No. 538 Squadron RAF

No. 538 Squadron RAF
Active	2 Sep 1942 – 25 Jan 1943
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Air Force
Role	Turbinlite nightfighter squadron
Part of	No. 9 Group RAF, Fighter Command

No. 538 Squadron RAF was one of the ten Turbinlite nightfighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.

History

No. 538 Squadron was formed at RAF Hibaldstow, Lincolnshire on 2 September 1942, from No. 1459 (Turbinlite) Flight, as part of No. 9 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. 253 Squadron RAF 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

Aircraft operated by No. 538 Squadron RAF, data from

From	To	Aircraft	Version
2 September 1942	25 January 1943	Douglas Havoc	Mk.I (Nightfigter)
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.III (Turbinlite)
2 September 1942	25 January 1943	Hawker Hurricane	Mk.I
2 September 1942	25 January 1943	Hawker Hurricane	Mk.IIc

Squadron bases

Bases and airfields used by No. 538 Squadron RAF, data from

From	To	Base
2 September 1942	25 January 1943	RAF Hibaldstow, Lincolnshire

Commanding officers

Officers commanding No. 538 Squadron RAF, data from

From	To	Name
8 September 1942	25 January 1943	S/Ldr. C.V. Winn, DFC

References

Bibliography

• Bowyer, Michael J.F.; Rawlings, John D.R. (1979). Squadron Codes, 1937–56. Cambridge, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 0-85059-364-6.
• 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)

External links

• Squadron.cfm 538 Squadron history on MOD site
• No. 538 Squadron RAF movement and equipment history
• Squadron histories for nos. 521–540 squadron on RafWeb's Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation