturtivant & Hamlin 2007, p. 123.
  5. ^ a b c Halley 1988, p. 402.

Bibliography

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  • 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)
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