No. 1453 Flight RAF

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No. 1453 Flight RAF
Night Fighter (Turbinlite)
Airborne Early Warning (ELINT?)
Ground Attack / Air Defence
Part ofNo. 12 Group RAF, Fighter Command (1941–1942)[1]
Insignia
Squadron Badge heraldryno known badge
Squadron codesno known identification code for the flight is known to have been carried

Number 1453 (Turbinlite) Flight RAF was an independent

night-fighter unit at RAF Wittering, equipped with Douglas Turbinlite Havoc aircraft. In the 1950s, the flight was briefly resurrected as an early warning flight, and during the 1980s, it was employed as a ground attack and air defence unit on the Falkland Islands
.

History

1453 Flt and the Turbinlite Havocs

After the

Douglas DB-7 and DB-7A medium bomber aircraft were appropriated by the British Purchasing Commission
. The relatively low availability of aircraft, and the good performance of the DB-7/A, named Havoc in UK service, made them suitable for use as intruders and night-fighters.

Thirty-one of the DB-7's (Havoc I) were converted to carry the 2,700 million candela (2.7Gcd) Helmore Turbinlite searchlight in the nose, as well as Airborne Interception Mk.IV (A.I. Mk.IV) radar. These aircraft were to operate in conjunction with Hawker Hurricane night fighters, illuminating the targets after tracking them with the radar, for the Hurricane fighters to despatch.

1453 (Turbinlite) Flight was one of the flights, formed on 10 July 1941; 82 years ago (1941-07-10),[2] especially to use the Turbinlite Havoc operating in conjunction with Hawker Hurricanes of No. 151 Squadron RAF and No. 486 Squadron RNZAF, also housed, like 1453 Flt, at RAF Wittering[2][3]

Thirty-nine DB-7A's (Havoc II) were also converted to use the Turbinlite searchlights, and these also saw service with the Turbinlite flights and the squadrons formed from the flights from 2 September 1942, 1453 Flt becoming No. 532 Squadron RAF (532 Sqn) on 8 September 1942[3] (not on 2 September due to administrative reasons)[4] and the flight officially disbanded as late as 31 January 1943.[3][5][6]

Results of the combined operations were not spectacular, (only one confirmed kill with 31 aircraft lost), but valuable experience in the use of the A.I. (Airborne interception) radar was gained. The Helmore Turbinlite was also evaluated as an anti-submarine attack searchlight, but the Leigh Light was found to be superior.[7]

AEW Neptunes at RAF Kinloss

On 1 November 1952, four

Airborne Early Warning aircraft.[8]

RAF Topcliffe

Disbanded on 5 June 1953, the four Neptune aircraft of Vanguard Flight became the re-formed 1453 (Early Warning) Flight at RAF Topcliffe in Yorkshire.[8] Despite their innocuous public role, the Neptunes of 1453 Flight retained the full armament of the P2V-5 variant with nose, dorsal and tail turrets.

Details of 1453 Flight's operations are few and far between, leading to speculation that they may have been involved in highly classified

RAF Sculthorpe, over eastern Europe to provide radar images of potential targets for RAF and Strategic Air Command
(SAC) bombers.

Neptune flying at RAF Topcliffe continued until 1453 (Airborne Early Warning) Flight was disbanded on 30 June 1956.

RAF Stanley, Falkland Islands

RAF Stanley
.

After the qualified success of RAF

RAF Stanley, part of BFFI (British Forces Falkland Islands). As the rudimentary facilities at RAF Stanley improved, Harrier Detachment (HarDet) Stanley was made autonomous with the formation of 1453 (Tactical Ground Attack) Flight, operating from a Military Engineering Experimental Establishment (MEXE) pad apron by the side of the runway at the extreme western end. Later, semi-permanent facilities were constructed, with Portakabin offices and RUBB hangars, during the extension and reinforcement of the runway.[8][9]

The Harriers were tasked initially with mostly

quick reaction alert
(QRA) in daylight hours.

Operations at RAF Stanley were challenging, with makeshift accommodation, few asphalt roads, army discipline, extreme weather, long supply lines, lacklustre catering supplies (e.g. several weeks with nothing but spinach and beetroot for vegetables), not to mention the close proximity of unclearable minefields, and danger of unexploded ordnance.

The Harriers of 1453 Flight continued flying at

airbase at RAF Mount Pleasant was opened, after which 1453 Flight disbanded and the Harriers were returned to the UK, leaving the air defence of the Falkland Islands to the Phantoms of 23 Squadron which had relieved 29 Squadron in October 1983.[8]

Aircraft operated

Aircraft operated by no. 1453 Flight RAF[3][10][11]
from to aircraft version
10 July 1941 8 September 1942
Douglas Havoc
 Mk.I (Turbinlite)
10 July 1941 8 September 1942 Douglas Havoc Mk.I
10 July 1941 8 September 1942
Douglas Boston
 Mk.II
10 July 1941 8 September 1942 Douglas Boston Mk.III (Turbinlite)
5 June 1953 30 June 1956
Lockheed Neptune
 MR.1
20 August 1983 June 1985
Hawker-Siddeley Harrier
 GR.3A

Flight bases

Bases and airfields used by no. 1453 Flight RAF[3][10][11]
from to base remarks
10 July 1941 8 September 1942 RAF Wittering, Cambridgeshire Det. at RAF Hibaldstow, Lincolnshire
5 June 1953 30 June 1956 RAF Topcliffe, Yorkshire
20 August 1983 June 1985
RAF Stanley, Falkland Islands

References

Notes
  1. ^ Delve 1994, p. 58.
  2. ^ a b Lake 1999, p. 89.
  3. ^ a b c d e Sturtivant and Hamlin 2007, p. 123.
  4. ^ Jefford 2001, p. 97.
  5. ^ Halley 1988, p. 403.
  6. ^ "RAF Wittering history" (PDF). RAF.MoD.uk.
  7. ^ Rawlings 1978, p. 463.
  8. ^ a b c d Lake 1999, p. 90.
  9. ^ "Harrier service in 1453 Flight". Harrier.org.uk.
  10. ^ a b Lake 1999, pp. 89–90.
  11. ^ a b Rawlings 1978, p. 464.
Bibliography

External links
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