No. 1457 Flight RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 1457 Flight was formed at RAF Colerne
on 15 September 1941, and was equipped with Turbinlite
Douglas Boston and Douglas Havoc aircraft. On operations they cooperated with the Hawker Hurricane
s of 247 Squadron
. By 15 November 1941 the flight moved to RAF Predannack
, Cornwall
. During its operational life the flight had three sightings of possible enemy aircraft. The first occasion was on 24 June 1942, when the flight lit up a suspected Ju 88
and the satellite fighters of 247 sqn fired - on a RAF Short Stirling
. Others sightings occurred on 27 June and in August, but no enemy aircraft was shot down. The flight was replaced with 536 Squadron
on 8 September 1942 (not on 2 September due to administrative reasons) but officially disbanded as late as 31 December 1942.
536 Sqn, which had taken over men and machines, carried on flying the Turbinlite Bostons and Havocs till the system was abandoned 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.
RAF Colerne
RAF Colerne now known as Colerne Airfield or AEF Colerne is a former World War II RAF Fighter Command and Bomber Command airfield located on the outskirts of the village of Colerne, Wiltshire...
on 15 September 1941, and was equipped with Turbinlite
Turbinlite
The Helmore/GEC Turbinlite was a 2,700 million candela 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....
Douglas Boston and Douglas Havoc aircraft. On operations they cooperated with the Hawker Hurricane
Hawker Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft Ltd for the Royal Air Force...
s of 247 Squadron
No. 247 Squadron RAF
No. 247 Squadron was formerly a squadron of the Royal Air Force. It was also known as No.247 Squadron in recognition of the donations made by the British colonies, which at the outbreak of the Second World War, were established on the Chinese coast...
. By 15 November 1941 the flight moved to RAF Predannack
Predannack Airfield
Predannack Airfield is situated near Mullion on Cornwall's Lizard Peninsula in the United Kingdom. The runways are operated by the Royal Navy and today it is used as a satellite airfield and relief landing ground for nearby RNAS Culdrose.-World War II:...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. During its operational life the flight had three sightings of possible enemy aircraft. The first occasion was on 24 June 1942, when the flight lit up a suspected Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
and the satellite fighters of 247 sqn fired - on a RAF Short Stirling
Short Stirling
The Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
. Others sightings occurred on 27 June and in August, but no enemy aircraft was shot down. The flight was replaced with 536 Squadron
No. 536 Squadron RAF
No. 536 Squadron RAF was one of the ten Turbinlite nightfighter squadrons of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War.-History:No. 536 Squadron was formed at RAF Predannack, Cornwall on 8 September 1942, from No. 1457 Flight, as part of No. 10 Group RAF in Fighter Command...
on 8 September 1942 (not on 2 September due to administrative reasons) but officially disbanded as late as 31 December 1942.
536 Sqn, which had taken over men and machines, carried on flying the Turbinlite Bostons and Havocs till the system was abandoned 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
| From | To | Aircraft | Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 September 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.I (Turbinlite) |
| 15 September 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.I |
| 15 September 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.II (Turbinlite) |
| 15 September 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Havoc | Mk.II |
| 15 September 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Boston | Mk.II (Turbinlite) |
| 15 September 1941 | 8 September 1942 | Douglas Boston | Mk.III (Turbinlite) |
Flight bases
| From | To | Base |
|---|---|---|
| 15 September 1941 | 15 November 1941 | RAF Colerne RAF Colerne RAF Colerne now known as Colerne Airfield or AEF Colerne is a former World War II RAF Fighter Command and Bomber Command airfield located on the outskirts of the village of Colerne, Wiltshire... , Wiltshire Wiltshire Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers... |
| 15 November 1941 | 8 September 1942 | RAF Predannack Predannack Airfield Predannack Airfield is situated near Mullion on Cornwall's Lizard Peninsula in the United Kingdom. The runways are operated by the Royal Navy and today it is used as a satellite airfield and relief landing ground for nearby RNAS Culdrose.-World War II:... , Cornwall Cornwall Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of... |
Commanding officers
| From | To | Name |
|---|---|---|
| 15 September 1941 | May 1942 | S/Ldr. Squadron Leader Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these... J.R. Watson |
| May 1942 | 8 September 1942 | S/Ldr. Motion |